Thursday, January 25, 2007

Looking Forward to 2007

It looks like anti-Mormon propaganda is about to get a salacious revamp with this Spring's release of September Dawn. (Actually this particular movie has been reported on before, here, here, and here.) If anyone doesn't think there is something particularly chilling in the filmmakers' intent, just consider the following from the press release:

The Mountain Meadows Massacre, as it is known, occurred on September 11, 1857, and was the first known act of religious terrorism on U.S. soil...[Director Christopher] Cain [(Young Guns)] says he was drawn to the project because "it so closely resembles the religious fanaticism the world is seeing today. People were killed in the name of God 150 years ago and they're still being killed in the name of God."

Oh, sheesh. 9/11 conspiracy theorists and anti-Mormon propagandists, here we come? Even better, for full effect, visit the website and, if you can stomach it, watch the trailer:

I am the voice of God, and anyone who doesn't like it will be hewn down. [Brigham Young.]

Now, I am not taken easily to scare tactics—or conspiracy theories. (This certainly seems to fall under that category.) I already said/blogged my piece/peace (most likely) when I rambled on about the attempts of certain narrow-minded Evangelists to delegitimize Mormons as Christians, due to the prominence of a potential Mitt Romney bid for Presidency. But this film takes a more heinous approach at something broader, or at least it clips a bigger swing.

I've had this growing theory about Westerns of late, which I keep intending to blog about, but have not yet found the energy. Still, note that mass-style murders so commonly celebrated in nearly anything within the Western genre suddenly becomes something utterly heinous—and Mormons are the victims of the propaganda. Yet homosexuality in another prominent recent Western is almost reverenced. Note also the absence of any mention of extermination orders, or other well-documented cases of violence against Mormons. I'm sure there is even more here than meets the eye.

The biggest irony? I actually think it will present us with a great opportunity to clear the air—not necessarily about what actually happened in those mountains and meadows, though that is of import. Rather, when those who err decide to take a more monumental approach, truth can appear starker for those who will listen. THE MORMONS have their work cut out for them.

This makes They Call Me Trinity's inaccurate representation of the Mormons almost appear affable, a movie that I was already quite fond of. From the mouth of the main Mormon... uh... prophet? in the film, Tobias (Dan Sturkie):

In the words of Qohelet, son of David, King of Jerusalem, (your hat please,) there's a time to be born and a time to die, to love and to hate. There's a time to...brothers! It says here there's a time to fight and a time to win! To win brothers!

Thus ensues one of the best Mormon fight sequences ever set to film.

In any case, what's the catch phrase of the day, with regards to Cain and his work?

Am I my brother's keeper?

Fortunately, there is other wonderful, monumental material, waiting in the side wings. And of course, there's also this. Also, further reading. And if anyone wants to know about a real September dawn, such ia a fine example (posted by Dawn, nonetheless).

posted by Rhapsidiomite @ 8:14 PM
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