Luke 12:10 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

10 “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Poor Planning

We frequent New York about every other year. Each time we try to catch a Broadway play. Through the suggestions of FB friend’s postings, the Book of Mormon was the play to see. It won nine Tony awards, and one of those included best musical. Even if we would have read the reviews about this musical, it never have mentioned how offensive it was. So in haste I made the call to see this raunchy play. When we arrived at the theater our seats had a survey taped to the cushion. I love to participate in surveys and offer my two cents. The survey asked quite a few question about “South Park.” This is when I came to the realization that the creators of South Park were the writers of this play. The last question of the survey was in regards to whether you felt this play was appropriate for children. I could not answer that question because I had no idea if it was suitable for children.

Broadway

When you make it to Broadway, in the eyes of the world, “you’ve arrived.” This group of gifted singers and dancers were part of this echelon. We have seen many Broadway plays that leave you with a feeling of being well entertained. I marvel at the talent bestowed on these actors, and, whether they realize it or not, this a gift from God.

The Play

The lively musical started with an upbeat doorbell-ringing number but, as the play progressed, the darkness of a blasphemous song created a huge black cloud over the cast. I was no longer engaged in any affirmation for the entertainers. The dark cloud spread to the audience and seemed to hover over me when the scene switched to a song that irreverently mocked God. After this, the ensemble cursed God, and using their middle finger, to make the song seem more credible, I wanted to leave. Then came the skit about having sex with a baby; the audience laughed.  There is no shock here because the world has become desensitized to these profane acts. I wanted nothing to do with this.

James 4:17 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

¹⁷ So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.

The Exodus

We were a group of six but our seats were not together, so during the intermission we were texting each other. Mike got up and I followed him to let him know that I was leaving, Mike tried to calm me down, but I was too upset to be talked into anything other than leaving. At this point I created so much confusion that no one really knew what we were doing. Through miscommunication, Willie and Leslie stayed because they thought that we were staying. Larry, Helen, Mike and I left the theater. When we opened the doors to the exit, I felt the cool night air calm my rattled nerves. We decided to walk to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. As we walked into the magnificent church, the organ was playing, we lit a few candles and prayed our petitions. The piercing sound of the organ touched my heart and, even with hundreds of tourist onlookers, I still felt the presence of God. The organ continued to play and we were all blessed to witness a beautiful wedding, but we decided to leave after the bride took the long walk to the altar. We met up with Willie and Leslie at a local restaurant. I asked Leslie, “Did the play redeem itself?”  “No, it got worse” Leslie answered. I was so grateful and thanked God that we did not have to witness any more of this mental abuse.

Connecticut

I have always wanted to experience the foliage and see with my own eyes the peek of all the vibrant colors of fall, but Mother Nature had other plans. She caused heavy rain to follow us all the way to Westbrook, Connecticut. I watched from the back window the SUV as the yellow, orange, and red leaves made their final exit to the soaked ground. The rain is different here; back home we get intermittent rain but here the rain is relentless. Other than the cat-and-dog weather we enjoyed the company of good friends for one day of rest, and home cooked meals courtesy of Vita Pasta, a local favorite that provided the best Italian food.

Conclusion

I will never make this type of mistake again. Without prayer there is no discernment, and we all paid a hefty price, monetarily and mentally. I have never liked the sick satire of South Park and I should have been more conscientious about the decision to choose this play. To answer the last question on the survey: I would never take a child or any human being to see this play!

On the upside side Nordstom opened the most beautiful store in Manhattan, but it was a bit overwhelming, way too much to take in, and a lot bigger than the usual Marshall’s I shop at.

God is good and still sits on the throne, one day the rest of world will recognize this.