Leah Remini and Mormonism

[græy]

So, the new reports are that Leah is at least considering looking into Mormonism as she did with the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have mixed feelings about this.

My wife and I have slowly made our way through her Scientology series and it has spawned some good and some difficult conversations for us. (Maybe too much since my wife is now hesitant to watch the season 3 episodes as they've been coming out.) The same was true for her single episode coverage of JWs. However, the entire show is extremely focused on only the negatives of those religions.

From the Scientology side I get it. Active, believing Scientologists won't speak to her, so she is left to share stories and truths from those who have left that religion. That makes sense and is appropriate.

But what about the JWs? They don't care that she left the Scientology. I'm confident that she could have found at least one or two active practicing Jehovah's Witnesses to be on the show and share their positive perspective on the religion. But instead, the entire two-hour episode was focused on interviewing those who had the worst stories to tell about their former religion.

I understand that the series is about breaking out of cults, not staying in them, but if my wife was to watch a two-hour episode where all Leah did was interview 10-12 ex-Mormons, particularly those with the worst stories and who are still (justifiably) extremely angry, my wife would easily dismiss that episode as too biased. I can also see her taking the extra step of dismissing everything else we have learned from the series about JW and Scientology as equally biased toward the negative.

In my mind, that is a step backwards.

Her show really is geared towards people who are not in any of these cults. She's spreading the word to simply stay out. But I fear that it won't help anyone in the cult to take steps out. And worse, it may push some of them to entrench more deeply.

[alas]

Things like this are biased, and unless you can recognize the bias n the other presentations of JWs and Scientology and discuss what is fair and what is just angry bias, you won’t get anywhere with anything positive with something like this with Mormons. But if you can set an example of analyzing the truth from the bias with the JDs, you might get a fair discussion with Mormonism.

One of the tricks to getting our TBM loved ones to see the other side of the coin, is that we have to be as fair and unbiased toward Mormonism as we are toward JDs or Scientology. We can’t act like we hate it, or they won’t listen. We have too see the good and see why they love the church before they will feel safe seeing the negative.

So, I would recommend a discussion on the idea that she is doing the same to Mormons as she did to JWs and Scientology, and how she was negatively biased, but had parts of the truth. Then try to discuss what might be good in those cults that keep people in them, and does the good out weigh the bad for some people. Teach critical thinking both positive and negative, on a safe topic before you ask her to apply critical thinking to her own religion.

[Dravin]

Her show really is geared towards people who are not in any of these cults. She's spreading the word to simply stay out. But I fear that it won't help anyone in the cult to take steps out. And worse, it may push some of them to entrench more deeply.

I'd say that is accurate. The show is about letting the general populace know about the dangers of cults and possibly giving a nudge to those already teetering on the brink of leaving, it is not aimed at extracting individuals deeply entrenched in them. Also, one can't forget there is an entertainment purpose here. Horror stories tend to grab viewer's attention moreso than stories about how the Deacon's quorum helped pick up litter from the local park or the Relief Society brought over some casseroles.

[Corsair]

I fear that Graey is correct. If Leah Remini does a new series on Mormons, it will only serve to make LDS believers stop watching reruns of "King of Queens". Many apostates will briefly enjoy the scrutiny on the institutional church. But the church will wisely ignore it or provide a bland press release about how they have "serious differences of opinion with Ms. Remini" and "Hey! Look at all of these happy LDS believers!" stated in santized lawer-speak.

My wife will entirely ignore this and my conservative relatives will point to this as clear evidence that the church is being persecuted for their righteousness. "This is just like the saints in Nauvoo!", will be one likely comment from an excited believer in my Facebook feed. "We have to be prepared for when they prevent us from worshipping according to our constitutional freedoms granted by God!" "Satan is controlling the hearts of people in the world!" We might even get some LDS optimist to say, "This will be great for missionary work! Once they see how awesome their Mormon neighbors really are, they will know that this show is just wrong!"

Realize that I am all for this as a new series from Leah Remini. It will be fun to watch even though it won't make a lot of difference. Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons put out that documentary on the "Love Loud" concert and the LDS church did not come out looking good at all. But few believers paid any attention and a lot of them simply ignored it, my family in particular. How would Leah Remini's series be all that different from Dan Reynolds' movie?

[Dravin]

My wife will entirely ignore this and my conservative relatives will point to this as clear evidence that the church is being persecuted for their righteousness.

And this would be the case even if positive presentations on Mormonism were given equal time The idea that you can slip in some talking heads from believers to remove the bias and make it more effective is extremely hopeful (and I'd say naive), it just means the true believer writes off 60% of it as a hack job instead of 100%.

[græy]

...

One of the tricks to getting our TBM loved ones to see the other side of the coin, is that we have to be as fair and unbiased toward Mormonism as we are toward JDs or Scientology. We can’t act like we hate it, or they won’t listen. We have too see the good and see why they love the church before they will feel safe seeing the negative.

So, I would recommend a discussion on the idea that she is doing the same to Mormons as she did to JWs and Scientology, and how she was negatively biased, but had parts of the truth. Then try to discuss what might be good in those cults that keep people in them, and does the good out weigh the bad for some people. Teach critical thinking both positive and negative, on a safe topic before you ask her to apply critical thinking to her own religion.

This is true. Thank you.

And this would be the case even if positive presentations on Mormonism were given equal time The idea that you can slip in some talking heads from believers to remove the bias and make it more effective is extremely hopeful (and I'd say naive), it just means the true believer writes off 60% of it as a hack job instead of 100%.

This is also true.

[annotatedbom]

Oops, meant to post this in this other thread.

[2bizE]

I think it will be a good thing if it happens. Everything, everything put out by the church is completely pro-church, cotton candy and Pom poms.
Would be nice to see a different side that is not usually seen.