The Book of Mormon-the Musical

In a culture that finds nothing sacred we are now introduced to the vulgar, profane and blasphemous theatrical production entitled, “The Book of Mormon-The Musical”.

This was produced by two individuals, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who have made enormous amounts money producing a vulgar cartoon entitled South Park. I have never watched a single entire episode of South Park and I certainly don’t plan to ever in the future. The few short clips I have seen were enough to turn me off. I did watch a recent 60 Minutes clip regarding their meteoric rise and the surprising success they received from The Book of Mormon-The Musical.

The Book of Mormon The Musical

Throughout history God’s people have been persecuted for their beliefs. The early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, more commonly called the Mormons, have been replete with murders, tarring and feathering, raping and pillaging, and forcing them out of their homes and across the land from city to city, finally ending up in the great Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The only other people who have suffered more for their religious beliefs than the members of the LDS Church, are probably the Jews.

But now we are introduced to a new phase of persecution. Seeing previous attempts to eliminate and discredit the Mormon church has pretty much failed as the church has continued to grow across the world, they now resort to ridicule and hyperbole. If something can be reduced to the level of “a joke,” it can be more easily dismissed and forgotten. This has happened to several political leaders in the past and is a common tactic used by adversaries and enemies. It is hard to look for anything positive in such individuals as Dan Quayle or Sarah Palin as they have both suffered the same tactics used on them. Whether you like them or not, the image inside your head regarding them is probably not a positive one and it’s all because someone used this tactic of reducing them to becoming a joke.

But this production about The Book of Mormon-The Musical is something new. While there have been several movies over the last hundred years ridiculing the church and trying to discredit it by spreading lies, innuendo and implication of evil motives with satanic voice-overs, the Book of Mormon-The Musical uses humor and music as its weapons of choice. Cleverly written lyrics about partial untruths removes the fear that some people feel when confronted with the truth.

It’s far easier to dismiss a prophet of God if he has been reduced to the lyrics of a play and becomes the brunt of a joke.

But in reality the coming forth of such things as “the Book of Mormon-the Musical” is a fulfillment of prophecy.

I’m not kidding. In first Nephi Chapter 8 we are introduced to a marvelous vision by the prophet Lehi concerning the history of the world from his time in 600 BC until the last days when Christ returns. But it is not told in the typical format outlined in similar visions seen by Isaiah or John Revelator. It is told from the point of view of people’s hearts searching for the truth and how it is affected or revealed by its surroundings.

In the dream he sees a Tree of Life which fruit was desirable to make one happy. He wants his family to partake of it and his wife and two sons come to him and enjoy the fulfillment of partaking of the delicious, white and wonderful fruit. His two other sons would not come to him and caused him great anxiety.

He then noticed a rod of iron that led to the tree by which he stood. There was also a straight and narrow path they had to follow to arrive at the tree. There were numerous concourses of people pressing forward that they might obtain that path, and when they began walking along that path a terrible mist the darkness arose and blinded them from seeing their destination. Those who let go of the rod of iron were lost as they wandered off and many of them drowned in a nearby river.

Some did go through the mist and arrived at the tree, partook of the fruit and became ashamed at what they had done. The reason they were ashamed is because across the river there was a great and spacious building high up in the air which was filled with people of all ages. They were dressed in very fine clothes mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who partook of the fruit. Those who left the path also fell away into forbidden paths and became lost.

The vast majority of the people he saw his dream were feeling their way towards that great and spacious building as it became their only desire. They did not desire to partake of the fruit of a simple tree. They wanted money, luxury, pride, prominence, and to be better the next guy. There was a great multitude that entered into that building.

What they are doing with The Book of Mormon-The Musical is nothing less than pointing the finger of scorn at those who are partaking of the Tree of Life.

But here is the secret of those who have reached the Tree of Life and how to react to the scoffing and ridicule of those in the great and spacious building. It is found in verse 33 of that same chapter which states, “and great was the multitude that it enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.”

For those who are truly converted, the actions of such individuals like these two from South Park will have little effect because they will not listen to them. But sadly there will be some who are not truly converted and they will fall away. The attitude of mocking and ridiculing those who partake of the wonderful fruit of the tree of life, which is a similitude of the atonement of Jesus Christ, will affect millions of others who won’t want to endure such ridicule and persecution. They will seek the approval of those in the great and spacious building.

It is important to note that this building, in addition, is high in the air. It has no foundation. It is built upon the pride of humanity and in the last days, and this building will fall as shown in the interpretation of the vision by Nephi. All those within the building will be destroyed and will find themselves unable to partake of the beautiful atonement offered them from their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They will be the ones who will face the ultimate shame as they stand before God full of guilt that they cannot get rid of.

Is not our current financial position in the world today very similar to a great and spacious building high in the air? Have we not built such a building on false ideas, incorrect principles and corrupt politicians and businessmen? Is this not the great and abominable church prophesied of by John Revelator? Does it not have the same desires and motives of the Church of the devil? The answer is an obvious, Yes!

So while the LDS Church sends out 52,000 missionaries serving throughout the world at their own expense, trying to spread the message of peace and love with an invitation to accept the atonement of Jesus Christ, Satan uses his minions to ridicule and demean this marvelous gift and is paying them handsomely for it. In 1 Nephi 19:7 (page 44) of the Book of Mormon we also read, “for the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words-they set it at naught not, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.”

The Book of Mormon-The Musical, is nothing less than trampling under their feet the very God of Israel.

Many people wonder how someone could have spit upon the face of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Many wonder how they could be so blind as to who he was and what he was doing for them. Many books have been written over the years regarding Judas Iscariot, questioning his motives and how he could be so misled. Yet we live in a day that is far worse. We live in a day where nothing is sacred and if it will bring in the money, they will do it including blasphemous vulgar words set to clever, toetapping music.

I love the real Book of Mormon-The Book! I know it is true. I have read it many many times only missing about 40 days in the past 25 years. Its is a wonderful book! I have used it to make important decisions in my life and found it to be of infinite value. Of course it breaks my heart to see someone ridicule something I love, but I will take the words of advice from Nephi and “heed them not.” I will continue to do my part to share its message of love, hope, redemption and salvation to a wicked world on the verge of destruction.

There are several writers far better than I who have explained their positions against this musical such as Lyman Kirkland and Richard Bushman.

I also make a prediction that I hope does not come true: Since this group has made a lot of money through such ridicule and humor against the church, it will be open season on a flood of similar things that use the same strategy to discredit it. This may only be the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy in 1 Nephi 8 about them pointing the finger of scorn at those who had partaken of the fruit.

But I will “heed them not”. I will never set foot in the theater, I will never donate a single dollar, I will never listen to clever words where they blaspheme the Lord and his beloved Prophet Joseph Smith, as in “The Book of Mormon-The Musical”.