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What are your thoughts concerning this film on the history and beliefs of Mormonism? Did it broaden your understanding of this very American religion?

Watching this documentary as objectively as possible for the most part it was acceptable. However, some it the narration and commentary made me feel uncomfortable as it was inaccurate and was stated by former members of the LDS Church. No documentary from the outside looking in will ever be truthful. It is a privilege to be a member of this church and to know it's truth. The truth goes beyond any documentary.

Bob Lequia
Provo, Utah

 

I found this documentary interesting, and occassionally amusing rather than irratating. I am grateful to see that the country at large is interested in knowing more about the history of the Church, though they may not want to sit down with the missionaries. I do believe that an inordinate amount of time was spent on polygamy and the Mountain Meadows Massacre (and even some of the interesting details were not reported about that), and not enough time on the essential Christianity believed and lived by early and current Latter-day Saints. Clearly a Church and its leaders with such a complex history cannot be covered a mere four hours. I look forward to the second half, and hope to be accurately portrayed as the Christian that I feel I am.

Summer Brown
Pahrump, NV

 

As an active member of the LDS church I watched the program with great anticipation. I read articles previous to my viewing of it that stated this program was to help people understand Mormons and our faith. What a huge disappointment. What misrepresentation. If the intent of the film maker was to help people understand what the Mormons are all about, this production failed miserably. I question what the true intent of the film maker was and is? Those not of our faith will be more puzzled and misled then ever. Mormons now have a new batch of misconceptions to overcome. This film claims to be a documentary of the history and beliefs of the Mormons. It misleads so much, and is so off the mark, it cannot be considered a documentary. It is merely opinions regarding the most extreme events of our history and what we believe. So as a Mormon I shake my head at the absurdity of the film and continue as I and other Mormons have always done. Try and help the world understand what we are really all about.

Lorraine C. Dobson
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

As a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I would like to thank you for producing this documentary. My hope is that those of my faith and those of all other faiths will be able to see the themes of goodness we hold in common and grow to respect one another.

If I may offer some thoughtful criticism, I am surprised that in the first two hours of the documentary there was no mention of the fact that we believe the Holy Bible to be the word of God just like other Christian religions. Although I have only seen the first segment of the documentary and I do understand that you are trying to highlight what is unique about Mormons, I am surprised that in two hours you could not have highlighted the fact that we hold the Bible to be sacred. My wife and I taught seminary to twenty high-school students for a year for one hour every day before the students went to school and before my wife and I went to work. That particular year our study focused solely on the Old Testament. FYI - During a high-school student's four years of high school they rotate each year through the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants/Church History. Our belief in the Bible is a point I often have to clarify with my fellow Christian friends and I had hoped the documentary would clarify/highlight this fact in its first segment. Thank you for your efforts!

Joseph Berryhill
Durham, North Carolina

 

We are a simple people with a simple message: Jesus is the Christ, and the Savior of all mankind. We invite all to come unto Him. Families can be together forever. Through baptism, we take upon us the name of Christ and covenant to "mourn with those that mourn...and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This documentary missed the spirit of this message and, as a result, everything the LDS people stand for.

Provo, Utah

 

I believe fairly strongly in religious freedom and found the show interesting and informative. However, I really have strong beliefs against the vast majority of missionary work down in the name of any religion. I don't understand the drive to spread one's own faith as if people who do not share it are somehow blind. It really bothers me in the context of the third world: starving people have a great incentive to convert. Don't the native religions of the third world deserve the same right to exist? It reminds me far too much of what the Jesuits did to the Hurons. Not only did they bring smallpox and thus near annihilation at the hands of the Iroquois but they also replaced tried and tested beliefs with strange and foreign ones which only resonated when presented as a smallpox cure. In my opinion, there is a certain arrogance evident in anyone who believes in "the one true faith"; and I've always found religion far more interesting in the context of comparison.

Ricky Fusob
Windsor, Ontario

 

I watched what you presented tonight and am totally amazed at the incorrect reporting about the Church. I have always heard that a Mormon who turns against the Church is probably the meanest of the mean, full of misrepresentations of the faith. I indeed saw that tonight. Less than 3% of the church practiced polygamy and that was so the widows and children of the men slain by good "Christians" could be taken care of. AND it was with the permission of the first wife. My Heavenly Father does speak. I feel sorry for the ones who choose not to know the truth. What wonderful peace they have missed. They can leave the church but they can't leave it alone - they're always picking at it. I trust tomorrow night will bring out the truth. Let those who say it isn't true prove it isn't. I know they can't and this is from a former Methodist, and then Baptist.

Middleburg, Florida

 

I am disappointed. I had hoped that an equal amount of content would be presented both for and against. The overall tone has been more negative towards Joseph Smith and the Mormon faith. For example compare the short amount of time spent on the Haun's Mill Massacre compared to the larger amount of time spent on the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Also, Mormons are portrayed as living by blind obedience. This is not true. Mormons are taught to pray for guidance to know for themselves if what the prophets say are true or not.

Sandy Jardine
Strasburg, VA

 

I watched the last part of your program and I must say that it left the veiwer greatly mislead. You (PBS or the producer) made little to no effort in pointing out that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints denounces polygamy. In fact, the way in which the segment ended left the veiwer with the greatly erroneous thought that the Church has a somewhat fuzzy veiw on polygamy which is simply not true-it's the exact opposite. It shuns the practice more so than many other Christian faiths and in fact takes a proactive approach to doing away with polygamy unlike many other Christian faiths.

Also, why is it that when a member of the Church was speaking the subtitle read something like, "a mormon educator" instead of a "professor of political science or history", or better yet an "elder in the mormon church" as opposed to a "historian" like the non-mormon counterpart. All in all this was a very misleading section of the program and I hope that it gets more fair and accurate in the next segment.

Aaron Koeppen
Small Town, Missouri

 

As a practicing Mormon, I want to thank you for a rather balanced program. I've studied these issues for several decades, and understand from a historical viewpoint that history is always messy, and humans are always imperfect. Joseph Smith does not seem like the great Biblical prophets that we imagine to be larger than life. Yet, their history is filled with controversial decisions and actions, as well. Even Jesus could be taken to task for racism for refusing to heal the Gentile/Canaanite woman's child, because as he he phrased it, "dogs do not eat from the Master's table."

I hope that PBS will consider doing such a vigorous treatment of other American/Christian religions, as well. It is good to bring our American goodness and dirty laundry into open daylight. And while Mormonism is occasionally controversial, so are Catholics, Protestants and other religions. While the Mountain Meadows Massacre was a great tragedy that should not be forgotten, it still pales in comparison with the Inquisition and some Protestant reformations that have occurred in history. And while polygamy is controversial, is it any more controversial than today's sexual revolution and casual adultery?

Thank you, PBS, for this quality program. Keep it up.

Gerald Smith
plainfield, in

 

It is interesting that you call this a "Very American" religon. There are actually more members of the church of Jesus Christ if Latter Day Saints outside of the United States than inside. While it started here, Missionaries have taken it far and wide.

My son was one of these Missionaries, and I can't even explain the change in him. He served in South Korea, and came to love the people.

I appreciate your special. As a convert to the church 11 years ago, I love watching, I anticipate things I might learn that I didn't know or slipped my mind.

I testify to you that Joseph Smith was a prophet on God, That Jesus Christ is the head of this church and There is a living prophet on this earth today in the man President Gorden B Hinkley.

Carol Gomes
Greenwood, Arkansas

 

A somewhat accurate representation of the Mormon movement, but like the Mormon Church, white-washed on some of the more controversial issues. If the goal was to present the LDS sanitized version of Mormon history you primarily succeeded. Intolerant, male dominanted, cultish control is alive and well in the organization.

Cliff Dawkins
Atlanta, TX

 

Non-fiction is just that, if you want to be educated towards a specific body of evidence, quantitive/qualitative evidence is researched and documented in objective, non-biased manner.

This then must remain true with the material that Frontline is providing the public in regards to the LDS faith. Some of the material was presented by LDS apologist, yet others were very impartial, and others were upstanding members of the LDS faith.

While somewhat impartial, much of the presentation was slanted on what the author wanted you to see the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as.It will be interesting to see the rest of the film. Very entertaining.

New Cumberland, PA

 

Tonight's broadcast (4/30) on the Mormons was an outrage! Testimony after testimony in defense of the euphemistically named "plural marriage", with no comment whatever on its vile and destructive consequences -- not just the degradation of women and the rape of underage girls, but the ancillary and equally vile practice of expelling teenage boys from polygamist communities to clear the way for these middle-aged rapists. Where is the love of "family" here? What happens to these boys? Where was the testimony of the young women who have risked their lives to break free from this hell?

This is important, because the Mormon hierarchy in fact tolerates polygamy while at the same time furiously opposing adult gay men and lesbians from gaining legal status for their fully consensual, loving relationships. Why no acknowledgement of this contradiction by PBS?

This documentary is a coup for the Mormon Church and its rightist social agenda. It should send a chill to defenders of democratic rights and social equality everywhere.

John Schneiderman
Astoria, NY

 

I thought you kind of brushed off that other people also witnessed angels, besides Joseph Smith and did not present at all , I thought, that the "The Book of Mormon" plates were witnessed by many others.

Willard Thompson
Duncnasville, Pennsylvania