Lessons I Learned Watching The Book Of Mormon

As far as musicals go The Book of Mormon is quite possibly the hottest ticket to be had in both New York and London. Written and by directed  Trey Parker & Matt Stone, the Tony Award winning story of two Mormon missionaries sent to Africa is full of the all the satire, irreverence, and social commentary one would come to expect from the creator’s of South Park.

I had the opportunity to see the show in London on Saturday evening and honestly, I don’t think I have laughed, or winced, as much in any show ever. The laughs came of course from the brilliantly clever writing. (and I have a rather soft spot in my heart for the brilliantly clever)

And the wincing?  Well, some of that I suppose came from the “over the top” ways in which The Book of Mormon confronts issues of sex, race, violence, and poverty.  But mostly my wincing came from watching my own religious upbringing being played out in front of my very eyes.

True, I wasn’t a Mormon missionary, but being a Christian missionary wasn’t far from.  Many songs from the show resonated with my own experiences as a missionary sent into the world with the best (if sometimes misguided) of intentions. Of course, I wasn’t as full of myself as Elder Price (Ok, some may disagree 🙂 ) or as needy and insecure as Elder Cunningham, but much of the same youthful zeal and desire to save the world was what propelled myself and many of my peers all those years ago seemed wrapped up in songs I was hearing.

Songs like:

Hello: The Book of Mormon’s opening number satirizes the scripted delivery and sales like nature of religion.  Real relationships are not cultivated.  Instead a strategic plan of veneer is designed to open a door to people emotionally so the missionary can fill it with their religious product.  “Hello, have you heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? You haven’t, well let me share with you…”

Two by Two: The eager young missionaries await to hear what part of the world they will be assigned.  Although Elder Price wants to be sent to Orlando, he get Uganda instead.  Nevertheless he is enthusiastic because God is going with him.  Christian missionaries are not much different.  They get “called” to one place and if they don’t like it they hear a “call” somewhere else.  They will often “wait on the Lord” for “direction”.  Many times it is like a cat chasing their tail.  These days I would tell Elder Price, “If you want to go to Orlando, go to Orlando.”

You & Me (But Mostly Me): The enthusiasm (and narcissism) of youth is revealed as Elders Price and Cunningham set off on a missionary adventure that they believe will be so incredible that “it blows God’s freakin’ mind”.  As a young Christian missionary I know I was out to save the world.  Sure others had tried, but they hadn’t seen me yet! 🙂

ELDER PRICE:
I’ve always had the hope
That on the day I go to heaven,
Heavenly Father will shake my hand and say:
“You’ve done an AWESOME  job, Kevin!”
Now it’s our time to go out…

ELDER CUNNINGHAM:
My best friend…

ELDER PRICE:
And set that world’s people free!
And we can do it together,
You and me-
But mostly me!
You and me-but mostly me
Are gonna change the world forever.
Cause I can do most anything!

Hasa Diga Eebowai: Elders Price & Cunningham arrive in their assigned African village and are instantly confronted with a society wrecked with AIDS, poverty, female genital mutilation, and warlord violence.  The village deals with their hopelessness by swearing at and blaming God.  The missionaries are more offended at the villagers apparent blasphemy than the atrocities around them. As Christians, we often erroneously think God is offended more at his own name being insulted than the abuse of his children.   God is much less distressed at a person who has endured unspeakable misery telling him to F&^k off than at the misery that caused the reaction in the first place.

MAFALA:
In this part of Africa, we ALL have a saying- whenver something bad happens,
we just throw our hands up to the sky and say HASA DIGA EEBOWAI!

ELDER CUNNINGHAM:
Hasa Diga Eebowai?

MAFALA:
It’s the only way to get through all these troubled times.
There’s war, poverty, famine… but having a saying makes it all seem better!

There isn’t enough food to eat!
Hasa Diga Eebowai!
People are starving in the street!

UGANDANS and MAFALA:
Hasa Diga Eebowai!
Hasa Diga Eebowai!
Hasa Diga Eebowai!

Turn It Off:  Elders Price and Cunningham begin to get discouraged but previous missionaries come to their rescue.  They teach them a little trick that they learned to overcome those negative thoughts and doubts…they “turn them off, like a lightswitch”  In most of the Christian circles I come from difficult questions and doubts are not encouraged.  If the pat answers are insufficient you are encouraged to just remain silent and go with the flow.  To “turn it off” so to speak.

ELDER MCKINLEY:
I got a feeling,
That you could be feeling,
A whole lot better then you feel today
You say you got a problem,
well thats no problem,
It\’s super easy not to feel that way!

When you start to get confused because of thoughts in your head,
Don’t feel those feelings!
Hold them in instead

Turn it off, like a light switch
just go click!
It’s a cool little Mormon trick!
We do it all the time
When your feeling certain feels that just don’t feel right
Treat those pesky feelings like a reading light
and turn em off,
Like a light switch just go bap!
Really whats so hard about that?
Turn it off! (Turn it off!)

Spooky Mormon Hell Dream: After Elder Price leaves his companion and his mission he dreams he is in hell having “broke the rules”.

SATAN:
Minions of Hades,
Have you heard the news?
Kevin was caught playing hooky!
Now he’s back
With all you Cath’lics and Jews
It’s super spooky-wooky!

ELDER PRICE:
I’m sorry, Lord, it was selfish of me
To break the rules, please I
Don’t wanna be in this
Spooky Mormon Hell Dream!

Elder Price lives in the same fear that many Christians live with (and one that I lived with previously).  Underneath the smiles, the good news, the missionary zeal, and talk of unconditional love lives the threat of a God who will send you to an eternity of hell if you don’t do things in the correct way or with the right belief.  Just for the record, God doesn’t do that but there are many Christians that think he does.

I Believe: Elder Price casts doubts aside and doubles down on his faith reaffirming everything he believes whether it sounds plausible or not.

It was supposed to be all so exciting.
To be teaching of Christ across the sea.
But I allowed my faith to be shaken-
Oh, what’s the matter with me?

I’ve always longed to help the needy.
To do the things I never dared.
This was the time for me to step up.
So then why was I so scared?

A warlord that shoots people in the face.
What’s so scary about that?
I must trust that my Lord is mightier,
And always has my back.
Now I must completely devout
I can’t have even one shred of doubt!

I believe-
That the Lord God created the universe.
I believe-
That he sent his only son to die for my sins.
And I believe-
That ancient Jews built boats and sailed
to America.
I am a Mormon.
And a Mormon just believes.

As a Christian missionary I often felt it was the power of my belief that granted me the favor and backing of God.  He would stand with me IF I did not doubt.  That’s why many Christians struggle to express doubt.  They feel it is the Kryptonite that will weaken their super powers and make them vulnerable to Satan…or Rob Bell.  As I understood God more I realized I have his backing because I am his son…I don’t have to DO anything.  Unfortunately Elder Price, and many Christian missionaries, live in a world where they have to prove something to God…often with disastrous consequences.

The Book of Mormon, despite its perceived irreverence, ends on a positive note. The missionaries realize they have the power to help this village and it wasn’t in the way they originally thought.

But isn’t that how God works?  We think he cares about one thing, but Jesus showed he cares about something a whole lot different.  That was the message Elders Price and Cunningham came to realize.

Perhaps you will too!

Peace,

Steve