Independent Lens: Get the Fire! Young Mormon Missionaries Abroad At age 19, young Mormon men are expected to put their daily lives on hold and devote two years to spreading their faith throughout the world. They go in pairs to live in different towns and countries, with one task: to talk about God to everyone they meet. "Get the Fire!" follows three young missionaries from the time they receive their mission calls until they finish their 22-month missions in Germany. When's it on? Visit the Site How do you feel about the practice of religious missionizing? Have you ever had contact with someone who tried to convert you to a different religion? What was your response? What do you consider the pluses and minuses of assigning young missionaries instead of those with more experience - of life as well as the faith? What do you think is the most significant aspect of the Mormon mission for the young people involved? If you were to undertake a similar mission, what would be your greatest deprivation? How would you try to cope with it? What role do you think the nationality of Mormon missionaries plays in their efforts to attract new members? What, in your estimation, is the purpose of the missionaries' frequent singing? What do you think may be the benefit to the full Mormon community of the missionary program? Some critics have deemed the Mormons a cult, not a religion. What is your opinion? Do you think all the stringent rules of the mission are really necessary? What effect do they have? Like Mormons, many people participate in a spiritual/religious celebration at the end of the calendar year (e.g. Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, etc.). Do you think such celebrations have become commercialized by society or does religion still play an important role in peoples' lives? What about the holidays do you like best?
© PBS 1995-2009. All rights reserved.