RubySoho
Winston
Is 'Twilight' Really Mormon Propaganda?
March 16th 2009 03:28
I have heard much criticism about Twilight. Most of it I would say is founded. Shonky special effects which may have been impressive if I was only 12 years old and the year was 1972. Wooden acting from the least charasmatic and engaging lead performer I have seen since Nicole Kidman donned a prosthetic nose. An uninspiring script and a message, which, and please correct me if I am wrong, seems to be telling young girls that its okay to deny who you really are completely submit to the totally hot guy you have a crush on.
I totally agree with all of that. As a product, the film sucks. But the really interesting criticism goes further than that and centres on its origins- as a book by the young American Mormon writer Stephenie Meyer. The book's critics claim that the novel is thinly disguised Mormon propaganda, designed to make the questionable beliefs and practices of the cult/religionattractive to impressionable young teens and tweens. I have to say they might be onto something. The Mormon Church promotes abstinence and young people are encouraged to fight temptation and resist the pleasures of the flesh just as Edward Cullen and his pale faced family resist the temptation to savour the blood of humans. Is the Cullen family's abstinence from sucking the blood of vulnerable humans really a metaphor for not having sex? Does the god-like Edward Cullen, with his superhuman speed and strength really represent the man turned into god that Mormon believe is the destiny of those that follow their teachings? And just as Bella succumbs to the charms of Edward and eventually gets turned into a vampire herself so she can be with him "forever and ever and ever", is the book really encouraging young girls to submit to the men in their lives?
And even if this is the case, does any of this really matter? Can we still appreciate the books at face value and be grateful to Meyer that she got an entire generation of girls reading again? Or should we be afraid that these same girls are been discouraged from thinking for themselves? There is no doubting the Cullen Craze. My own niece has repeatedly declared that she will gladly let herself be turned into a vampire if it means she can be him. But it is doubtful that she will ever be exposed to the Mormon Church and its teachings directly. So is there really any harm done? As a rule, I loathe books and films that have an underlying religious theme. But if there are no direct references, if so many millions are reading the novels without ever seeing the connection, then is there really any harm done? Will the Twilight series turn this generation of girls into budding Mormons or simply ignite a love of reading?
Can we take Twilight at face value?
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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i can also see the cult element, as part of Edwards attractiveness is his family - dating Edward means getting accepted and included by a whole group of "family" and for a young girl in a new town it seems the ideal way to make friends
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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And yes, vampires often represent the dark, subversive side of a personality, including sexual desires which are not seen as the norm/socially acceptable.
Would be interesting to read more discussion of film from you!
Comment by RubySoho
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Does Bella's eventual transition to being part of the Cullen family of vampires mean that women should submit to the men in their lives? Is this is good message to our next generation of women? I honestly still have not made up my mind.
Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
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Comment by Jeff Musall
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Comment by Anonymous
Written produced and directed by women... the whole point (that I got) from the movie was throw everything away for some guy at a young age......
Comment by Janet Collins
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Comment by Anonymous
Twilight isn't thinly disguised propaganda for Mormonism, the Mormon religion is thinly disguised propaganda for vampires!
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Comment by Thoraiya Dyer
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So.
The argument seems pretty conclusive.
Is Twilight Mormon propoganda?
Intentionally or unintentionally - yes.
Does it really matter?
The obvious analogue is the Narnia series by CS Lewis. I loved it as a child. It didn't, however, convert me to Christianity. In fact, once I was old enough to realise Aslan was Jesus, I stopped enjoying it.
Have any studies been done on the effect of the Narnia books on the impressionable minds of youth and their subsequent religious affiliations?
It would be a difficult association to prove, with so many millions of factors to take into account.
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Comment by dollyrox
i also see very little connection to abstaining to blood and abstaining to sex. after all, they treat the 2 completely differently, they are separate issues.
also, on the point of edward being a god, remember that he only looks that way because you are looking at him through bellas eyes. to other humans, he is beautiful, yes, but scary. and remember that, far from just trying to submit women to men, edward regards bella with the same reverence, if not more ferocious.
finally, as a young girl who has read and loved this series since the beginning, i do not believe that it will create any more mormons. it may open people up to the idea simply by giving them more information than they would have had access to before the twilight craze, but i do not believe that it will sway anyone toward it. personally, i am an atheist, and i love books that have a light religious undertone, because i believe that it generally makes books more interesting, gives them more depth, and makes them more sincere and heartfelt, if that makes sense. i compare it to c.s. lewis chronicles of narnia, which have blatant religious themes throughout the series. when i became old enough to understand this, far from turning me from the story, made me more interested. i love reading books that make you really think about them, even after you read them, and it added a new level to the story for me to think about.
sorry this is so long winded or if it doesnt make complete sense to you, but i dont believe you should want to take it at face value, not really. i think that if you can find anything that you consider religious underlay, [weather i agree or not(: ] you should just enjoy it for the story it is, as it is. feel free to respond or ask me questions, because i know i can be a little unclear about my meaning sometimes.
Comment by Twifemme
Also, I don't think Bella is denying who she 'really is' because of love. I think the book portrays that she finds herself through Edward, realises how much more there is in the world and follows her passion.
Bella is not some weak girl who can only find herself in a man, she displays plenty of independence and agency. It's just that he is what she wants. It is also clear that Edward is far more dependent on Bella than she is on him. She seems stronger than him. In New Moon, when he leaves she is absolutely broken. However, after a few months she starts to pick herself back up, problematically sure, but she makes headway. Edward on the other hand, refuses to live without her. Moreover, when Edward does deny Bella agency, such as leaving her for her own good, we see that he is wrong to do so.
Sure, Bella needs to be saved a whole lot. But, when she finally realises her true self (as a vampire), she is the one who saves everyone. Bella is a great example of a strong, intelligent, independent woman.
It is only in the film that she seems weak.
Comment by Anonymous
There is no such thing as a prince charming. Good looking guys are jerks, less attractive guys aren't "bad", or sexy enough.
They need to stop filling young girls with these completely impossible notions of what love is supposed to be.
As Bill Mahr put it.
Women have no right to complain about men, till they start having better taste in them.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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i have found the films entertaining, they do have appeal, but i can see their flaws too
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Many of the Mormon people I know who love these books love them because they think they represent Mormon values; i.e. chastity, eternal love & marriage. (For those who don't know, Mormons believe that being married in the temple seals you to your spouse for all eternity, beyond death and resurrection.) Some Mormons don't have any qualms with young marriage (although, many don't believe it's a good idea nowadays). Most Mormons love the idea of children right off. These ideals are present in the books because she believes they are okay. I can't explain the total "devotion" Bella has for Edward or why she never explains why she loves him except for his looks. She's just shallow and he's controlling. I won't go into that...