Last week's episode of Big Love received more hype than any other show this season for one simple reason. The Church of Latter-Day-Saints (LDS) was protesting – in advance – the HBO drama depicting a secret church ritual. The church felt that the producers had gone too far by showing a sacred ceremony that was not meant to be revealed to those who are not members of the faith. While I respect their desire to protect their traditions, I think they should have waited till the show aired, because now that I've seen it, my attitude is simply this, "No big deal."
Not to be flip, but the traditions of many religions may look alien or unusual to the uninitiated, but that's not a reason to keep them behind a veil of secrecy. The scene was crucial to Big Love because it illustrated how Barb was still deeply entwined with the church she had been brought up in. Her falling away from church activities coincided with her marriage to Bill and Nikki and Margene. Her polygamy has kept her from church and she was feeling a spiritual void. Going to the church and having the "endowment" ceremony only reminded her of the choice she had to make – to be loyal to her parent's and their church or stick with Bill and her sister wives?
If LDS was concerned about their ceremony being cast in an unkind light, I disagree. Yes, it was unusual and I had never seen anything quite like it, but I was also fascinated. I imagine the first time a TV show presented a bar mitzvah – was it Buddy's bar mitzvah on The Dick Van Dyke Show – it probably looked (and sounded) alien. When Frasier showed Frederick's bar mitzvah in 2002, Star Trek's fictitious language Klingon was even inserted for Hebrew.
The bottom line is that the scene in Big Love was important and not exploitative. It added to the drama and was completely respectful and fair. It also worked brilliantly, setting up Barb's later scene when she was ex-communicated by church elders. The upcoming Big Love finale should be a doozy.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
3-17-2009 @ 8:46PM
Sarah said...
when it comes to the LDS, they tend to be uber secretive about everything. any event that takes place inside the church is deemed sacred and secret. even when couples are sealed, parents whom are not members of the church cannot see their child being married. its extreme.
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3-17-2009 @ 9:12PM
yankeespitfire said...
They need to get over it, the more they protest, the more publicity they give the show.
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3-17-2009 @ 9:32PM
lakerk said...
I'm curious as to how you know the scene was "fair" to the rituals or not, considering you don't know if they were even accurate.
The only reason this part of the episode was shown was to create buzz about a dying show. It was tactless.
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3-17-2009 @ 9:38PM
Gill said...
The show is not dying. Its ratings are strong and has long since been given is season 4 renewal.
Don't accuse someone of being ignorant if you're going to display your own in the next sentence.
3-17-2009 @ 9:36PM
Gill said...
If someone had snuck a camera in to a REAL Mormon Temple and broadcast it worldwide then they'd have a significant argument. However, a work of artistic fiction such as Big Love can hardly be lumped in with such an exploitative tactic.
It's funny that i've seen complaints that are based both in the vein of "giving away secrets" and "portraying it inaccurately". You can't have it both ways.
This whole "controversy" just helps to shed light on the mental warfare that is religious indoctrination.
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3-17-2009 @ 9:41PM
lakerk said...
Gill, I can have it both ways. Here's why:
I have never been through the temple, but am a practicing mormon member. I don't want to watch the episode and see things out of context, whether they are correct or not.
I have no way of knowing if they are correct, but I don't want to find out.
I have seen Season One of Big Love. It treats LDS members pretty fairly. But from what I have read, this part of the episode was NOT necessary.
3-17-2009 @ 9:56PM
Gill said...
It is fiction. It is necessary if the creators feel it is necessary.
Just because a certain segment of the population might be offended. I'm sure a large part of the country doesn't think human corpses should be displayed on TV. Does that mean that CSI et al should be subjected to their standards?
This clearly falls under the realm of free speech and artistic freedom.
As his been pointed out in many more eloquent articles around the internet this week, the episode did not show anything that is not widely available on the internet. There was nothing inflammatory about the presentation, in fact as usual for Big Love it was highly praiseful of the power of the character's religious commitment. I just don't see what the issue is, as a Mormon do you honestly feel that your religious experience has been compromised by the fictitious portrayal of an event. Obviously no Mormon would be forced to watch the depiction if they felt it would be such a compromise. If the exposure of these "secrets" to an audience outside of your religion - who fundamentally doesn't care about the secrets - effects your own experience, than that speaks to a problem with your faith and beliefs as I see no reason why outside perceptions should matter.
3-17-2009 @ 11:22PM
BDUB said...
Gill- I think that your comment is spot on. I'm an active LDS member and agree with what you said. You can't have it both ways. I re-watched the Seinfeld episode last night called The Bris and while I'm not sure that it was entirely accurate I am also not referring to it for information about a Bris.
3-18-2009 @ 4:09AM
collin said...
Did @Lakerk even watch the episode?
3-18-2009 @ 9:17AM
John Howard said...
lakerk, if you don't want to see things out of context, or whatever silly excuse you want to use for being put off by a TV show, it's pretty simple for you, don't watch the show.
The only reason to complain about something like this being shown is because of how ridiculous it makes the religion look. If they don't want to look ridiculous, then they shouldn't engage in ridiculous looking rituals like this. And if the complaint is that it's inaccurate, and they don't actually do these ridiculous things, then anyone likely to care is probably going to believe the church over a fictional TV show anyway.
3-17-2009 @ 10:20PM
Modwild said...
I'm fairly certain that, in spite of their door to door tactics and overseas missions, Mormons are not interested in gaining in popularity or numbers. The secrecy appeals only to a select few, and creates the "cult status" among religions.
However, the cat was already out of the bag...if an entire series was devoted to the religion, you knew that they were going to (truthfully or not) include some ceremonies.
I don't watch and it hasn't appealed to me thus far, even with the "secret ceremony" inclusion. That said, I cannot imagine joining a club in which the ultimate destination is a secret. I have to admit, it does add to the mystique.
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3-17-2009 @ 11:02PM
Rebecca said...
I feel the scene helped a great deal to show Barb's attachment to the church and explain the depth of her subsequent devastation when she was expelled. And it made the love Mormons have for their church more understandable to me. I'm not a Catholic but I can see how its rituals, which are shown widely in fiction and real life, would help the faith have a deep hold on its followers, especially those who were raised in the church. Seeing this ritual last night, I began to feel the same way about the Mormon Church for the first time. All I've ever heard in the past was that they have these strange, weird rituals that no one who isn't a member in good standing can take part in or witness. Not knowing makes them seen just strange and alien. But seeing the ritual last night make me see how the Mormon Church's rituals can also touch one's soul as deeply as those of the Catholic Church (and other religions, that was just one example because of how much you see the RCC).
I wish TV Squad would recap Big Love, they recap many shows that aren't nearly as good as this one.
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3-17-2009 @ 11:57PM
shamon said...
the big divorce moment was good and the church part in that all white room with her mother and sister was kind of cool .
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3-18-2009 @ 12:27AM
bruce said...
Religions have no right to keep their practices secret. The very notion that a particular ceremony can only be seen by members of the religion is absolutely ludicrous and is legally baseless.
Of course, one of the primary signs of a cult is to attempt to keep its rituals "secret" .... Scientology is the best example of this - they will threaten to sue if you so much as tell people that their beliefs are centered around the alien overlord Xenu - you're supposed to pay over $100,000 in "auditing" fees before you are deemed worthy, err... brainwashed enough to 'know' this. Mormonism is every bit as much of a cult as Scientology. The only difference is scientology does not secretly advocate statutory rape and polygamy.
But both cults were founded by men who are demonstrable frauds, and it takes an absolutely certifiably crazy person to believe the dogma of either scientology or mormonism.
Body Thetans, Magical Mormon Underwear... Lord Xenu... magical reading stones. Joseph Smith and L. Ron Hubbard are two of the worst conmen to ever live. It's a testament to human stupidity that anyone follows their homebrew religions (and pays for the privilege).
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3-18-2009 @ 1:28AM
Vicki said...
I am also a member of The Church of Latter-day Saints. I don't consider this ceremony secret so much as Sacred. I can tell you this. There is no such thing as polygamy today in this religion. We follow the laws of the land. This country outlawed polygomy many, MANY years ago and so therefore the practice was dropped. Even then, not everyone had multiple wives. But regardless, EVERY religion, be it Mormon, Catholic, Methodist, whatever, has the right of freedom of religion. And therefore, has the right to have ALL aspects of their religion respected. I also know that it was not the Church itself that was protesting this episode, but people who are members of the Church. My Church does not attempt to dictate or protest other peoples beliefs. It does, however, encourage us all to stand for what we believe is right or against what we believe is wrong.
3-18-2009 @ 11:49AM
cdawg said...
While I agree scientology is a cult, because it is based upon aliens, I don't agree that LDS is a cult. I think it's based upon the same God that the rest of the judeo-christian based religions recognize. Based upon your definition, any religion could be a cult.
I can actually understand that a member of the LDS might not want sacred ceremonies depicted on a show that not only portrays, but supports, polygamy, especially when the woman taking the ritual pretty much snuck her way into the temple. Like how muslims are offended by pictorialss of Mohammed.
However, the outrage is kind of overboard. I had no idea that the episode was going to be "controversial." I watched the scene and thought, wow that's actually pretty cool - a taste of the afterlife here on earth. And for me, it was crucial to the episode to show Barb's inner conflict. It's sacred, I get it, but I don't think any religion is above being investigated, looked at, scorned, or even parodied.
If anything, it made LDS seem a little more interesting to me. Still "strange" based upon how I was raised, but yeah, no big deal.
3-18-2009 @ 1:18AM
Lee-Ann said...
Just a few points of clarification. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints did not protest the show in advance or afterwards. If you would like to read their official statement it can be found on www.lds.org Secondly, we do not think of our temple ceremonies as "secret" but rather sacred. Anyone is welcome to become a member of the church and receive a temple recommend and go for themselves. The US government has copies of all of the ceremonies we perform and it is public knowledge ,although not flaunted out of respect. Many officials in government and law enforcement are members and have participated in these sacred ceremonies. We advocate the respect of all religions.
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3-18-2009 @ 2:41AM
bruce said...
Vicki: It's abundantly clear that the Joseph Smith, the L. Ron Hubbard of Mormonism, advocated polygamy. While many Mormons do obey state and federal laws outlawing the practice and do not engage in polygamy, True (with the capital T) Mormons "follow the law of a higher authority" and readily, unapologetically engage in polygamous marriage. The Mormons who say "the LDS Church no longer advocates polygamy" are not true Mormons, and the LDS Church is extremely insincere with respect to its public position against polygamy. All True Mormons know that the LDS church privately approves of polygamy, because that's what Joseph Smith and his Magical Seeing Stones and Golden Plates taught, per the words of his imaginary friend, the "Angel Moroni." If you believe in the magical Mormon underwear, if you believe that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri, and if you believe that Native Americans are a lost tribe of Israelites, then who the heck are you to NOT believe in polygamy? The only thing I hate more than religious people are religious people who pick and choose which aspects of their religious dogma they are going to believe in and which parts they are going to ignore. The only True religious people are the fundamentalists who believe every wacky word of their respective religious texts and teachings. If you find polygamy abhorrent, or if you think magical underwear is idiotic, then I suggest you find a new religion. Don't bastdardize the one your parents brainwashed you with just because you don't agree with some of its teachings.
It's true that Smith equivocated with respect to polygamous marriage later on in his life, because it was unpopular and disgusting to outsiders and gave the religion a negative reputation (which cost the religion money - religion is a business). But Smith himself had many wives - well over 40 by most counts. Same with Brigham Young and other early LDS leaders. The negative reputation caused by open polygamy was offset by the pleasures of over a dozen young vaginas, all of which have a duty to get pregnant and squirt out as many little Mormon children as is physically possible. You know, to go to heaven....
Mormons who say their religion does not espouse polygamy are like Muslims who say their religion does not espouse violence against non-Muslims. It's disingenuous, it's untrue, and it's stated solely for public relations purposes. Do you believe the fundamentalist Islamic Ayatolla or Imam who says "Islam is a religion of peace"? Hopefully not. They are lying for the TV cameras.
"But regardless, EVERY religion, be it Mormon, Catholic, Methodist, whatever, has the right of freedom of religion. And therefore, has the right to have ALL aspects of their religion respected."
No. Absolutely not. Freedom of religion does not mean "the right to have your religion respected." It means you can believe whatever you want, no matter how silly it is, and the government cannot actively prevent you from having those beliefs. It does not mean you can DO whatever you want (religions that require their followers to smoke marijuana get no special exception from the drug laws).
But the notion that you have the "right" to have other people forced to "respect" your religion is absolutely unfounded in First Amendment jurisprudence. Freedom of religion includes freedom from religion, and freeom of speech means I can say whatever mean, critical things I want to about anyone's religion. You have the right to pray to whaver god(s) you want. You do not have the right to make me respect your god(s), your traditions, or your beliefs.
In point of fact, I do not respect them. I think anyone who reads about Joseph Smith and how he "wrote" the Book of Mormon, and yet STILL believes in the Book of Mormon and considers Smtih to be a "prophet" is a total fool, the epitomy of ignorance, and the pinnacle of stupidity.
The same goes for Scientology. But I'm sure you agree with me about the falsity of all religions -- except your own. Isn't it amazing how nearly everyone is 99% atheist... it's so easy to discount all the religions of the world, EXCEPT for the one your parents forced upon you as a child. That religion, unlike the tens of thousands of others, you "Know" to be the "One True" way of God.
If you could just discount your religion as easily as you discount all the religions of everyone else, you'd truly be enlightened. As for "Pascal's Wager" - i.e. "why risk not believing and going to hell for all eternity" I would simply ask - how do you know you believe in the correct religion? If there is a God, and if that God requires worship, then only one religion can be the "right" one. Everyone thinks they believe in the right one, but what if all Mormons end up going to hell, along with all Catholics, Jews, Muslims, etc... and only Scientologists go to heaven?
It's just amazing how everyone believes such stupid thigns (magical mormon underwear! Planet Kaleb! Alien Overlord Xenu, body Thetans!), how they can so easily dismiss the asinine beliefs of OTHER PEOPLE'S religions, yet they unquestionably follow and believe in the idiocies of their own religion - a religion they didn't even pick... it was picked for them by their parents, whose parents picked it for them, and so on and so forth.
.... religion. It makes reality TV look like rocket science.
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3-18-2009 @ 10:15AM
eric f. said...
Bruce, This isn't the place to debate religious views. Seriously.
I've watched Big Love from the beginning (as an atheist, raised Catholic), and this was certainly the most fascinating episode, thanks to the ritual scene. It was integral to understanding what Barb was missing from her "old" life.
It was a nice touch for the "attendant" to tell Bard her "15 minutes were up", essentially killing the fantasy mood.
3-18-2009 @ 11:16AM
Gary said...
@Bruce
Wow - that hate filled diatribe against Mormons, Muslims, and anyone else that doesn't agree with you says more about you than about them. Let's keep on subject.