Mormonism and popular media/"Big Love" and the temple

Big Love

The Interview

The Hollywood "Mormon" The Latter-day Saint
  • Barbara is coming down the stairs in her bathrobe.
  • Young boy: These men are here to see you.
  • Barbara: Bishop Devry.
  • Bishop: This is Lowell Davis, President of the Sandy Central Stake.
  • Stake President: How do you do?
  • Barbara: Uh, how can I help you?
  • Bishop: We’d like to talk to you for a few minutes. Is this a bad time?
  • It is absurd for a Bishop and a Stake President to show up unannounced at the home of a long-time inactive member, enter the home and interview her without her husband present while she is wearing her bathrobe.
  • Stake President: So you haven’t tithed in seven years?
  • Barbara: Yes. No, I mean, we’re not tithing. We’re inactive.
  • It is obvious that the family is inactive. Why in the world would a Stake President begin a conversation by asking about tithing?
  • Stake President: May we ask why?
  • Barbara: We…my husband and I went through a difficult time. Um, I was very ill.
  • Bishop: I remember. We tried to support you in every way we knew how with love and prayer and home teachers.
  • Barbara: Well, it meant the world to me. I was so grateful.
  • Every member of the ward has home teachers. This bishop talks like a caricature of a Latter-day Saint.
  • Bishop: Barb, we’ve known each other a long time. You were once a shining member of our church, so I’m just gonna ask you outright: Are you living in a polygamous relationship?
  • Barbara: Yes.
  • Bishop: I am so sorry to hear that. How did this come to pass?
  • The phrase "once a shining member of our church" is something that a real bishop would never say. A real bishop would refer to her as a member of the ward, and he would not refer to that in the past tense.
  • It is completely inappropriate for these men to be conducting such an interview in someone's home. Recall that her children are at home.
  • Has anyone ever used the phrase "come to pass" outside of reading the Book of Mormon? This sounds like someone is attempting to give the Bishop dialog that sounds "Mormon."
  • Barbara: My husband had a testimony.
  • Bishop: I see. Did you?
  • Barbara: No. No I didn’t…not at first.
  • Bishop: But, do you now?
  • Barbara: I think so. I don’t know. I don’t know.
  • The series constantly misuses the term "testimony." A real Latter-day Saint wouldn't understand what this testimony refers to at all.
  • Stake President: Sister Henrickson, I must tell you that we’ve come here to determine whether to call a Stake disciplinary council.
  • Bishop: May I ask how many wives has Bill brought in to your marriage?
  • Barbara: Two. There’s three of us.

The Celestial Room

The Disciplinary Council