Cast members of controversial ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ ask viewers to give show a chance

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The trailer for a caller Utah-based reality TV show called ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ was released 2 weeks ago, causing contention crossed societal media, particularly successful LDS spaces.

Taylor Frankie Paul, Jennifer Affleck, and Jessi Ngatikaura, salient TikTokers and 3 of nan 8 formed members, said pinch ABC4 up of nan show’s merchandise astir their acquisition and answering questions that person circulated online.

The trailer for nan Hulu reality show has triggered a activity of backlash — including petitions calling for nan show not to aerial — complete concerns astir whether aliases not nan women are progressive members of nan religion and nan standards they do aliases do not represent successful nan episodes.

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The women are now encouraging group to watch nan show claiming nan trailers seldom springiness nan afloat picture.

“Seeing nan backlash from our organization has been rough, but I besides deliberation that if they gave it a chance they would recognize it’s conscionable an empowering show astir women successful this belief and civilization but navigating it otherwise because we’re each imperfect humans,” Ngatikaura said.

The 3 formed members told ABC4 they were each raised arsenic members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — colloquially known arsenic ‘Mormons’ — and Paul and Affleck still be church.

They said each nan formed members were raised successful nan religion and nan mostly stay progressive members of nan religion.

As for nan contention complete them depicting different standards than nan religion holds, Paul said that it is simply a realistic practice of what immoderate Mormons, albeit not all, experience.

“There are group that unrecorded for illustration that,” Paul said. “Mormons do unrecorded those lives arsenic good arsenic nan ones that they are trying to represent. People do person affairs that are Mormon, they do drink, they do struggle pinch addiction, and that’s nan constituent of it … not everyone lives this 1 way.”

Affleck added that nan quality betwixt them and different Mormons who deviate from nan church’s standards is that they are talking astir it publicly.

“I deliberation we request to retrieve what we judge in, and what we judge successful is that we are technically each sinners, we’re each imperfect … and that’s what nan Atonement is for,” Affleck said. “We look to Jesus to beryllium better, and we’re each connected our different journeys pinch our faith.”

Paul lies astatine nan halfway of nan play that led to nan reality show, arsenic she admitted to swinging pinch different members of nan MomTok organization and having an matter connected her societal media platform. Paul said she is nan only formed personnel who was a portion of nan swinging.

While galore group whitethorn beryllium upset astir nan show associating nan Mormon organization pinch swinging, nan women said nan show is astir overmuch much than that.

“I deliberation group are assuming that we’re coming connected this show saying Mormons swing, and that’s not nan connection we’re trying to send. We’re conscionable sending a connection that we each person made mistakes and we’re sharing them and we’re increasing arsenic we learn,” Ngatikaura said.

Jennifer Affleck said that while she didn’t personally expect Hulu’s sanction for nan show to thin truthful heavy connected their religion, she is embracing it because it will let for much group to study astir their belief beliefs.

“As a personnel of nan church, I deliberation nan much group who watch it — which nan title is utilized for clickbait and I consciousness for illustration is going to bring a batch of group — … nan much that group will want to study and cognize much astir nan LDS faith, and I deliberation it’s a win,” Affleck said.

The women said they are some excited and tense for nan show to air, arsenic they person not seen it yet.

“It was truthful nosy to movie this show because it was conscionable our integrated lives and our friendships, truthful it’s gonna beryllium nosy to watch it backmost ’cause erstwhile do you ever get to watch your life back?” Ngatikaura said. “I’m excited, but I cognize we each are a small tense too.”

Paul said nan aviator was changeable 2 years earlier nan different episodes and she did a batch of treatment during that time. She said owed to nan individual quality of nan show, she feels for illustration it is going to beryllium difficult for her to watch it.

“I consciousness for illustration I struggle internally pinch a batch of it still,” Paul said.

The formed members are readying to watch nan first section together pinch each their family and friends. The show will driblet connected Hulu connected Friday, Sept. 6.