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Church invites less sensationalized media, more peacemaking

Church statement notes President Russell M. Nelson’s admonition to be peacemakers, points to Brigham Young as revered prophet, courageous pioneer

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement on Friday, Jan. 24, following the release of a popular streaming service’s new miniseries that inaccurately depicts Church leaders, other individuals and events from the 1850s in Utah.

Specifically, the second president of the Church, President Brigham Young, is “mischaracterized as a villainous, violent fanatic,” the Church’s news release says.

The show also depicts the Mountain Meadows Massacre as “reflective of a whole faith group” in a way that may “foster animosity, hate and even violence,” the statement says.

The release also notes that the events at Mountain Meadows were a “horrific tragedy.”

An informational plaque on the Mountain Meadows Massacre at the Mountain Meadows Memorial site.
An informational plaque on the Mountain Meadows Massacre is photographed at the Mountain Meadows Memorial site in Washington County, Utah, on Sept. 3, 2024. | Valerie Walton

In 2023, former Church historian, Richard E. Turley Jr., and Barbara Jones Brown were interviewed on the Church News podcast after the two published a book about those events from 1857.

Turley said in that interview that he thinks people today can learn from the mistakes made by others in the past.

“I think one of the most important things we can learn is that it’s important to listen to others who are different from ourselves, to be patient with them, not to vilify them, but to listen and try to respect them; to be civil,” he said.

Then-Elder Henry B. Eyring speaks during an event marking the 150th anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre at the memorial site near Enterprise Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007. | Jason Olson, Deseret News

President Henry B. Eyring, now the second counselor in the First Presidency, read a statement from the Church expressing regret for the tragedy on its 150th anniversary in 2007. Then-Elder Eyring said the events perpetrated by members of the Church were a “terrible and inexcusable departure from Christian teaching and conduct.”

The message was expressed to loved ones of the event’s victims and to the Paiute people “who have unjustly borne for too long the principal blame for what occurred during the massacre.”

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The full text of the Church’s news release, titled “Depictions that Deceive: When Historical Fiction Does Harm,” was posted on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and reads as follows:

“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 gravesite of many Mountain Meadows Massacre victims is photographed at the Mountain Meadows Memorial.
The gravesite of many Mountain Meadows Massacre victims is photographed at the Mountain Meadows Memorial in Washington County, Utah, on Sept. 3, 2024. | Valerie Walton

“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."

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