Making some waves in certain circles recently is the new HULU limited series 'Under the Banner of Heaven'. Based on the 2003 non fiction book of the same name by Jon Krakauer, of 'Into the Wild' and 'Into Thin Air' fame. UTBOH uses the story of a relugiously motivated double murder in 1984 Utah, as a jumping off point for a larger discussion of religious excess, with Mormonism as its case study.
The new mini series was adapted by Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) himself a former Mormon. Black insertes into the story a fictional LDS detective played by Andrew Garfield as an audiance surrogate figure.
Like the book before it the series has not been well recived by many in the broader Mormon community, which comprises a large number of Church's that trace their origins back to the teachings of Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon. The Salt Lake City based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is by far the largest of these denominations.
Our intent is to discuss the series as both entertainment, and to examin some of the historical, social and religious issues on which it touches.
