By CLARK EDMUNDS
I am a film major and a returned missionary. I know a lot about film, church film and propaganda. Everyone’s mission is different depending on age, testimony, sex and place of service. I served in San Diego, and “God’s Army” is such an accurate depiction of my missionary life it could have been a documentary. Every event in the film parallels one of my own experiences. The “misfit cast” could have been any one of my districts, and they were all good missionaries — just human missionaries. I was not offended once.
Worried about cheapening your missionary experience? The mistakes elders make do that — this film doesn’t. “God’s Army” shows the irony of young men trying to understand the world and themselves while teaching truth (the gospel and church are depicted as truth). It bothers some members to let on that we are real people with struggles and feelings, but the time for that revelation has come. Seeing this movie will force people to think before slamming the door in our faces because they cannot see our humanity.
Worried about mixing sacred things with the world? That’s what missionary work is, being in the world but not of it. That’s what the film depicted. Also,the “offensive alternative music” Dutcher scored the film with is by Greg Simpson, an LDS artist who I listened to in the mission field.
Worried about casting pearls before swine? Our 50,000+ missionaries do that everyday — the principle is that not all seeds fall on stony ground. This film can plant seeds on an unprecedented scale. It can enter nations and hearts that the elders can’t. Worried about feeling uncomfortable? The priesthood blessing in Legacy didn’t seem to bother anyone. Do you remember when Joseph Smith is introduced to Eliza and asks, “Do you have faith to be healed? Do you believe in Jesus Christ?” Neither of those actors were members of the church. You want to talk about offensive? The priesthood blessing scene in “God’s Army” didn’t even make me uncomfortable compared to that.
People don’t realize what a step the film is. Our prophet is constantly telling the LDS artists to stop floundering in mediocrity. Richard Dutcher wrote, produced, directed and starred in a film that will possibly never see an ounce of commercial success. That means that he personally raised tens of thousands of dollars and devoted his life and soul to the project for years. You want to talk about consecration? Now that he’s done it, some still want to ostracize him.
“God’s Army” is easily the most effective media tool for spreading the gospel that has ever existed. Richard Dutcher is going to be blessed no matter how the rest of the LDS community reacts. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether we’ll use it to its potential, or put the bushel back on our candle. The film is a veritable weapon for missionaries, sugar-coated for public consumption. I go to church every week, and I have seldom felt the spirit stronger than sitting in that theater since I was released as a full time elder two years ago.
Clark Edmunds is a junior from Columbia, Md., majoring in film directing.
