Mormons and the R Rating
I expect to revisit this issue again, but I wanted to start up a look at this issue (by the way, I am a Mormon for anyone who cares).
Many members of the LDS church insist that there is either an explicit or an implied command within church doctrine that prohibits the viewing of movies that have an R rating. There are others that proclaim that this is not a specific command, but rather a suggestion couched within the ideal that what we view should be uplifting in nature, and that any film, regardless of rating, that uplifts is valuable. Orson Scott Card referenced this issue in connection to The Passion of Christ. I'm currently trying to puzzle out my own position on the issue.
One of my favorite films of all time is Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis. For those who know, this film is rated R. I don't think it deserves the rating, but that's a seperate issue than what I'm looking at here. I maintain that this film is not gratuitous, contains no nudity or sex, has little in the way of foul language (if any). I find this film to be uplifting and positive. I like the statements it makes about humanity, and who we are as a people, as well as how our history informs who we are as a nation. I love the film.
When we first got married, Heidi and I discussed the films that we would have in our house. I have a much more liberal view than she does, but we reached the consensus that we wouldn't have any R rated films in the home, even in edited form (again, another issue entirely). However, the other night I was thinking about Mohicans and realized that I really wanted to own the film. I asked Heidi if she would ever consider an exception. She said no, of course, but then amended her statement by saying that if she ever did let one into the house, it would be Mohicans. So, there is a chance that I can have that one.
But the fact is, I'm not sure how to interpret the doctrine. I'm aware that by the standard of many, I have broken a commandment in even watching that film. I know that I will probably do so again, but the question that I have is how relaxed in this issue should I be. I know quite a few members in my current area who watch R rated films without any qualms. In fact, one of them has become somewhat of an expert on zombies. I'm trying to puzzle out my own position on the subject. I hope that I can some day soon post some sort of a resolution.
Many members of the LDS church insist that there is either an explicit or an implied command within church doctrine that prohibits the viewing of movies that have an R rating. There are others that proclaim that this is not a specific command, but rather a suggestion couched within the ideal that what we view should be uplifting in nature, and that any film, regardless of rating, that uplifts is valuable. Orson Scott Card referenced this issue in connection to The Passion of Christ. I'm currently trying to puzzle out my own position on the issue.
One of my favorite films of all time is Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis. For those who know, this film is rated R. I don't think it deserves the rating, but that's a seperate issue than what I'm looking at here. I maintain that this film is not gratuitous, contains no nudity or sex, has little in the way of foul language (if any). I find this film to be uplifting and positive. I like the statements it makes about humanity, and who we are as a people, as well as how our history informs who we are as a nation. I love the film.
When we first got married, Heidi and I discussed the films that we would have in our house. I have a much more liberal view than she does, but we reached the consensus that we wouldn't have any R rated films in the home, even in edited form (again, another issue entirely). However, the other night I was thinking about Mohicans and realized that I really wanted to own the film. I asked Heidi if she would ever consider an exception. She said no, of course, but then amended her statement by saying that if she ever did let one into the house, it would be Mohicans. So, there is a chance that I can have that one.
But the fact is, I'm not sure how to interpret the doctrine. I'm aware that by the standard of many, I have broken a commandment in even watching that film. I know that I will probably do so again, but the question that I have is how relaxed in this issue should I be. I know quite a few members in my current area who watch R rated films without any qualms. In fact, one of them has become somewhat of an expert on zombies. I'm trying to puzzle out my own position on the subject. I hope that I can some day soon post some sort of a resolution.
posted by Andy | 9:30 AM
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