“Heretic” stars Hugh Grant as a disgruntled professor (Mr. Reed) who kidnaps two female missionaries for The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints. He subsequently takes them through a sadistic game of cat and mouse, which leads to the murder of one missionary and leaves the audience asking if the second dies. The viewer also discovers five other abducted women in cages who have been subjected to Mr. Reed’s torture.

As the co-founder of the Children’s International Rescue Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting women and children from abuse and exploitation, and an active member of local law enforcement, this movie has a real potential to generate copycat crimes. Early commentary online from viewers of the trailer back up forethought of malicious intent and furthers the idea of crime as entertainment or acceptable behavior.

Moreover, as a law enforcement official, I am concerned not only about the safety of missionaries but also for political canvassers, home service representatives and others connecting with their neighborhoods door to door. As we investigate crimes as law enforcement officials, we always look at the motives, influences and mindset that moved the perpetrator to action. Time and again, we see how various aspects of media and entertainment influence thoughts and ultimately lead to criminal behavior.

Likewise, the movie’s depictions help fuel a climate of hostility toward my faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, contributing to the broader problem of religious intolerance. This is particularly troubling in a world already filled with religious misunderstandings, hate crimes and even war. The film paints a skewed picture of Latter-day Saints’ safety protocols, devotion and beliefs, reducing something deeply spiritual to a mere spectacle.

Hollywood showed its own heresy by failing to reject a sadistic storyline because its protections extend to all but Latter-day Saints. We cannot recall a horror film that has specifically targeted a religious minority.

In “Heretic,” the industry missed how the risks associated with watching this depravity could outweigh the benefits of strong character interplay regarding faith and belief combined with the inspirational resolute bravery by the missionaries in defending both their lives and beliefs. The script overwhelms those narratives by portraying women and women of faith as objects of mockery, violence and murder. Such portrayals add to a culture of desensitization and normalization of hate crimes.

I call upon Hollywood to practice what it preaches. Rather than producing “entertainment” that sensationalizes violence against women and religious communities, the industry should align its output with the values it professes to hold dear including respect for human dignity, a commitment to safety and an authentic portrayal of diverse beliefs.

Likewise, social media content creators have a responsibility to consider the real-world implications of their work, and I hope they take this responsibility seriously. “Heretic” may succeed in winning awards and box office dollars but it fails to support public safety and moral stewardship.

The question for Hollywood now is will it continue to use violence against women and targeted religious groups as entertainment fodder or will it protect and promote justice and safety for all, or just select special interests?

Walt Bockholt is the co-founder of Children’s International Rescue Foundation (CIRF), an active-duty police officer, member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and husband to a returned sister missionary and father of two current missionaries.