Carma Simonsen
I thank the whole crew and courageous interviewees for this important film. I had no idea how bad it was, and am grateful to be informed. Before I saw this documentary, I knew that the Mormon church had poured money into California to get Prop 8 passed. It bothered me. I think churches should pay taxes when they act like that. To think of all the charitable things that could have been done with that money! What I did not know before I saw this documentary is the depth to which the Mormon church is involved, and the horrible way they have treated their own different children. This is a must-see film for every voter who thinks Prop 8 is a good idea, and for anyone who is thinking about converting to this religion.
blackbonedangel
Hey, did you hear the good news? Jesus Christ did in fact return to life and was here in these very United States! Also, this guy, Joseph Smith said he found some tablets in the forest or something like that, but nobody ever actually saw them other than Mr. Smith, and now he can have as many wives as he wants! Oh, you didn't hear this? Well, then you're either a logical human being or, more likely, simply not a member of the Mormon church.So God said that one guy making out with another guy is wrong, so it HAS to be an absolute truth, right? Well, in that case once my daughter hits a certain age I'll be sure to pimp her out, that is if she doesn't mouth off to me and I stone her to death, two things that are promoted in the Bible as God's word; and lets not forget that wonderful concept of man's domination of all on earth leading to such marvelous things as species extinction and global warming (but that's just made up, right? Sort of like an all powerful being; IRONY ALERT.) In case you couldn't get the hint, I am an Atheist, have been for about 10 years now. It wasn't particularly hard work to realize that there is, was nor will there ever be a god in any sense. Sure, some of the mythology from some religions are interesting from a purely story telling aspect, loves me some Norse mythology, but to read a book and take every word written as factual truth is just beyond ridiculous and, obviously, dangerous to the rights of human beings.Watching the documentary, and seeing the Morons, I'm sorry, Mormons go from door to door surveying people one can't help but recall the treacherous and manipulative methods of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1900s; they would go from door to door and ask people vague questions; do you love your country? do you love god? do you love your children? etc, etc. Well if you do, SIGN THIS AND JOIN OUR CLUB! and, unfortunately, a ton of people fell for this scheme. It's all about misinformation and fear, really; control the fearful and you have power absolute. Tell them that their children are in grave danger if a man is allowed to marry a man and, unfortunately, 8 times out of 10 they'll vote for whatever you're pushing. This idea that if homosexual couples are allowed to marry will bring about the demise of the United States and all it stands for, you know...the whole every man born equal thing, is so unbelievably absurd that it's making Camus role over in his grave.I'm not a Stalinist Atheist. I don't feel that if you eliminate religion from the world it would make it a better place (I don't have enough faith in the human condition to be so naive.), you can believe whatever you want, you can preach whatever you feel to be your seriously hilarious truth (like not allowing blacks into your religion until 1978) but once you take your beliefs and use them to manipulate the public into voting for something that is in your best interest then you're a problem through and through. Really, though, it's, again, all a matter of controlling the fearful. I believe in an afterlife because I'm scared to death of...well, death; what happens after we die? Oh, nothing? Total darkness and no more? Well, that's too bleak, so I'll just believe that when I die I'll get all the tang I could ever want; hell, I'll even become a GOD after I die, but in order to get to this point that somebody made up 100 or so years ago I have to be a slave to a group of megalomaniacs.Seriously? The documentary didn't tell me anything I didn't already know from reading noted science fiction author Orson Scott Card's appalling essay railing against homosexual rights; the fact that these people think that sexuality is a choice that can be reversed just goes to show how intensely they're living in their own little worlds, if this is the case, if something born into a human being is actually a choice....well, in that case you better start rounding up the blind, the deaf, the autistic and, gosh golly, why not the horizontally impaired? Yes, the Mormon church, proponents of eugenics: fantastic.Oh well, no matter if the church was involved or not the people of California VOTED for the proposition to be put into play; yeah, and Hitler was elected in a democratic system.
DamnYouGoogle
I am not a homophobic person. I believe in equal rights for everyone whether they be white, black, gay, straight, poor, rich, shark, or bear...but that doesn't change the fact this movie is a giant pro gay marriage, anti-LDS commercial, anyone thats read a paper in the last 3 years already knows everything this movie has to offer therefore I cant give it more than a 5/10 its heart is in the right place, but it's execution is preachy, melodramatic, and long winded....never good for a documentary in my humble opinion. Its 78 minute running time feels like 5 hours and in every essence of the word this film is a giant commercial
MovieMan250
I saw this film at a screening in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2010. Admittedly, I am LDS and I identify as a gay man. Obviously, this is a movie that I wanted to see because I had these two elements of my life fighting with each other, both in private (in my own mind) and in public (LDS Church vs. the anti-Proposition 8 movement). First of all, the movie definitely has an agenda. However, the title does not lie; sometimes the truth hurts. Being involved in both of these communities fairly actively, I can tell you that this movie brings the truth about Proposition 8 to light. Where the film crosses the line is in its sometimes sensationalistic portrayal, in how the facts are presented to the audience. The truth is presented, but not in the best way or method. Reed Cowan (director) did try to interview LDS Church officials and spokespeople, but his requests were either denied or ignored. Can people really blame him for this? Criticisms of his film being "too biased" are without knowledge of this fact. A lot has to be said for the documents from the 1990's proving that the anti-gay marriage group in Hawaii was created, staffed, and funded through Mormon means. It may all have been done legally, but that doesn't mean that it was right or moral. A lot of criticism of the film points to the "picking-and-choosing" of which phrases from these documents were highlighted on screen and pointed out to the viewer. This is easily remedied: to see the documents, simply go to "Mormon Gate dot com" and read them. The documents speak for themselves.
