Thursday 13 September 2012

The Sad Book of Religion

I can't have enough of them. I keep listening to the songs of the 8 Tony winning musical The Book of Mormon , again and again. I was intrigued by what did the Mormon community think of it. And so I googled the key words "Mormon Criticism of Musical The book of Mormon."

My first hit was this site. The writer is a mormon. The article is a review of the story and personal reactions such as "The song “Spooky Mormon Hell” is hilarious (check out the life-size dancing Starbucks cups; I could not stop laughing) but theologically inaccurate."; and ends with the note: "It is an honor to be thus lampooned."

The next other interesting one is similar in it's criticism: "All in all, it’s vulgar, but fairly harmless towards the Church directly. It has about as much impact as an episode of South Park. For any believers in God – not just members of the LDS Church—you’ll probably not be wishing to see it again."
He also mentions that Mormon church’s official statement "sums it up quite nicely - 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."

Now I have only heard the songs, but I found them beyond just a bit offensive towards the Mormon community and their prophet. But I was happily listening away, because the musical reflects my views on organised religions.

While elsewhere in USA someone decided to make a movie deriding Prophet Mohammed and post a trailer on the youtube (extended version). From what is visible in the trailer, the movie presents prophet Muhammed and many other people who surround the mythology/history of beginning of Islam pretty seriously, showing him as a womaniser, a paedophile and an insane, brutal person.

This trailer video has triggered a mob in Libya that killed 3 US nationals of the US Embassy, including the ambassador. And the fire has spread to Yemen.

Even thought now it is suspected that the mob may not have been spontaneous, the immediate reason seems to be the protest against the video. I expect more countries to join in, religious fervour is infectious.

The actors have now issued a ridiculous statement through CNN denying "that they had any idea about the anti-Islamic sentiments expressed in the final product."

I am not perturbed by the movie trailer, it is a view many people hold about the prophet of Islam. This will not be first such movie, and of course there are many books which are in circulation which present the views many people in the world hold about Islam and its prophet. I will have to say they are not factually inaccurate on many points.

But the making of such a hateful movie, the killing of multiple innocent people who have nothing to do with the movie and destruction of public property yet confirms my views on the dangers of organised religions and faiths - where each religions asks, nay, requires a follower to announce that all other religions and thoughts are at least incomplete, untrue, and in fact worthy of hatred.

Hassadiga Eebowai.