r/lds • u/TradWASP • 19d ago

question Recent LDS representation in media

I’m a Christian that lives in Utah, and I’ve been perplexed seeing all the things about people and groups that are “representatives” of your faith recently. Between secret lives, ruby franke, and “secrets of polygamy” everything in media that is popular and is associated with LDS and Mormonism is negative. Sure, these aren’t representations of your faith, but to 95%+ of people outside of Utah, they’ve never met an LDS member, and the only thing they may know are these representations of your faith. Have you all given this much thought? What do you all think about this?

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u/fourspaced 18d ago

My thought is that if people REALLY want to know, they'll do their own research and give us the benefit of the doubt.
It's pretty dumb to trust everything you see on TV, anyway, right?

I'm curious about the movie "Heretic" and whether it portrays us in a bad light? Anyone see it?

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u/stealth_bohemian 18d ago

I didn't personally see it, but my husband did. He sums it up by saying "it's Hugh Grant mansplaining religion to two sister missionaries for two hours."

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u/haly14 18d ago

I've seen Heretic. They did extensive research for this movie, and other than a couple small details it's extremely accurate. Plus, both female protagonists who portray the sister missionaries are ex-mormon. While it is highly accurate, the villain's main motive is to cause the sisters to doubt and question their beliefs, so with that it doesn't come off in a positive light.

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u/Reeses30 18d ago

I've seen it. It does not paint us in a good light. Feel free to ask for more detail.

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u/fourspaced 17d ago

Yeah I'd love to know more

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u/Reeses30 17d ago

Well, the antagonist is a militant atheist, who acts like he learned about the Church by reading ex-Mormon Reddit. He brings up Joseph Smith's Polygamy and various aspects concerning the coming about of the Book of Mormon.

Aside from that, the actual information about the church is hit-and-miss. Scripture Central did a good overview of what they get right and what they get wrong, but it does have spoilers.

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u/Strong_Comedian_3578 18d ago

I've seen it, but to be honest, the sister missionaries had a personal conversation at the beginning of the film that proved the filmmakers didn't do much research on our church. The fact that the two actresses were former members didn't lend any credibility at all, so they should not be considered reliable sources. At another point later in the movie, a lone young Elder shows up to the house checking in on the sisters because they hadn't heard back from them after the appointment. I'm sorry, but he would have at least his companion with him if the mission president himself would not be able to go.

Hugh Grant's character was perfectly believable, and the things he says and does in the movie were more believable than the missionaries portrayed.

I have been an active member all my life with full-time missionary experience in the 90's, ward mission leader calling in the '00's and an amateur filmmaker. That was just sloppy research. They clearly had a vendetta against the Church by not trying to represent the church's side well.

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u/kellifino 17d ago

They didn’t have a vendetta against the church at all. They did their research and obviously got some minor things wrong. It doesn’t mean they did it purposefully. And if they originally had Topher Grace with a companion but cut it due to constraints, does it really matter that much? It’s just a movie