There are things secular critics won’t or can’t tell you about the musical, The Book of Mormon, because it is either not in their wheelhouse or could get them fired. As a result, most of the reviews you read are incomplete. I aim to shoot straighter with you.

The Book of Mormon is a remarkably accurate, brilliantly written and incredibly funny musical lampooning of Mormonism by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park.

The Plot

Two Mormon missionaries (Elders Price and Cunningham) are sent to Uganda to convert the locals. Price, an overachiever, is disappointed because he had his heart set on Disney-based Orlando, but he is determined to be successful in Uganda. Price, however, soon becomes disillusioned and bails out.

Unknown to Price, the locals are ready to be baptized as Mormons and head to Salt Lake City. This leaves their Mormon indoctrination to Elder Cunningham. Cunningham improvises, making up new stories about Mormonism he thinks the locals will find more appealing, you know, like Joseph Smith did with Christianity.

The village is converted, but when Mormon higher-ups arrive they are shocked to find their religion perverted by Cunningham’s bizarre fantasy.

The Message

Some have wrongly contended The Book of Mormon is a critique of organized religion in general.To the contrary, the satire is pointed and specific. There are references to Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, but it is not satirized.

The message is simple: Mormonism is a religion made up by a man with an active imagination who told people what the wanted they wanted to hear, like that they can be a god, have their own harem and rule their own planet . . . unless, of course, you are black or a woman.

This satire is particularly biting because it is true. Secular critics won’t tell you this because they don’t know any better, don’t want to offend their readership or their editors, but it is true. The Book of Mormon musical is a hilarious and accurate undressing of The Book of Mormon and Mormonism. Parker and Stone pull up Mormonism’s skirt so you can see its magic underwear, and it is not a pretty site.

For example, in the musical, Ugandan villagers are baffled when told that dark skin was once considered a curse by the Mormons. We are baffled too.

But Mormonism did bar Black men from the LDS priesthood and Black members from temple ordinances for decades until in 1978 Mormon Church President, Spencer Kimball, said God told him He had changed His mind.

If you want a crash course in what Mormons really believe, and you want to laugh harder than you have probably laughed in years, The Book of Mormon is the ticket.

The Music

The music is fantastic and funny. Here’s an example: the song, I Believe, sung by lead Andrew Rannells. The song comes after Elder Price questions his Mormon faith and is reaffirming what he believes.

The music is dramatic and the words, “I believe,” are sung with conviction, but they are juxtaposed with quirky Mormon beliefs like ” . . . [God’s] plan involves me getting my own planet,” ” . . . in 1978 God changed his mind about black people,” and “the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri.” All the songs are memorable, most are funny, and far as I can remember, all the quirky beliefs are what Mormonism really teaches.

The real controversy

The musical is controversial but not for the reason it should be. Even though Christianity is not the target, some parts are outright offensive. Seeing Jesus portrayed in a comedy, even though it is the Mormon Jesus, is unsettling, as is hearing the Ugandans singing in their native language, “F— You God.”

Creating a context to incite laughter at people who are cursing God is like inciting laughter at someone with AIDS (which this musical does as well). It’s manipulative, twisted, and unnecessary.

Should you see it?

The musical, The Book of Mormon, is not for children. So forget that. I’m glad I saw it though.

I would recommend it to some of my Christian friends, but not to others. It was brilliantly performed, funny, entertaining, and mostly honest. At points I laughed so hard I cried. It was also a remarkably accurate portrayal of Mormonism.

The Book of Mormon is an otherwise taboo theme in an entertaining wrapper. In that sense the musical is instructive. Imagine what Christians could do with a powerful musical containing a positive theme. Unfortunately, Christians are not very good at being subtle. We produce Left Behind instead of To Kill A Mockingbird or Chariots of Fire. People will swallow presuppositions if it presented in an entertaining wrapper. I do believe that, even if I don’t believe the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri. GS