NOM

I recently went to see Jane and Emma with my father. I knew that the movie was about Emma Smith and Jane Manning, but didn't really know much else about it.

In the movie, an early African American Saint named Jane Manning keeps vigil with Emma watching over the body of Joseph Smith on the night after he is brought back from Carthage. The movie is filled with flashbacks of Jane's story, and a vision/dream that brought her back from Iowa to succor Emma.

One of the major themes in the movie is the second-class status of Jane (both as a black Saint and a woman), and how Jane struggles to remain faithful in the face of the ignorant treatment she receives from some of the fellow saints. As I sat there watching a priesthood-holder who was dumbfounded that Jane had been baptized (in spite of his race of Cain BS beliefs), and a woman who was shocked that Jane was paid when she asked Emma to "lend" Jane out (as if she were a slave), it struck me that I could be in Jane's place with members of the Church today (as a gay man). I can just imagine the priesthood holder self-righteously justifying my treatment with his firm belief in bullcrap doctrines about people like me.

I knew sitting there that while I made Jane's decision to stay for two decades, ultimately I could not continue. I had to leave. Jane has an angry prayer with God at one point and I felt myself there in that moment. I get the impression that one class of people after another will continue to take the place of Jane while Church leadership clings to old beliefs about this, that, and the other.

This isn't a white-washed treatment of polygamy or the treatment of members of African descent (as if we aren't all of African descent!). If you can handle it, I recommend seeing it. I didn't love some of the casting or delivery, but it's a movie worth seeing (especially if it gets TBMs in your life thinking...)

I have not seen it, but I expect to do so probably after it comes out on video. My somewhat unfair concern over this movie is that my most believing family and friends will watch it and think, "Wow! I'm so glad that we don't discriminate against anyone any longer!" Then they will studiously avoid any mention of polygamy.

Corsair wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:19 pm I have not seen it, but I expect to do so probably after it comes out on video. My somewhat unfair concern over this movie is that my most believing family and friends will watch it and think, "Wow! I'm so glad that we don't discriminate against anyone any longer!" Then they will studiously avoid any mention of polygamy.

Emma is pretty pissed about her "sister wives" when Jospeh dies. She kicks them out of the house immediately.

Interesting about how Emma felt about her sister wives !!!! I never thought she was very happy with Joseph on this issue she probably called it B.S. to him while he was still alive !!!

achilles wrote: ↑Wed Oct 17, 2018 2:31 pm Emma is pretty pissed about her "sister wives" when Jospeh dies. She kicks them out of the house immediately.

Interesting. Maybe this will be the movie I truly need to see with my wife

Glad I saw this review, I was pretty skeptical about the narrative of this movie, but I may check it out also.

For Jane Elizabeth Manning James many years of faithful devotion to the Church, she was allowed to be sealed as a servant to the Joseph Smith family.

The ceremony took place on May 18, 1894, with Joseph F. Smith acting as proxy for Joseph Smith, and Bathsheba W. Smith acting as proxy for James (who was not allowed into the temple for the ordinance). In the ceremony, James was "attached as a Servitor for eternity to the prophet Joseph Smith and in this capacity be connected with his family and be obedient to him in all things in the Lord as a faithful Servitor".

I hope the official title servitor is meant as a servant rather than a slave. That would mean she could get Sundays off.

moksha wrote: ↑Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:32 pm For Jane Elizabeth Manning James many years of faithful devotion to the Church, she was allowed to be sealed as a servant to the Joseph Smith family.

The ceremony took place on May 18, 1894, with Joseph F. Smith acting as proxy for Joseph Smith, and Bathsheba W. Smith acting as proxy for James (who was not allowed into the temple for the ordinance). In the ceremony, James was "attached as a Servitor for eternity to the prophet Joseph Smith and in this capacity be connected with his family and be obedient to him in all things in the Lord as a faithful Servitor".

I hope the official title servitor is meant as a servant rather than a slave. That would mean she could get Sundays off.

What is the real difference between a slave and an eternal servant who has to obey in all things? I don’t suppose they would pay her in the CK, as I don’t imagine a money based economy. And if she must obey in all things, it is still up to the boss if she gets Sunday off or not. So, if we assume that in the CK they would be kind to their eternal servant, how is it different than a slave they are kind to. If she is bound to them by God, then she can’t leave. So, just how is this different than slavery?

alas wrote: ↑Thu Oct 18, 2018 7:49 am I don’t suppose they would pay her in the CK, as I don’t imagine a money-based economy.

If not a money-based economy then how would families shop in the Celestial Creek Mall?