I choose to inform

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of the people who read my blog are also members. However, in light of the recent happenings with the HBO television show, I have decided to let everyone know how I feel about the issue. My hope is that members and non-members alike can come to an understanding of the situation. I will be quoting from the Church's statement (which can be found on the church website HERE) and here is a link to the movie that the Church has recently posted on YouTube.

The television show Big Love has lately taken some pretty deep stabs at the Church. Despite their assurance to Church leaders that "the series wouldn’t be about Mormons" internet sources "indicate that more and more Mormon themes are now being woven into the show and that the characters are often unsympathetic figures who come across as narrow and self-righteous. And according to TV Guide, it now seems the show’s writers are to depict what they understand to be sacred temple ceremonies."

When I first read about what Big Love was going to do (and the detailed level that they were going to), I was shocked and appalled. How could anyone think that it's okay to make light of something that is so sacred to someone else? It frustrated me that human beings would be so inconsiderate and blatantly rude. Temples are precious to me. When I first read articles it really did make me angry. Now, I haven't been through the temple yet. I didn't want to read in detail the lengths that the show was going to from the show's side. I was worried that such exploration would sour my own temple preparation. So, I did the only thing I figured I could do. I went to the Church website to see what we had to say. Our response surprised and calmed me. I'm not sure why it was surprising, but the effect was just what I needed.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an institution does not call for boycotts. Such a step would simply generate the kind of controversy that the media loves and in the end would increase audiences for the series. As Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder Robert D. Hales of the Council of the Twelve Apostles have both said recently, when expressing themselves in the public arena, Latter-day Saints should conduct themselves with dignity and thoughtfulness.
"The Church’s strength is in its faithful members in 170-plus countries, and there is no evidence that extreme misrepresentations in the media that appeal only to a narrow audience have any long-term negative effect on the Church."

It then went on to give some good examples, and I suggest you take the time to read the entire article yourself. It was worth it for me. I am not angry anymore. I'm not curious to know what Big Love is actually going to do or show because "Such things say much more about the insensitivities of writers, producers and TV executives than they say about Latter-day Saints."

The work of the Lord will continue, and no unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing. This stone will continue to roll until it fills the entire earth. A small thing like a TV show cannot and will not shake me from my foundation.

I have a genuine love for the temple and the sacredness of its purpose on earth. I'm truly excited to prepare and to soon go to the temple to marry my bestest friend, Richard. :)