"Egregiously Misleading Historical Fiction"?

[I Have Questions]

Yeah, I am a bit surprised about his shrinking away from watching it. Heck, he used to invite Bill Hamblin over for FHE where they would screen anti-Mormon silent films. I guess he'd rather remain ignorant about this one? I don't think he watched Under the Banner of Heaven, either.

Ultimately, his complaints seems to center around the idea that people will watch the show and will wind up disliking Mormons, or thinking that Mormons in the 19th century were violent, or something like that. (I suspect that his main motivation is really just jealously of the show's success). I can't help but be reminded of that survey (the Pew Forum, perhaps?) that indicated that Mormons are among the most deeply disliked religious group in the US. Well, I hate to break it to the Afore, but I very much doubt that American Primeval will really have much impact one way or another on public opinion of Latter-day Saints. Nor do I think *his* movies will do much to resuscitate the Church's reputation.

To point out the obvious: perhaps the best thing he could do to help the Church's image would be to get off the Internet--shut down his blog, retire "Interpreter," etc. He himself has left such a colossal stain on the online landscape and he's done immeasurable harm to the Church's reputation on account of his bullying, snide mockery, and generally odious personality. Sure: maybe he's helped some of his most ardent "Fan-boys," but the reality is that his "corpus" of online work makes Mormons and Mormonism look very bad indeed. Anyone coming across his blog, "Interpreter," etc., is bound to come away with a negative impression of Mormonism and the LDS Church.

The scores are in!

Netflix has struck gold with a Western drama series that's being hailed as one of the all-time greats. The gripping show, American Primeval, which debuted on the streaming giant in 2025, takes audiences back to the tumultuous times of 1857.

The series currently boasts an impressive 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an 8 out of 10 rating on IMDB. Peter Berg's American Primeval has sparked widespread acclaim across social media platforms, with numerous viewers hailing the production as an "absolute masterpiece".

One enthusiastic fan declared: "@netflix American Primeval is a MASTERPIECE! ! ! I NEED MORE! Do they make it to California! ? ! ? ! ? What happens to Bridger! ? ! ? Does he go get the army ? ? PLEASE I NEED MORE."

Another viewer passionately recommended the series, writing: "One of the best TV shows I will find this year, a great introductory to the year 2025. Such an amazing show! Brutal and realistic conflict, believable acting, great story and drama. If you're the kind of person who enjoys fantastic action, a rigorous story that grips not only your attention but your feelings as well, then give this a try. You won't be disappointed."

And…

"American Primeval. Bravo!! What an absolute masterpiece!! Best thing I’ve watched in a very long time!! Well done!," declared another viewer as a fourth echoed: "American Primeval gotta be one of the greatest short series I've ever seen on television had me gripped from start to finish."

Expressing their admiration for the show, another said: "Just finished American Primeval, and I have to say—this series is absolutely phenomenal. From start to finish, it’s an intense, gripping, and immersive journey into the brutal and unforgiving American frontier of the 1850s. The storytelling is raw and unflinching, making you feel like you’ve been transported back in time, facing the same dangers, hardships, and moral dilemmas as the characters."

Someone else agreed: "By far the best historical drama show I have seen in years. This is one of those rare shows which immerses you in the midst of action and makes you feel what the main protagonist feels in the moment."

Peterson definitely should watch it, he could learn a thing or two about what a good production looks like…

[Moksha]

Look at how the entire culture of the Intermountain West has been transformed by historical fiction. The Brigham Young University, from which this article arises, is a product of historical fiction. The massacre of the Fancher wagon train stems from this same historical fiction.

Mormons would bear their testimony that this historical fiction is true rather than egregiously misleading.

[Rivendale]

If I recall correctly the Pew study was discussed on the other forum a while back. The main excuse given? People don't know much about Mormonism and they have the perception that Mormons still practice polygamy. The movie Heretic had similar complaints with many apologists doing reviews despite never seeing the movie.

[I Have Questions]

If I recall correctly the Pew study was discussed on the other forum a while back. The main excuse given? People don't know much about Mormonism and they have the perception that Mormons still practice polygamy. The movie Heretic had similar complaints with many apologists doing reviews despite never seeing the movie.

Peterson panned “American Primeval” without ever seeing it. And with a straight face bemoaned people criticising 6DIA and Witnesses who he believed (or wanted to believe) had not been to see it.

[sock puppet]

8x did Jesus excoriate the pharisees as "hypocrites" in Matthew 23. And once at Luke 11:44.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

"My, my, my," said the spider to the fly.

[Kishkumen]

I thought American Primeval was crap, regardless of any historical considerations.

[sock puppet]

I liked the story at the center, the mother and son who hire the mountain man to guide them and then a native American girl joins them. I liked the Jim Bridger character better than the Brigham Young one. I also found the persistence of the scalped Mormon man trying to recover his wife, and her dealings with the Shoshone, quite interesting. I guess on the whole, I preferred the fictionalized elements. But for me, I could not have enjoyed the 1998 movie Titanic but for the fictional 'Jack and Rose' story planted in it.

But, for a western miniseries, it is hard to top Godless. But American Primeval is, in my estimation, a good tier 2 contender.

[I Have Questions]

I liked the story at the center, the mother and son who hire the mountain man to guide them and then a native American girl joins them. I liked the Jim Bridger character better than the Brigham Young one.

But, for a western miniseries, it is hard to top Godless. But American Primeval is, in my estimation, a good tier 2 contender.

It has been very well received by the vast majority of critics and viewers. I think Mormons feel some sort of bizarre moral obligation to feel persecuted by it. It’s a good show.

[Rivendale]

I liked the story at the center, the mother and son who hire the mountain man to guide them and then a native American girl joins them. I liked the Jim Bridger character better than the Brigham Young one.

But, for a western miniseries, it is hard to top Godless. But American Primeval is, in my estimation, a good tier 2 contender.

It has been very well received by the vast majority of critics and viewers. I think Mormons feel some sort of bizarre moral obligation to feel persecuted by it. It’s a good show.

I was watching a YouTube video https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou ... EXIYpwotv where two believers try to explain why the Pew study found Mormonism to be the most disliked religion. One topic was the persecution complex. Their theory was centered around the elitist appearance of the one and only true church claim and other Christian sects. Their solution? Our doctrine won't change. In other words , suck it world we are the real deal.

[malkie]

It has been very well received by the vast majority of critics and viewers. I think Mormons feel some sort of bizarre moral obligation to feel persecuted by it. It’s a good show.

I was watching a YouTube video https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou ... EXIYpwotv where two believers try to explain why the Pew study found Mormonism to be the most disliked religion. One topic was the persecution complex. Their theory was centered around the elitist appearance of the one and only true church claim and other Christian sects. Their solution? Our doctrine won't change. In other words , suck it world we are the real deal.

Here's a couple of quotes from The Only True Church: Boldness without Overbearance in Religious Educator Vol. 7 No. 3 · 2006

When I asked a pastor how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints might be better neighbors, he suggested, “Becoming friends really helps.” Then, grimacing slightly and shaking his head, he continued, “But you know, I have to be truthful with you. . . . Regardless of how much they may work on the friendly area, they have those teachings that are so exclusive, and they are so offensive.”[1] President Boyd K. Packer said: “One doctrine presents a particular challenge. It is our firm conviction that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, as the revelations state, ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ (D&C 1:30).”

As President Hinckley has said on multiple occasions: “We appreciate the truth in all churches and the good which they do. We say to the people, in effect, you bring with you all the good that you have, and then let us see if we can add to it. That is the spirit of this work.”

Finally, a few study participants expressed feeling confusion in connection with our doctrine of one true church. A Baptist leader posed the question, “Do you [Latter-day Saints] emphasize the unity, or do you realize the exclusivity?” The leader further explained it this way: “I have a presentation . . . called, choose a hand. It’s basically . . . that the LDS Church and community presents two hands and says, choose one. . . . Choose the right hand and they say, ‘Well, we’re Christians, you’re Christians, we’re all Christians, we believe in Jesus, we believe in God, we believe in family, and we believe in good values so won’t you accept us?’ And you say, ‘Okay, well what’s in the other hand?’ And they [Latter-day Saints] say, ‘We’re the only true church, all the churches are wrong.’ . . . And the issue is, which hand do we deal with? . . . That is confusing to us.”

https://rsc.BYU.edu/vol-7-no-3-2006/onl ... erbearance

None of this, including the quote from Pres Hinckley, soulds at all condescending, does it? /s