In episode 225 of the Church News podcast, the managing director of the Church History Department, Matt Grow, talked about a recent miniseries that includes depictions contributing to misunderstanding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members today.
“Disciples of Jesus Christ have always lived in a world of violence, of contention. And I do have a deep concern that those who are coming to ‘American Primeval’ without a lot of understanding will believe that this is who the Latter-day Saints are,” Grow said.
He explained that peacemaking has been an integral part of the Church and the Savior’s gospel for a long time.
“I think what I know now that I haven’t always known about Latter-day Saint history is that we contain in our religious tradition, in our scriptural tradition, a great capacity for peacemaking,” he said.
“American Primeval” is set in the 1850s and depicts the Church’s second president, the late Brigham Young; Latter-day Saints; and the indigenous groups who lived in the area where the state of Utah now is. Grow said the show’s depiction of Brigham Young is inaccurate.
“He was a believer. He was a believer from his early days and all through his life. He considered himself a disciple of the Prince of Peace,” Grow said.
Brigham Young sought to leave places of contention to find a place where members of the Church could live without conflict. Because of that, some have compared him to Moses, Grow said.
Throughout the 30-minute podcast, Grow explains more of the details around both the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the Bear River Massacre. He also provides additional context on that time in the history of North America.
Grow also encourages Latter-day Saints to understand, but not overplay, the fact that followers of the Savior have always been mocked.
“I think we can feel a kinship with those in the past who have also undergone misrepresentations and misunderstandings, and go forward in our lives and try to do what we can do on a personal level to help people understand who the Latter-day Saints really are,” he said.
For those members of the Church who don’t feel like they have a good understanding of this time period in Church history, Grow invites them to read the Church’s “Peace and Violence Among 19th-Century Latter-day Saints” essay on ChurchofJesusChrist.org or in the Gospel Library.
At the end of that essay, the Church quotes President Russell M. Nelson, who has frequently called on Latter-day Saints to be peacemakers.
Grow says that members of the Church still have some strides to make in that area.
“I think it’s a capacity that we haven’t fully realized, but I believe that we have the historical and the scriptural resources, the organizational capacity of the Church and the will of Latter-day Saints to truly be peacemakers in the world today.”
Church’s statement: ‘Depictions That Deceive: When Historical Fiction Does Harm’
The following statement was released by the Church on Friday, Jan. 24:
“A recently released streaming series presents a fictionalized interpretation of events in mid-19th century Utah. While historical fiction can be illuminating, this drama is dangerously misleading.
“Brigham Young, a revered prophet and courageous pioneer, is, by any historical standard, egregiously mischaracterized as a villainous, violent fanatic. Other individuals and groups are also depicted in ways that reinforce stereotypes that are both inaccurate and harmful.
“As to the Mountain Meadows Massacre, which the series inaccurately portrays as reflective of a whole faith group, the Church has long acknowledged and condemned this horrific tragedy. It has also taken significant steps to uncover and share the full truth of what happened and promote healing.
“The problem with such deceptive, graphic and sensationalized storytelling is that it not only obscures reality and hinders genuine understanding but can foster animosity, hate and even violence. This is particularly troubling today when peacemakers are needed more than ever. At a time when so many responsible leaders are condemning the division and hostility that dominate so much of our public discourse, we echo the plea of President Russell M. Nelson: ‘The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade and inspire — no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers. … Peacemaking is a choice. … I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.'
“This sentiment, shared across many traditions, is resonating around the world today. It is the prophetic message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a message of peace that all the modern prophets have shared, including Brigham Young."
