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Reviews
Meet the Mormons (2014)
Heartsell, not honesty
This movie is really a commercial based on "heartsell" marketing methods, developed by the LDS Church's media business, Bonneville Communications.
This should not be a surprise. For years, the Mormon church has developed commercials and movies designed to show how Mormons are just like everyone else. And I would say that Mormons are similar to the people in the movie. They are nice, they try to do helpful things, they have struggles with their lives. So if you are a non-Mormon (Mormon terms for that are non-member or investigator), you will leave the movie thinking, "gosh! Those people could not have done this without being Mormon! I should join!"
What they don't tell you in the movie is the crazy things that Mormons believe. Joseph Smith saw God (well, that's one of four different versions of his story anyway). He translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates! (well, he did that with a rock in a hat, and the plates don't actually exist now) Joseph was a prophet, and there have been prophets to follow him until today - and all of them get direct instruction from God, like in person! Unfortunately God doesn't tell them how to adapt to changing needs until too late, like racism, equal rights, etc. They don't tell you that the temples are where you take part in Masonic rituals (though the death threats were removed back in the 90s).
So if you're an investigator, go in with your eyes open, and ready to ask questions when you come out. Because this movie could have been "Meet the Catholics" or "Meet the Baptists" or "Meet the Jehovah's Witnesses" and had the same heart-tugging, uplifting stories. Only Mormons think that the nice things they do are unique in the world. There's no room in Mormon belief for other people to be able to do things that are kind and Christlike.