This is part of the online version of Mauricio Stycer’s newsletter for this Wednesday (15th). In the complete newsletter, for subscribers only, the columnist also makes suggestions for reading for the week. To receive the newsletter and access the full content, click here.
Classified as a crime series by Netflix, Pray and Obey is actually an immersion in a universe of chilling religious bigotry. In four episodes, directed by Rachel Dretzin, it documents the work of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, a Mormon denomination whose members practice polygamy.
The church’s Texas headquarters, known by the acronym FLDS, was the subject of a police investigation in 2008 that showed signs of sexual, physical and psychological abuse of women, some of whom were minors. According to the series, they are forced to marry older men.
The main theme of “Pray and Obey” is Warren Jeff’s rise to command of the FLDS. He is the son of Rulon Jeffs, who led the church until his death in 2002. Known as “Uncle Rulon” by his followers, he left about 20 wives and 60 children. After his father’s death, Warren married almost all of his wives.
“The more wives and children you have, the higher in heaven you will go,” says a church member on the show. Women who have left the FLDS and helped police investigate abuse cases make very sad testimonies.
“The front of my wedding dress was soaked (with tears),” says Elissa Wall, recalling the day she was forced to marry a cousin at age 14. “I would do anything to make him fall asleep,” says Elissa’s sister Rebecca, who married 83yearold Rulon when she was 19. “Then I could go another night without him touching me.”
“Pray and Obey” is not an easy program to digest. In fact, it’s far from entertainment in the strictest sense of the word. But it makes you think. The series stirs up trouble by showing that most women in the church ignore abusive situations and continue to follow Warren Jeffs’ leadership even after he has been convicted and imprisoned.
Watch a trailer below (with Spanish subtitles):
recall
Netflix may not be at its best after posting a subscriber loss in the first quarter of the year. But it still has very positive data to boast of, consulting firm Ampere revealed this week. As of March 2022, the number of “Original” and/or “Exclusive” titles in the Company’s US catalog accounted for more than 50% of all available content for the first time in its history. According to the data, there are more than 3,700 films and TV seasons with this feature. Originals have been the primary focus of Netflix’s content strategy.
Steve, Eddie, Nancy and Robin in a scene from Stranger Things Season 4
Image: Disclosure / Netflix
The success of the new season of Strangers Things shows once again that the way to expand the subscriber base is directly through the quality of the original content. Data from Ampere shows that the company has been spending more than any other streaming platform on original content annually since 2013.
forget
Bruno Arújo (left) and Dom Phillips have been missing since 05/06
Image: BBC
The disappearances of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips in the Amazon have exposed the Bolsonaro government’s massive communication difficulties and ongoing lack of transparency. Due to the impact of the case and the impact abroad, one would expect a more organized and professional news distribution system. It’s not what happened. All the speculation that took place on Monday (13th) about the alleged discovery of the bodies is an example of the communication disaster.
Relatives of the British journalist claim to have received the message from a Brazilian diplomat in London. Of course, the information spread quickly. Hours later, the federal police denied. The Itamaraty released a note that doesn’t clarify what happened. It wasn’t until the next day that the Itamaraty apologized to the family. And President Bolsonaro further added to the fear of loved ones by saying that “the evidence leads to the assumption that they have done something evil to them”.
The sentence
This Monday (13) Roda Viva received the former president of FUNAI, the indigenous and social activist Sydney Possuelo.
Image: Reproduction/TV Culture
“These men feel protected by the presidency of the republic”
Sydney Possuelo on Invaders of Indigenous Lands, in “Living Wheel” From this week
READ MORE IN THE NEWSLETTER