Free Essay

Meet the Mormons

In:

Submitted By kstone5555
Words 765
Pages 4
Mormons: Are They Being Insincere?
The documentary, Meet the Mormons, is scheduled to open, for one week only, in over 300 theaters across the United States. The movie premier is creating a buzz that is circling the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; however, the film is being scrutinized for the wrong reason. The documentary’s tickets sales, not its content, is the source of much controversy, as members are buying out theaters for opening weekend. Even though, it may be perceived as insincere; it may ultimately allow additional nonmembers to see the movie.
Right to Buy Tickets for Opening Weekend
Anyone can buy a ticket to see the movie Meet the Mormons. Elder Jeffery R. Holland, a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "We want as many people as possible to see this film," in a September video directed at church members. "As with any theatrical film, our success will depend on box-office performance during the opening weekend. How long the film will be available in theaters will depend on that." (Wolf, 2014, para. 6)
Holland also recommended that members consider if they have the means, to “buyout” a showing for a group (Wolf, 2014). This request is a recommendation to the church’s parishioners, not a directive. Local congregations that choose to pre-purchase tickets will most likely share with family, friends and neighbors. The LDS church will donate net proceeds from the movie attendance to the American Red Cross.
Allow More Nonmembers to See the Movie
The longevity of the documentary in theaters allows higher probability of exposure to nonmembers. The purpose is to highlight the lives of six different individuals and their families and admonish the stereotypes that overshadow the positive beliefs and culture of Latter-Day Saints. "Many people are not familiar with our faith, and especially how culturally diverse the members are," said Cindy Packard, a church member and Gilbert resident. "We hope the viewers will gain a greater understanding of the richness and diversity of our faith." (Perera, 2014, para. 3) Members of the church are encouraged to bring friends, family and neighbors to see the film. The hierarchy’s intent is to help others understand who Mormons are as a church, and more importantly as people. It is also meant to be light and entertaining. The increase in church membership, for financial gain, was never a factor in the making of this film; it was strictly created to increase the awareness of the church and the Mormon community.
Keep the Movie Showing In Theatres
The opening and viewing of Meet the Mormons has been widely discussed throughout the church, but not forced. Elder Holland's request for members to "buy out" theatres was taken grossly out of context and now has the public, and some church members, questioning his intent. Yes, he is asking everyone to support the film. One fundamental aspect of Mormonism is that of obedience; if a leader "asks" for participation he is actually trusting members will have confidence in his counsel. By a show of faith in church leaders and support of the documentary, it will ultimately increase the awareness of Mormons as Christians. Attention at the box office, by means of popularity, will extend the films viewing schedule in theatres throughout the country. If the attendance is high, members and nonmembers alike can view the documentary. If opening weekend of the movie has lackluster attendance, many will not be afforded the opportunity to see it over a short one-week release.
Conclusion
It is understandable why some individuals may have misinterpreted the justification of Elder Holland’s optimism to have a record weekend opening of Meet the Mormons. It is imperative that the public and church members understand that there was never any dishonesty. The recommendation to purchase tickets for opening weekend was for two distinct reasons. First, extraordinary attendance will permit the documentary to stay in the theatres for an extended period. Most importantly it will allow more nonmembers to see the movie and have the opportunity to actually, Meet the Mormons. Research
Perera, S. (2014, October 8). 'Meet the Mormons' documentary showing in Mesa theaters.
The Republic. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2014/10/08/meet-mormons-documentary-showing-mesa-theaters/16914989/
Wolf, C. (2014, October 10). Meet the Mormons likley to be "surprise" hit thanks to LDS
Church putting pressure on members. The Daily Feed. Retrieved from http://www.cityweekly.net/TheDailyFeed/archives/2014/10/10/meet-the-mormons-likely-to-be-surprise-hit-thanks-to-lds-church-putting-pressure-on-members

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Intentional Communities

...Your name Professor’s name Name of the course 23 November 2015 Intentional Community THE AMISH The Amish are a group of the Christian church fellowship. The Amish movement was founded by Jacob Ammann as an attempt to change some practices of the Mennonites. The history of the Amish takes about three centuries. They started to emigrate to Pennsylvania U.S. in early 18th century after being chased and criticized by the Catholic сhurch. The main idea of their religion is to keep themselves far away from the world and conveniences of modern technology such as follows: electricity, cars, TV, radio, computers, planes, watches, and rings. Moreover, they totally decline to have any relation with the state and are against the individualism. All these are done in order not to let things from outside effect the internal world of the person and its perception of the reality. Rules and the leadership. The Amish are strictly keeping their rules that are called the Ordnung. It is a symbiosis of religious rules and practices concerning how to organize everyday routine, work process, lifestyle, and clothing. The Gelassenheit is the other semi - formal concept that is regulating the life of the Amish. It is a general view of a good person rather than a guide on how to behave. Due to the Gelassenheit, the honorable person should be modest, calm, kind, and quiet one. The nature of the Amish leadership is ministerial, which means they are choosing a minister for each district...

Words: 1281 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Abusing Self Defense

...are found guilty of the killing. So in other words murdering someone is a taboo. Sometime the defendant would pled either not guilty, or guilty, on rare occasion they would pled insanity or self-defense. Self-defense stood out the most for me and it was the Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander case, Was it really self-defense or was it just pure jealousy? To start with, I was channel surfing when I stopped on CNN news channel. Nancy Grace was shouting at someone giving their opinion about something as she always do. I was about to change the channel when I saw a gruesome crime scene photo of a shower filled with blood. I wanted to know more about the bloody shower. Come to find out the shower and the blood in it belongs to Travis Alexander, a Mormon. Travis Alexander was murdered on June 4, 2008 by his ex-girlfriend Jodi Arias in his house. Alexander was stab nearly around 30 times and was shot in the head and his throat had been slit. Travis’s body was left in that shower for five days, decomposing and was later found by his friend. Jodi Arias was suspect for the killing of Travis’s death. Arias had three scenarios she told the cop when she was being...

Words: 1933 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Mormonism: The Rise Of Christianity

...Since Mormonism is a newer tradition, only being around for about 200 years, they are still facing the challenge of being heard. They struggle to share their beliefs with other because many people still do not take Mormonism seriously. Mormons are fighting to become more well known and their goal is to be considered one of the main stream religions. After the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah and Mitt Romney running for president, Mormons feel that they are finally starting to get some of the recognition that they deserve. However, they still have work to do before becoming a main stream...

Words: 1435 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Missouri Mormon Wars of 1838

...The Missouri Mormon War of 1838 was one of the saddest in Missouri history; it was a period or confrontation and violence. The Mormon War of 1838 between Latter Day Saints and their anti-Mormon Missouri neighbors lasted from August 8, 1838 until November 1, 1938. Although a short war, it affected more than ten thousand Mormons in Missouri. The war or some call it a conflict, may have lasted only four months but skirmishes continued to break out between Mormons and anti-Mormons for several years. As I researched books and articles for my paper, I found blame for this war could be placed on either side depending on the author’s opinion. Most of the research indicated this war was a matter of fear, fortitude, power, and politics on both sides. In my opinion we cannot in good conscience say one side or the other started the war. It may not be clear who actually started the war but, the anti-Mormons appeared to have a political reason to get the Mormons out of Missouri. I did find several reasons for the war and it appeared the anti-Mormons had the most to gain. One such reason I found was Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Smith believed and reveled to the Latter Day Saints the second coming of Christ would happen near the town of Independence, Missouri. It wasn’t long after Mormons from across the country descended on Jackson County. Causing a rapid growth of Mormon settlements in this area, they came to build up what they...

Words: 3954 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Is the Church Cheating Us ?

...Most Americans comprehend that when two parties enter into a contract, they are legally bound and committed to its promises and must follow the terms explicitly, and if one side fails to meet their obligation, the agreement is broken. There are laws to ensure parties entering into an agreement with the U.S. government abide by the rules, and if they choose to break the agreement, it is breached and the government is obliged to collect damages and take punitive action against the offender if they are a congressional representative, president, or a religious organization. Four years ago, one of the richest religious organizations in the country broke their agreement with the Internal Revenue Service, and they deserve nothing less than revocation of their 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit organization, and the IRS is bound to collect taxes that were lost retroactively by virtue of Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Furthermore, the Department of Justice must investigate and prescribe a comprehensive audit to determine the amount of back taxes owed the United States by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; the Mormons. In June 2008, the First Presidency of the Mormon church sent a letter to church leaders in California to be read to all congregations on 29 June 2008 regarding California and Same-Sex Marriage, instructing cult adherents to “do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage...

Words: 480 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Mormonism

...The Mormon Religion As I previously stated, I visited the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Temple located at 9900 Stoneybrook Drive Kensington, Maryland 20895. The website for the church is http://lds.org/church/temples/washington-dc?lang=eng. I was unable get in contact with a specific point of contact before I visited the church for the first time, so I attempted to attend on a Sunday, not realizing they’re not open on Sundays. I later learned that the church was not a church at all. It was a temple. On my next visit I was denied entrance because I was not Mormon. After realizing there were rules to being permitted entrance to a temple, I contacted my friend who is a Mormon and was also my inspiration for the religion I chose for this assignment and she went to the temple with me in order for me to get an up close and personal experience at the church. The people at the temple were very friendly. When I first drove up to the temple I noticed that the building did not look the way I was used to church’s looking. I grew up in the south and I am used to somewhat small churches, often constructed by the members themselves. The size of this temple was very intimidating from the outside. It was the largest church I had ever visited or even seen in person. There was beautiful landscaping leading up to and surrounding the temple. The structure of the building was exquisite! The temple was all white and several stories tall. The outside looked to be made of stone...

Words: 1851 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Mormons

...The Mormons Originally, I had intended to attend a Catholic mass and write about my experience with it but, after going to the meeting, I didn’t feel like I had enough to write about. There just didn’t seem to be a whole lot to really base an opinion on it for me because I didn’t really have any pre or misconceived ideas about the religion going into it. It has been around for much longer than many other Christian denominations and so it just wasn’t exciting enough for me. After I attended the mass I really felt like I should find something more interesting or controversial, so this time I attended a Mormon meeting and I found that experience to be more in line with what I was looking for. Misconceptions First, let me just say that this meeting was far longer than I had expected. It was three hours to be exact, broken into three meetings. I hadn’t expected anyone to really enjoy going to church on their day off from work, let alone spend three hours there. Although it was long, it was extremely informative and the speakers were quite impressive given the fact that they were not paid for their time spent preparing or giving their sermons. This was one of the things that really blew all my preconceived ideas about religious worship. I thought that all religious clergy were in it for the money but, in fact, no Mormon clergy are paid for their service. And another thing I learned from my time spent in the church was that the “Mormons” prefer to be referred to as...

Words: 1688 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Mormonism Research Paper

...7 December 2010 Mormonism: Cult or Religious Movement? Mormonism is one of the fastest growing religions in the world today. When it first was founded in 1830 there were only six members. A month later this number had grown to forty members. Currently there are estimated to be over 13,824,854 members in the entire world ("Newsroom "). After observing the belief systems of Mormonism one could argue that it contains more similarities to that of a cult compared to that of a new religious movement. Before comparing Mormonism to a cult, a definition must be laid down. A cult, according to Dr. Walter R. Martin as quoted in Edmond Gruss’s book entitled Cults and the Occult, is “the Adherence to major doctrines which are pointedly contradictory to orthodox Christianity, yet which claim the distinction of either tracing their origin to orthodox sources or of being in essential harmony with those sources. Cultism, in short, is any major deviation from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith” (Gruss 3). Anthony Hoekema calls cults the “unpaid bills of the church” (Hoekema 1). Hoekema also goes on to say that cults sometimes arise because they believe “established churches have failed to emphasize certain important aspects of religious life, or have neglected certain techniques or values.” ( 1) Many times cults either contain all or some of the following ten characteristics. The first characteristic they usually contain is the importance...

Words: 3253 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Foundations

...Foundations Brigham Young University–Idaho 2013-2014 This is an exciting time to be associated with Brigham Young University-Idaho as it continues on a steady, upward course of academic innovation. Dedicated administrators and faculty members are continually working to prepare students to be well educated academically as well as spiritually. One of the university’s academic developments is our general education program called Foundations. Just as the name suggests, Foundations is designed to provide a strong base for the rest of your university experience and throughout your life. Foundations presents a focused approach to general education, allowing students to explore specific aspects of diverse subjects, delving deep into each topic. The courses are interdisciplinary and have been created through countless hours of faculty collaboration to provide you with the most effective learning outcomes. Foundations courses are divided into five groups: Eternal Truths, Academic Fundamentals, Science, Cultural Awareness, and Connections. While some courses are required, others are left to personal preference. You will be blessed as you enter these inspired classes with an open mind and willing heart. I invite you to carefully review the Foundations courses available and determine which classes will benefit you most. I wish you success in this and every other endeavor here at BYU-Idaho. Best regards, Kim B. Clark President, Brigham Young University-Idaho 47 Foundations Brigham...

Words: 7055 - Pages: 29

Free Essay

Personal Essay Response

...Describe any personal or economic hardships or barriers you have had to overcome and explain how they affected your education. Be specific about when you encountered these hardships and how long they lasted. From kindergarten to graduation I attended a private school operated by devout Latter Day Saints. While they did their best to teach from a neutral standpoint, there were subjects that were in direct conflict with their religious views. Science education was extremely limited due to limited resources and conflict with personal ideology. Subjects such as biology and history were covered, but without any depth. Consequently, my math education was a casualty. Early on I heard phrases such as, “It’s okay so long as you understand the concept, you’re artistic.” I took these statements to heart. I loved the arts, and outside of school, it was what I pursued. As math became more difficult, my tenuous grasp on the basics failed me. Rather than pushing me to learn, my teachers merely reassured me that as an artistic person, I would not need to know advanced math. By high school I not only feared math, but believed that I wasn’t smart enough to understand it. This made choosing a major a difficult task. I would consider a field, look up the requirements, and if there were math courses I would automatically reject it as a possibility. A year after graduation I finally chose to enroll in Edmonds Community College’s Hospitality and Tourism program. It was through this program that I...

Words: 1026 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Personal Prejudices and Biases

...Personal Predjuges and Biases One personal bias I have would be in relationship to some of the beliefs of the Mormons. Although I infrequently come in contact with individuals of this belief, I have had some exposure to them in my work history and have done some reading about their beliefs. In less than 70 years, the number of Mormons has grown from less than a million to more than 6 million in the United States and 14 million worldwide. Their visibility and influence at all levels and walks of life have increased accordingly (Bohlen et al., 2010). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), reflects the cultural impact of basic beliefs and traditions of church members practices and activities. The culture is geographically concentrated in the Western North American area, but is present to a lesser extent in many areas of the world where LDS live. Church members are encouraged to marry and have children, and as a result, LDS families tend to be larger than average. All sexual activity, both heterosexual and homosexual, outside of marriage is considered a serious sin. Same-sex marriages are not performed or supported by the LDS Church. When youth are in their late teens to early twenties they must put everything in their life on pause and go out for 18 to 24 months to spread the gospel. At least a tenth of a Mormon’s income must be given to tithing in order to contribute to the church’s growth.  Sunday, the Sabbath...

Words: 3903 - Pages: 16

Free Essay

Religious Discrimination in Hiring

...Running Head: RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING Religious Discrimination in Hiring Religious Discrimination in Hiring The initial concept for this paper was to research and examine reverse discrimination in hiring practices by businesses owned by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Utah County. I was trying to find research regarding LDS member owned businesses and preferential treatment to other LDS members when hiring. Through the process of this research I realized that my question was skewed, it wasn’t reverse discrimination at all. The population of Utah County consists of 97.5% members of the LDS church, and 88.7% of the population adheres to the LDS church (The Association of Religion Data Archives, 2010). In this context I will examine the preferential hiring practices of adherent religious member owned businesses when recruiting potential employees. Religion is a protected class, and discrimination of a protected class is a primary concern for the human resource industry. The importance of discrimination laws to human resources comes from a number of reasons: Out of motives ranging from concern for fairness to the desire to avoid costly lawsuits and settlements, most companies recognize the importance of complying with these laws. Often, management depends on the expertise of human resource professionals to help in identifying how to comply. (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2011, pp. 72-73) A company found in violation...

Words: 3710 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Religion

...Pentecostalism * One way in which this religion spread begins with an independent bible school in Topeka, Kansas, founded by Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929) * Some students there had a particular concern for the account in the Christian New Testament recorded in the book of Acts, chapter two, describing what happened to Jesus’ disciples as they gathered in a private room in Jerusalem during the Jewish festival of Pentecost. * This festival attracted thousands of tourists who spoke many different languages. According to the account, the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in these different languages. This phenomenon is called “speaking in tongues” or glossolalia. Those who spoke in different languages believed the Holy Spirit granted them the gift or power to do so. Much of the Christian tradition restricted such miraculous gifts to the age of the apostles and did not expect them later. * Parham’s students in Topeka found nothing in the biblical text that limited such spiritual gifts to an ancient time. On New Year’s Day, 1901, Agnes Ozman received the gift of speaking in tongues. Parham soon embraced the idea, equating such spiritual gifts with a “second baptism” that followed the traditional baptism which used water to anoint individuals. This second baptism was a baptism of fire * Speaking in tongues is a form of ecstatic experience when for a time another power seized control of one and manifests itself. * The Pentecostal...

Words: 6697 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

Information on Religion

...Religions Catholic The Catholic religion believes in only one God, but they also believe and worship Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary and the Saints. They do not believe in reincarnation, but they do believe in the afterlife, Heaven or Hell. Their sacred text they read is the Holy Bible. A few rituals they perform and celebrate are confirmation, baptizing, and celebration of Easter. Some assumptions made about Catholicism are that they worship statues, which has been claimed many times as untrue. I uncovered that Catholic actually means “throughout the whole, universal.” My religion, Christianity, does have a few things in common with Catholicism; we worship the same God and Jesus Christ, we use the Bible as our sacred text, and we believe in the afterlife of Heaven or Hell. Protestant The Protestant religion believes mainly in the glorification and worship of Jesus Christ, but also worships God as well. They believe in the afterlife; when you die you either go to Heaven or Hell. Their sacred text is the Bible. Protestant rituals include communion and baptism. Something I found interesting about Protestants is that they believe that the Bible, God’s word, is the supreme source of authority over the Church. My religion is close to this one; we both believe in Heaven and Hell, as well as angels and demons and also following God’s word. Methodist Methodists’ believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They believe in the afterlife of both Heaven and Hell. Their sacred...

Words: 1475 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

A Study in Scarlet and Pink

...mystery than the original text. Any movie or show should have the effect of people having a connection. The effects have being so embedded to the film that the audience feels a part of the mystery. In movies and shows, there are basic needs for a good director, good actors or actresses, and a good setting like any other normal movie to make a successful adaption.   In the short story, A Study in Scarlet by Sir Conan Doyle, the mystery has almost linear storyline with an episode of flashback. The story is in first narrative person, through the eyes of Dr. Watson. It first talks about Dr. John Watson in Afghanistan war as an army doctor. He gets shot in the shoulder. He is discharged from the war efforts, returning to London. In London, he meets his friend Stamford who shows him to his acquaintance, Sherlock Holmes.  They then become roommates and solve mysteries together. For the first mystery, they receive details of an unsolved murder of Mr. Enoch Drebber. They both to the crime scene and they investigate it. When they are close to solving the mystery, another man, Mr. Strangerson, is murdered in similar fashion to Mr. Drebber. With a few red herring, they eventually find the murderer to be Mr. Jefferson Hope. Then Mr. Jefferson Hope describes his motive for murder with a long flashback in third person omniscient. In Utah, he was not...

Words: 1823 - Pages: 8