Cancel HBO's "Big Love"

My name is Jason Doller. Those who know me know that I have a great sense of humour, and I often laugh at myself and the strange things I occasionally do (and get in to). I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (We are sometimes better known by the name "Mormons"), and we as a group also tend to have a great sense of humour (There are, of course, obvious exceptions). There have been a number of absolutely hilarious films made that take a look at the "Mormon way of life". Movies like "The Best Two Years", "The Singles Ward", "The Home Teachers" and more. These movies are entertaining, and poke a bit of fun at modern Latter-day Saints. Learning to laugh at yourself is an important skill, one that I believe more people should nurture.

And yet there are things that are serious, and which should be taken seriously. Things which shouldn't be joked about. We all have things which we feel are sacred, special and which deserver respect or reverence. Things we feel need to be protected.

HBO in the US has a new TV programme called "Big Love". It's about a guy who lives in Salt Lake City and has multiple wives. It makes fun of the Church, Priesthood and Priesthood ordinances, as well as the sanctity of the family.

Parodies of beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints occur- belief in priesthood by a man blessing his hunting rifle, belief in personal revelation from the Holy Ghost by dramatic visions that the polygamous leader discusses casually with a friend. Talk of "celestial kingdom", "free agency", and the "Choose the Right" slogan are included.

To read the press release that the church released regarding this show go to this address:
http://lds.org/newsroom/showrelease/0,15503,3881-1-23019,00.html

The article raises three points of concern:
1. Concern for abuse victims
2. Confusion over the continued practice of polygamy
3. Concern over the moral standards of television entertainment

I believe this petition is important to all people, whether or not you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. I would ask you to consider that this show does a number of things that are harmful to everyone. It makes fun of the religious beliefs and ordinances of the LDS church and it sets the stage for making fun of other's religious beliefs. Despite the disclaimer at the beginning of the movie, it has the potential to misinform and mislead viewers as to what Latter-day Saints believe.

While deciding if you wish to sign the petition, consider two last points.
1. Has this show caused harm or distress to anyone? Do any of us have the right to cause hurt through humour? Should media companies be more sensitive to these issues?
2. How would you feel if this was a show that poked fun at something you felt was sacred, or special, or was otherwise important to you?

Should you decide that HBO have crossed an important line, please sign the petition. It only takes a few minutes, and every signature helps.

You can also contact HBO by browsing to the address below. Enter your information, specify it's about Big Love, and leave a message asking them to cancel this offensive show. One or two sentences is all it takes. Point them to this petition. Please be polite, and check your spelling :-)
http://www.hbo.com/apps/submitinfo/contactus/submit.do?title=Documentaries&questiontype=documentaries

You can also email others you know of whom you feel may take action. Once again, this is not about a specific religion, it's about respecting the beliefs of others, and protecting the rights of the individual to free religion and association without fear of discrimination in any form.