Book of Mormon on Broadway

[fiona84]

Hey everyone,

This was just brought to my attention by a friend and I'm not happy about it.

The Book of Mormon the Musical

It's going to be really mean and offensive. People are raving about it. I worry about how it will skew perceptions of the church. Aargh, these guys make me so mad!!! Why are they always picking on the church?

[Backroads]

From what I read, I don't know if it'll be that mean and offensive. South Park, I think, is rather respectful of Mormons (the Mormons were right!) and those creators happen to have Mormon buddies. Respectful as in, I don't think it'll be anti in any way.

As for skewing perceptions of the Church, you're probably right about that!

[Bini]

Haven't clicked the link yet and I'm not surprised. But the only musical on Broadway I'm interested in seeing is Phantom Of The Opera this summer in London :]

[Guest mirancs8]

I love at the end when he says with great sarcasm, "I'm sure the Mormon's will embrace this, absolutely 100 percent. They're going to give us things. They're going to send us letters of love. I can't wait. It's going to be awesome."

I think they do this stuff because the want to get those letters and such. They enjoy stirring the pot.

[Wingnut]

Open discussions already happening on this site about this show:

http://www.lds.net/forums/current-events/34599-mormon-musical-finally-go.html

http://www.lds.net/forums/current-events/31583-south-park-creators-take-book-mormon-broadway.html

[Backroads]

I love at the end when he says with great sarcasm, "I'm sure the Mormon's will embrace this, absolutely 100 percent. They're going to give us things. They're going to send us letters of love. I can't wait. It's going to be awesome."

I think they do this stuff because the want to get those letters and such. They enjoy stirring the pot.

Oh, they definitely to enjoy stirring things up. I know I will frown much upon this.

But the thing is, while the general public likes laughing and teasing religions and even using such things to vent some frustration, the general public is against things that are truly offensive and critical of any group. Most people are pretty nice that way. Which is why I'm not too worried. Yes, it'll definitely get a lot of church members riled up, but it won't be anti.

[mightynancy]

It sounds hilarious.

It's important to be able to laugh at ourselves. I myself love a good mormon joke - see, most jokes poke fun at our culture, not at our deeply-held beliefs. As such, they are funny! And we must admit that our beliefs, from the POV of non-believers, can sound odd and even funny.

Remember, the kids love to pick on the kids who can't take a joke. The kids who can laugh along get respect.

[captmoroniRM]

One of the creators of South Park is an apostate Mormon who delights in mocking the Church. Both creators have created films like Orgazmo which perverts the sacred calling of Missionaries for humor sake. Their portrayal of the Church on South Park is the same way. A Book of Mormon musical would be doing the same thing. It is a sacred book, and a powerful testament of Christ. By doing this, they will essentially be taking making fun of the testimony of Christ, and God will not be mocked.

I am reminded of the passage in the Doctrine and Covenants. "I, the Lord, am not to be mocked in the last days. Behold, I am from above, and my power lieth beneath. I am over all, and in all, and through all, and search all things, and the day cometh that all things shall be subject unto me. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ.

Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips...Wherefore, let [them] repent of their sins, and I, the Lord, will own them; otherwise they shall be cut off"

Sure they might make money off of it. Sure it might be funny presentation, but they are further severing themselves from the Lord, and will reap the consequences of their actions.

Edited December 29, 2010 by captmoroniRM

[Wingnut]

I think this is one of those things that's a big deal only because we make it one.

[MarginOfError]

I can't wait to see it!

[Kurt]

I'lll bring the popcorn!

Lol. I find it funny how Satan gets people to do stuff like this. Satan must really hate us, huh? I have never known another religion separate from our church to get so much flak and have so many rumors/lies/myths surrounding it.

[Dravin]

I'lll bring the popcorn!

Lol. I find it funny how Satan gets people to do stuff like this. Satan must really hate us, huh? I have never known another religion separate from our church to get so much flak and have so many rumors/lies/myths surrounding it.

Judaism is the first thing that pops into my mind. Catholics is probably second. Particularly if one considers things historically.

[pam]

Kurt..did you ever study about the holocaust?

[Bini]

Kurt..did you ever study about the holocaust?

There are people who deny the holocaust ever happened.

[pam]

Yet we know it did. My point is..we are not the only Church or religion that has ever had myths/lies/persecution.

[LDSVALLEY]

I'd be interested except it mentions explicit language.

Humans constantly mock things they don't understand.

I guess it's an honor that the LDS church has reached such a well known status that people feel that a musical mocking or poking fun at it will be profitable.

Frequently in movies there are one liners about the church mostly about marriage.

I look at it as they will create controversy which will get the church talked about both by people on the streets and media. This puts the church into people's subconscious which makes them familiar with the name so it helps break down barriers when Missionaries stop by.

I just hope that members don't go overboard in condemning this work. When we get heated or threatening we diminish the values of the church. I have no problem if people want to poke fun at the church, it is their agency, as it is mine to politely and calmly correct them. When it is done simply in humor then I simply laugh at a good joke or groan at a bad one.

[catalyst]

Maybe it will be better than the Book of Mormon movies the church puts out. Worst...Acting... Ever.

[Elphaba]

Maybe it will be better than the Book of Mormon movies the church puts out. Worst...Acting... Ever.

You may be referring to a different movie than I, but the Book of Mormon movie with the worst.acting.ever was not put out by the Church. It was a private endeavor directed by Gary Rogers.

You wrote "movies," plural, so you're probably talking about different movies. It's just that I can't imagine anything could top that particular awful.

Elphaba

Edited December 30, 2010 by Elphaba

[fiona84]

I definitely think Orgazmo seemed really offensive. I didn't watch it because I think it's rated NC-17 or something and it would probably really annoy me.

The thing I'm concerned with is that they (the creators of South Park) think the whole BOM story sounds so ludicrious and they cannot believe millions of people 'actually' believe it.

[bytor2112]

I definitely think Orgazmo seemed really offensive. I didn't watch it because I think it's rated NC-17 or something and it would probably really annoy me.

The thing I'm concerned with is that they (the creators of South Park) think the whole BOM story sounds so ludicrious and they cannot believe millions of people 'actually' believe it.

Well....they think the whole Joseph Smith story and the coming forth of the BOM to be ludicrous anyway.

[fiona84]

Yeah, I know, and we're the butt of the joke.......

I guess I can't decide whether to be offended or find it funny.

[Bini]

Yeah, I know, and we're the butt of the joke.......

I guess I can't decide whether to be offended or find it funny.

Your feelings are valid ones. You're not wrong for feeling what you do. But there's a point when you have to decide whether it's worth being all worked up in a frenzy, or to just give it a laugh and let it go. There's too many things in this world to dampen one's day. You gotta pick your battles.

[Kurt]

Kurt..did you ever study about the holocaust?

Yeah you pretty much just owned me.

Lol.

[mnn727]

Frankly I hope Church members don't get too riled up and give it free publicity.

I remember how Christians got riled up over the movie The Last Temptation of Christ, millions went to see it just because of the controvesy. It would have died after a few days in the theaters except for all the protests that kept people going to see what it was all about - it really was a terrible movie.

As far as this: Ignore it, it'll go away.

Nothing will prevent the work of God from going forth.

[Nathan6329]

The problem is the South Park writers started out with Mormons by making a song about their believes and calling them and the people that believe them dumb. The concept of the musical itself isn't bad, it is the people that are involved with it that make me prejudiced from the start about it.

The story is about a couple men from Salt Lake being sent to Africa and finding out they can't offer these people anything they think they really need when it comes down to it which could be funny because jokes about missionaries coming to your door when their timing is horrible happens a lot in real life and making fun of the way missionaries act all the time would seem like all in good fun, but what they do is start out with small jokes and build up into offensive and insulting remarks.