8: The Mormon Proposition
8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary that examines the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its support of California Proposition 8, stating that the church has been actively involved in the denial of LGBT human rights. The film was written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. It was released on June 18, 2010, by Red Flag Releasing.
Synopsis
Director Reed Cowan, who is a former Mormon missionary, "planned on making a film about gay teen homelessness and suicide in Utah, but switched his focus to Mormon ideology because of how it contributes to the homophobia that causes these problems". The film focuses on the wealth and power of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and how the Church uses the National Organization for Marriage to advocate for denial of rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. It states that LDS Church leader Thomas S. Monson asked to ensure the passage of the controversial California Proposition 8. It also claims that many homeless people in Utah are LGBT teens who were abandoned by their Mormon parents.
According to The New York Times, the film "uncovers the classified church documents and the largely concealed money trail of Mormon contributions that paid for a high-powered campaign to pass Proposition 8", noting that "Mormons raised an estimated $22 million for the cause."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints response
When The Washington Post requested comment, the LDS Church forwarded its official statement that said in part,
- We have not seen 8: The Mormon Proposition. However, judging from the trailer and background material online, it appears that accuracy and truth are rare commodities in this film. Although we have given many interviews on this topic, we had no desire to participate in something so obviously biased.
- "Clearly, anyone looking for balance and thoughtful discussion of a serious topic will need to look elsewhere," said Michael Purdy, a spokesman for the LDS Church, in a statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
Wikipedia article: 8: The Mormon Proposition ↗
External links
- Review 8: The Mormon Proposition at the Internet Movie Database
- 8: The Mormon Proposition at All Movie Guide
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