Torches at High Noon: A Fog Machine, Power Lines, An Angry Extra and Brigham Young’s Electric Boogaloo

[drumdude]

If I had to play Devil’s advocate for DCP, I would imagine his goal is not to prop up Brigham to the level of Jesus, but rather lift the average opinion of Brigham out of the gutter.

Joseph, Brigham, the polygamy and the racism- they’re huge stumbling blocks to faith. Dan is trying to spin the narrative to make those stumbling blocks look smaller. It’s just plain propaganda in my opinion. Which is why Dan shouldn’t be stunned that it isn’t getting more views.

Daniel’s projects aren’t Ken Burns quality objective historical documentaries. They’re just the same old church propaganda with some post production gloss. Even Mormons can see that, and they don’t want to spend their valuable time outside of church viewing even more boring church videos.

[I Have Questions]

If I had to play Devil’s advocate for DCP, I would imagine his goal is not to prop up Brigham to the level of Jesus, but rather lift the average opinion of Brigham out of the gutter.

Joseph, Brigham, the polygamy and the racism- they’re huge stumbling blocks to faith. Dan is trying to spin the narrative to make those stumbling blocks look smaller. It’s just plain propaganda in my opinion. Which is why Dan shouldn’t be stunned that it isn’t getting more views.

Daniel’s projects aren’t Ken Burns quality objective historical documentaries. They’re just the same old church propaganda with some post production gloss. Even Mormons can see that, and they don’t want to spend their valuable time outside of church viewing even more boring church videos.

I disagree. His goal is to dream up projects that fund his need for travel and feed his sense of self importance.

[Kishkumen]

If I had to play Devil’s advocate for DCP, I would imagine his goal is not to prop up Brigham to the level of Jesus, but rather lift the average opinion of Brigham out of the gutter.

Joseph, Brigham, the polygamy and the racism- they’re huge stumbling blocks to faith. Dan is trying to spin the narrative to make those stumbling blocks look smaller. It’s just plain propaganda in my opinion. Which is why Dan shouldn’t be stunned that it isn’t getting more views.

Daniel’s projects aren’t Ken Burns quality objective historical documentaries. They’re just the same old church propaganda with some post production gloss. Even Mormons can see that, and they don’t want to spend their valuable time outside of church viewing even more boring church videos.

I never said it was his goal to lift Brigham up to the the level of Jesus, for what it's worth.

[Tom]

Viewership for Episode 1 = 23K views
Viewership for Episode 2 = 5.2K views

There is just no way they are going to sustain interest in this project for--what, a year and a half??

Who wants to wager a guess as to the view count for Episode 3? Do you think it'll make it to 3K? 2.5K?

Things are not going well with the series. In a poignant post titled “Please help!”, the Proprietor writes:

I have to admit that some conversations at church today left me more than a little bit discouraged. (And, of course, BYU Basketball’s current slide isn’t helping.) Two or three times this morning, people asked me what I’m up to these days and, when I mentioned the Interpreter Foundation’s Becoming Brigham project, they were plainly puzzled and asked me what it was. This in the ward that my wife and I attend, that Becoming Brigham‘s producer and his wife attend, in a stake in which we put on a fireside about Becoming Brigham just the previous weekend, and etc. Becoming Brigham has had coverage in the Deseret News (“New video series seeks to fight back against false claims about a Latter-day Saint prophet: Each episode of ‘Becoming Brigham’ debunks fictions and caricatures of Brigham Young, also known as the American Moses”) and the Salt Lake Tribune (“New docuseries tackles the ‘hard questions’ about LDS leader Brigham Young: “A lot of his harder edges,” historian says, “developed in the wake of Joseph Smith’s murder””) and Meridian Magazine (“Becoming Brigham: The Video Series Premieres”) and on various podcasts. One ward member had even watched my interview on the “Cwic Show” with Greg Matsen but didn’t know about Becoming Brigham.

I’m racking my brain trying to think of other ways to try to get the word out — short, that is, of setting myself or my house on fire in order to capture somebody’s attention.

Clearly, what needs to happen is for those who know about Becoming Brigham to share it with friends, neighbors, family, work colleagues, and ward members. Will this happen? I hope so, but I’m not entirely confident that it will. Please, if you feel that you can do so, talk it up to others. Share it on social media. And, of course, watch it yourself. (A new installment will drop tomorrow, Monday, 9 February.)

While I was talking with the Relief Society Sister in Parowan last night, she asked why she could not leave a positive comment on YouTube. I told her that the filmmakers—who have years and years of experience and know-how—didn't want to deal with the toxic haters who would inevitably show up. Plus, they don’t have time to moderate the discussion.

She noted that she had “talked up” the Brigham Young show in her Relief Society meetings, but she felt that the sisters did not seem to be particularly interested in watching. She also noted that the “young sister” hosting the show (referring to Camrey Fox) didn’t seem to like Brigham particularly. I immediately thought of something that Sister Fox says in the early episodes: “I wouldn’t say that I dislike Brigham Young—I’m a believer—but I don’t understand him very well.” Suffice it to say that the Relief Society Sister in Parowan is worried about Sister Fox’s testimony of Brother Brigham.

Posted from Chushanrishathaimephraimandmanasseh, Utah

[Shulem]

Brigham Young:

1) Polygamy
2) Racism
3) Authoritarianism
4) Anti-Gay

Brigham Young criminalized sodomy (1876) and treated it as if it was a horrific crime. That dirty son of a bitch would just as well approve of castration but preferred the outright slaughtering of homosexuals if he had his way. He had a black heart and was void of any loving spirit had by God. He was evil. DCP is freaking nuts to defend him and is off his rocker!

Brigham Young's administration, policies, and doctrine are the enemy to all freedom loving people.

Let me tell you that the Holy Ghost at this very moment whispers to me that this is the right way... I would say to every man who has been guilty of that crime, let him be punished with death.

Brigham Young was a Goddamn monster -- an evil SOB. And, you, DCP are a piece of crap.

[Shulem]

Just watched episode 3.

Grey haired lady (Carruth) is not to be trusted with a wooden nickel. She's a liar and an exaggerating apologist that cannot be trusted to recite history fairly.

Disgusting.



Apologetic garbage!

Sometimes it seems like I can ask Dr. Peterson any question and he will have an answer. Or if he doesn't, he will know someone who does.

Hey Dan,

1) What's the king's name in Facsimile No. 3?
2) Why was the nose and headcloth hacked off Anubis's face?

I can't hear you, Dan. Speak up, please.

[Kishkumen]

By the way, I want to thank Dr. Peterson for his thoughtful response to my comments. I appreciate the good work he is doing in his efforts to balance our views of Brigham Young. I do think that there is a place for more positive accounts that remind us of events in his life many tend to overlook. Although I do not see these videos as unbiased, they remain valuable for the evidence-based interpretations of a more positive kind that they provide.

[I Have Questions]

By the way, I want to thank Dr. Peterson for his thoughtful response to my comments. I appreciate the good work he is doing in his efforts to balance our views of Brigham Young. I do think that there is a place for more positive accounts that remind us of events in his life many tend to overlook. Although I do not see these videos as unbiased, they remain valuable for the evidence-based interpretations of a more positive kind that they provide.

My view would be that whatever Brigham Young did, even the things that might see as “more positive”, was ultimately self serving. It will be interesting to see if this series produces anything to show that to not be the case.

[Shulem]

By the way, I want to thank Dr. Peterson for his thoughtful response to my comments. I appreciate the good work he is doing in his efforts to balance our views of Brigham Young. I do think that there is a place for more positive accounts that remind us of events in his life many tend to overlook. Although I do not see these videos as unbiased, they remain valuable for the evidence-based interpretations of a more positive kind that they provide.

It would be very interesting if DCP did a segment on Brigham Young's views and statements about sodomy and how those who committed such acts in the Utah territory and abroad should be punished. Makes you wonder what David Archuleta and his friends and fans might think about that.

Just saying.

[drumdude]

In my opinion the videos are just boring. As much as I’d like to watch each one to discuss it here, there’s nothing in it to keep my attention.

The length of the videos is a problem. Make them podcast length (multiple hours long) and you can guide the conversation with a lot of structure and depth.

Make them short and eye catching and you can drive a single point home in an entertaining way.

With the 7 minute length, you don’t get the strengths of either format.