Wolves in Shepherd's Clothing
How 'Heretic' exposes the weaponization of religious doctrine
Bjørn: Why are you doing this?
Patrick: Because you let me. —From Speak No Evil (2022)
The greatest films always leave themselves open to a number of interpretations, and the newly released horror movie, Heretic, is no different. Terrifying, thrilling, and oddly funny in spots, the ending leaves you wondering what it all meant, what you’re supposed to do now, and if you’re like me, will probably leave you wanting a second viewing.
Most of the YouTube commentariat has rendered the firm verdict that Heretic is a plain-faced attack on organized religion, a misogynist institution designed solely for men’s benefit and women’s detriment. The thriller is just the set dressing for the message, they say.
You might be surprised to hear me say this after last week’s article, but I disagree.
Heretic begins with two fresh-faced Mormon missionaries going door to door attempting to convert people to their church. Unlike many evangelical organizations whose missionaries are comprised of elder married couples (often with grown children), the Mormon church sends young adults—pairs of boys or girls—most of whom are naive, untested, and unused to the vulgarity of the secular world.
Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton (their first names are never given and these girls never address each other by their Christian names) arrive at the door of Mr. Reed (first name also never given), ready to answer all his questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
After coming into his home, only after being assured his wife is baking a pie in the next room, Mr. Reed offers them soft drinks and says, “I think it is GOOD to be religious.”
We find out later in the movie that, yes, he most certainly does think it is good to be religious. For the girls anyway. For his prey.
The question is why.
We got a hint early in the movie alluding to what I think the message of the film is. Before Sisters Barnes and Paxton arrive at Mr. Reed’s house, they see a trio of pretty girls filming a TikTok in the middle of a crosswalk.
Sister Paxton, the blonde, eagerly rushes up to them, ready to get her first documented baptism. The girls are eager to take a picture with Sister Paxton, but then rip off her skirt, exposing her Mormon “Magic” underwear. And they run off laughing.
It’s just so funny, committing sexual battery in the open street. And filming it! And probably posting it to their followers.
I seethed in the theater, boiling over with the need to get in their (fictional) comments and make sure those little bitches were canceled so hard they got kicked out of college.
Because we all know why those girls felt so comfortable doing that to poor Sister Paxton. I doubt little miss TikTok would have dared try to rip any piece of clothing off any of these ladies:
They did it because they knew they’d get away with it. They knew the sweet Mormon girl wouldn’t knock their teeth down their throat.
It was a display of power. Nothing more. And it was very in line with the overall theme of the movie.
Feeding Girls into the Meat Grinder
The innocence and ingrained accommodating nature of the Mormon missionaries plays a prominent role throughout the film. Some will point to the girls stepping inside Mr. Reed’s house without actually seeing his wife, but I think this is the least stupid thing they did. In their place, even now in my decrepitude, I would have too.
At this point there were solid green flags. A friendly man in a nice house in a nice neighborhood, a living room with a homey decor that reeks of a woman’s touch. It all looks legit. And Mr. Reed is so friendly, charming, and yes, handsome. There was nothing to put them off… except the normal human refusal to step inside a stranger’s house.
I find it borderline hilarious that the LDS church criticized this film, saying: “Any narrative that promotes violence against women because of their faith or undermines the contributions of volunteers runs counter to the safety and wellbeing of our communities.”1
To accuse a movie of endangering their fresh-faced 19-21 year-old missionaries is quite a stretch.
YouTuber (and former Mormon Missionary) Alyssa Grenfell does a great job of breaking down why the LDS Church itself is the one placing these girls in harm’s way. It is not only their age and the fact that the missionaries are sent into dangerous places at home and abroad; it’s also the sheltered way in which they’ve been brought up.
Both actors in Heretic are former Mormons and their performances were perfect. Sister Paxton in particular had the sweet, encouraging way of showing interest when she spoke to Mr. Reed that most men would interpret as flirting.
I have known many Mormon girls in my life, especially in middle school, where Southern Baptists reigned supreme and Catholics were called Mary-worshippers to our faces. It made sense that we would be friends with the Mormon girls.
I went to services with them (obviously never the Temple). Their families gave me the whole spiel. I love my Mormon friends.
And I prayed and cried every day they were on their missions. I could tell they censored their letters about how it was going. (Gary, Indiana is where they were sent, if you were wondering).
Unlike the evangelicals, the Mormons send little girls who have likely never been kissed and are as innocent as can be into all manner of dangerous neighborhoods.
Of course the Mormons don’t like the movie. It shines a light on the danger they put these girls in for NO reason. Muslims are growing faster than Mormons. They don’t send young girls into foreign countries to strangers doors.
Muslims ALSO don’t lie to their girls and tell them that if they love God enough, then they will be safe. And neither do most evangelical missionaries. The married couples who go to Cambodia, Pakistan, or any other number of hostile places accept they may die for their ministry and have accepted that risk to spread the word of God.
These young girls have been told from birth that there is no risk, that they will be personally protected by Heavenly Father if their heart is true.
This is a vicious lie that can only be told if you hate young girls with your whole heart.
Did God find Polly Klaas deficient? I think not.
It’s sickening to tell this to the most innocent among us and is tailor-made to make pliable, cooperative victims.
Thus brings us to why Mr. Reed selected his victims the way he did.
Supplanting God Instead of Seeking Him
I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that Mr. Reed obviously spent many years studying religion. Not just Mormonism; from the looks of it, he studied ALL of them, going back as fas as he could.
Impressive, I suppose, except when you consider WHY.
It was not to seek God, to understand His plan, and how Mr. Reed should fit into it.
It was to decipher which of the religions best facilitated his own unearned authority and which one(s) ensured willing and pliable victims?
He wasn’t wrong that Mormons were the best option on BOTH counts.
Mormonism isn’t uniquely bad, not in general and not towards its women. But its beliefs are structured in a way that attract bad individuals.
The belief in personal revelation is a huge problem, for one.
Unquestioned male headship is another.
The insular nature of how Mormons are raised and that they remain child-like in their beliefs on human nature far longer than most others puts the final nail in the coffin.
The first moment Sisters Barnes and Paxton start to feel uneasy with Mr. Reed is when he asks them about polygamy, specifically if they actually believed Joseph Smith was given the green light to marry all those women he wanted to sleep with, or if he made it all up to justify his adultery.
The girls were uncomfortable with their church doctrine being questioned. But that’s not actually what Reed was asking.
What he was really asking is “Do you believe in personal revelation?”
Because if the answer is yes, that makes his plan smooth sailing.
The danger of personal revelation was also seen in Under the Banner of Heaven (a non-fiction book turned semi-fictional mini-series).
The show looked at a real crime committed by members of a highly respected Mormon family, one of whom asserted God spoke to him. And what did God say?
You guessed it: Have sex with your underage step-daughters. It’s cool, bro. I’m God.
Funny how God ALWAYS tells these “prophets” that serving him means having sex with a bunch of young girls.
The problem with personal revelation is that you can’t disprove it. You can only attack the “prophet” himself. And if the “prophet” is popular, you just might get yourself killed, which is what happened in the mini-series. And real life.
The already-atheist movie reviewers who gleefully assert that Heretic is an attack on religion, missed the message. They missed what the ending meant.
They missed that it wasn’t a condemnation.
It was a call to action.
Being strong in your faith means being learned in its history so you can spot straw men and other assorted nonsense. It also means standing up for your faith and yourself.
“Turn the other cheek” doesn’t mean be everyone’s personal bitch.
And “Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone” does NOT mean just let everyone do whatever they want to you, your family, and your community.
Two things can be true at once.
God is real and religion is how we make sense of Him AND
Evil men exist and they use religion as an effective vector of controlling and silencing their victims
The film insists that you can be pure of heart, a true and faithful believer… while also stabbing a M-Fer in the neck when you need to.
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Kessler, Mori (2024, Nov 16). 'Heretic' film prompts LDS church response from Utah officials regarding missionary safety. St. George News. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/life/religion-life/heretic-film-prompts-lds-church-response-from-utah-officials-regarding-missionary-safety/article_bf5c6bae-a3b2-11ef-84d6-cf6a1f69c791.html
Spot on review! Having been raised in the Mormon church, I think your review was accurate and showed a knowledge that several other reviewers have not demonstrated. Great job!
This is a compelling review and argument for the movie. Well done!