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You know, I’m starting to get a bit fed up with how we seem to get the short end of the stick all the time as Mormons. My current angst and problems aside, for much of my life was a die-hard, TBM Mormon, active, and the Church was very important to me. Throughout my three decades in the Church, we are the brunt of so much bad and mocking press. The latest is the Book of Mormon broadway show. I read a review on Yahoo which is generally positive, how people are flocking to see it, how, although sacriligious, it’s also “very sweet”. There is always some acknowledgement by people that Mormons are such good people, yet they continue to poke massive fun and drag nastiness across the whole thing.
Here is the review:
http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/the-book-of-mormon-hits-broadway–2617 I thought the Church’s answer was a bit weak.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which is lampooned, has released a statement regarding the musical. “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.”
While this is graceful and non-inflammatory, would the rest of the Christian world have reacted so passively to a sacriligious comedy about the Bible? I haven’t seen it yet, but if you understand South Park, it can’t be positive. Poor missionaries in New York right now, they must be getting all kinds of Mormon jokes thrown at them as they proselyte.
I think the idea was to not make a big deal so as not to draw attention. Probably the best strategy. The spin I’ve heard is that it will work to the church’s advantage by getting people to ask questions. Probably true to some extent.
We are the butt of jokes because we are perceived to have strange beliefs. I really trace it all back to polygamy. That is a millstone that we hung around our neck that may take another 300 years to cut lose. I dare say if you go back east half the population that thinks Mormon thinks polygamy. I experienced it myself. Imagine if we had not ever had polygamy. What would the the perception of the church be today? I do not know, maybe we would be weaker as a church but certainly would not be on the receiving end of so many crappy jokes. doug wrote:I think the idea was to not make a big deal so as not to draw attention. Probably the best strategy.
I don’t know, I think it makes us, as an organization an easy target. It seems like the world can make fun of the Mormons as often and in whatever doses they want, without any kind of even disapproval shown in any large way. How would the Baptists react if the show was called “The Baptists”, and it was poking fun at their creeds, their practices, etcetera? I think there would be huge outcry.
We profess to be a “peculiar” and “chosen” people. Can’t be special and not be different. Can’t be different and not stick out, becoming the butt of jokes sometimes. I think it comes with the territory. But I get what you mean SD. Catholics, Evangelicals and Christian Fundamentalists are made fun of in the media too. There have been sacrilegious portrayals of the Bible stories.
As a result of the dirt we receive, I always stand up for other religions when people make fun of them. Also, when someone starts spouting off doctrine about a Church they don’t belong to, I always ask them to tell me where they got their informaton from. If they haven’t spoken to someone in the organization themself, I call them on it. It’s therapeutic because maybe I’m curbing the kind of disrespect I’m used to getting, but for someone in a different religion. Also, encouraging a cure for the rampant religious misinformation we see out there, which often hurts our religion. i guess that i’d rather be the butt of a joke as a mormon than the butt of a joke as a devout Catholic. The scandals that they have went through recently would be very difficult for the believing members who are doing no wrong. Jesus and the prophets have always told us that if we find ourselves “fitting in” with the world, we should probably examine ourselves more closely.
John Hamer did a great post on this a few years ago on Mormon Matters. IIRC, it was called “Earth to Kolob! It’s not your [can’t remember] – it’s your weird beliefs!” Perhaps someone else will remember the post. The point of it, as I recall, was that we are always trying to figure out why we are so persecuted and picked on, but our beliefs really do sound weird to non-believers and outsiders. Cadence is right about the polygamy thing, too – I was the only Mormon in my high school in PA, and that is absolutely the one thing everybody knows about Mormons. I was always asked how many husbands I would have when I grew up. The truly knowledgeable have seen the Godmakers and can also add to their store of knowledge that Mormons: – wear funny magical underwear
– wear even funnier magical clothing and do weird things in their temples
– believe that good Mormons will get to have cosmic sex and populate worlds ad nauseum throughout eternity
All religion is subject to being the butt of jokes, just as are political views and racial stereotypes. Anything that makes a group of people different and unique can be turned into humor. I do think the church’s response was, for a big change, spot on.
I also thought the Church’s response to the musical was exactly right. I don’t mind being the butt of jokes. I expect it – and there are some REALLY funny Mormon jokes. (Rejected state motto for Utah:
“Our Jesus is better than your Jesus.”That’s absolutely hilarious! 😆 :clap: – as are the twin mottos for Nebraska and Kansas: “tidal wave free for 4 billion years” and “tidal wave free for 6,000 years” Brilliant!)What I don’t like are ignorant, mean-spirited “jokes” – but I don’t like them regardless of the target.
For what it’s worth Catholicism has been sent up on a regular basis. Sister Act is the prime example which springs to mind. I think its important to be able to laugh at ourselves, too. Sometimes that is when it is not flattering towards us, but meant for entertainment, not really personal, IMO. I mean, several mormons loved it when Parker and Stone used South Park to say that the correct answer to getting into heaven was, “the Mormons”. That was ok with mormons then, wasn’t it. Well, we need to take punches too…or else just ban all laughter, fun, and non-spiritual.
(see South Park thread:
http://www.staylds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2125http://www.staylds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2125” class=”bbcode_url”> Coincidentally a sit com I was watching a few days ago featured some Mormon missionaries on it. I practically blanched, but it was mainly sending up RCism. An old woman mistook the mishies for undertakers for her husband! Next time I see the missionaries I might ask “Are they filming a sequel to Men in Black around here somewhere?” (referring to the fact they dress like Will Smith did in that movie).
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