The Age, a newspaper based in Victoria, Australia, failed to do its homework in a recent article about the HBO series Big Love. The article’s author, Peter Mattessi, describes the polygamist family depicted in the series as devout Mormons, despite the disclaimers that appeared before many episodes that the Mormon Church banned polygamy in 1890. The article’s description is false, as the characters in the show are specifically not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The article’s title, “Latter-day saints go marching in,” is equally erroneous.Mattessi clearly doesn’t know any such Latter-day Saints, as he reveals the “secret” he learned from the series: “Mormons can be good people too.” That may be true, but the characters in the show still aren’t Mormons. The article in The Age merely perpetuates tired stereotypes and promulgates misinformation.

The fault does not lie entirely with Mattessi or The Age. HBO has intentionally tried to portray the characters on Big Love as members of the Mormon Church because it makes the show more controversial and draws a bigger audience. The show recently stopped carrying the disclaimer that appeared before the episodes, despite requests from the LDS Church. The makers of the series have intentionally engaged in misinformation in order to sell their program. The article in The Age is a prime example of careless journalism and how fiction gets passed off as fact.

The editors of The Age may be contacted at feedback@theage.com.au.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal has an article titled Love in the afterlife featuring an interview with an LDS woman testifying about the reality of and potential for eternal marriage.

The author of the article contrasts LDS beliefs on eternal marriage with those of other faiths.

In a few days many Americans will observe Valentine’s Day, a holiday when people celebrate earthly love.

However, for some, even lifelong relationships are simply preludes to personal connections that will last throughout time. Whether or not marriages can last for eternity depends on whom you ask and what faith they follow.

Gina Thorderson, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says marriages last for eternity – with one stipulation. The wedding vows must be made in her church’s temple.

“The wedding can’t be in a regular church or gazebo outside,” she said. “There’s authority in the temple that binds things here on earth. The authority comes from God.”

Our thanks to Sister Thorderson for bearing testimony of God’s gift of providing the opportunity to be with our families throughout eternity. This comforting doctrine should be shouted from the rooftops.

Learn more about temple marriage from the official Mormon news website for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”).