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. It’s pretty great. But seems devoid of the sort of hope and answers that are available in Christ.
As a committed Christian, I really don’t get this attitude to musicals. They’re not meant to have the sort of hope and answers that are available in Christ. That’s kind of the point.
They’re entertainment. And amazing art in and of themselves. They’re to be enjoyed, and God wants us to enjoy life. As long as it doesn’t turn us away from following Christ, no point in hating on a musical.
EDIT: I know you said you love it too…but, the hate I don’t get.
I’ve 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 doesn’t resemble the gospel, most of the time we leave disappointed. If there’s no redemption, no rescue, if good doesn’t triumph, if people don’t 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 don’t expect good to overcome in just 50% of stories. We don’t 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 didn’t like Hamilton all the way is because Hamilton doesn’t improve over his life. His hot-headed ambition is celebrated, arrogance never becomes humility, he minimizes his infidelity and it breaks his marriage... there’s no redemption besides “being remembered.”
And the best songs aren’t singable around my house because of the crude and sexual vulgarity sprinkled in like little turds hidden in the bowl of chocolates.