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Book of Mormon Broadway

Vaderecta

Vaderecta

Active Member
I would suspect most are familiar with play. I've seen it a few times and generally though it was entertaining. However recently I had this feeling like its just picking on a little religion and seems to spend a lot of time and money trying to address what is essentially an innocuous religion. (I know some ex-mormons will bristle at the innocuous adjective but consider it comparatively.)

For the energy expended and the talent employed I think it could have been better spent going after some of the more obvious choices in our current predicament.
 
ADigitalArtist

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Mormons were chosen because of their upbringing in Denver Colorado and growing up with Mormons all around. With a lot of personal experience with mormons, it became a highlight of south park too. But, like south park, their focus on Mormonism is one of amusement, not one of malice. Generally 'weird beliefs, good people'.
When I came out of the play, there was a bunch of LDS outside with a sign that said 'You saw the play, now read the book.' Which brought a grin to my face. Most I've talked to seem to not be all that upset by it.
 
Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
From Wikipedia.

"LDS Church response

The response of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the musical has been described as "measured." The church released an official response to inquiries regarding the musical, stating, "The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ." Michael Otterson, the head of Public Affairs for the church, followed in April 2011 with measured criticism. "Of course, parody isn't reality, and it's the very distortion that makes it appealing and often funny. The danger is not when people laugh but when they take it seriously—if they leave a theater believing that Mormons really do live in some kind of a surreal world of self-deception and illusion," Otterson wrote, outlining various humanitarian efforts achieved by Mormon missionaries in Africa since the early 2000s. Stone and Parker [the writers] were unsurprised:

The LDS Church has advertised in the playbills at many of the musical's venues to encourage attendees to learn more about the Book of Mormon, with phrases like "you've seen the play, now read the book" and "the book is always better."

Mormons themselves have had varying responses to the musical. Richard Bushman, professor of Mormon studies, said of the musical, "Mormons experience the show like looking at themselves in a fun-house mirror. The reflection is hilarious but not really you. The nose is yours but swollen out of proportion." Bushman said that the musical was not meant to explain Mormon belief, and that many of the ideas in Elder Price's "I Believe" (like God living on a planet called Kolob), though having some roots in Mormon belief, are not doctrinally accurate.

When asked in January 2015 if he had met Mormons who disliked the musical, Gad stated "In the 1.5 years I did that show, I never got a single complaint from a practicing Mormon ... To the contrary, I probably had a few people – a dozen – tell me they were so moved by the show that they took up the Mormon faith."

​
I have yet to see the play.

.​
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
My husband and I saw it in London. I absolutely loved, loved, loved the music. I thought certain songs were absolutely hilarious and I got a real kick out of the way the play poked fun at Mormon culture. I thought it was funny in that regard because it was truly well-done satire. There were a few times when I was genuinely bemused by everybody's laughter. The writers would ridicule some element of Mormon "theology" that wasn't part of Mormon theology at all. Those things were just misleading. To me, satire is only funny if it has a foundation in fact. I also found some of the vulgarity overdone and, in fact, tasteless. But the vulgarity didn't seem to be directed at Mormonism so much as at religion in general. I'm not comfortable watching crude gestures and language directed at God. Overall, we really liked it and were glad we went. It's just a play, after all. Mormons have put up with so much worse over our nearly 190-year history. "The Book of Mormon" seemed to not be particularly malicious in its intent. I think that's why it's kind of silly for anyone to get particularly worked up over it. And I think the Church's response to it couldn't really have been much more appropriate.
 
Kelly of the Phoenix

Kelly of the Phoenix

Well-Known Member
I haven't seen the play, but given it's done by the South Park guys, remember in South Park that while criticizing Mormonism, they also defended it ... plus, I think they're the only ones who go to heaven in one episode. :)
 
Vaderecta

Vaderecta

Active Member
Katzpur said:
My husband and I saw it in London. I absolutely loved, loved, loved the music. I thought certain songs were absolutely hilarious and I got a real kick out of the way the play poked fun at Mormon culture. I thought it was funny in that regard because it was truly well-done satire. There were a few times when I was genuinely bemused by everybody's laughter. The writers would ridicule some element of Mormon "theology" that wasn't part of Mormon theology at all. Those things were just misleading. To me, satire is only funny if it has a foundation in fact. I also found some of the vulgarity overdone and, in fact, tasteless. But the vulgarity didn't seem to be directed at Mormonism so much as at religion in general. I'm not comfortable watching crude gestures and language directed at God. Overall, we really liked it and were glad we went. It's just a play, after all. Mormons have put up with so much worse over our nearly 190-year history. "The Book of Mormon" seemed to not be particularly malicious in its intent. I think that's why it's kind of silly for anyone to get particularly worked up over it. And I think the Church's response to it couldn't really have been much more appropriate.
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Language directed at god? As a mormon I believe you have a god in mind. To me it sounds a bit off. Like so many religions and mormons are like the tiny part of all the religions and you refer to god in a way I would think makes sense to you but so many others have their own gods.

Sure though, the play directed and composed for the audience who paid to see it may have included a few bits for the god who didn't bother to buy a ticket. (Or comment)
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Vaderecta said:
Language directed at god? As a mormon I believe you have a god in mind. To me it sounds a bit off. Like so many religions and mormons are like the tiny part of all the religions and you refer to god in a way I would think makes sense to you but so many others have their own gods.

Sure though, the play directed and composed for the audience who paid to see it may have included a few bits for the god who didn't bother to buy a ticket. (Or comment)
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Well, I assumed it was the Abrahamic God. I don't know if you've seen the play yourself, but there is a song called, "Hasa Diga Eebowai!" which supposedly means, "F___ you, God!" I found that offensive, but I wasn't really particularly bothered by the satire of Mormonism.
 
Vaderecta

Vaderecta

Active Member
Katzpur said:
Well, I assumed it was the Abrahamic God. I don't know if you've seen the play yourself, but there is a song called, "Hasa Diga Eebowai!" which supposedly means, "F___ you, God!" I found that offensive, but I wasn't really particularly bothered by the satire of Mormonism.
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I guess my point was your personal association to your god was probably shared by others in a similar way but of their god. (Not necessarily yours) I've seen the play, I did not pick up on that particular lyric.

I did try a quick google search. What language is that?
 
Watchmen

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Vaderecta said:
I would suspect most are familiar with play. I've seen it a few times and generally though it was entertaining. However recently I had this feeling like its just picking on a little religion and seems to spend a lot of time and money trying to address what is essentially an innocuous religion. (I know some ex-mormons will bristle at the innocuous adjective but consider it comparatively.)

For the energy expended and the talent employed I think it could have been better spent going after some of the more obvious choices in our current predicament.
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I think it’s obvious that the message is bigger than just mormonism.
 
Prestor John

Prestor John

Well-Known Member
Vaderecta said:
I would suspect most are familiar with play. I've seen it a few times and generally though it was entertaining. However recently I had this feeling like its just picking on a little religion and seems to spend a lot of time and money trying to address what is essentially an innocuous religion. (I know some ex-mormons will bristle at the innocuous adjective but consider it comparatively.)

For the energy expended and the talent employed I think it could have been better spent going after some of the more obvious choices in our current predicament.
Click to expand...
I'm a Latter-Day Saint and I don't think I'll ever see the play, but I'm not too particularly bothered by it.

We have had to endure decades of actual persecution that a play isn't going to ruffle our feathers.
 
J

Jane.Doe

Active Member
Vaderecta said:
I would suspect most are familiar with play. I've seen it a few times and generally though it was entertaining. However recently I had this feeling like its just picking on a little religion and seems to spend a lot of time and money trying to address what is essentially an innocuous religion. (I know some ex-mormons will bristle at the innocuous adjective but consider it comparatively.)

For the energy expended and the talent employed I think it could have been better spent going after some of the more obvious choices in our current predicament.
Click to expand...
Agreed: they could very well be doing something much better with their time than mocking another groups dearly held beliefs.

Am I going to loose sleep over their spending of time? Nope, I got better things to do.
 
Saint Frankenstein

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
The LDS is fair game to me since they have no problem going after LGBT people (not all Mormons, obviously but the institution).
 
Saint Frankenstein

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
Jane.Doe said:
So... you believe it's okay to mock people's beliefs because of a disagreement on one issue?
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Promoting bigotry, which actually harms people, is not mere disagreement over an issue. Just mocking is nice compared to what they do. A lot of LGBT people hate religion and will have nothing to do with it. I wonder why. I'm not going to respect you if you try to take my rights away or prevent me from having in the first place. I deserve to be treated equally before the law and society. Any organization that teaches otherwise can go **** itself.
 
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