Posted by Misc. Romance on: February 12 2010
I saw "8: The Mormon Proposition" last night at Victoria Hall Theatre. My “God”. This is one of those films that makes me hate the country that I live in (don't worry... my hand is still over my heart).
I'm not a "point the finger" kinda guy, and I have no problem with taking responsibility for my own ignorance ( I'll be the first to admit that I don't know shit). AND, I probably could have done a little more to help California proposition 8 fail... You know, more than just joining some FACEBOOK group so that all my online friends know how liberal and “tolerant” I am. I mean, when a guys can show how “in touch” he is with his feminine side, thats HOT (to girls), right?! Haha! Have I really been walking through the world with blinders on? Unfortunately..yes. But after seeing '8', I wonder, "how could I have not been aware that the Mormon Church was behind such a phenomenally intricate movement behind Proposition 8 passing?".
I left this film last night feeling violated and vulnerable. Violated because I invited two of these well-dressed nice-looking fellas into my cozy little apartment so that we could have a nice little chat. Vulnerable because I feel as if our civil rights have been severely compromised, and with the help of what I would almost consider to be Organized Crime (the LDS), as they've strong-armed their own community into contributing campaign money to support the proposition. The film also claims they used torture tactics on their own members (who were found out to be gay). After seeing '8', it's not only in my mind that Proposition 8's passing negatively effects gay couples looking for equal rights, it effects the people around them; their families, friends, not to mention the communities that we live in....etc. The outcome is exponential.
Please go see this film, and take a look at the Q&A session I taped after the screening.
Show Times: Saturday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre.
More info: http://www.mormonproposition.com/
Synopsis: 8:TMP follows the stories of many LGBT citizens seeking marriage equality and never-before revealed Mormon efforts to stop them. The stories of Tyler Barrick and Spencer Jones, two gay Mormon men, are the marquis players in 8:TMP. Barrick is the direct descendant of Mormon polygamist Fredrick G. Williams. READ MORE
Question & Answer Video:
Come on over, I have nothing to offer, but at least its free.
16 Comments:
Comment by Lui Salt on February 13 2010
Its not fair to base your opinion based on what one side of the argument says. This documentary is not objective and totally slanted, specifically made to rabble rouse. Unless you also dedicate equal time to find out exactly what the Mormon Church's position is all about from the church itself, you can't really say that you are informed about their motives.
Comment by ted mills on February 13 2010
"But after seeing '8', I wonder, "how could I have not been aware that the Mormon Church was behind such a phenomenally intricate movement behind Proposition 8 passing?"." Better question: why didn't the No on 8 campaign keep hammering this home? The Mormons controlled the message from the beginning, hoping they wouldn't get caught out.
Comment by Tristan on February 13 2010
I disagree with Lui Salt that this film is one sided or unfair. The beginning of the documentary educates the public on the doctrine of the LDS and how they see homosexuality being a threat to the Mormon architecture of heaven. I now can at least intellectually understand the Mormon position even thought I don’t agree. Reed is careful to never outright criticize Mormons or the LDS. Instead, he allows the church's members, clergy, politicians, and actions to speak for themselves. Thanks for posting the Q&A I was not able to see it.
Comment by SurfGuy on February 13 2010
Lui Salt, have you seen the film? I'm guessing not. I saw the film, I was Mormon, and did a Mormon mission. I married in the temple. I am straight. I spent 30 years in the Mormon church. We know that gay marriage threatens the whole model, the whole heavenly picture for the celestial kingdom. I believe this movie gave a credible picture behind the background the motives of the church. I know what those beliefs are. We also know that time and time again Mormon leaders, representatives were invited to comment, invited to speak, invited to portray their reasons, invited to a discussion at Sundance, in their own backyard, invited to be interviewed at church headquarters. Unfortunately they turned down every request to dialog. Why? I wonder if its so that others like you can say that "this movie was slanted, and is not objective". How convenient. But really, this movie, this cause, is not so much about marriage as much as it is about gays, and treating gays as equals, giving them the same rights and privileges that we all have. It is about treating a gay man or woman no differently, or seeing them no differently than God sees the rest of all of us. We grew up learning that there was something inherently wrong, a biological defect for gays. We learned from our Sunday school classes, in seminary, and from our bishops that homosexuality is sinful behavior. This is the point of contention that I am making now. We were taught not to accept people who are people. These are our brothers and sisters. They are whole, they are beautiful just the way that God created them. They are not defective. Until Mormons are able to fully embrace and accept that, we will continue the fight. History will reveal that the Mormons stance against gays/against gay marriage was an ugly time and shameful at best. I invite you to see the film. I invite you to discuss it with me. I invite you to meet and talk with a gay person affected by this vote, affected by his rights that were stripped away. Until you do, you will will only see things from your perspective, and you won't be giving this "equal time".
Comment by Rance Elliott on February 13 2010
Hey there, would you gay/lesbian people get a life???!!!! I mean, please...go about your business and forget about having all straight people and society accept your warped behavior/lifestyle. I know, it's not about the sex, blah blah blah. I know that it is mostly about orgasms, so don't try and lie to me on this one. That's why good men abandon their great families...so they can "get off" as much as possible. Oh wait, "I can't live a lie anymore" blah blah blah blah blah blah. "I've got to be true to myself" wah wah wah wah. All of the states in the nation have spoken. WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE GAY MARRIAGE LEGAL. We're sorry, but it's just not going to fly on a large scale. If we as a society accept that kind of perversion, then destruction will come upon us as a nation. I'm not interested in that so you can get your jollies. We all want to have some sexual "action" in our lives. But, there should be judgement,restraint and morality involved in this God-given sacred act. Love ya, Rance You can blame the Mormon church for your problems if you'd like, but most people aren't in bed with you on this one. Do we like gay & lesbian people? Yes, I sure do.
Comment by WS on February 13 2010
@ lui & Rance: Majorities shift. Intolerance isn't usually a good place to digging in IMHO.
Comment by severed on February 13 2010
The film was completely one sided. How can the director that is openly gay and is opennly opposed to his ex-church be anything but biases? Thats like asking someone from Hamas to do a film about Isreal. It doesn't work, they both have agendas and the creative skills to paint any picture they would like. Lastly if you hate the US so badly then leave. I ask you what part of living in this country and bad mouthing it makes you an asset to it. You can dislike what others may believe but to say such out rageous things is just crap.
Comment by JDD on February 13 2010
If you actually think this movie is balanced, I'm not sure how you manage to function in society. You'd have to be completely blind to not see the clear agenda behind this film. Mormons have been misrepresented and maligned for the past 150 years. While the focus of the criticism may have changed, there's not anything fundamentally new about the tactics themselves...
Comment by Jerry on February 13 2010
Rance...news flash...we have a life right here in the USA and it's getting better. Quite frankly we don't care what you think about marriage or our lifestyle. When you pay our state and federal taxes then maybe we will listen to your opinions regarding our rights. Until then just mind your own business and get a life of your own.
Comment by Bill Kilpatrick on February 13 2010
I don't know if this film is biased or not. That's because I haven't seen it yet. But if I don't know, how is it that so many of you - who have not seen it , either - think you have the qualifications to tell the rest of us? If this film documents LDS involvement in Prop 8, and gives us new information about it, it will have done the world a service. If it's just gay Mormons bringing up all their baggage and dirty laundry over past slights, people will see that for themselves. The Prop 8 story is plenty for an 80-minute film. If, however, the film is just a laundry list of complaints about Mormons and gays, the truth will come out in the end. Personally, I'm looking forward to this film's wide release so I can see for myself. I don't need educated guesses from people who have never seen it.
Comment by Pete on February 14 2010
"In the first month following Haiti's devastating Jan. 12 earthquake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provided an estimated $4.25 million in assistance, with plans for ongoing relief and recovery support for the ravaged Caribbean nation." I wonder how many people who like to trash the LDS church understand the great good they do in the world? The film 8 has been reviewed by professional movie critics. They have labeled the film "completely biased, one sided and unable to get past the emotion of the situation to provide a fact based, genuine analysis of what happened in California." I have not seen the film, and I don't intend to, but I will say this... if LGBT movement expects to try to educate people about their plight, this is not the way to do it.
Comment by Tristan on February 14 2010
@Pete The Churches charitable actions are commendable, but have nothing to do with the fact that a religious organization has no place interfering with civil rights and constitutional law. Directors Cowan and Greenstreet use internal church documents and recordings of Mormon officials and interviews with political figures to illustrate unequivocally how the church overstepped its bounds as a nonprofit, religious organization. The LDS did the same in 1972 to prevent the The Equal Rights Amendment from passing and writing ani-discrimination law in to the United States Constitution to protect women. The public should be aware of who is influencing our judicial system, how and why. That is what this film is about.
Comment by anonymouse on February 14 2010
The Mormon church is entitled to it's opinion. But for those who do not agree with, or aspire to "the heavenly kingdom", we still live in the "here and now" and the every-day world. If Mormons don't want to have gay people among them, (even though they probably do, in the closet) that is their right and their faith. They do not have the right to impose those values and those laws on the rest of the non-Mormon population. I object to the concept that gay people are somehow "flawed". If God is sovereign, then they are who they are. The challenge, in my mind is to do what Jesus said, and love one another. Love is hard to come by in the "straight" culture and every culture. We should welcome anyone who wants to love someone else, and build a life and home with them. This of course, excludes abusive and unequal relationships. Personally, i think some of the Mormon church doctrine is not particularly loving towards it's female members. Like it or not, we all live together in a big, diverse and contentious family. The more we can show respect, compassion and fairness towards each other, the better off we all will be.
Comment by Jerry on February 14 2010
To Pete.... $4.25 million from LDS to Haiti's recovery efforts.and $40.00 million to stop equality for U.S. citizens? Is it me...or does there seem to be something wrong with their priorities? Just off the top of your head...what do you think Jesus would have done....feed and shelter the homeless or stone part it's own flock with that 40 Mil? It's a hard one...isn't it!
Comment by Misc. Romance on February 15 2010
Hey everybody! I'm sitting here all fired up sipping an AMERICANO, when I realized I hadn't been tending to my blog comments. Silly me, there's a freaking par'tay go'in on here! Wooohooo! Rabble Rouse'in! So, I just wanted to pop in and say THANK YOU for reading my blog and taking the time and energy to respond here in the comments forum. Subsequently, I'd like to send a special thank you to those that saw the film, responded accordingly and were able to stay on topic (a film review). Furthermore, "SurfGuy", thank you thank you for giving us such a humble and articulate response with an inside perspective on this matter. Cheers! -Misc. Romance
Comment by surfguy on February 15 2010
Welcome to the party. Stay a while.