I don't know if you're into this, but have you heard of the musical Hamilton? It's a hip-hop musical retelling of the story of Alexander Hamilton. You should check it out. :)
I love and hate it. Itās pretty great. But seems devoid of the sort of hope and answers that are available in Christ.Ā
As a committed Christian, I really donāt get this attitude to musicals. Theyāre not meant to have the sort of hope and answers that are available in Christ. Thatās kind of the point.
Theyāre entertainment. And amazing art in and of themselves. Theyāre to be enjoyed, and God wants us to enjoy life. As long as it doesnāt turn us away from following Christ, no point in hating on a musical.
EDIT: I know you said you love it tooā¦but, the hate I donāt get.
Iāve talked about this before on my blog, the gospel permeates art and culture all the time. If we go to a theatre, and the story doesnāt resemble the gospel, most of the time we leave disappointed. If thereās no redemption, no rescue, if good doesnāt triumph, if people donāt get transformed and developed we feel like we wasted our money. And no one grew in that whole show. Everyone lived and died either the same, or worse versions of themselves.
We donāt expect good to overcome in just 50% of stories. We donāt expect evil to actually have a chance at victory. When all is lost two hours into the film, we sense deep inside that the Christ-character will rise and defeat the enemy. Without ever hearing the gospel, the need for Jesus is written on all of our hearts.
Now the reason I didnāt like Hamilton all the way is because Hamilton doesnāt improve over his life. His hot-headed ambition is celebrated, arrogance never becomes humility, he minimizes his infidelity and it breaks his marriage... thereās no redemption besides ābeing remembered.ā
And the best songs arenāt singable around my house because of the crude and sexual vulgarity sprinkled in like little turds hidden in the bowl of chocolates.
