Jeff Archuleta 86'd from David's Idol Game: Is He Mormon?

In an Associated Press news article today, it is explained that Jeff Archuleta, the pushy father of David Archuleta was banned by American Idol producers from all further rehearsals and other backstage activities while his 17-year-old son David finishes competing for the top spot on this popular Fox television talent contest.

Apparently, father Jeff Archuleta decided that his son David's song selection, Stand By Me, was to be altered to include lyrics from Sean Kingston's Beautiful Girls song. The producers of American Idol told this father that the song could not be altered. Father Jeff had his son alter the song anyway during the live Idol broadcast and the producers were beyond furious. (Click here to read the full Associate Press Article.)

David Archuleta of American Idol fame is a member of the Mormon Church according to an article about music in his local Utah newspaper called the Deseret News. (Click here to read this Deseret News article.) Is father Jeff Archuleta also a member of this faith?

If David A. is really a member of the Mormon faith like the Deseret News article claims, perhaps this Mormon faith is the main reason that Jeff Archuleta was under the misguided belief that a father's decisions about his son's choice in music would trump any decisions that the producers made regarding his son David?

In a nut-shell, the Mormon belief system explains to men that their duty is to rule over their family, alongside of a help-mate (child producing) wife. A man should provide financially for the family, and that children with special job talents should contribute into the family income to help the father and the family as a whole.

When father Jeff Archuleta made decisions about what son David would sing, if Mormon, David would be under a faith obligation to do exactly as his father Jeff Archuleta dictated, despite any of his own feelings about what the Idol producers may or may not have wanted. The producers perhaps were expected to understand this strange religion, and just magically know that father Jeff Archuleta has the last-word in what is best for his son's career.

I am obviously not a member of the Mormon faith, and can not explain the family structuring as well as somebody living within this faith structuring can explain it. I am however living in Mormon country. My evening news talks about Mormon family ideas and church news as a part of my daily news. I often hear about conflicting matters of concern pitting the Mormon beliefs against the majority beliefs of outsiders.

The other evening, there was a news story on the television about the Catholic Church somehow banning the Mormon Church from doing genealogy studies in some of their records because the Catholic's were upset over the Mormon's baptizing dead Catholics into the Mormon Church without the dead person's permission. To me, it makes sense that the dead should be allowed to keep the faith that they chose in life... But, I'm sure that the Mormons feel strongly that their beliefs are just as valid as mine are. And, that is why I feel a little sorry for father Jeff Archuleta and son David if they are following a belief system that is unlike my majority beliefs while participating on a show like American Idol.

When differing cultures try to function without complete communication and an interpreter, misunderstandings can happen. I am sure that this father Jeff Archuleta never dreamed that he was doing anything wrong by telling his son David to sing what he believed to be the best song.

I do not blame the producers for evicting father Jeff Archuleta from their functions. I would have done the same thing; it needed doing. But, I have compassion towards Jeff Archuleta.

It took mega-guts for Jeff Archuleta to do what he did, because he was trying to help his child. Too many parents completely ignore their children. David is lucky to have an interested father like Jeff Archuleta, even though this pushy Jeff Archuleta may actually cause the death of David's career someday.