Book of Mormon - the musical, not the book

Where did you see it?  It was showing in Denver when I was there last month but sold out. 

I STILL think it's perfect for a long term engagement for Vegas.  They would make an absolute killing here.  (as if they need MORE money)

It is offensive.  It was written to be offensive.  It mocks what we hold sacred.  It is NOT a warm hearted send up of our faith as is often suggested. 

What I find very ironic is how the liberal community LOVE LOVE LOVE it to pieces.  Its the best!!!!  Tony awards and accolades galore.  Horay... lets go watch a play that belittles and slanders an entire religion, its founding prophet and its adhearants.  But its ok... it was meant as a joke.  Fine. 

But then when a home spun film that degrades the Muslim faith shows up on Youtube our fearless leader Obama and his minions go all out to make sure that the world knows that we as Americans do not tollerate the abuse of our freedom of speach when it is used to degrade other cultures (Really?).  Quoting Obama referring to the anti muslim film "it was crude and disgusting"  "The future can not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."  But in the USofA it is fine and dandy that the future can belong to those who would slander the Prophet Joseph Smith.  How can he and his democratic party denounce a two bit youtube video that slanders a prophet when the biggest Broadway smash of the decade (a play beloved by so many thousands of liberals, and a play they likely have viewed) is a play that slanders a prophet.  Big fat Hypocrites.  I am waiting and waiting for a leading democrat to stand up denounce the musical and call it a shameful abuse of free speech.  Won't happen.

Well said! Just another example of politics in action!

My guess is they won't stand up and denounce it since is is unlikely that Mormon people will break out their rocket launchers, storm the US Embassy, and murder innocent people.  I'm not well educated on the Mormon religion, but I get the feeling they are more peaceful than that!

Exactly.  Has nothing to do with free speech.  We should be able to make that youtube video.  But if you want to pander to people that want to kill you, you compromise.

I think Book of Mormon is a great exercise of free speech.  Just because it's offensive to a Mormon is utterly irrelevant in my opinion.  People are free to offend me all they want.  And I ain't even a lib

Kido, saw it in Los Angeles, agree that it would make a great Vegas run

I imagine the president (that darn liberal) was just trying to do some post-damage PR to halt more deadly protests, when he made his statement.  I can't say that making fun of another person's religion is something that I condone but it happens.  And luckily those darn liberals who wrote the Constitiution granted us liberals freedom of speech.  Sticks and Stones, I believe the saying goes.  There are hundreds of movies or plays out there which make fun of a religion or an ethnic group or at least portray some inaccurate stereotypes but thankfully no one is storming the embassies here!

I will probably go see the Book of Mormon and I will probably laugh.  But when I go home I won't think that it was an accurate portrayal of the Mormon religion or view my Mormon friends any differently.  Just like when I see a movie or play about Judaism (my mom's religion) or Catholicism or any religion (except Scientology - those people are crazy!).  But I am just a liberal so I probably have no morals!

Wrong again, liberals may or may not have morals, that has not yet been proven.

Liberals don't have the capacity for thinking on their own or accepting facts!

Now that we have cleared that up, proceed with the commenting.

I seem to recall the Jews, catholics, Scientologists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and so on and so on have ALL been in the barrel for being poked fun at. 

Politicol and religious satire has been around for 100's of years.  If someone wanted to make fun of the Lutherans, I would probably laugh as well, and just move on.  I'm not going to take a broadway play too much to heart.  Especially one created my the South Park crew that make fun of EVERYTHING.

I guess I haven't followed this that closely.

Are you saying there are politicians that are going on record lauding this as a wonderful play?  Can you please give me some sources of which politicians are doing this?  I think I would have something to say if they are getting paid my tax dollars and taking time making politcal statements lauding/reviewing broadway plays.

You can't hear what he is saying here, but it was something along the lines of, "I strongly urge all of you to go see The Book of Mormon.  It's freaking Hylarious!!!!!"

Hillary Clinton attended last year.  Paid money.. went in.. laughed... was photographed laughing and having a wonderful time.  Can you IMAGINE the outrage if she had attended a screening of this muslim film... paid money to see it no less... and was photographed laughing???  But she chuckles at the mocking of one prophet then goes out to the world and condems the mocking of another.  I can not without hypocracy go out and burn a quoran then turn around and stand up and denouce BOMmusical. But the Obama administration's elite representatives have done just that only in reverse. 

Interesting Question - If it is not "speech" that has been constrained to some extent or another by the SCOTUS (i.e., fighting words), for which there may be a reasonable argument that it should be curtailed or at the very least, one may not have full rights, what is "hateful speech"?  Speech that the listener is offended by?  All speech that denounces another's religion?  sex? Is the Book of Mormon "hate speech"?   Every line?  if not, which lines? 

ETA - to be clear, I am a little confused.  If it's hate speech, but you still support one's right to say it....  that seems inconsistent to me

I've got absolutely no problem with a Mormon, or anyone else, denouncing the play as insulting.  I would assume that those that don't like it have seen it in order to comment on whether they are offended or not.  But, you know what they say about assuming.... 

But just because someone is insulted is not sufficient, in my mind, anyway, to foreclose an entire avenue of speech.  Cartoonists have been threatened merely for depicting Mohammed, whether in compromising positions or not, simply because it is believed that merely portraying their prophet is wrong.  Is that where we want to go?

Granted, I am no Mormon scholar, but from my viewing of the play, the authors merely stated the historical bases for the Mormon religion (yes, there was some mocking, but it really was more about individuals than the religion itself).  Listen, all religions have.... odd...  origination stories.  Tablets on the mount???   parting of the seas???   come one....   So, that I can't get on board with the golden plate stuff and find it rather amusing, is that hate speech?  I feel the same way about most of the stories in the bible, and the new testament.  If I make a joke about Catholics,,,,,  hate speech?

We need a clear line, not just where someone thinks it should be based on their personal beliefs. 

Is it ok if they laud or review it once it goes on tour, or the London cast perhaps??

That was kind of my point before.  Why is another religion so different?

I'm in the camp that people should get over themselves.  Seriously.  For example - our military and homeland emergency services.  You'll never find a more diverse group (no, we're not all whitebread American calendar meatheads).  And yet, we get the job done, we have appalling humor that is offensive to EVERY imaginable person on the face of the planet.  And when we go home, we get over it.  Well, usually.

The crap that falls out of one person's mouth reflects nothing about the person they are talking to or about.  It only reflects the person talking.

What is so different?

No!  Only the original Broadway cast!

We are seeing it when it comes to town next year as we get season tickets.  Opinion witheld until then.

Oh, she made an official statement it was funny - on record?  Or was this just a picture of her laughing in a play?  Was she laughing at the play, laughing at what was said in the play?  Or something someone sitting next to her said?  Maybe her seat mate said the Cowboys were going to win the superbowl.  Now THAT'S funny.

OR, are you saying since there is a picture of her, laughing, at a location where this play was being performed, she's being hypcritical because she spoke out against the anti muslem film?

Chris I am not debating free speech.  We all support free speech.  It is not inconsistent to support all forms of free speech and the rights of individuals to say whatever they want, or burn what ever book, or write whatever play.  What I am discussing is the inconsistancy of individual behavior... like when Hillary Clinton CHEERED a slanderous play one day, and condems a slanderous movie the next.  The film makers had the right to make their anti-muslim film and Hillary was a hypocrite to condem it having herself participated in mocking a prophet.  

So there is a new play out by Trey Parker and the southpark crew... its called "Lets throw all the Jews down a well"  Its a funny heartwarming send up of Judiasim and focuses on how the hollocost was a lie.  Would you buy a ticket or be seen cheering for that in public?? 

We can allow all forms of free speech in our country, AND at the same time we can choose to reject forms of speech that we as individuals find vulgar or coarse or hateful.  I reject as hateful the Book of Moron play... so I will not pay to see it...(I won't argue that it should be abolished or that they didn't have the constitutional right to create it) and by extension I will not pay to see movies or plays or buy books whose purpose is to tear down other religions. 

THE Secretary of State provided a standing ovation at the end of the BOM musical.  She stood and cheered for it.  Can you really argue that is somehow unofficial.  YES. I AM saying that she was a hypocite for participating in the mocking of a prophet and then turning around and condeming the mocking of another. 

Soooo missing the point.  I never said or inferred that speech should be curtailed... even when I find it offensive. 

The OP asked for a Mormon opinion on the BOM musical.  We live in a country where you can create through mediums of speech (film, books, movies, paint etc) ANYTHING you want.  And that is correct, but as an individual I feel we should turn our backs on works of filth vulgarity and degradation instead of putting them on center stage and giving them tony awards.  If you wouldn't think of supporting art that intentionally slanders women, or jews, or muslims, or gays, then you should also not go see BOM the musical.