The Book of Mormon, by Matt Stone and Trey Parker

[RobinFinderson]

I had heard rumors of this over the last few years, but it is finally HERE.

[TripletDaddy]

LOL.

Looks like it is time to take a trip to NYC.

[Commando]

I'm pretty curious about this... they've been pretty even handed in their treatment of the Church. Some cheap shots here and there, but not overly mean.

[Levin]

Matt and Trey say the plot is this: two Utah kids go on missions to Africa, are companions, and they are faced with this reality: the toolkit they have (their religion) does not help them address the problems faced by the Africans -- AIDS, poverty, etc.

Actually sounds like it will be brilliant.

[beefytee]

Matt and Trey say the plot is this: two Utah kids go on missions to Africa, are companions, and they are faced with this reality: the toolkit they have (their religion) does not help them address the problems faced by the Africans -- AIDS, poverty, etc.

Actually sounds like it will be brilliant.

I was a little confused by all the African-Americans on the cast of a show about Mormons.

Makes more sense that they are missionaries in Africa.

[Commando]

mmm my cousin served in South Africa and Swaziland. From his stories about the widespread immorality, AIDS, crime, etc., the things in his "toolkit" are exactly what that place needs.

[woot]

mmm my cousin served in South Africa and Swaziland. From his stories about the widespread immorality, AIDS, crime, etc., the things in his "toolkit" are exactly what that place needs.

wow

[Commando]

wow

no, you're right-- rather than love and service and education, we should parachute more crates of rubbers that they won't use.


* or I guess since you're a big Darwin fan, let em die off like "nature" is dictating, right?

[Slim]

mmm my cousin served in South Africa and Swaziland. From his stories about the widespread immorality, AIDS, crime, etc., the things in his "toolkit" are exactly what that place needs.

I served in a country with widespread immorality, AIDS, and crime. My "toolkit" often seemed inadequate. It was like trying to quell an inferno with a squirt gun.

[Commando]

I served in a country with widespread immorality, AIDS, and crime. My "toolkit" often seemed inadequate. It was like trying to quell an inferno with a squirt gun.

right. The point Trey and Matt are trying to express is that those wacky mormon teachings are wholly inadequate to address these new, unique problems a place like 3rd world Africa is faced with. Not that the missionaries can solve the country's problems, but I don't buy that the teachings of Christ have no utility. Even from a strictly secular standpoint, marginal general adhesion the whole "thou shalt not commit adultery" would work wonders in a place where getting raped is as common as getting pick pocketed.

[Levin]

mmm my cousin served in South Africa and Swaziland. From his stories about the widespread immorality, AIDS, crime, etc., the things in his "toolkit" are exactly what that place needs.

Living the law of chastity, word of wisdom, and the golden rule would certainly cure many of Africa's ailments. But you have to meet a culture and a people where they are. The gospel saves souls, but in the case of Africa, it is unrealistic and naive to claim it will save a people, a nation, or a culture.

Sometimes gospel abstractions have to get out of the way for the practicalities.

Instead of simply the law of chastity, sometimes a culture needs sex education and condoms.

Instead of simply the word of wisdom, sometimes a person needs a medical professional.

Have you never been in a situation where you've discussed gospel principles with someone (or preached them in the manner of a missionary) and just felt that is not what the person needed, that instead of a discussion of an abstract gospel principle the person needed more practical help? Yes, instead of the law of chastity, the person needed sex education and condoms?

[woot]

no, you're right-- rather than love and service and education, we should parachute more crates of rubbers that they won't use.


* or I guess since you're a big Darwin fan, let em die off like "nature" is dictating, right?

wow

[Commando]

Living the law of chastity, word of wisdom, and the golden rule would certainly cure many of Africa's ailments. But you have to meet a culture and a people where they are. The gospel saves souls, but in the case of Africa, it is unrealistic and naive to claim it will save a people, a nation, or a culture.

Sometimes gospel abstractions have to get out of the way for the practicalities.

Instead of simply the law of chastity, sometimes a culture needs sex education and condoms.

Instead of simply the word of wisdom, sometimes a person needs a medical professional.

Have you never been in a situation where you've discussed gospel principles with someone (or preached them in the manner of a missionary) and just felt that is not what the person needed, that instead of a discussion of an abstract gospel principle the person needed more practical help? Yes, instead of the law of chastity, the person needed sex education and condoms?

yeah. I don't doubt it. I'm not necessarily talking about specific, unique Mormon doctrines that are going to flip Africa-- but rather anything a missionary could offer. I think in the case of a great many of these African nations, their culture has been raped by a rash of military regimes. That includes the intellectual mindset and spiritual practices. Africa in general has a deeply spiritual heritage, but right now many places have gone to shambles in a relatively short period. A little help/care shouldn't be spurned as useless just because the problems are many.

[Commando]

wow

wow

[woot]

yeah. I don't doubt it. I'm not necessarily talking about specific, unique Mormon doctrines that are going to flip Africa-- but rather anything a missionary could offer. I think in the case of a great many of these African nations, their culture has been raped by a rash of military regimes. That includes the intellectual mindset and spiritual practices. Africa in general has a deeply spiritual heritage, but right now many places have gone to shambles in a relatively short period. A little help/care shouldn't be spurned as useless just because the problems are many.

The majority of sub-Saharan Africa is already about as Christian as Alabama, and a great many of the problems there have been directly exacerbated by the work of missionaries.

So, it took me a bit before I could say more than "wow" to someone who thinks missionary work is "exactly what the place needs"