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LDS standards in LDS Actors / Actresses

Well, I thought about this thread for a long time, I just never had the chance to put it here . I am very interested in acting as a career, yes I want to be an actress, I hope to be able to do it soon. I think is such a great thing...the ability to express different emotions...I just love it!.
Anyhow, I was just thinking about how the Church views an LDS actor/actress who may have to make certain scenes that are not in harmony with the Gospel. I'm not talking about porn or anything like that but for instance, have a role as an adulterous man/woman, or a gay person, or maybe some kind of hot scene without really going too far. I know that is the choice of the actor whether they want to play the role or not, my question is :
Can the Church take away the membership of a person because of this? even though is his/her job and is NOT real life but fictions life?

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In my opinion the Gospel stands upright no matter what you are doing. I think playing role is not bad, but your part in it might be. For instance, I do not think you will be pulled in for an interview if you play the role of an unfaithful spouse, however, if in the script you have to do a love scene that is questionable then I would think an interview would be needed.

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[b]Can the Church take away the membership of a person because of this? even though is his/her job and is NOT real life but fictious life?[b]

Now that is an interesting question.  And here's my opinion.

Say your career is acting.  That is your choice, and you are making a living with it.  You are also LDS with strong convictions about standards and the gospel and all that goes with being LDS.  Now you are presented with an opportunity to portray a demanding role in a venue that would really enhance your future career.  But as part of that role, you would have to compromise your standards.  Which do you choose?

Some actors have a choice of roles to portray; others have to take what they can get just to survive.  Do you stick to your standards and refuse roles with situations that are inappropriate?

I would say if the role and the situation portray a deeply powerful message or story it ought to be allowed, but not just some frivolous "hot scene" that has nothing to do with any story.  Gratuitous sex or portraying a gay lifestyle or drug addict as something positive would be out, as far as I'm concerned.

But lose your Church membership over it?  That's a tough one.  You would certainly have to weigh that decision seriously.

In my opinion, of course.
Roz

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But lose your Church membership over it?  That's a tough one.

Why would that be a tough decision? Is anything worth losing your membership in the Lord's Church? Infact, let's forget the Church itself and say lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost and our baptismal covenants.

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I'm sorry, I wasn't very clear there.  What I meant was I'm not sure if you *could* lose your membership.

But as you say, if there is the threat of losing the Holy Ghost, there is no question.  (I've actually had that happen, so I can tell you it's awful.)

Roz

LDS standards in LDS Actors / Actresses

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What I meant was I'm not sure if you *could* lose your membership.

Oh okay I understand now, I was trying to figure out the first response . I don't know if a person could lose their membership over a role in a movie...I never heard of it before but I was very curious about it.

LDS standards LDS Actors / Actresses

This is a true story, our first full-time missionary here (that was in the 60's) became a movie director. But his movies were about lust, violence, and others. But when he paid his tithing to his Bishop, the Bishop didn't accept it because he said it's a dirty money. Then, he was excommunicated, never came back and never repented and was now dead.

I didn't mean that being an actress would be subject to excommunication, it depends on the situation. But having a role like an adulterous woman for example sets a bad example to the people who knows you, and even if it's just a job and not in real life, you will lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost because you will always be exposed to it. You will never be the same. One of our ward members who is a primary was invited to be an actress but her parents refused because they know what would be the outcome.

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I know a couple of actors, and they must decide if they will live their standards on and off the set. They may have to turn down rolls, because they know once you take a questionable role you are headed on a downward spiral. I don't think you'd be excommunicated for playing a particular role like President of the US Senate, it would have to be something that you did in regular life, like being the president of the US Senate. Little bit of a dig there. I believe that there are fewer excommunications except in the case of a felony charge, because 5% ever come back to full fellowship. Entertainers also have to decide if their entertainment is G rated or R. Naturally the R rating will give them a greater audience but the G rating will enable them to hold their head high. And they can still make a living.