8: The Mormon Proposition Will Knock Your Socks Off

Producer Reed Cowan's amazing new documentary is ready for its close-up.

Check out the short trailer. Just click here: 8: The Mormon Proposition

This could well be the movie of the year. Take a look at the web site, read all about the movie and see who is behind it. You will be even more impressed.

I received a call from Reed earlier this year. He was coming out to San Francisco to film all the activities around the oral arguments being made before the California Supreme Court in San Francisco in the case to overturn Proposition 8.

Having played a very active role in uncovering the massive involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) in last year's Prop 8 campaign, Reed asked me to be in his documentary.

I went up to San Francisco on Wednesday, March 4th to be a part of history, and see this filmmaker begin his journey. I met Reed and his partner Greg in front of the Castro Theater at 6:00 pm. That is the spot where the march to City Hall was about to begin on a chilly San Francisco night.

There were thousands and thousands of demonstrators gathering, ready to begin their solemn candlelight vigil to City Hall. We were recreating the famous nighttime march of 30 years ago, right after Harvey Milk was assassinated.

Reed grew up Mormon in Utah, and knows firsthand the inner workings of the Church. He knew that there was an incredible story to tell, and he spent the better part of a year putting every aspect of this documentary together.

All his hard work, and that of so many others who participated in this strong indictment of the Mormon Church and its leaders, will undoubtedly change history.

I have watched this filmmaker every step of the way over the last eight months. I went to Miami for a second interview in April, and this summer, Reed dispatched a film crew to my home for some final questions. He is very thorough.

8: The Mormon Proposition will explain once and for all just how the Mormon Church operates, and how they have led the fight against marriage equality all across the United States since Utah became the first state to ban same-sex marriage in 1995. 29 states have followed Utah's lead, and the Mormon Church has made sure of that.

The film also goes into great depth about how the Mormon Church has destroyed so many lives and families in its desire to impose its will on others.

Please tell the world about this incredible documentary. It is a film for all to see.

Thank you Reed Cowan and everyone else who gave up so much and worked so hard to make Reed's dream a reality.

Comments

[mattsig]

Having grown up in the LDS church and served a full two year mission for the church, I feel that I can speak for the lies that the church perpetrates. It's about power. I was told by my mission president that my brother than was struggling with homosexuality was "being selfish", even though he was in the hospital on suicide watch. I'm no fool Born Again, although I'm not a complete atheist. The Jesus that I was taught to believe in is nowhere near what modern Christianity would have us believe in. If there is a Creator and he/she would have us believe then why is belief so tied into politics, which are always changing based on economy and politics?

[lfsalt]

This documentary will ultimately accomplish two things.

1. It will give the church an even higher profile(for free) and keep in mind-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is actually on the same side as the vast majority of Americans regarding the issue of Gay Marriage. What was the last poll that came out a few days ago? Only 39% of Americans favor Gay Marriage and nearly 50% think being gay is morally wrong?--people who are ardently Christian will gravitate to a church that mirrors their values and isnt afraid to stand up to the world when push comes to shove.

2. It will make the gay marriage movement seem like its picking on a defenseless church. It will make them look spiteful, petty and reveal them for the sore losers they apparently are. I mean, the church and/ or its supporters need only remind voters and undecideds of the blacklisting and near riotous events outside Mormon Temples that occured immediately following the election. In some cases, they even sought to intimidate or shame people at their homes(btw, homes are seen as almost sacred sanctuaries in the minds of most Americans). Gay Activists looked like bullies and that will not play well with the American People.

[smithshaw08]

(laughing) yea right! That's why the mormons sought help from the catholics to fight gay marriage. Because people think the catholics are less nutty than the mormons. Poor little mormon church getting picked on. Paaaleeze

[eyecon]

It is more interesting than just Catholics. Robby George and Brian Brown have connections to Opus Dei. I have documented some of these on our site. George is the Princeton professor who is chairman of National Organization for Marriage. Brown is the executive director.

[Paulied]

Yeah, the poor Mormons are being picked on, except - oh, right, it was they who instigated this by actively campaigning to steal rights from U.S. citizens. Please, we gays would have happily left them to their magic panties had they not started this.

[Talossa]

Just another example of a poor, defenseless multi-billion dollar corporation. Remember, Republicans live in a world where an unemployed single mother is a "special interest group" while a millionaire CEO is just an "average joe" tryin' to make a livin.'

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

Are there unicorns on your fantasy island?

The defensless church with 85% of Utah's legislature, maybe you don't realize that's not how states other than Utah work.

[lfsalt]

Well, Blacklisting people who disagreed with you at the ballot box is not only UnUtahn but Unamerican. Going after your opponents at their houses of worship, at their jobs and especially at their homes is just beyond ridiculous.

And its really ironic too because during the campaign it was the No-on-8 side that sought to brand the other side as bigoted, intolerant and hateful. Yet after the election, they were precisely those things.

Undecideds took note-you can believe that.

[Manx]

Where can I see this movie? HBO? Theaters? When?

[smithshaw08]

Throughout the mormon doctrine at tells the followers to have "blind faith". How convenient for the elders to control the people, don't question, just believe whatever we say. Many previous religious cult followers are now dead because of blind faith. If the mormon elders asked you to drink the koolaid and go sit down, would you? Control of the church members controls the money & power. It's just that simple!!!

[farnie]

Where do you get the idea of blind faith? D&C 93:36 (Mormon scripture) "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." Mormons are the ones who ask people to find out for themselves. Plus we send out young men with no real training to do the teaching. This is because they are supposed to learn what they are doing for themselves. In addition, Mormon education levels, men and women, are significantly higher then the nations average.
Why would you comment on something that you have no knowledge about?

[soisay]

Both of you are wrong. It is laughable to call Mormon missionaries "young men with no training". Their entire life is in training to prosthelyze, outreach, speak their calling, defend and argue for their sect. But they do not have "blind faith" either. They are told to find "the burning in the bosom" when they can self-confirm their own faith or calling. That is not blind, it is cynical, in the sense that you can be told to keep going back until you find it, and to stop when you find the right one. How do you know when you found the right one? When you give your public testimony on a Sunday to your parents, neighbors, schoolmates. Repeated periodically. It is simply lifetime repetition, which is an efficient way to enforce group conformity, whether that be for voting or donations. Its not for me, but this is America, free choice for all. Gays would never get together to vote to deny Mormon rights.

[DemBass]

While I agree that essential Mormon doctrine and scripture imply respect for agency/int­ellect/rea­son, these are devalued in church culture and practice and in the repressive church disciplinary system. How often is your D&C 93 passage emphasized, compared to "Follow the brethren?" How long would you be allowed to remain at the pulpit if you tried to give a Sacrament Meeting talk strongly disagreeing with the leadership's position of Prop 8? Ever heard "when the prophet speaks the thinking has been done?" It's an abomination, but it's how Mormons are expected, and in some situations required, to think and act.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

powerful preview

I wish Mormons could see this through gays/lesbians eyes to know the hurt and anger they caused us.....but they won't.

One thing you get reading comments at Deseret News, LDS members haven't a moments hesitation or remorse for what they did to hundreds of thousand LGBTs in CA, they are too busy playing THE VICTIM, and have the sheer gall to compare themselves to Black Civil Right leaders oppression in the 1960's.
As the LDS opens 5 new temples...yeah you look just like Black men and women and children facing firehoses in Birmingham bridge.

[farnie]

Dalin Oaks is a legal scholar of such intelligence that you should wish for a day to see the world like him. He was not comparing the OPPRESSION of the blacks to the current situation. He was comparing the voter intimidation. This is a very undemocratic activity, and what else could you call the activities of the LGBT community since the election. Do you know when the US had our first black senator? It was a long time before the Civil Rights movement, and can be compared to how many we currently have currently (a hint it's one). Why was this? Because the blacks who came out to vote after the Civil War were forced to stop through intimidation. Look at history and compare what the whites did to the current attempts at intimidation. It is disgusting.

[DemBass]

Yeah, right!! How many Mormons have been lynched? How many ward buildings have been firebombed?

And where on earth do you get "voter intimidation?" Are there gay posses gathering at polling places, harassing Mormons on their way in? I understand that a few people feel like their livelihoods where threatened by boycotts, but that's not voter intimidation in the usual sense of the word. What do you expect when you try to take rights away from people who believe or feel differently? And make no mistake, that's what the church leaders were advocating, limiting the rights of other religions to solemnize marriages they believed were legitimate. How did Mormons feel about that in the late 1800s?

[CrazyTalker]

Keeping unwanted religon out of the lives of others, and government is a good thing. I'll see this film.

[MormonsRock]

Keeping unwanted athiesm and secularism out our lives is and the government is also a good thing. Only recently have these two ideologies been a player on the political landscape. It's not the "safe" bet as you put it. Freedom does not come without responsibility. Belief in something greater than ourselves teaches us about that responsibility. Man seldom comes to that conclusion all on his own. In fact it is the carnal man that will destroy civilizations.

[cecebo]

Your last point is a bit of a stretch if you know anything about world history. And that is an understatement.

[CrazyTalker]

All religon, when forced on others either in secret or out in the open is wrong.
Also, i'm sorry that you need a supernatural force to tell you what's right and wrong.

[valkyrie607]

Experiencing the consequences of your actions should be enough to teach you about responsibility.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

@Mormon Rock

My higher power is greater than myself, and doesn't bash Blacks or Gays...go know?

[Talossa]

To keep atheism (not "athiesm") and secularism out of your life, go to church. To keep it out of the country's life, you have to amend Article 6 of the Constitution, as well as repeal the First Amendment.

[johnsopinion]

Just from the trailer, I shudder to think of the people sitting in
that church in Salt Lake, listening to....... to what? Prayers for
salvation?

The people who's lives they have affected will survive. They will
find other avenues of achievement. The people in that church
will forever remain prisoners, prisoners of their fears. They are
afraid that they have produced offspring that offends their God.
By turning their backs on their own children, they believe they
will appease their God.
They are the ones who need our thoughts, our kindness.

Salvation? Salvation of doing nothing to make the world a better
place? Salvation from the world and the place they have created
for themselves? Turning a deaf ear, shuffling with down cast eyes,
forcing mental strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to keep
out the cries of anguish of their children, their flesh and blood.
All because they need someone to tell them what to do instead
of recognizing for themselves what needs to be done and
doing it.

May the United States of America have mercy on their bodies.
And may their last moments on this earth not be filled with
more fear and terror of what they have done

[alfred1976]

Thanks for the mercy at the end there dude. This prisoner will be praying for you.

- Peace out

[MormonsRock]

Under the Banner of Heaven has been discredited for years now. Please, when the truth is told about Mormons conversions actually take place. No worries, find Christ on your own terms I'm not trying to convert you.

Also, the documentary will be wonderful if it is truthful. Take away the bias for "poor picked on gays" and you might have an open debate.

We don't have the luxury of experimenting on children. The whole crux of the "Mormon issue" is not where someone sleeps, but changing God's plan for families. When we think we are better than God at creating families we set ourselves up for disaster.

[cecebo]

Exactly who discredited Under the Banner of Heaven? I have never heard or read of that from anyone. And I recommend it to everyone. It is a great book with a powerful ending.

[alfred1976]

See:
http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/Krakauer.pdf

[Eoin45]

I look forward to seeing it. For another eye opening look at Mormonism read Under the Banner of Heaven.