Middletown resident Paul Cantonwine, a practicing Mormon for 45 years, decided to accept his wife’s invitation to see the show when it came to Cincinnati. His wife and children are not Mormons.
“Every Christmas, my wife gets tickets to upcoming musicals and gives them to our children,” explained Cantonwine, a retired professor of computer science at Miami University. “When she heard “Book of Mormon” was coming to Cincinnati, she purchased tickets for our children and asked me if I wanted to go.”
Cantonwine, who became a Mormon when he was serving in the Air Force in Vermont and encountered missionaries much like those in the fictional story, said he had first heard about the show when it was on Broadway. He knew it had objectionable language, but decided it was important for him to see what they other members of his family were experiencing. He also thought the play might be a vehicle for opening up an avenue of communication with the other members of his family.
“I thought the language and depictions were gross and I was mostly offended by the way they portrayed Jesus Christ,” Cantonwine said. “But I understood it was basically a comedy and I wasn’t offended as a Mormon. They depicted the missionaries in a comical way but I wasn’t offended by that either.”
After they’d all seen the show, Cantonwine gave each of his kids a copy of the original Book of Mormon and told them he’d like them to read it. Some of them have.
The religion has taken that same positive approach, sponsoring ads in playbills around the nation that suggest: “You’ve seen the play, now read the book.”
It’s also interesting to note that the musical was enthusiastically received when it opened in Salt Lake City for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. According to the Associated Press, the Utah audiences cheered wildly, bestowed standing ovations, and appreciated much of the inside humor.
Another point of view
Rick Valencia, who serves as one of two volunteer Stake Presidents in the Dayton area, said he — and most members of his church — will not attend the musical because of the show’s crude language and inappropriate content.
“While most members of our church will not attend the production, its local appearance has provided us with a unique opportunity to share and discuss our religion and beliefs with those who are prompted to ask questions because of the musical,” Valencia said. “Members of the Church are excited to share with others why our religion makes us happy.”
A few months ago, when Valencia — who is in the software business — was on a business trip to London, England, he was riding in a taxi on his way to church on Sunday morning.
“A city bus passed in front of the taxi with an advertisement for the musical,” Valencia recalls. “Seeing the ad, the taxi driver asked me about our religion; we had a wonderful conversation which continued until we arrived at the chapel. Later in the week, another discussion ensued with a few co-workers. This might not have happened without the ads for the musical.”
Valencia says while the musical production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, The Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture — which has been descfibed as the keystone of the religion — can change people’s lives by bringing them closer to Jesus Christ.
More about Mormonism
Valencia explains that the members of his church were given the nickname “Mormons” after the initial publication of The Book of Mormon in 1830. The official name is “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
- The famous book has been translated into 82 languages with 150 million copies printed.
- The church has more than 85,000 full-time missionaries in 176 countries around the world who pay their own way and work 60-70 hours per week proselyting and giving community service.
- The Church has more than 15 million members worldwide, 59,000 members in the state of Ohio, and approximately 8,000 members in 19 congregations in the Dayton area.
- A new Mormon Temple in Indianapolis has just opened, with public tours offered over the past three weeks. That building is now closed to non-members, though Mormom meetinghouses are open to the public.
“I think most people understand that musical is not an accurate portrayal of what Mormons believe and do,” concludes Valencia.” But we encourage those who would like to know more about Mormons to attend local church meetings, where visitors are always welcome.”
To learn more about the religion, go to www.mormon.org
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