Woman Joins Church After Seeing "Book Of Mormon" Musical

[smac97]

Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/liza-morong-mormon-converts-book-of-mormon_n_3248510.html?utm_hp_ref=college&ir=College

Liza Morong was a freshman in college when she went to see the Broadway musical "Book of Mormon" with her family while on a trip to New York City in September 2011.

Morong, who was a theater major at Suffolk University in Boston at the time, said she didn't know much about Mormonism before seeing the play, which is about two naive Mormon missionaries who are sent to a rural Ugandan village to teach scripture to the locals.

"After I saw the musical I was very intrigued," Morong told The Huffington Post over the phone on Thursday. "It led me to want to know more."

So she went on Mormon.org and started live-chatting with Mormon missionaries. Soon she was being given lessons by church elders over Facebook chat and Skype.

Morong, who was raised Congregationalist in a small seaside town in Maine, said she was ambivalent at first.

"The [elders] kept asking, 'Do you want to learn more?' and I was thinking, 'No, not really.' But I did anyways."

Soon, Morong was sent a copy of the Book of Mormon in the mail, and she started praying. One day while riding her bike to class, she reported feeling "warm chills" she said she knew to be the presence of God.

Within three months of seeing the play, Morong was regularly attending a "Young Single Adults ward" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in nearby Cambridge, Mass. (The LDS church is divided into wards based on location and age to foster a sense of community, Morong explained.)

Shortly thereafter, while in the area for a family ski trip in December 2011, Morong was baptized in Utah by the online missionary she had first spoken with on Mormon.org just a few months earlier.

Now, Morong says, she's transferring to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

"I'm taking a leap of faith," she says. "I feel like it's where I need to be."

Cool!

-Smac

[Calm]

Four days late:

[Scott Lloyd]

Are you just now hearing about this, Smac? We (Deseret News) had this story last week.

[rockpond]

A former-Mormon friend of mine told me that the musical isn't really all that negative toward the church. I'm sure there are differing opinions on this but that's what he said.

Then I asked him if I should go see it. He said: "No, you'll be offended by the abundant cursing."

[Calm]

The [elders] kept asking, 'Do you want to learn more?' and I was thinking, 'No, not really.'

I do love this line.

[Scott Lloyd]

A former-Mormon friend of mine told me that the musical isn't really all that negative toward the church. I'm sure there are differing opinions on this but that's what he said.

Then I asked him if I should go see it. He said: "No, you'll be offended by the abundant cursing."

And abundant stereotyping and abundant ignorance, perhaps.

But I haven't seen it either, so I guess I shouldn't be talking about it.

[Calm]

One day while riding her bike to class, she reported feeling "warm chills" she said she knew to be the presence of God.

"Warm chills" vs.:

“I was riding my bike to class one morning through some side streets in an older neighborhood in Boston. I remember the light was just passing through the branches of the trees. I felt this peace that I have never felt before. I thought to myself, ‘That just came from God.’”

[Tacenda]

It reminds me a little of Saturday's Warrior with the two missionary compainions. I once stumbled across the whole play on Youtube but didn't watch it. I wonder if it's still available. Maybe it got pulled for pirating or something.

[Ahab]

"Warm chills" vs.:

I know exactly what she is talking about.

[Bernard Gui]

A former-Mormon friend of mine told me that the musical isn't really all that negative toward the church. I'm sure there are differing opinions on this but that's what he said.

Then I asked him if I should go see it. He said: "No, you'll be offended by the abundant cursing."

"...isn't really negative..." is like saying "Mt. Rainier isn't really all that much bigger than that pebble over here."

If you want to be more informed (or maybe not) about the "cursing" in the movie, Google "Book of Mormon lyrics."

WARNING: far more than just cursing.

I cannot fathom why anyone would pay a lot of money to see this puerile "entertainment," especially a Mormon.

Even more baffling is how any Mormon could say anything positive about it, but that is just this old man's opinion.

If this kind of vulgarity were aimed at Jews, Muslems, or gays, there would be hell to pay.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Bernard Gui

[Calm]

I cannot fathom why anyone would pay a lot of money to see this puerile "entertainment," especially a Mormon.

I am surprised that there has been so little comment over the years on the way they portray the Ugandans....at least that I've seen (I've seen some, but I would have expected more...but perhaps I am not paying attention). Edited May 10, 2013 by calmoriah

[Bernard Gui]

I am surprised that there has been so little comment over the years on the way they portray the Ugandans....at least that I've seen (I've seen some, but I would have expected more...but perhaps I am not paying attention).

I have seen a few comments, but no criticism [EDIT BELOW}

Ticket range for the Seattle run: $195-$1575 per ticket.

It would be interesting to hear someone defend the musical.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Bernard Gui

[Calm]

I have seen a few comments, but no criticism

The criticism isn't that hard to find, for example here: http://www.hds.harvard.edu/news-events/harvard-divinity-bulletin/articles/a-cringe-worthy-depiction-of-africa

[Ahab]

I cannot fathom why anyone would pay a lot of money to see this puerile "entertainment," especially a Mormon.

It is amazing, isn't it. Different strokes for a different kind of folks, I think.

Even more baffling is how any Mormon could say anything positive about it, but that is just this old man's opinion.

She was saying he wanted to know more after seeing that. She didn't know much. I'm glad she was open to knowing more.

If this kind of vulgarity were aimed at Jews, Muslems, or gays, there would be hell to pay.

There still is, and some people seem to be okay living in hell while some others want to know more about how to get out of it.

[Bernard Gui]

Humble apologies about the "no criticism" remark above:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/9935041/The-Book-of-Mormon-how-the-new-musical-comedy-will-make-you-catch-your-breath-in-disbelief.html

"The musical has drawn praise from many of those who attended. Richard Bacon, the radio host, said it would be “the best two hours of your life”, while Jack Dee, the comedian, urged his fans to “break all the commandments to get a ticket”.

Those who do get in, however, should be warned. I believe it could be the most expletive-driven, jaw-droppingly shocking and gasp-inducingly offensive show the West End has ever witnessed..."..."Ugandans are depicted as primitive hut-dwellers. They dream of the Mormons’ promised land, Salt Lake City, which they routinely mispronounce (“Sal-talay-ka-siti”), and they think they can send text messages on the village’s battered typewriter."

[canard78]

If this kind of vulgarity were aimed at Jews, Muslems, or gays, there would be hell to pay.

And the fact we haven't has given us amazing press coverage. The UK press have been gushing with praise about the mature and self-assured Mormons who've not been bothered by it. Water off a duck's back.

[Calm]

Also: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700143744/Is-the-Book-of-Mormon-musical-accurate-satire.html?pg=all

[Calm]

And the fact we haven't has given us amazing press coverage. The UK press have been gushing with praise about the mature and self-assured Mormons who've not been bothered by it. Water off a duck's back.

Has there been much chatter about the representation of Ugandans over there?

[Bernard Gui]

The criticism isn't that hard to find, for example here: http://www.hds.harvard.edu/news-events/harvard-divinity-bulletin/articles/a-cringe-worthy-depiction-of-africa

Certainly, Uganda's troubles are many, but the Uganda presented here looks nothing like the "real Uganda."^[2] The Book of Mormon producers worked so hard to get the "Mormon thing" right, while completely ignoring the Ugandan culture, a struggling democracy and economy ravaged by years of war and disease. While Mormons may recognize themselves in The Book of Mormon(even if in a sort of "fun house mirror" reflection), Ugandans would not. Ugandans are not as buffoonish or as inhumane as those presented in The Book of Mormon. Stone, Parker, and Lopez's lack of interest in trying to present anything beyond stereotypes of East Africa is embodied in the song "Hasa Diga Eebowai." Say what you will about the accuracy of the "Africans" depicted in The Lion King musical, at least "Hakuna Matata" actually means something in Swahili. "Hasa Diga Eebowai" is gibberish. If The Book of Mormon is blasphemous, as some have claimed, what bothers me more than any blasphemy (which I actually don't see) is this linguistic imprecision. This suggests to me that while Stone, Parker, and Lopez are willing to dedicate themselves to careful study of Mormon soteriology, they cannot be bothered to go out into the middle of Forty-Second Street and find a Ugandan passing by to help them with some basic Luganda.

[Bernard Gui]

And the fact we haven't has given us amazing press coverage. The UK press have been gushing with praise about the mature and self-assured Mormons who've not been bothered by it. Water off a duck's back.

An interesting strategy. Probably the only non-losing one possible.

[Calm]

This suggests to me that while Stone, Parker, and Lopez are willing to dedicate themselves to careful study of Mormon soteriology, they cannot be bothered to go out into the middle of Forty-Second Street and find a Ugandan passing by to help them with some basic Luganda.

I don't think the writers were that accurate when it came to Mormon belief (whether intentional or not, I wouldn't know) but I find the treatment of the Ugandans as offensive. Perhaps I am used to twisted pictures of Mormons so that I expect it, but I see a significant difference in the implications of how they portray the Mormons and the Ugandans.

[EllenMaksoud]

Here: http://www.huffingto...lege&ir=College

Cool!

-Smac

Well, this is not surprising actually. "Jesus Christ Superstar" came out in 1973 and watching it made me very curious. A year later, we were attending church. In 2011, after I encountered Missionary Sisters, I was going on Youtube and watching X-mormon videos. I'd do research to see if their statements were true. A year later, I was baptized into The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

[Tyresias]

What about the song: 'Turn it off'? Is this at all accurate? Is this a stratagies utilized to keep faith in the face of doubt?

[Calm]

For those interesting in the musical: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865579735/Mormons-become-real-people-for-Book-of-Mormon-musical-cast-touring-upstate-New-York.html

“And I think that’s the message of our show,” he added. “No matter who you are, what you believe in, what your religious background is, if whatever you believe in makes you happy and makes life easier, then do it.”

[Calm]

What about the song: 'Turn it off'? Is this at all accurate? Is this a stratagies utilized to keep faith in the face of doubt?

http://www.deseretne...ire.html?pg=all

I would say that the song is pretty much full of it in its claims that such is a 'nifty little Mormon trick'. It is not doctrine and certainly the examples they give in the song would not be seen as appropriate behaviour by most LDS. Even the part about homosexual feelings is an overly simplistic parody.

Edited May 11, 2013 by calmoriah