Why would this be such an issue?  When the words; secretive - rituals, are connected -that worries me.  Similar to, brainwashing, hazing, and I have to add, control.

 

I found this site that explains, at least part of their, secretive – rituals.

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/mormon/endowment/

I love, love, love Big Love! Everyone should sign up for cable just to get this show. Or better yet anything on HBO, because in my opinion they have the best programming of any cable network. Beyond the fact that shows are absent of censorship, which is refreshing (that should be saved for mainstream media stations) Big Love is for adults. It’s graphic yes, sometimes pornographic, kind of…but it is interesting to get a glimpse into polygamy and how ridiculous it truly is. (Sorry but I refuse to say I respect or honor it as a true religion - the entire show is about catering to men’s needs and the fact that the only true path to heaven is giving birth to children and men being allowed to marry as many women as they want) nope, sorry but I ain’t buying it.

Some people consider Mormonism a cult. Personally, I think whatever floats your boat is fine with me… as long as you don’t force your beliefs on me through political tactics.

So true DeBurca, but boy does it open up a complex conversation on separating one’s religious beliefs with how they apply them to public policy. Look at Bush and the Stem cell issue that our president just overturned. Bush freely and unabashedly admitted at the time he was initializing the ban based on his Christian belief. What? And he got away with it!

The Republicans were (and maybe still are) pumped up about Mitt Romney, and I hold to the belief he will forever have a hard time appealing to the masses, due to the fact that he is Mormon. Their beliefs and practices are so far removed from what most people define as "Christian" would be hard for some people to accept. And the question will always be because so much of their teachings restricts women, how would women fair under his rule? Would abortion laws be repealed? Stem cell matters, banned again? Gay and Lesbian progress, thwarted?

You bring up such a valid and important issue. We just lived through 8 years with two men who ruled our country with a bible in their hands. Someone forgot to tell them when it comes to setting public policy they need to put the bible down first.

First of all, can we NOT make this a discussion about "The Last Eight Years"?  Nobody is telling ANYBODY what religion to be… simmer down, now!

Second of all, I love Big Love.  What an awesome show.  I also like Weeds: I agree (!) with Belinda that the cable networks have come up with far superior shows than the traditional networks.  I haven’t watched network TV in years unless it’s the news, news commentary, or late night shows like Letterman, Conan, etc. (OK: I love 30 Rock too)

Big Love is great as it humanizes and demystifies some of the Fundementalist beliefs.  It’s so easy to judge those people on the news in the old fashioned clothes being dragged from their homes (along with their helpless children, that was ridiculous), but shows like Big Love put a human face (and one that could easily be sitting next to you at work, at a restaurant, or on the bus) on the Fundementalist LDS and help us to understand the other side of the equation.

It needs to said that the Mormon Religion does NOT recognize polygamy officially.  As they indicate in their press release, they are trying to keep the show at arm’s length ("The show is not about us.").  But by bringing in a "Mormon" rite, the producers of Big Love are bringing up, in a not so subtle way, that the Fundementalist LDS are indeed very close to the Mormon religion.

 

I love Big Love. It is the first show I have ever seen that I can’t stand any of the characters. None of them have any redeeming characteristics. Even Jeanne Tripplehorn said that she cannot stand Barb (her character) I am surprised they haven’t mentioned the garment which they all must wear. I find the whole premise re it both fascinating and peculiar

There is a HUGE difference between "secret" and "sacred." As a practicing Mormon, I am offended that the writers and producers of "Big Love’ ignore that polygamy has been banned by the LDS church since 1895. In fact, if you are Mormon and even try to get married a second time you are automatically excommunicated.

Furthermore, how can this ceremony be "indispensable to the show’s plot?" Really? You CAN’T write a story without it? I find that hard to believe. Then they issue a "pre-apology." Hey, here’s an idea… if you know it is going to offend a major religion—there are over 5 million Mormons just in the US—how about not running the offensive portion to begin with.

Any religion should have the right to protect sacred practices. Let’s see if HBO airs "True Catholic Confessions" that are recorded in real confession like their Taxi Cab Confessions or "Secret Scientology Doctrine." Shoot, I don’t know if there is necessarily a sacred Jewish ceremony but if there is, I sure haven’t seen it depicted on TV.

Look, I don’t "force" my religion on anyone. If someone asks, I tell them. If they ask questions I answer them. But I don’t get "brownie points" as one poster wrote if someone decides to join. Personally, I think whatever works for you is what you should go with. If you are Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, whatever, as long as you try to live a good life, great. I like just about everyone and think everyone should be tolerant to others beliefs.

Just to be fair, I am in the Army and I am anti-fundamentalist "any religion" including those that practice polygamy.

I was a member of the LDS church for 37 very long years. I went to the temple for the first time in 1983 back when they still made the participants do suicide oaths and did a very creepy washing and annointing initiation where we were required to be naked and touched (briefly) by an elderly woman (men touched by men) on the tops of our breast and near the pelvis. I went to three months of temple preparation classes and the costume, the initiation, the hand symbols, the death oaths, the Masonic rituals were not mentioned once in all those times. I was so shocked and umcomfortable and very very angry at being tricked into participating in such a freaky and strange ritual that I wanted to run from there. My mother and family were there all waiting for me to continue and the social pressure to continue was horrific. I’m not making this stuff up. It’s very creepy and very bizarre. My own mother said what many LDS women tell you when you go the first time, "Just keep going and you’ll get used to it.".  I never did get used to it even though I was coerced to go numerous times. The guilting, the pressure, the continual reprimands or extortion to make people go is really oppressive. I started having panic attacks in anticipation of having to go to the temple and it was one of the pivotal experiences that led me out of that cult. If you look up the top 20 or so traits of a typical cult the LDS church fits every one of them, especially with their temple rituals. It’s time for this cult to be exposed for what it is and for those wishing to leave to be given the right to get out without having to lose their families and being shunned by the communities. I served very loyally in the church for those 37 years and the minute I questioned the bizarre beliefs or inconsistancies I was reprimanded, marginalized and villified. If you are in this cult and want out there are many of us who have escaped. Postmormon.org, Exmormonforums, and many more places exist to help you escape and find support. The LDS church has a website that does not give even a 10th of the information that they teach in their services. If you ask an LDS person about the temple they’ll say it’s sacred but the truth is that the rituals are so freaking weird and uncomfortable that they keep them secret so that people won’t be scared off till they’re in a situation like I was. Then once they get you there they hold your family hostage with the threat of eternal damnation if you don’t keep going and keep the secrets. This church has damaged so many. Get out now if you can.