Respectful society, respectful people should be sensitive to the feelings and beliefs of others. When a group holds something sacred, we should not make light of it, or broadcast it for purposes of entertainment. Temple ceremonies are not just sacred, they are private. It is well known that they are not public information. As such, to broadcast portrayals of temple ceremonies is a direct affront to the LDS people. You don't ask acquaintances about private, sensitive personal matters, it is rude. Likewise, you do not broadcast private, sensitive religious matters. We live in a society in which it seems anything goes, in the name of openness or "free speech", as if, because many feel they have a right to say anything they want, that they should, without regard to manners and decency.

The representation of an LDS temple ceremony in the show also makes a false connection between the present LDS church and polygamy, furthering stereotypes on a misunderstood religion. For those who do not think this is significant, ask yourself how you would feel if something you hold dear and sacred were broadcast publicly for the entertainment of others, and possibly misrepresented.

Hello from New York City! I am definitely a fan of HBO's "Big Love" and enjoy learning more about this interesting religion (LDS). I am a practicing Catholic and a Certified Catechist who has taught religion for the past five years as a volunteer. I respect the issues proposed by the members of the Church of the LDS, however I think it's important to let others (outsiders like myself) know about LDS. Perhaps by knowing more, we can understand and appreciate their point of view. Mutual respect among people is paramount. Secrecy is not endearing if you want inclusion in society.

I think that it is disingenous of Professor Flake to say that the show is attempting to conflate the Mormon ceremony with the fundamentalist, violent arm of the FLDS sect shown on the program. The show makes very clear that 1. The main polygamist family is reviled by the Mormon community at large, thus separating them out from Mormonism, and 2. the main polygamist family has a hostile relationship with the fringe polygamist sect. So saying that this episode is associating the Mormon ritual as a component of the fringe polygamist sect is not a valid statement.

Thanks,

Marie
Salt Lake City, UT

As a member of the Chruch, I can completly relate to last nights show. I am a Gay Mormon and therefore by the Church's standards I am not worthy to attend the temple. I still have a testimony and still love the temple ceremony. I do not feel that it was degrading in anyway. You can find out what the temple ceremony is all about on the internet. If anyone thinks it's a secret ... think again. As one who feels they are on the outside I felt the episode was wonderful. I shed a few tears along the way. I miss attending. I am held back by men who say I am not worthy, not God whom I believe loves me how I am and how he made me.

I am a fan of Big Love - I think it is well-written and produced show. I am also not a member of the Mormon church.

I believe that one of the reasons that people are so interested in Big Love and last night's episode is that there is a lot of the Mormon religion that seems secretive. Because of this, people are interested in knowing what goes on in the temples and what the rituals may include. I know that as a non-religious person, I am facinated each time I learn something more new (to me) about the Mormon church.

I have not seen the entire episode of Big Love, of which I am a big fan, but I did see the youtube clip of the endowment ceremony. I have been through the ceremony myself and am no longer a member of church, but I am slightly appalled by the sight of seeing the sacred ceremonies depicted. The LDS do not see it as secret it is sacred, much like Mohammed is to the most of the Middle-East.

I wonder if the tribes or others who have sacred ceremonies being taped as they perform their sacred ceremonies would feel the same? maybe or maybe not.

No offense Radio West, but I think the topic "are these things that SHOULD be off limits..." is a pointless conversation. Whether or not they should or should not be off limits makes no difference whatsoever. There are ALWAYS going to be people putting things on the internet that are considered sacred. There are always going to be people writing books about things that some people feel shouldn't be spoken of, out in open and in the public realm. I think the topic of a program like todays should be more along the lines of "what should the LDS church do, or how should they react, when these things ARE put out into the public realm?" These revealings of LDS practices, ceremonies, teachings, etc, are ALWAYS going to be out there for every day people to have access to. It's time to accept that reality rather than think anyone can change it.

But since this IS the topic on today's show, I'd like to add quickly that I think it was a fascinating episode last night of Big Love. I was raised LDS and no longer adhere to any of it's beliefs and teachings, but I DO know many people who believe in it's teachings and aren't allowed to participate in it's ceremonies. I believe Barb on the show represents a HUGE population in the LDS community (both practicing and not practicing) and I thought it was great to bring that into light to the rest of the world who maybe aren't so aware of the LDS church. Yes, Barb is polygamist, but she struggles with that choice because it means she cant participate in some of the ceremonies of the LDS church, in which she believes and loves. I once was in her situation and I feel for so many other people who still are in her situation.

Moreoever, if the LDS population doesnt want this to be in the center of media attention, then they shouldn't comment on any of it. It only fuels the fire. The leaders of the LDS church even came out with a statement that basically said, leave it alone, don't comment, don't fuel the fire. I thought LDS members were supposed to do what their leaders tell them to do??? leave it alone!

Great Show. I don't own TV, but love that we are talking about the temple ceremony. I believe that in all of history of religion these are really small potatoes to fry.

No TV here either...but really, the Mormons can't possibly think they are so important that anyone CARES (that much). If people really wanted to see Mormon ceremonies all they need do is go to YouTube.com and search "mormon secrets": here's one: http://www...K6n1PlTKQQ

I agree...love to talk about it, but really it just small potatoes (just remember, in Utah it's all the potatoes they have).

Hey I am an active temple going Mormon, have watch the show a few times, got bored, never visited it again.

What's the big whoop? It's popular? People might think we Mormons are the bad guys? Good grief this kind of blah, blah, blah, about us isn't anything new, we had nearly two century of experience contending with prejudice and misrepresentation. We just keep on growing in numbers and dedication.

Big Love is just a silly night-time soap, agreed, with an agenda, but that's not unusual in lots of others T.V. shows and movies, it makes money. Lets face it, that's the bottom line for people who write and produce in Hollywood, the buck. So keep your cool and consider the source—Hollywood for heck sakes, the Mecca of trivia. I challenge you to just watch the intro of the series. Amazingly cheesy... obviously nothing important going on here folks.

So all my LDS friends. Stay cool and blow it off. The world is what it is and that won't change, but it also can't change who we are, what we believe or how we live our lives. Just keep on doing what we do best.

LDS church doctrine is quite explicit when criticizing the practices and doctrines of other religions. The current recognized version of Joseph Smith's first vision depicts all other churches during his time as abominations influenced by Satan. The LDS temple ceremony is a resource now used by the church to "allow" adherents to commit their loyalty to the religion, beyond promises made at baptism. The temple attendee doesn't necessarily know what ritual and commitments are to come however, so I do not think it's terribly destructive to depict some of this out in the open. This is especially the case considering that Mormons are performing these ordinances by proxy for deceased individuals who may have been strict followers of another faith while alive. Along with some benign practices, many religions tend to veil their more negative indoctrination in secrecy by deeming it sacred. Children are taught these so-called truths without access to critical viewpoints.

We westerners expect open inquiry when claims are made about academia, science, and politics. However, when someone approaches a particular religious belief, reverence is often demanded. Potential converts to Scientology should be aware of the Xenu creation story, and the comedic team at HBO’s South Park should be allowed to poke fun. We risk a chilling affect if we can’t bear our sacred cows to be prodded a bit. There are Muslim extremists who see murder as a virtuous reaction when someone draws a cartoon characterizing their prophet. Sketching Mohammed falls under free speech, as should a re-enactment of ceremony; be it Mormon, Mason, Catholic or otherwise. Salman Rushdie had a fatwah placed on his life by Islamic extremists, but he was also awarded a Pulitzer Prize for not succumbing to demands of religious respect.

I believe it is important that we do not keep quiet each time we run into someone else's religious belief. We should not shy away from dialogue, while we also ensure to keep our emotions in check. Thanks for this segment.

I was shocked at the misinformation allowed and presented by the host as I listened to Radio West this morning. Big Love does NOT depict an LDS family as stated by Mr. Fabrizio, but a fundamentalist sect separate from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over and over again this fictional family was referred to as Mormon. One of the primary aspects of the show is their distance from mainstream Mormonism. I expect more accurate reporting from public radio, especially in light of the topics sensitivity. I would ask that Mr. Fabrizio offer correction and apologies for his misrepresentation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have recently moved to the KUER listening area and have always been a financial supporter of my local NPR station in the past, as well as a volunteer during the fund drive. I certainly will NOT, however, be supporting this type of sloppy reporting.

I think the premise of Big Love is more complicated than what you mentioned. I just watched the YouTube Big Love temple ceremony; I can't for the life of me figure out why Mormons are so offended by this portrayal. Other than the question of what is sacred (and Mormons are just as guilty of profaning other religions), I found the portrayal to be rather benign.

It is true that LDS Church officials are not pleased that the series has blended a portrayal of a fundamentalist sect with the contemporary Church. It's important to remember Barbara's (the character played by Jeanne Tripplehorn) relationship with the mainstream LDS Church - as of the beginning of this last episode she was still on the Church records - many in her family (if not most - I'm not a regular viewer)are active, temple-going, conventional Mormons. I do think we made the difference clear during the program - or tried to anyway. Here is a copy of the text I used during the show. It was a set-up for the film clip. I also mentioned this at other times during the program.

THE CONTEXT FOR ALL OF THIS IS BARBARA’S PERSONAL DILEMMA..

SHE HAS BEEN THREATENED WITH EXCOMMUNICATION FROM THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS…
BARBARA ISN’T REMOTELY A CONVENTIONAL MORMON – FOR ONE THING SHE HAS EFFECTIVELY LEFT THE CHURCH – SHE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A FUNDAMENTALIST SECT AND IS LIVING IN A POLYGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP.

BUT SHE VALUES THE SENSE OF STRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY MORMONISM OFFERED AND SHE’S WORRIED ABOUT HER ETERNAL SOUL. IN THIS SCENE SHE TELLS HER HUSBAND – BILL ABOUT A DREAM SHE’S HAD..

I hope that helps.

Best,

Doug Fabrizio

At the beginning of the show Doug asked the question did the producers of Big Love "cross the line" by showing a sacred temple ceremony. I would say they did. The same line the LDS church crossed when they supported California's prop 8.

Wow how did prop 8 get in this discussion? Very non sequitur reply. I think you must be on the wrong message board.

Does sacredness require secrecy? Secrecy engenders suspicion and distrust and causes others to feel excluded, creating division instead of connection. Is secrecy central to the sacredness of this ritual? Is it any less important or significant, any less sacred, to its celebrants because it is no longer secret? There are many other religious rituals that are specific to particular churches' members but they are on the whole not hidden from view. Are those rituals devalued because they are not secret?

This is a valid discussion and I wish I would reply to each thread. But here is my take on it all: if you want to know why Mormons are so strange as to demand respect for their sacred ceremonies, learn more about their church! Get it from the horse's mouth. It's pointless to discuss the whys and wherefores with people who only speculate about someone else's religion. Ask a person who actually practices. Also, relate it to your lives. You will discover that there are many things in your life that you consider "sacred" even if it is not religious in nature. For those of you who are parents, you may realize that you hold your children sacred. You love them and have a private relationship with them. You don't really consider it "secret", but you would be appalled if you turned on the TV one day and you saw a broadcast of your nightly ritual of tucking your son/daughter into bed and singing a lullaby (hey, not a perfect analogy, but it works :). Everybody will "poke fun" at their own family members, but it would make you a little uncomfortable if a stranger told the same inside jokes without knowing the full context of your family.

Some responders ask, what's the big deal, the temple ceremony isn't that wild, exciting, or original. They're right! Any member of the LDS church could have told you that. While we keep the exact text private, much of the ceremony is based on scripture that is readily available to anyone who wants to read it. There is nothing sensational about the endowment ceremony. It becomes sensational when producers claim it is "necessary to the plot" to represent it on TV. I mean, really, there's no way to write around it, allude to it without showing the whole thing?

Again, if you want to learn about the Mormon church, don't look to HBO for the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Go to www.mormon.org. Go to a church service on Sunday. We also consider our sacrament service every Sunday to be sacred (and don't want it shown on national TV by people who are not practicing Mormons) but we definitely invite anyone interested to come to our church on Sunday and experience it for yourself. Visitors welcome.

I am a fan of “Big Love” I find it to be therapeutic. At times I regret my association with the LDS religion and often I reflect upon episodes. Notwithstanding, I would like to express my despair for the consequences of putting religion of any sort on trial. Since those who control the content of “Big Love” have ventured to put the ritual of LDS temple ceremonies in the public purview they ought to have anticipated the perceived insult toward LDS people.



“Big Love” seems to have crossed a thin boundary of ethical conduct but I believe that the insult will simply prosper those of the LDS persuasion. The LDS people have grown a thick skin due to such things as seeing their ‘Temple Garments” displayed, flying in the hands of their opponents when they attend conferences in Salt Lake City. Such activities spawn a wave of empathic vibration concerning the publicized atrocities and insults the LDS claim to have endured in utter innocence. Though today in Utah the LDS faith may only be a few microns from positioning itself in a situation similar to Islam in Saudi Arabia the modern faithful feel every lash, insult, and treason ever committed against their forefathers and will regard any misfortune for “Big Love” as divine retribution.



Barbara is a character most deeply representing a long and effective process of indoctrination by those within the LDS culture. Without the approval of that culture she may be an outcast who derives self-esteem from confidence that as a polygamist she is “more” righteous and true to the “faith”. Her husband’s affinity for polygamy and female subordination has been buttressed by sibling rivalry, conflict with her mother and childhood problems that have a special LDS flavor. “Big Love” has been able to show humanity in a way that transcends the LDS Hierarchal oversight and thereby presents an excellent criticism. As Barbara vacillates in limbo trying to determine a place to anchor her life there will no doubt be even more fascinating drama to come.



If the producers of “Big Love” wanted to disprove the LDS faith they would take another approach. If they wanted to muster hatred toward the LDS faith they would not do so with a cool HBO series because it would be automatically regarded as cool fiction. I predict that the consequence of this perceived insult is likely to make LDS people lock out the series from TIVO and DVR’s. Children will not go to school and tell any of their LDS friends that they watch “Big Love". Big Deal.

This segment of RadioWest had the potential of being really good - as it is a very interesting topic. Yet, it seemed to drag on and didn't really say anything new or interesting. I was very excited by the question proposed at the beginning of the episode, '"What is sacred?" Are there things that should be off limits in a respectful society, or should art ask us to rethink religion?'. Perhaps because of the quests chosen it seemed like everyone was having their own conversations and nothing ended up being said. Perhaps, once the controversy dies down a bit a similar topic can be attempted again.