Monday, October 17, 2011

You Think It's Funny, But It's Not

There is this certain musical named after a certain sacred scripture of ours that is on Broadway right now. (In case you didn't know.) Yesterday, I clicked a link to a performance from this musical because I was curious. The actor dressed as a missionary sang a song. It was a very pretty song, and a little moving in fact. He was singing about believing in Christ.

But then, but then...he sang about a branch of Joseph being called to the Promised Land.

And the audience laughed.

He sang about the eternal progression of souls.

And the audience laughed.

He sang about latter-day prophets who speak to God.

And they laughed some more.

I turned it off because I couldn't watch any more. I felt like I was in that great and spacious musical theater clinging for my life to the iron rod. The mockery of those things so sacred to us was so blatant and...ugly.

It made me sad.

But then I remembered something.

Of course we will be mocked for our beliefs. If we weren't teased, scorned, laughed at, called "not Christian"...then things would be too easy.

With the new Mormon campaign, I really feel this is Heavenly Father's way of getting us ready to answer more questions about the gospel, to smile in the face of increasing derision, and to proclaim our beliefs to an ever shrinking world....a world that is becoming more and more aware of us as a people.

Because this is who we are, what creates our very souls and without which we'd be something less. (So bring it on.)

6 comments:

  1. I agree competely! There will always be those who mock the Church, because old Scratch tries really hard to bring it down. The best thing we can do is hold strong to what we know is true and right - and let the these sorts of things just roll on by.

    Funny note: did you know the musical has actually brought people to the missionaries to find out what we really believe?

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  2. I have to admit that I've been curious about that musical that must not be named. It's funny because the creators have said lots of times that they really respect Mormons - really?

    And I love that non members are actually coming to our defensive when that pastor called us a cult - awesome.

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  3. Yeah, that whole thing has been really interesting. You know, though, I have to say that as sacreligious and vulgar as it is, I honestly think its going to put the church out into the public sphere in a way that nothing else really could have. And people know its sacreligious and vulgar, and then they can ask themselves, hmmm, I wonder how much of this is actually true. Basically, I can see how it would be good for missionary work.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  4. Weston-Very interesting, and not a bad thing. Not at all.

    Patti-I agree. Have you seen the Anderson Cooper interview?

    Sarah-Just the opposite effect one would expect, and even more of a chance for us to defend our religion and share the gospel.

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  5. That's so sad that people laugh at those things. I love your comparison to the great and spacious building. That's exactly what it is.

    But as they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity--this can only help spread our name and cause curiosity to abound and true seekers to find the answers they've been searching for.

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  6. All I can say is "Ditto!" This will only help the Church in so many ways. Ironic, isn't it?!

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