Movie Review: Follow The Prophet

Warning: This is long and may contain spoilers.

I am LDS and so is my husband. He was raised in ND, and I was raised in NJ. Our churches were entirely different, but held the same principles. Yes, sometimes when you go across country every church will seem completely different - but that really comes down to the exact congregation you are in. My husband doesn't smoke, dresses like a dork (he once wanted a temple marriage and a mission - ew), and rarely curses. Whereas I curse like a sailor, smoke, drink caffeine, and dress like a normal person. I was the one to request getting married in a local city hall and our marriage was far from arranged. While we were raised completely different, in different states with different types of people, we still believe in the same things. That will NEVER change.

I just finished watching the movie Follow the Prophet about the FLDS sect. I can honestly say, as a born and raised LDS/Mormon member (my husband too), that the director made quite a few mistakes. One such being that LDS and FLDS are NOT the same religion, and the LDS church does NOT condone such actions (polygamy, incest, pedophilia, etc). The prophet of the Mormon community has even spoken out against such occults, stating that any member currently breaking the law in such a way, will be instantly ex-communicated. I am all for that judgment, and happy that it has been addressed.

However, there are STILL ignorant people out there (like this director apparently) that believe the FLDS and LDS religion are one in the same. We are NOT - NOT - NOT! The FLDS religion was created over a 100 yrs ago when some church members didn't agree with abolishing polygamy (which was a good decision), as well as some other practices (arranged marriages, marriage to anyone under the legal age, incest etc). We are NOT the same religion and to group us with such sick freaks, makes me really angry.

For that matter, these ignorant people are also under the assumption that Mormon people are freaks. That apparently we wear the same clothing as the FLDS. No, we don't. It is suggested not to wear skirts 2 inches above the knee, and yes there are temple garment. However, none of it is required and majority of us blend into mainstream society. Half the people that meet me, NEVER guess to think that I am LDS. I'm not surprised.

I have a big mouth and more then willingly open it. People are usually shocked to find out that I am LDS, because some people think that the women in LDS marriages are typical 50s women (seen not heard, in the kitchen). That is FAR from true. I can't cook for the life of me, and my husband doesn't hold the pants in this relationship at all. I control all the finances (bills, kids etc), and he works for the military. We have an equal relationship where no one has more of a burden then the either. In fact, it turns out that LDS marriages are usually the ones that LAST. The divorce rate in America is up to 80% of all marriages. (We believe in divorce, so if I want to I will walk away) However, every single couple that I knew/know (that is LDS) are perfectly happy with their relationhips and wouldn't change anything for the world. Believe me, I've asked. I'm a curious individual.

In the first 10 minutes of the movie, the girls are all sitting in "church" talking about getting to the highest level of heaven. Apparently, according to this director (even the LDS apparently believe this!), that is to give our bodies and minds willingly to our men. Uh. No. The way to get to our highest level of heaven is to believe in God, and follow the 10 commandments. Where the hell does this guy get off saying that kind of shit about us? Fuck! It even says it on Mormon.org. This isn't that hard to figure out!!! What the fuck was this guy smoking when he came up with this nonsense!

There is also rumors out there that the children are brainwashed. That is ludicrous. Aside from the fact that we don't attend church regularly, we are one of the ONLY churches that don't baptize infants. We learn the church principles and then when we are 8 we decide if we'd like to join the church. However, if you grow older and don't agree with the religion, you can ALWAYS leave. Personally, my children don't attend church. They are too young. We decided not to take them until they are old enough to understand what religion is (and sit through sacrament) and make a choice for themselves.

My children are actually one of the best behaved kids I have EVER come across. I know I am biased, but damn, some of the parents these days just need to spank their brats. I would NEVER force my child to join a religion, unlike the Catholics (etc) when they do NOT comprehend what they are doing.

Hence, I have MORE respect for a church that does NOT force infants (who are just born!!) to be baptized. You'd be surprised how many people looked down on us because we didn't immediately hold baptizisms for our kids. Hi, I am Mormon. Nice to meet you.

For the record, we currently live in UTAH. Mormon capital. The people here are like any other people you will come across in ANY town. There are good apples and bad apples. In fact, Utah has the lowest crime rate out of the entire US! That is GOOD! This place is wonderful to live in, and the people are almost always friendly. I like it here, even if my neighbors hate my guts.

Someone even had the nerve to comment on a review website that the LDS community is full of sick pedophiles that abuse children. I am a HUGE child advocate. I would NEVER join a church that was full of abusive pedophiles. If I wanted to do that, I'd join the Catholic church (look it up, they willingly covered up yet another case in 2008 - Ireland). I am also the leader of the local pedophile watch. Meaning, I keep tabs on the pedophiles with other parents and assist the cops in arresting the ones that BREAK THEIR PROBATION. Being informed is a GREAT way to figure out what is going on in the world. I also LOVE Nancy Grace - even if she can be mean sometimes.

The main problem I had with this movie was the fact that the director didn't properly do his research. If he had spent 10 minute on Mormon.org, he'd know that the two religions hate each other and have nothing in common. As time has passed, the FLDS church has slowly stopped practicing our core beliefs and that means they are a whole different religion of their own. I felt that he was overstating it in the movie, and would like to clarify that for all the ignorant people out there. We are NOT the same religion.

His little subtext in the begging/end that we were not the same religion, did NOTHING to dissuade the audience from THINKING we were the same church. Also, to state that this was based in Utah (there was only ONE FLDS church in Utah EVER and it was promptly shut down as soon as possible) and that the locals did nothing to help or stop the situation is completely false. We don't like seeing this type of behavior, at all. This seemed like propaganda (like Hitler used) to smear the Mormon church and Utah. I'm sorry, but no, we don't let that sort of thing happen willingly.

For that matter, there shouldn't of been a "big love" statement at the start of the movie. I was disgusted by it, actually. The distinct difference between the two religions was blurred into one solid line throughout the entire movie, and NEVER cleared up. I saw this movie as anti-LDS (as well as anti-FLDS) and just used to create a tension and even more hatred to the LDS. There really should have been a distinct difference mentioned.

Aside from that, even the beginning being anti-military was a big turn off for me. Her little comments about the military in her "letter" to her nonexistant father was a slap in the face to the REAL military members out there. Just like in society, there are good and bad people. They are /gasp, also in the military. Yes, that could have been her personal experience. However, as my husband is a core military member, the military is NOT like how she described. I was disgusted by it, especially after she was shot in the face.

Honestly, I've done a LOT of research out there on the FLDS (because of situations like this) and there aren't many occults hanging out anymore. There are a few hidden away, sure, but the FBI usually shuts them down right quick (like in Tx last year). I feel that this movie would have had a better go if they had attacked a religion like Catholicism instead. We KNOW for a fact that there were HUNDREDS of pedophiles in that church (not the same for the LDS, not even close kthx) and after the church found out about it - they didn't have them arrested (unlike EVERY other church), but relocated them to abuse even more people. In the end of the very first inquiry, there were THOUSANDS of victims. Even with the FLDS there are only HUNDREDS. Not to mention that AFTER the first arrests and closure of the Catholic church, yet another few cases have appeared in Ireland. That church is doing nothing but making themselves worse, and trying to hide it.

But, no, let's attack all LDS people. That's more of an incite to a religion war! I am disgusted that this film won ANY awards, let alone had so many ignorant viewers. I'm still standing by attacking Catholicism instead. I'm sure the film director wanted to be novel, but he was going about it the entirely wrong way. He didn't have his facts straight, confused the viewers, and attacked a religion that really is NOT that bad. If he had attacked Catholicism instead, I'm sure there would have been 100% more drama around it (like their church banning the movie, unlike ours that didn't) and they would have a point!!!

What it comes down to is this: LDS/Mormon religion is always misunderstood. Even half of THIS country's newstations can't figure out the difference between FLDS and LDS. We are constantly being attacked, and for what? We NEVER did anything wrong from DAY ONE of our religion. Just because you don't understand or don't believe in the same things as us, doesn't mean that it is a-okay to completely trash us. Remember the Holocaust anyone?

The simple fact that we had to move to our own little terority to live in the 1600s is proof enough that non-believers are complete hypocrites. You all attacked us from the beginning, and haven't stopped since. Get your facts straight and just leave us alone. We NEVER abided by polygamy, even in the 1600s when it was considered the "norm", and we had enough insight to "suggest" (not required) to our member that certain things are harmful. Like omg, smoking is bad! Or drinking will kill a poor child crossing the road!

What EVIL people we are! There are OTHER religions like the Phelps-Roper clan, who DESERVE to be attacked. We are normal people, who work normal jobs, dress normally, and act normally. Unlike the Catholics who hide their pedophiles and dictate the lives of their members, or unlike the Phelps clan who accuse ALL military members (even ones married with kids) of being faggots. I think if anyone should be attacked, it would have to be someone like those two.

I'm still sticking to this director is a complete waste of air and shouldn't be directing shit. If you can't figure out the difference between two easy to reference religions, you shouldn't attempt to make a crappy (storyline was almost nonexistant) documentary about it. It was a BAD movie.

It was also filled with horrifyingly disgusting content. The nudity and perfidy in it was too graphic for me. I watch some raunchy shit sometimes (just got done rewatching the latest Saw movie), but when I saw the attempted rape on the daughter...I was screaming WTF at the computer screen. It seemed like all the director wanted to do was SHOCK the audience so that they could see what was "really" happening in the LDS community or to SHOCK the audience into remembering his piece of shit "art". It was terribly directed, researched, horrible acting, horrible screen play, and honestly there was hardly a storyline.

When almost all the cast was killed, I wasn't even affected by it. I laughed. I wasn't attached them at all. There was no sort of plot line to their development and it was comical, to say the least. At the end of the movie, I was stuck in this land of "this was a waste of my time" and a mix of "wow that was some hateful shit". THIS is religious intolerance. So sad for the ONLY religion who PREACHES tolerance to be the one constantly (!!!) attacked. I think this might be WHY they do attack us. Because, we aren't like the Catholic church who will just tell it's members to stop doing this or that just because they don't agree with a book (I loved that movie!). We take all of it in stride, and I'm finally going to be the one to say - you're a fucking idiot and a bigot!

PS. The Duggar (?) family with 18 kids is really creepy too. I know that most American, regardless of religion, have 6 kids nowadays (seriously, look at the census from this year), but for fuck's sake if my kid is having kids the same time I am - that screams WTF! Too many kids, and they dress themselves like the FLDS. Plus, she home teaches all of them (most biblical lessons), names them all names like Elisiah (but isn't it all J's?), and looks like she BELONGS to the FLDS community. I watched their show a few times and they just screamed pedophiles in grooming to me. Creepy!!!!

No, I will not have 18 kids. I will most likely only have 1 more, and then maybe adopt 1 when we are around 40 yrs old and our kids are self-sufficient.