Big Love

by Band on the Run 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  Band on the Run

  I adore Big Love, in its final season on HBO. For those who don't know, it is a story about a group of polygamous Mormons in hiding who just stepped out publicly. The Mormons cannot be happy with the show. HBO's website has testimonial from Mormons stating the show is inaccurate. Checking with wikipedia because I am only casually interested, I found that the religion believes an angel of God appeared to Joseph around 1830-50 in slightly upstate NY. The Book of Mormon and another scriptural book resulted. The books were on solid gold tablets. They believe in space aliens. Special underwear is worn. American Indians are a lost tribe of Israel. The wacko stuff goes on and on. Families stay together for eternity. Children are necessary. Polygamy was a central tenet of the church until it was outlawed by state and federal government. Young girls are married to very, very old men. It revolts me. I acknowledge my personal prejudices. Every religion has wacko teachings. They also do missionary work even more fervently than Witnesses. When I was in Europe, they were swarms.

  Mormons make the Witnesses look respectable. I believe Mormons also shun. You don't live with your family for eternity if you stray. The special underwear is so funny yet I just finished reading Wolf Hall about Henry VIII's reign. Most of the characters wore nun's habits or haircloth under their clothes. These people are respectable members of English history. Mitt Romney's run for presidient surprised me. I recall his father's bid (he said he was brainwashed about VN which was an unfortunate word choice). Does the 3 am phone call person truly believe this stuff? Why did not his opponents raise it?

  I identtfy with Barb, the only true wife. NIcki, the middle wife, is the daughter of a prophet indicted for many crimes. She is a tumbleweed. I don't like her but I understand what an orphan she is. Margene, my favorite, is the one with whom I do not idenitfy at all. She was an underage baby sitter recruited into the family. Do other people rellish the show? The Mormon beliefs are similar to the Witnesses. I wonder how I would feel about a Witness dramatization. This show is over the top, not subtle. Most women have fun with it.
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  Gayle

  I like it. Shows all their problems, yet their loyalty to "The Principle" no matter what (like "The Truth").
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  undercover

  I'm a little worried about this final season. I saw some preview clips where they talked to the writers and stars and they hinted that things might swing back in the family's favor to almost being somewhat accepted. They said fans like this family and want them to be happy and succed. Coming from the JW cult background, I was really looking forward to Bill getting his comeuppance, that he so deserves for all his shenanigans. And I was looking forward to Barb become free of her husband's brand of cult and becoming an ex-fundie, ex-mormon, free spirited free thinker.

  But I almost got the impression from the first episode that they were trying to show the family being mistreated as if being a polygamist cult member was on par to being black during Jim Crow laws days or gay/lesbian in a "christian" "straight" society. And then they show other polygamists coming to his open house, as if their movement is going to build up steam.

  I hope they don't try to show Bill's family as being "normal" and becoming accepted despite their cult beliefs. Let's not forget that Bill is only one or two steps away from being as crooked as Albie or the Prophet before he died. He's tied in to the Green's and he's guilty of so much more than just being a polygamist.

  While I don't condone the violence and rudeness shown to them, these are not normal Christian people. They're messed up people because of the fundie cult life... and are corrupt/dishonest in their own right. The show should not end on a happy note with them all sealed in heaven with their planet waiting. They should suffer the consequences for their lying, corruptness, and own violence used.
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  I quit!

  I also see a lot of similarites bewteen Jdub and Mormon religion. They were both started by wacky guys in the 19th century who thought they had some sort of speciial communication with God. Upon their deaths control of their organizations fell to or was taken over by tough fisted authoritarian men. I think both Jdubs and the Mormons would have remained a lot smaller if that hadn't happened. Didn't both Joe Smith and Tazemeister have Masonic ties? Anyway they both had occult teachings that weren't accepted by traditional Christianity.

  The series sounds interesting. I don't have HBO but I'll see if I can rent it from the video store.
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  Band on the Run

  The family doesn't dress in Prairie garb. Well, one did for a while but she could pass for general western garb. They are attractive. The show is much better than it sounds on a piece of paper or digitally. They live on a normal street.

  I hope the writers don't do a Sopranos black out. Surviving 9/11 in downtown Manhattan, I don't understand how the family, particularly the children, can take all the drama with the prophets. Roman and the Greens never struck me as remotely resembling true vilains. They were like cartoon characters. The writers seem to be scrambling in all direction this season to keep people wondering about a resolution.

  I don't understand his state senate bid. Isn't bigamy a crime? How can a criminal also be state senator? What other senators or assemblypersons would dare have any action with him. The wives of Supreme Court justices sent a clear signal about the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade. I assume that the main Mormon group has to go out of its way to condemn polygamy. Bill compromises his principles all the time. In the beginning, I thought he was more moral. Now he doesn't seem driven by principles but by his ego. His business partner taking the fall and leaving the home supply business was very sad. What makes Bill so special? Also, Barb and he had a traditional marriage until she became sick with cancer and baby BIll did not want to be left alone. He is real scum dressed up in a cloak of respectabillity.

  Barb's relationship with her sister is interesting. Bill was trash to them. They seem to have similar values with a different surface display. We never see why Bill fuels these sister wives. Barb's sister condemns her, reports her to the Mormons, then she supports Bill's candidacy. The lack of consistency reminds me of my own sister.
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  undercover

  Bill compromises his principles all the time. In the beginning, I thought he was more moral. Now he doesn't seem driven by principles but by his ego. His business partner taking the fall and leaving the home supply business was very sad. What makes Bill so special? Also, Barb and he had a traditional marriage until she became sick with cancer and baby BIll did not want to be left alone. He is real scum dressed up in a cloak of respectabillity.

  Good call. That's why I want to see him taken down. He's not a lot better than Roman Grant, Albie Grant or the Greens. He swears he's different but just because he doesn't live on the compound or have armed guards doesn't make him righteous. He stoops to the same conniving, the same lies, the same cover-ups.

  I don't understand his state senate bid. Isn't bigamy a crime? How can a criminal also be state senator? What other senators or assemblypersons would dare have any action with him.

  Yea, I'm not sure how they'll rectify that. He gets elected then comes out as a polygamist. I'm sure there's a way to recall his election based on these new revelations. And if they were to dig a little deeper, they'd find all his other skeletons as well. I'm hoping that's what happens. Drop an anvil on him...
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  Qcmbr

  While I no longer believe in Mormonism I would suggest you do a bit more research before you say stuff like :

  Mormons make the Witnesses look respectable

  Mormons, for at least the last 100 years have been very respectable and do not make people commit suicide when they need blood, do not shun as a doctrinal requirement, do not expect two witnesses to observe child abuse or rape, do not preach against education but actually support it, do not have any concept of 'theocratic warfare', live healthier, engage in community activities, actually have charitable activities, don't force the congregation to preach door to door, don't discourage wealth, engage in politics, don't peddle silly magazines and don't force children to work as free labour and steal landmark events from them like birthdays, they also do not fear smurfs etc.

  Their doctrines are no more outlandish than christianity in general with it's talking snakes, magic water to wine conversion, flying angels with wings, global flood, woman from rib, raising the dead, spit magic sight restoral, walk through locked doors, fire over heads, 1000 concubines, sacrifice your son on an altar, foreskin ripping, blood and entrails scattering, live in a whales belly, turn you into salt mumbo jumbo.

  Please get one thing straight, fundamentalist break away sects of Mormonism are not Mormons any more than Protestants are Catholics. Mormons are a cult but they are actually one of the nicer cults to be in.

  The issues raised by Big Love are important however, and just like so many religions, the treatment of women as property of men is crucial in its utterly disgusting and immoral effects . Polygamy is generally utterly destructive.

  If you would like a real look at what polygamy was like and what it did to early Mormonism please read this fascinating and harrowing story.

  http://www.archive.org/stream/wifeno19orstoryo00youn#page/n7/mode/2up
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  Band on the Run

  I specifically noted the Mormon underwear as ha - ha time vs. the Tudor strange underwear as mark of Christianity.

  East Coast people believe Mormons to be weird. It is a cultural fact. I don't need a lecture for you. If anything, you have just confirmed the stereotypical notions about Mormons. Stereotypes do have a basis in fact.

  I'd rather be a JW anyday, anyway. Not that I ever, ever want anything to do with Witnesses. If Mormons were so great, why are you here.