Mormonism is in the news like never before in modern times. When Robert Jeffress implied that Mitt Romney wasn't a "real" Christian (Google it for the story), it got the nation talking. When South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker wrote a smash Broadway musical, "The Book of Mormon," it got a lot of attention. The fact that the probable Republican nominee for the presidency and the Democratic Senate Majority Leader are both Mormons shows that this religion has a lot of clout and has gained a lot of respectability.
Watch the PBS special The Mormons and you'll come away with an appreciation for the history, beliefs, lifeways, and critiques of this American-born worldwide religion. It's far more than polygamy and missionaries on bicycles: it's an established religion with more than 13 million adherents with a history of grit and determination and a deep commitment to the tenets of the faith. Mormons don't "just believe" - there are variations from literalism to liberalism, and delving deeper beyond stereotypes will help make us all better neighbors.
The film is available in DVD in the library and through Films on Demand, our vendor with 8,000 educational films. ~ Abbey Warner
