I went to see the Book of Mormon and I was super excited about it. You should know I am a Broadway loving FIEND. I love all things theater and performing arts is kind of in my bones - I was in the FAME program as an elementary school kid and honestly my love for the stage has never faded. I walked into Segerstrom and sat down in my plush red seat and the lights went down and I was thrilled, eagerly anticipating the spectacular that was sure to come. And then it started, and I honestly was utterly baffled. I couldn’t clap. The singing was fantastic and the dancing was sharp and strong - but I was completely and totally trapped - I couldn’t exactly enjoy any of it because it was so utterly wrong. It was hilarious - but it was funny at the expense of faith and I couldn’t grapple with that in the midst of watching the show. The question was too big. So I sat there stunned and confused and honestly completely baffled. And at the end of each number, I realized yet again, that even though the art was exceptional, I really couldn’t bring myself to clap.
As I sat there, the questions came fast and furious and truly made me cringe. One of the first songs is “Hasa Diga Eebowai which in theory translates to f-you god (I cannot even believe I am typing that in my blog!!). It was “african” (and I say that very loosely) in nature but not even CLOSE to the version of Africa I experienced. Even if it is a joke - can you clap for that? That isn’t a mockery I am willing to take lightly. There were characters with grossly inappropriate names. There were actions described and mimicked that were horrendously inappropriate. The description online reads, “The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy about two young Mormon missionaries who travel to Africa to preach the Mormon religion. First staged in 2011, the play mocks various Mormon beliefs and practices.” So I guess I could have / maybe even should have known. Nevertheless.
The show mocks moronism for sure - but more than that - it mocks faith and standing for truth and sharing Christ. While it might not have been about Christianity directly, it made me think a LOT about leading people astray, and making fun of people for what they believe wholeheartedly. Christ is not a joke to me. I looked around the packed theatre and thought about how many people were hearing these subtle lies about belief and laughing at the expense of what someone holds so very dear. There was something about it that felt really wrong. It wasn’t poking fun at someone, it was openly mocking - pointing fingers - shaming. I think I’ve decided it was hideous and ugly and I entirely disagree with it. That is a personal opinion, of course, but if I had it to do over, I don’t think i would pay for that ticket again. I don’t want to support artists who are intentionally abusing someone else’s belief system. That is persecution and minimizing another person in such an obtrusive way is wrong.
I didn’t realize I would feel SO STRONGLY about it and I keep thinking about it even weeks later. No thank you Book of Mormon. And maybe - thank you even still - for reminding me that I really do care about the way people are treated and respected even if they hold to a different belief or value system than me. And not because I’m tolerant, but because I love Jesus and I think He demands we are better - because THAT is how we will show people who He truly is - mockery and shame will never win someone to the Kingdom.
I think the Book of Mormon version of art is doing damage - what do you think?
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