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Tell us what you think.
Selected submissions will be posted here, so check back regularly.
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12/23/03
Peoria, AZ
"By their fruits ye shall know them" Read all the bios on the "Meet the
Missionaries" section of this website. Notice the tone or how unhappy and
bitter those that left the church or quit their missions early have become
and notice how positive and happy are the lives of the three that stuck
with it. Its so typical, obvious and at the same time, so sad to see how
bitter people become when they abandon the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
They cant leave it alone. They have to fight against it, to "kick against
the pricks". They "Lean unto their own understanding" and Have little or
no faith. I cant tell you how wonderful my life is as a member of the
church. If I could package it (my happiness) in a bottle and give it to
all that I know, I would carry a huge suitcase with me all the time.
Instead, We go on missions, bake cookies and continue to share with our
friends and Family that which makes us so happy. Like the old saying goes,
"If you believe that there is no God, you'd better be right!"
12/23/03
Jonathan Baker
I have been approached by Mormon missionaries on two occasions to convert
to their religion. However, as with Jehovah's Witnesses and other similar
sects, Mormons regard my being Gay and married to a spouse of the same sex
as incompatible with their religion. Consequently, they will have nothing
to do with me, which is, perhaps, a relief.
The mutual support that many religions offer can be of inestimable help
to those who are in need of that kind of support, and some of that came
through in this film. However, as this documentary illustrates, this
mutual support, when taken to extremes, can become suffocating, and stunt
personal development.
This documentary was poignant. I felt sorry for those young missionaries
- they seems so earnest in trying to live up to a cliche. For all their
efforts to convince others of the virtues of Mormonism, these boys seemed
to put in even more effort in convincing themselves that their efforts
were not a waste of their time and energy.
12/23/03
Chris Karpowitz
Princeton, NJ
Sadly, I have never seen a film with so many images of LDS mission life
that so completely misses the spirit of it. I do not know whether the
filmmaker was motivated by the willful intent to distort or by simple
incompetence, but the final result is quite regrettable. The decision to
have only "ex-Mormon" returned missionaries comment is striking. Why not
also include additional voices from the many thousands -- indeed, the vast
majority -- of returned missionaries who are still members of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? To give voice only to those who are
now estranged from the Church not only gives a mistaken impression of the
effects of mission life but seems designed to portray the younger, still
faithful missionaries as somehow less intelligent, wise, or reflective
about their mission service specifically or their faith more generally.
The inclusion of Andy McGuire's concluding comments about mission
experience revealing the "reality" that the LDS Church is nothing more
than a heartless corporation were especially unfortunate and betray an outright
hostility toward the Church and its leadership. What's more, it seems
diametrically opposed to the conclusions drawn by the three missionaries
the film follows. In the end, the filmakers' choices turned what could
have been an intriguing, thoughtful look at LDS missionary life into
something far less insightful.
I served an LDS mission in Germany and am now pursuing an advanced degree
at Princeton University. While I smiled at the familiarity of some of the
images of mission life, I mourn the film's utter failure to portray the
deeper sense of charity, spirit, and faith in Jesus Christ that are, for
me, the lasting results of mission service.
12/23/03
Sarah Selkirk
Huntington, NY
I first became interested in learning about Mormonism once these two
Mormon missionaries came to my door a few months ago. Since then, I have
been trying to research and discover what this faith believes. In this
research, as well as studying the Bible, I have found that though the
followers of Mormonism are good and well-meaning, the religion of the
Mormons directly contradicts the Bible, as well as an immense number of
historical, archeological, and scientific facts. For example, most Mormons
do not even know that Joseph Smith was involved in the occult before,
during, and after the "visitation" (treasure hunting through
seeing-stones, divining rods, etc.), and was not respected by his own
community or even his mother (before the Godhead supposedly visited him),
because of the fame of his bad character. There is so much more evidence
that shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that this religion is a cult and is
deceiving millions of ignorant Mormons today! A cult is something that
deviates from the Bible but claims to follow Jesus Christ. If you are a Mormon, I encourage you to
research! Look back into the history of the church beginnings and study
the Bible along with the Book of Mormon. You will see that this BOM
contradicts the Bible, as well as plagiarizes from it. God said to test
the spirits, and to test everything against the Word of God. I have a book
of Mormon, and when I read it, I see a mixed up, distorted version of a
story already written in the Bible. I don't mean to bash the Mormon
religion, but I believe that the truth must be told, nomatter how
difficult or emotional it may be to accept for a Mormon. This documentary
was very insightful. But the thing that sticks out at me, which I want to
say to every Mormon... was what the one German man said to the Mormon
missionaries in his house..."I don't trust in feelings...feelings change.
Your belief has to be based on something stronger than that."
12/23/03
Christina & Fred Garcia
Phoenix, AZ
This was in no way a documentary. This was a show produced and directed by
those who wish to stain the church. PBS dedicated an hour of air time for
a program that obviously had a very prejustice view of the The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Out of Millions of missionaries that
are located around the world, the producers of this show seeked out the
very few minority that could speak negatively about the church. My brother
who is from So Calif. served a mission in Minnesota from 97 to 2000. He
loved every minute of it. He left with a strong testimony and came home
with a better understanding and even more love for his Heavenly Father. He
has been home for 3 years and is no way being pushed into getting married.
My husband and I are sealed for all time and eternity and my husband is a
convert of 3 years. We can't wait to serve a mission together when we get
older. For those of you who want to have the truth about the church watch
BYU TV or go to www.lds.org
12/23/03
Your film was simply transparent. What you label as a documentary was a
poorly disguised expression of an anti-mormon agenda. Nancy, I don't know
where you attended Journalism school but if I were you I'd demand a
refund. However, I thank you for producing this piece of work because it
has filled a time slot that perhaps a more intelligent and suttle
anti-mormon Journalist may have taken.
12/23/03
Scott Knight
Dallas, TX
I just wanted to say that the film was interesting to me. I am a 28 year
old returned missionary and found the film, as well as several of the
other posts here interesting. I currently active in church and work in
the young men's program in my ward here in Texas. I found the returned
missionary comments to be quite prejudicial, as there were no active
members of the church interviewed. I also found it interesting, as well
as untrue to my experience, that things taught by early prophets, such as
poligamy, are not discussed. Ther is no aspect of church history that is
"taboo". I have been told of many experiences had by early members of the
church that are odd and possibly disturbing. Once I took time to uncover
the entire story, I understood more. I won't say any person, save our
Savior, is infalable, that would be nieve. There are things within the
church, even today, that show evidence that even though it is guided by
God, it is run by men. I served a state-side mission in Montana, and my
experiences were not very different from those depicted in the documentary part of
the film, however, I found it almost humorus to listen to in-active or ex-
members of the church tell of the current conditions in the church.
Several facts stated by these men were untrue, or at most, half true. As
an example, it was commented that all the General Authorities of the
church were American (from "America", not the whole north and south was
how it was worded I belive) and though the prophet and the 12 are, many of
the 70's and area authorities are not. Also, it was said that it is an
American church. Though it was founded in early America, there are now
more members outside the USA than there are in.
In closing, my testimony:
I know God lives. I know His Son, my savior, lived a perfect life then
died that I could live again. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints is the Lord's church here on the earth. I know the Book
of Mormon is the word of God. I believe that the man I am, a husband,
a father of four, a youth leader, and a successfull business owner is the
direct result of my actions and faith as a member of the church and a
returned missionary.
I hope that anyone interested in seeking answers about this church is
willing to ask someone still party to it. WWW.MORMON.ORG is a good
resource, as are your Mormon neighbors, because I am sure you have some.
I would never ask a vegitarian if meat tastes good, just as I would never
ask a disgruntled ex-mormon if the church is.
12/23/03
My opinion of PBS documentaries has now declined. I appreciated seeing
the daily rigors of missionary life. I even appreciate a more
nontraditional view point that it is not all roses because that is a part
of the truth of the experience. I felt, however, that this documentary
excluded the whole truth. It did not show the people who served missions
as coming to "different conclusions". It showed them all coming to the
same conclusion which was a negative conclusion, and that is a biased
perspective.
The opinions and commentary that accompanied the "documentary" were
presented as prolific and wide felt. I do not share their experiences nor
their opinions, and I have many friends and family that feel the same way.
I served a mission in Hungary, and I related to certain aspects of the
mission lives that were depicted. However many of the things told by the
commentators were false and not based on fact and I did not see a
"differing of opinions". The negative opinions shared had the illusion of
be
ing supported by experiences on an "actual" mission. It felt as though
there was a motive and a slant that Nancy du Plessis was trying to
accomplish, and it appeared to me that a balanced perspective was not a
priority. It lacked a differing opinion.
I for one would have gladly expressed an opinion about the truth about
how I felt and still feel about my mission. I know I am not alone.
I have a positive opinion and freely admit that the mission was one of
the hardest things I have ever done. Returning home was also a very
difficult thing for me. I'm not afraid to tell the hardships, but I am
offended when they are the only thing presented as though anyone who
serves a mission or believes in the Book of Mormon is duped, forced, or
brain washed. I am disappointed by this documentary. I actually gave it
a rating of 2 by virtue of the fact that it did show so much footage of
the actual mission. I feel frustrated with PBS after watching this biased
opinion being presented as a "differing opinions"
12/23/03
Robert Hyatt
Houston, TX
Hello, I just barely finished watching your program called "GET THE FIRE!"
and although I rarely do this sort of thing, I feel like I MUST voice my
opinion on this program. I barely got home from MY mission on november
5th, 2003. I served in the Switzerland, Geneva mission, and I was in
Switzerland and France.
As I watched this program, I was appalled. I love my mission, my church,
my companions (which I DO keep in contact with!) and all my friends that I
have there! Why did you only have the return missionaries that have
obviously left the church talk about it? Why did you not let the church
approve it before publishing it yet put the public relations department of
the church on your credits? I hope you realize that if you wanted to, you
could have had a general authority talking (or at least a REAL mission
president -- you would never get a real mission president to be in some of
those shots), IF you had decided to make it unbiased...
Also, why did you have actors in there? I found it obvious, having
just served a mission myself. With actors you can say ANYTHING you want
about the missionary efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints (NOT THE MORMON CHURCH! GET IT RIGHT!)
Also, you neglected to mention that missionaries are NOT supposed to go
on missions if they do not already have a testimony, ie already have found
out, for themselves, by their own devices that the church is indeed what
it claims to be. I DID THAT (as well as nigh 100% of all the missionaries
I have ever met). Just about every one of the comments that you had on the
film showed 'missionaries' that had not done that.
I just lost a LOT of respect for PBS. You don't get a lot of points in my
book for showing anti-mormon, bigoted films on your station. Don't be
suprised if there are a lot of other people like me out there. I think you
just made a BIG mistake.
Seeing that there are already others who have voiced the rest of my
opinion for me on your site, I refer you to their comments and I ask you
to read them as
if I was speaking:
***12/23/03 ***
***Jason Manning ***
***Fairfax, Virginia***
12/23/03
Fred Barrett
Roseville, California
12/22/03
Michael Hagman
Gridley, CA
12/22/03
Hayley Hurst
Mesa, Arizona
Jeff Foster
12/22/03
12/19/03
Joseph Price
Los Gatos, CA
12/19/03
Jeremy Grimshaw
Pittsford, NY
12/19/03
Anonymous
12/19/03
Mike Parker
Costa Mesa, CA
12/19/03
Deborah
San Francisco, CA
11/26/03
Hector Autry
Kansas City
12/23/03
Jason Manning
Fairfax, Virginia
Judging by this Web site, the film and its producers are stridently anti-Mormon. The film should therefore be marketed as an anti-Mormon film, not a documentary.
The filmmaker admits in the Q & A that she has social and political differences with the Church. Her views obviously prejudged the outcome.
The film's and the Web site's portrayal of the Church's missionary program does a huge disservice to the tens of thousands of young volunteer missionaries who are willing to go anywhere in the world at their own expense to serve others.
The producers should talk to some of the people these missionaries have taught and served. They should talk those who have been pulled out of despair, addiction, and loneliness by the love and care of these volunteers.
What is particularly disturbing is the section of the Web site called "Challenging Mormonism." I doubt if this were a "documentary" about Catholicism or Judaism that there would be such a section dedicated to the private Web sites of individuals with an ax to grind against the religion. Unfortunately, Mormons are still the targets of bigotry and dedicated a portion of the Web site to those prejudiced against the people of the faith only helps further that bigotry.
The film and Web site also contain a number of distortions:
-All missionaries are not North Americans. There are thousands of missionaries from all over the globe and of every ethnic background.
-All missionaries are not from Utah.
-Church doctrine is not at odds with education or "intellect." In fact studies have shown that the more education Mormons get, the more faithful they are to the Church's teachings.
-Church "authorities" have no control over the lives of members of the Church. As in all religions, faith is subjective and members are free to believe Church doctrine or not. The Church teaches that the greatest gift God has given to human beings is their "agency" or right to choose their own path.
-Only a very few fringe anti-Mormons would call the Church a "cult." The Church has 12 million members worldwide and established congregations that are integral parts of communities across the globe.
-The Church does not teach that inactive or ex-members will be sent to "Outer Darkness."
-The Missionary Training experience is much more like a seminary than a "boot camp." Missionaries who have been in the military will resent the comparison.
-Young women are not discouraged from going on mission nor are they encouraged to "marry early and bear children." They're encouraged to be educated and marry rightly -- to someone who shares their values and respects them.
-A large majority of missionaries find their missions a very rewarding experience and go on to happy productive lives. Many public and private employers are known to seek out returned Mormon missionaries for their experience and dedication to an endeavor.
This film and this Web site are not worthy of the Public Broadcasting Service, which has built its reputation on in-depth, fair, and compelling coverage of a wide range of subjects. This content may well discourage a large portion of the population from supporting PBS.
<< Thank you for sharing your comments on GET THE FIRE: Mormon Missionaries Abroad. Feedback from viewers is important to us. The weekly PBS series Independent Lens (co-curated by ITVS: The Independent Television Service) presents documentaries, dramas and shorts by a variety of independent filmmakers on a wide range of topics. PBS and ITVS present these programs to expand civic participation by bringing new voices and points of view into the public discourse. While some viewpoints are not always popular, we recognize the value of presenting differing sides of an issue, providing vehicles for discussion, education and reflection.
When working with independent filmmakers we attempt to promote their films and vision using language and descriptions, which most accurately reflect the content of the film. The film, and by extension the Web site, are not meant to explain Mormon history or beliefs or endorse or criticize the Church. Both are intended to provide insight into the subject and hopefully begin a dialogue about the issues involved.
We hope that you have been watching Independent Lens and have found compelling stories on a variety of subjects. For more information, visit the program guide at pbs.org/independentlens. Once again, thank you for your comments. Every opinion is valued. >>
12/23/03
Steve
Broomfield, CO
A faithful member below stated this: "A cult is when people are sacrificed and people commit suicide for the sake of their leader, and who can't leave unless they want to die."
I promised to take my life every time I went to the sacred Mormon temple. I used to act out HOW I would take my life before 1990. Every temple goer now promises to give up their life every time they go to the temple if they don't comply.
How does this differ from a cult?
12/23/03
Fred Barrett
Roseville, California
I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ since January 1976 and I sure can't understand what motivates a person to attempt to document the actions of any church group in missionary work, when it appears that the person has an agenda that is against the very organization they claim to be documenting, what a misrepresentation this is of the restored church of Jesus Christ,but then isn't that what the established religions of Jesus' day, as well as the government of the nation He was a citizen of, did to Him, ultimately killing Him ? After all they claimed that all He did was by the power of beelzabub (the devil) and we surely would expect no less of His church in our day would we? This hog wash spued by the enemies of Jesus Christ, from the beginning of time almost, beginning with Cain is just that, hog wash. The church has never, in the years that I've been aquainted with or a member of it, attempted to force me to do anything against my will, nor held me a prisoner in the faith, nor for that matter attempted to brain wash me as some claim that they do. They have even encouraged me to read the words of the prophets both ancient and modern and then seek confirmation of it from my Heavenly Father by prayer. I know it's true, having followed that process. Fred Barrett
12/23/03
Anonymous Former Mormon Missionary
Phoenix, Arizona
I'm excited about the program. I grew up in a prominent Arizona Mormon family that has practiced the faith for several generations.
As do many 19-year-old Mormon males, I went on a mission in large part to fulfill the expectations of my family and cultural heritage. Sure, I had my own personal desire to share my faith with others. But at the same time, I began my mission with certain doubts about the authenticity of the church's teachings. I believed, and I was told, that my mission would help clear up those doubts and that I would return home with a stronger "testimony" (faith in the church) than when I left.
Almost immediately upon beginning my mission, my doubts intensified. I found myself agreeing with church investigators who disagreed with our message. I became fixated on doctrines that seemed inconsistent with my own beliefs that began developing.
Eventually, the cognitive dissonance that I experienced became so intense that I could no longer bear the burden on my integrity. For the first time in my life, I considered the possibility of life without the Mormon Church. What would my family and friends think? Where would I finish college (I had attended BYU and was scheduled to return after my mission)?
For me, leaving my mission early was the true "leap of faith." Completing my mission would clearly have been the "safest" route- I would eventually return home to the family, friends, and culture that accepted me. And yet, I knew that this acceptance would come with the price of never feeling truly comfortable expressing thoughts and feelings that were considered inappropriate within the religion. I yearned for the freedom to THINK and ACT freely and I so took the leap and left my mission early, not knowing exactly what to expect.
More than a decade later, I still consider leaving my mission to be the best decision that I have ever made. I completed my education, have a successful career, and most importantly, can safely ponder questions of religion, spirituality, and philosophy without feeling confined by artificial restrictions on my psyche.
I have no hard feelings toward the church, because I have no reason to feel threatened by it. People naturally feel threatened by ideas that may disrupt their worldview. I love that I can contemplate all ideas, including those from my Mormon family and friends, and ultimately make up my own mind without fear that my worldview may change. Change can be a good thing, and is often the best thing.
12/23/03
Thomas
Rancho Rio, NM
First off I am an ex-member. My experience as a missionary was great because of the cultural experience of living abroad. However the history and teachings of LDS inc. are not harmonious to having a joyful life. It's terribly sad to see LDS members now who have no concept in what their church teaches or what their beliefs are. The teachings and philosophies of their prophets are now being buried and never discussed or taught to their members. They no longer give the fullness of the gospel to its members because LDS is trying to become a more palletable organization for the masses. I hear how members say things like, "We don't believe that after death men can have more than one wife" yet this teaching is from the bible (Isa 4:1) and again in their Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 14:1). There has been an increased effort to have members not discuss teachings and principals upon which Joseph Smith and Brigham Young gave to their congregations. My question to members of this organization would be, "If you had the restored church and fulness of the gospel, then why have teachings, practices and beliefs been taken out of your scriptures and history?" Now the missionaries are just salesmen using salesmen techniques and their product is common and provides no service, power or uniqueness. So LDS inc. is now just another corporation trying to pick up as many market shares and have customer retention without providing new inventions or outlets. No more prophecies or revelations have been given by the C.E.O. because you don't kill a money cow.
12/23/03
Raymond Takashi Swenson
Idaho Falls, Idaho
I connected to your web site from an article in the Deseret Morning News about the coming broadcast. I read through the web site but have not yet seen the film. I was born in Japan, grew up in Utah and served a mission in Japan in 1969-1971, and returned there for 3 of my 20 years service in the Air Force JAG Corps. I have also lived and worked in Washington, DC; Omaha; San Francisco; Colorado Springs; Washington State; and Idaho. I am interested in an omission: The filmmaker does not mention in the web site or the newspaper interview how she felt toward the missionaries she filmed. The only indications of her attitude are the comments about her earlier encounters with missionaries, that led her to choose missionaries as a film topic. In her description of those encounters, she repeatedly refers to the missionaries as "out of place." She seems to have perceived them as alien creatures. After two years with the three missionaries she filmed, I am curious as to how she feels toward those young men, and how she perceives missionaries in general. Did she ever really listen to their message? Did she ever read the Book of Mormon, or any of the introductory literature? Did she ever for one minute consider whether any of it was true? Did she ever try to pray? Does she have any belief in God, Jesus as protrayed in the New Testament, or any supernatural reality beyond everyday experience? As is obviously the case with many other journalists, did she do the interviews with the ex-Mormons as surrogates for herself, to reflect her own desire to look back at the missionaries' life, and the challenging message they brought, through the lens of a materialistic worldview, and validate her own beliefs? I cannot but think that if she had a more positive personal assessment of the effect, on the missionaries themselves, of their experience, she would have sought out one or two former missionaries who are more representative of the vast majority (perhaps the 90%) who loved their experience and the people they taught, and for whom (like myself) it continues to be a foundation for a life of loyal volunteer service in the Church of Jesus Christ. It is all too likely that a viewer who has no independent information will assume that, as missionaries age, they get bitter and apostate, rather than happy and fulfilled and the parents and grandparents of new missionaries. The story should have included a missionary reunion in Salt Lake, when former missionaries review their experiences and renew their friendships. My father's group of LDS missionaries who served in Japan immediately after World War II still meets every year, and many of them have returned to Japan as missionaries with their wives. There are a lot of former Mormon missionaries who are still loyal to the Church who live in the New York City area, as well as successful in the wider society's view. One of the missionaries I worked with in Japan went on to become a law professor specializing in Japanese law at Columbia University (He is now dean at George Washington University School of Law). I am sure a small effort would have yielded many others with stories like his to contrast to the stories she selected to tell. I am sorry she only had an hour to tell the stories; perhaps she would have felt more free to include viewpoints that contrasted more with what are evidently her own, and would have been, for the viewer who does not have detailed information of her own, a more balanced picture of the long term impacts of missionary service.
12/22/03
Tom
Austin, TX
My Mormon mission had an enormous impact on my life. I was introverted and sheltered as a child. Perhaps you can imagine how my worldview was turned on its head when I was exposed to a foreign culture and language in a country where the majority of the population lived in abject poverty.
I returned after completing my two years feeling that I had been a failure as a missionary but with the commitment to take full advantage of the educational opportunities that are available in the United States.
My success at learning a foreign language was a huge boost to my confidence and carried me through my undergraduate education.
Shortly into my education I put the LDS church behind me. It's dogma simply did not square with the science I was studying.
12/22/03
Michael Hagman
Gridley, CA
After learning that this show was going to be on, I was excited. I have yet to see the show and will definitely see it. However, I have some problems with the return missionary selection. I served a mission and saw about three missionaries go home early. None were gay, none denied a belief in the Church and all simply couldn't handle living a missionary lifestyle. One drank alcohol, one spent time in a shower with a woman and one would rather go home because life was to hard because of the day in and day out rejection of people in Pennsylvania on our effort.
Do me a favor. Interview me or someone who completed a mission and who still views the Church in a positive way. That would eleviate any label of being one sided.
Additonally, being gay does not exclude one from full activity in the Church. However, practicing homosexuality (or even extra-marital, pre-marital sexual activity for that matter) would. Having an opinion different from that of the leadership doesn't keep one out of the Church. Denial
of the tenets and living out of the framework of faith would.
12/22/03
Hayley Hurst
Mesa, Arizona
Personally I am apalled at the way PBS is sponsering this documentary. PBS has always been a family television station that doesn't get into the business of talking about religion on T.V. I can honestly say that there are Many Latter-Day Saints that contribute to uplifting and Family T.V. But will not anymore. I think it is ignorant of the film maker to think that they can put thing up about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on their web-site and call it truth. If you want people to know about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, then you wouldn't bash it and call it a cult and un-christian. I do believe that being Christian means that Jesus Christ was the one who saved the world from their sins. Isn't that what Catholic, Baptists and every other Christian religion believe. I can assure you that The Church of Jesus Christ is not a cult and should NOT be advertised on your site as being so. A cult is when people are sacrificed and people commit suicide for the sake of their leader, and who can't leave unless they want to die. I think that if PBS is going to Broad-cast this non-sense then maybe they should think about all the lies told by in considering that the Young men who were interviewed have spoken out and said that Most, if not everything, they said was taken out of Context.
12/22/03
It looks like you have done your homework well. I look forward to seeing the program, but I don't see it listed in my area.
I come from a long line of Mormon pioneers, and did my duty serving a mission to Argentina in 1973 to 1975. I returned, married a convert from Spain (in the temple) shortly after. At that time I had given up a full scholarship to play football at the University of Utah. It was a struggle to later find the financial resources to complete my education. I eventually got a degree in psychology and later graduated from medical school.
I left Mormonism about ten years after my mission. I don't have an easy explanation for why except to say that it all seemed so shallow, contrived, and controlling. There were so many unanswered questions that are sugar coated over. Unlike many others that leave Mormonism, I kept my belief in a Supreme Being, but I can't look at organized religion except through the fog of my own experience; it all seems so childish now.
I lament seeing my relatives marching down the same Mormon path. Of course, I'm a pariah among them. They would prefer I don't discuss these things with their children who are preparing for their own missions.
12/22/03
Anonymous Former Mormon Missionary
Salt Lake City, UT
The mormon mission has often been described as a "cult within a cult."
I went through this experience as a true believer in the 1980's, and then later left the church years later after learning the truth of it's bizarre teachings.
I look back on my mission experience with a combination of fondness for the many great people I met, and revulsion at the ridiculous doctrinal teachings and oppressively controlling and perverted church leadership.
(Also, all this discussion above about the proper title of the mormon church is an attempt to shirk the image of a wierd cult the "mormons" have rightly earned.)
12/22/03
Jeff Foster
I have not seen this film, but I have scoured the PBS web site resources about it. I was surprised that you did not interview or list responses from returned missionaries who have not left the church. I am a returned missionary. I grew-up in Idaho. I served a mission in Florida and Georgia. It was a great and difficult experience for me. I grew to love the people I met. Our message was one, if accepted and lived, which would truly bless lives. Faithful members can largely avoid the destructive influences of drugs, alcohol, sexually transmitted diseases, and broken families. The message is one of hope in this life and eternal life after mortal death.
One of the great core doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that of agency. Every individual has the right to choose his or her own way. They can choose to believe or not believe. Those who join the church, those who stay in the church or those who leave the church have that right. These men who have chosen to leave the church and who look at the church as a well-oiled machine don't recognize their own bitter bias. Bias cuts both ways. One of them wishes another organization existed that would provide experiences similar to a mission that would focus on the environment, etc. Let him start one. I would like to see its fruit after 170 years. Why didnít they join the Peace Corp?
The fact is that the Church of Jesus Christ is made up of human beings. Each individual has a unique level of understanding, commitment, and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each person's bishop, mission president, district or zone leader may have a positive or negative effect on any given individual. Biblical examples of human frailties abound, e.g., Joseph's brothers, David, Peter, Paul, or Judas. This is all part of the test.
Of course any religion requires a certain leap of faith. No religion has perfectly logical answers to every difficult question. One thing many critics of Mormonism donít appreciate is the pro and con that Mormonism is a historical religion. Joseph Smith was very unique in that he encouraged and exemplified record keeping. Contemporary critics of Joseph Smith also wrote their opinions. This provides ample material for both critics and apologists. The same pro/con is not as accessible for most other religions. You can find faith affirming and faith challenging history. Which one should a person discard? I, for one, take the leap of faith founded on my own spiritual and intellectual experience. You also have your agency. Choose wisely.
12/19/03
Joseph Price
Los Gatos, CA
Why did you choose to interview only returned missionaries who left the church? That strikes me as odd to say the least. You do a diservice to journalism by giving in to the temptation to blatantly slant a story to your way of thinking. I can hardly believe that with the access you had this is what you've come up with! Your blunder is quite baffling, but at least it is easily detected. I hope you will never return to such a worthy topic again without gaining a better understanding of and ability to live up to the trust that the public puts in you as a journalist.
12/19/03
Jeremy Grimshaw
Pittsford, NY
It is unfortunate that Ms. du Plessis chose to limit the scope of her film to such a narrow view of the Mormon missionary experience. It is sparticularly misleading of her to have emphasized the views of former missionaries who have left the church and hold negative feelings toward it, without giving due regard to the thousands of former missionaries who remain active in the Church after returning home, becoming mothers and fathers, and establishing their careers.
Missionaries come home to a wide variety of circumstances and experiences. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as in any large, global organization, one occasionally encounters persons who have become dissatisfied with Mormonism and/or have renounced their membership. Certainly, their stories deserve to be told as much as anybody's, but to hold up a selection of embittered, disaffected ex-missionaries as somehow representative of the post-mission experience displays either ignorance (at best) or bias (at worst) on the part of the
filmmaker.
There are number of Mormons in the public sphere that I'm sure would have been glad to share how their mission experiences influenced their later lives--as professional artists and writers, prominent businessmen, influential politicians in both major parties, respected scientists, and world renown scholars; or, Ms. du Plessis could have found a similar range of experience among the churchgoing ex-missionaries in any of the hundreds of congregations across the country and around the world. Presenting the views of some of these former missionaries in tandem with the complaints of the disaffected Mormons in the film would have provided viewers with a more complete, balanced, and accurate picture. In fact, there are former missionaries, even among those of my immediate acquaintance, that faced challenges very similar to those of Mr. Ytsenko, Mr. Shively, Mr. McGuire, and Mr. Bass, but nonetheless completed their missions and continue to serve and participate actively in the Church. Their experiences as missionaries are no less valid, and deserve no less to be told.
12/19/03
Steve
Broomfield, CO
I'm surprised it didn't take time to cover all of Joseph Smith's writings. When I realized that Joseph Smith had 7 separate and different versions of his "first vision", and that he didn't even write out his first version until he was 30 years old, I promptly realized I was a victim of the LDS, Inc. PR machine. It didn't take me long to uncover the fraudulence and untruths of Mormonism and leave after 38 years of faithful service.
12/19/03
Mateo Timoteo
Fullerton, CA
I am amazed, and extremely perplexed, that people here bicker about LDS, Inc. being called "The Mormon Church." It never ceases to amaze me how trivial people can be, especially when real issues are being discussed like this.
I served a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines from 1998 - 2000, and I am excited to see this documentary. Why am I excited? While I loved my mission and wouldn't trade it for the world, the fact is that is was a very destructive experience on my self-esteem, psyche, and expectations of the world. I left there speaking another language and having appreciaton for another culture, but I also left believing that people were nothing more than numbers, and that the only way to get ahead was to step on the people around you. Another important experience I learned was that even though LDS, Inc. claims to be open minded and progressive, all independant thought is not encouraged, and will actually get you in more trouble than if you never questioned the "inspired" leaders to begin with.
I'll be excited to watch this film from the perspective of wondering why the young men just don't "get" how destructive their action patterns really are for themselves and those they are attempting to "save."
Cheers to the film maker!
12/19/03
As an acquaintance of one of the missionaries who was filmed, I wish to express my concern about the 'truthfulness' of some of the items presented in the film. Many statements, inferred or spoken outright, were taken out of context to the WHOLE picture, and thus made our young men seem immature, uncommitted, and wavering in their faith. The truly 'spiritual' aspect of their service was almost completely overlooked in favor of the more 'sensational' or negative aspects. It should be noted that the Church had NO poetic license to approve, correct, or censure the finished product, so it cannot and should not be considered a true representation of the Church and REAL missionary service.
12/19/03
Mike Parker
Costa Mesa, CA
I am truly disappointed that you chose to interview so many disgruntled former missionaries for this program. I consider my own mission to Pennsylvania to be two of the most rewarding years of my life. I met many different types of people; I learned to overcome my introverted nature; I learned to teach, train, and serve others; and I obtained many other skills which have served me well throughout the remainder of my life. I know that the vast majority of other returned missionaries feel the same way.
By giving so much airtime to such a small percentage of the disaffected, I fear that your program will give an unbalanced and distorted view of the LDS missionary experience.
12/19/03
Deborah
San Francisco, CA
It's too bad that the documentary only covers missionaries from Utah. The church is different in different parts of the world where serving a mission is not necessarily something resulting from peer pressure.
There are missionaries from all 50 states and many, many countries around the world. By showing only Utah missionaries, a lot of stereotypes are reinforced. There are way more members outside of Utah than in it.
12/1/03
In the article on the movie it says that mormon males are promised more than one wife in heaven. This is either out of context or entirely untrue. As far as the Mormon doctrine goes that I have been studying for the past 9+ years, the wife(or wives) you have in heaven are those that are *sealed to you in your monogomous relationships on earth.
*sealing is a mormon ordinance
11/26/03
Hector Autry
Kansas City
I am amazed, and somewhat perplexed, that there are still broadcast organizations that "didn't get the memo". The 'memo' is... there is no such thing as the "Mormon Church". It's a 'nick name'. The name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This issue is significant enough that the leadership of the Church issued the following statement:
(Text of First Presidency letter of 23 February 2001)
"As the Church grows across boundaries, cultures and languages, the use of the revealed name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (D&C 115:4), is increasingly important in our responsibility to proclaim the name of the Savior throughout all the world. Accordingly, we ask that when we refer to the Church we use its full name wherever possible. While this official name is not being shortened, the contractions "The Church" or "The Church of Jesus Christ" are acceptable. We discourage referring to the Church as "The Mormon Church," "The Latter-day Saints Church" or "The LDS
Church."
"When referring to Church members, we suggest "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." As a shortened reference, "Latter-day Saints" is preferred, but "Mormons" is acceptable.
"We of course will continue to use the word Mormon in proper names like The Book of Mormon or Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and as an adjective in such references as "Mormon pioneers."
"A copy of this letter should be posted in Church buildings. Further detail on references to the Church and its members will be forthcoming in Church publications."
"Sincerely yours,
Gordon B. Hinckley
Thomas S. Monson
James E. Faust"
SOURCE: http://www.lds.org/newsroom/extra/0,15505,3881-1---2-138,00.html
11/24/03
Andrew
I saw a preview of this show and it was incomprehensible. The verite style doesn't work here, there needs to be some narration. What doe's it mean Mormons got along well during the Hitler regime years. Why not interview Mormons that had a positive experience on missions also, there must be some.
There has to be statistically more gay experiences, what happens to gay mormons? The Bass gay guy interviewed didn't clarify anything. The missionaries are portrayed like mindless, mixed-up, brainwashed, salesmen. A non-mormon with no familiarity with mormon missionaries will be completely confused. What was the scene with "what are the colors of the american flag on the board"? Are all missionaries North American? Why do they wear white shirts and suits? Why do they go on missions? What is the process? So many questions were left unanswered. Production values were non-existent, washed-out color, inaccurate white-balance, unstable camera movement, non-motivated edits,static sound etc. all that wouldn't matter if there was something deep or compelling within this mix of random shots. I thought the use of B&W inside the training place was odd and simple-minded. I would love to see what a Mormon mission was all about warts and all. This was a feeeble attempt but I respect the filmaker for tryin, I guess.
9/12/03
abby
Provo/Ut
I was a mormon missionary in Germany where this was filmed and I know thouse fellas in the film and I think it is great that the word is getting out about the sacrifice and service these mormon missionaries do.
8/3/03
Scarlett Shepard
Concord, Ca
I am also doing a documentary about Mormon Missionaries in the Bay Area and feel that this topic hasn't been explored to its fullest. I can't wait to see this film. When is it going to be on the air in California? << GET THE FIRE! will be broadcast nationally December 23, 2003 at 10:00 p.m. Check local listings. >>
7/28/03
Ben
Houston, TX
I am looking forward to seeing and/or purchasing the program. I am a former Mormon missionary and am interested in seeing a realistic documentary on the good, bad, and ugly of missionary life.
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