Historicity of _American Primeval_

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Brent Metcalfe
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Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Brent Metcalfe »

Y'all may find this discussion illuminating...

https://www.youtube.com/live/6mcd7FNeSv ... _z2sZbt4k9
Fence Sitter
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Fence Sitter »

Please, sir, visit us more often. Your contributions to exposing the truth about Mormonism are legendary.
I Have Questions
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by I Have Questions »

Brent Metcalfe wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 4:23 pm
Y'all may find this discussion illuminating...

https://www.youtube.com/live/6mcd7FNeSv ... _z2sZbt4k9
What are they key things you think it illuminates?
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
Brent Metcalfe
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Brent Metcalfe »

Fence Sitter wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 9:01 pm
Please, sir, visit us more often. Your contributions to exposing the truth about Mormonism are legendary.
You’re very kind. My time is limited given other projects. A couple of weeks ago Mormon Stories and Mormonism Live collaborated on a podcast interviewing me...

https://www.youtube.com/live/G6le6mltJw ... rvq9C6oo_b
Brent Metcalfe
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Brent Metcalfe »

I Have Questions wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 9:53 pm
Brent Metcalfe wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 4:23 pm
Y'all may find this discussion illuminating...

https://www.youtube.com/live/6mcd7FNeSv ... _z2sZbt4k9
What are they key things you think it illuminates?
Pretty much everything... both Barbara and Darren lay out in detail where the TV series goes astray historically.
I Have Questions
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by I Have Questions »

Brent Metcalfe wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 10:11 pm
I Have Questions wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 9:53 pm
What are they key things you think it illuminates?
Pretty much everything... both Barbara and Darren lay out in detail where the TV series goes astray historically.
I don’t think the intention was to produce a historically accurate documentary. The article I link to below gives an insight into what the director and producers were trying to achieve, and how and why they produced scenes inspired by real events.
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/ ... -explained
Berg and Smith worked with cultural consultants to depict both the peoples and the period as accurately as possible, while taking creative license to center the story around the fictional Sara (Gilpin) and Devin (Preston Mota), a mother and son hurriedly journeying across the frontier to Utah, where the boy’s father lives.
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/ ... lor-kitsch

Were people expecting a Discovery Channel documentary?
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
drumdude
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by drumdude »

I Have Questions wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 10:30 pm

Were people expecting a Discovery Channel documentary?
“DP responding to Billy Shears” wrote:BS:
“Billy Shears” wrote:Dr. Park says the show isn’t trying to be accurate--it’s using historical people and events to tell a fictional story that explores a broader question of humanity.
A fictional story that is so wide of actual historical accuracy and, accordingly, so harmful to the reputation of real people (and a real people) should probably use fictional names
Won’t someone think of the good name of Brigham Young?? :lol:
drumdude
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by drumdude »

FairMormon has released a "fact-checking" webpage dedicated to the series:

https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/hom ... n-primeval

I'm eager to watch the show when I have some spare time. I've skimmed through the Mormon Stories video in the OP, and googled a bit about the show.

I have to admit it seems like Lindsay Hansen Park may have allowed the show to portray early Mormonism as much more violent than it actually was. At one point in the Mormon Stories video above (1 hour 10 minutes in), they're even laughing at how historically inaccurate it is.

I hope we get to hear from Lindsay herself soon.
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Gadianton
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Gadianton »

Will have to take this a piece at a time. So far the message seems to be that the horror of the act was significantly worse in real life and the movie downplayed it, and the movie overplayed the involvement of the Indians. Seems like the Church got off easy.
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Moksha
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Re: Historicity of _American Primeval_

Post by Moksha »

I Have Questions wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 9:53 pm
Brent Metcalfe wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 4:23 pm
Y'all may find this discussion illuminating...

https://www.youtube.com/live/6mcd7FNeSv ... _z2sZbt4k9
What are they key things you think it illuminates?
That American Primeval was a fictional story based loosely on a few historical events (so it does have a leg up on the Book of Mormon which contained no historical events).

This will be heyday for Mormon apologists to assert that their fictional story was better because it allowed their prophet Joseph Smith to act caddishly, and their Church to become the richest in the world while remaining tax-free and controlling the lives of millions of adherents.

Brent is right about the illumination bit.
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
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