Posted on 06/24/2010 11:10:11 AM PDT by Colofornian
Los Angeles • Ever since Bram Stoker’s Dracula began haunting the imagination in 1897, popular culture has identified Christian symbols — crucifixes, holy water, communion wafers — as weapons to ward off a blood-thirsty vampire.
The Twilight novels and film franchise have religious associations, too — most of them from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As the film’s “Twi-hard” fans get ready for the third “Twilight” installment, “Eclipse,” to open in theaters Wednesday, few are likely to recognize the religious references in the film based on the novels by Stephenie Meyer, herself a Mormon.
“People make up all these Mormon references just so they can publish ‘Twilight’ articles in respectable publications like The New York Times,” actor Robert Pattinson (Edward, the film’s central vampire character), told Entertainment Weekly. “Even Stephenie said it doesn’t mean any of that.”
It’s possible that Meyer never set out to weave LDS imagery into the ‘Twilight’ background. Yet intentional or otherwise, it’s hard to ignore:
• The story’s teenage heroine, Bella, avoids coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco — not unlike the Mormons’ “Word of Wisdom” health code. Bella also advises her father to “cut back on steak,” much like the LDS teaching to eat meat and poultry “sparingly.”
• Feminists have questioned Bella’s frequent cooking and cleaning — household chores that reflect a strong Mormon work ethic and traditional roles for women. The official motto for mostly Mormon Utah is “Industry,” and its symbol is the beehive.
• A crucial Mormon belief is that humans can become divine. In the “Twilight” series, the Cullen family of vampires once was human but now lives without death in a resurrected condition. Meyer describes the Cullens, particularly Edward, as “godlike” and “inhumanly beautiful.”
• Mormons believe angels are resurrected beings of flesh and bone. The most familiar is Moroni, who stands high atop LDS temples, trumpet in hand. The Book of Mormon, the faith’s trademark Scripture, says Moroni was a fifth-century prophet who visited church founder Joseph Smith. Smith described Moroni as radiating light and “glorious beyond description.”
Bella describes her vampire boyfriend, Edward, as an angel whom she cannot imagine “any more glorious.” Edward’s skin sparkles in the sunlight, and he visits Bella’s bedroom at night. But Mormon angels don’t have wings; in the “Twilight” film, Edward sits in the science lab, the outstretched wings of a stuffed white owl just over his shoulders.
• A unique LDS teaching is that marriages are “sealed” for eternity; spouses are referred to as eternal companions. Bella describes her relationship with Edward as “forever.”
• Bella and Edward’s marriage, and her quick pregnancy, underscore the Mormon emphasis on the family. But Bella’s half human/vampire fetus nearly destroys her, so her distraught husband suggests an abortion and artificial insemination. Mormons permit abortions if the mother’s life is in danger, and artificial insemination is an option for married couples.
Bella quickly vetoes abortion and artificial insemination, reinforcing the essential Mormon teaching of individual choice, or “agency.” Meyer has said that the apple on the cover of the first Twilight novel represents Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden. The poster for “Eclipse” includes the line: “It all begins ... with a choice.” The patriarch of the vampire family, Carlisle Cullen, supports Bella when he explains that “it wouldn’t be right to make such a choice for her, to force her.”
Bram Stoker probably never imagined that vampires would represent a religious doctrine. But more than a century later, Twilight shows that these nocturnal creatures can accommodate just about anything.
Angela Aleiss teaches film and religion at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Good for the author! Bravo! I wish I was smart enough to make millions writing lame stuff. Mine would use FR imagery. Lots of zots and Viking kittens.
(Except that Christianity doesn't teach that you will become gods...like Mormonism...or that marriage is forever...nor has most segments of Christianity not OD'd on angels)
(How long have you gone for that extremely pale gothic look?)
I never understood why vampires, werewolves, etc, were looked upon as so evil. In all the movies and books, the majority of them did not become vampires willingly. They seem to look at it as a curse.
Harry Reid's Mormonism never gets the Pravda Press coverage that Romney's does and he holds more power.
All vampire mythology has vampires living forever with incredible beauty.
(I'm sorry, but I missed your disconnect here: How many vamp tales feature them becoming gods again?)
./src on/Do Mormons believe a thirst for blood is part of being in a "resurrected condition"?/src off/
(Perhaps it had something to do with them "passing the curse" on...often exhibited in movies by their predator vs. prey mentality...that "attack" look in their eyes...and their many serial killer victims left to bleed and pass on that curse)
Only liberals could insist that sexual abstinence (or more specifically homosexual abstinence) is “impossible” yet there are many liberals who are vegans who are unwilling to eat meat out of personal “moral” choice, not taste or desire (some vegetarians will bend at a barbecue but others just get outraged at the tempter).
That must be it.
I have noticed my Mormon friends to seem to have pronounced canine teeth and don’t like to be out in the sun. :-[
(Oh sure. I run into teen girls all the time talking about the "sparkling skin" of their guys...as for the bedroom visitations in the book/movie, Joseph Smith said the angel Moroni visited him in his bedroom...and they make the point that in the movie an angel-like image is quickly flashed via the wings in the background of the character)
For a time, Joseph Smith liked to give his followers distinct names. He did so for a particular individual named John Johnson:
Hit the time machine re-wind button. Kirtland, Ohio. It's June 4, 1833. We visit Joseph Smith, Jr. where he's writing out Doctrines & Covenants 97:6 (dubbed as Mormon "scripture"): And again, verily I say unto you, it is wisdom and expedient in me, that my servant Zombre [John Johnson] whose offerings I have accepted...
Hmmm..."Zombre"...Why, I betcha as Joseph Smith was "translating" these things, looking into his hat, he mistook an "r" for an "i" and came up with Zombre -- when the "spirit" communicating to him really was communicating "Zombie".
Spirits were having the "last laugh" on their "translation" victims.
The story’s teenage heroine, Bella, avoids coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco
....I guess that makes my nephew a Mormon.....He must have caught it from his Asian and Indian friends in med school.......LOL!
::facepalm::
I am surprised that you haven’t seen the Pandora connection yet. Pandora is one of Anne Rice’s most powerful vampires. Also, there is the old addadge is “Pandora’s Box”. Joseph Smith supposedly kept the gold plates in a box...
Wow.. check out those connections.
Just wait until I reveal the super secret Vampire Lestat connection.
(BTW, do us a favor and never read Anne Rice’s Memnoch the Devil, your head will explode).
CC
Dude seriously you have an obsession problem.
The MORMONZ IZ EVERYWHAR!! HEYULP! Dey in mah Mooveez now!!
Seriously though your anti-Mormon obsessive behavior was already over the top. You are now headed off the deep-end.
.
MORMONism?
It claims 12,000,000 members...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.