A Mormon President?—New Documentary Explores the Roots of the First Mormon Quest for the White House And What It Means For Today
(Los Angeles) — A Mormon President, Joseph Smith and the Mormon Quest for the White House will be released in August, 2011.
According to director Adam Christing, who is both a filmmaker and a member of the Mormon History Association, the widespread opposition to the candidacies of Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman is rooted in the historical battles that have gone on between members of the LDS church and other Americans. He believes that his film will shed light on that rift.
“Most Americans don’t know that the first U.S. Presidential candidate to be assassinated was a Mormon,” noted Christing. “In fact, he was the founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. The Mormon Prophet was murdered a few months after he announced his candidacy in 1844.”
Christing, who is not a member of the LDS church adds: “You can’t really understand the gigantic challenge facing presidential candidates Romney and Huntsman, until you understand the secret world of Joseph Smith, polygamy, and Smith’s political ambition to build a theocracy in the United States.” A Mormon President covers the charismatic Mormon Prophet’s run for the U.S. Presidency and the events that led up to his murder by an angry mob. The DVD contains a “bonus feature” that examines Mitt Romney and other Mormon candidates in the modern age.
Historian Michael Riggs, who is featured in the documentary, believes that Joseph Smith is one of the most captivating religious figures in U.S. history. Riggs says, “This film will help people understand the strong undercurrent of anti-Mormon feeling in many parts of the country.”
While Mitt Romney refused to be interviewed for A Mormon President, the film crew received unprecedented access to key sites in the early Mormon story including the jail cell in Carthage, Illinois where Joseph Smith was murdered. Through expert interviews and dramatic reenactments, A Mormon President examines the historical roots behind the ongoing fascination with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and its leaders.
Christing says, “The two things you aren’t supposed to talk about in this country are religion and politics. But that’s the explosive combo that makes this such a fascinating subject.” (amormonpresident.com/media/)
