The Rent Quonundrum, Part II

(Information update: Paul has informed me that at the performance of Rent for which he has already purchased tickets, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal will reprise their roles as the original Mark and Roger, respectively. This is no small event in the world of musical theater. Paul describes it as "pretty epic.")

After I signed off, and shut down my computer for the night, I began praying for Paul. Specifically I prayed that he would have the courage to do whatever he thought was wisest, and that he would be obedient to what the Lord wanted of him, not simply what he wanted for himself. I thanked God for the opportunity to be an influence in Paul's life, and for the chance to be a dissenting voice against the a priori assumptions of my former colleagues, who may have been well-meaning, but were also overstepping important bounds. (At no time did I say "Please, eternal God, give Paul the good sense to watch lesbians and gays sing lustily as they writhe around suggestively under a bed sheet,"^* though the thought did cross my mind.)

Normally once my laptop has been put away, it is done-for-the-night, but after my time of intercession, I so strongly felt God asking me to tell Paul some things, that I actually restarted my computer and signed in again. (Unprecedented!)

Me: hi. i am back
Paul: lol
Paul: wow
Me: there are a few things on my heart that i wanted to say before i forget...

[What follows is another edited version of my thoughts]:

(a) As a writer, I like people to support the arts; (b) I think since you are also a writer, you benefit from being exposed to the arts, especially those of high quality, as this performance should be with the original mark/roger; (c) as you know, [your fellowship group], along with its many virtues, has a reputation for being legalistic at times, and I think it would help dispel that reputation if you went.

More importantly, Ihave a strong suspicion that the reason your friends don’t want to go (and don’t want YOU to go) is the content of Rent, since nothing in the show would probably cause you to stumble (like...there is no nudity, and the lyrics are suggestive in a way that would likely cause you to think impure things). I can only imagine it's because they think that by going you are tacitly endorsing the things in the show. But that is not true: I think you can see Schindler's List without supporting the holocaust or read Merchant of Venice without supporting anti-Semitism (and that's a rather racist play).

Paul: but remember, Rent puts homosexuality/a lotta other things in a positive light
Me: i don't know i would say that the play "endorses" it, but it does portrays it as "normal." But again, in the transaction of art, it is the viewer's responsibility to make of it what he will. Simply because Jonathan Larson presents homosexuality/cocaine usage as normal, does not mean that you as a viewer need to adopt that view. but if i can accept that part of the premise of a work is wrong, i can still watch it, and learn from it, and ultimately give thanks to God for providing an enjoyable, didactic experience.
Me: also...this is a very imperfect analogy, but it's like having a friend who's gay; you don’t endorse his/her life choices by being his/her friend
Paul: mm
Me: in other words, contact with something does not inherently taint you
Me: i think there is value in spending time with other Christians (and non Christians) in all aspects of life. also, Jesus taught that it's not the thing that goes INTO you that makes you clean (ie the entertainment you imbibe) but what comes out of you. what will you make of the Rent experience? will it give you more compassion for the marginalized, or people who have HIV? will it remind you how much people need a Savior?

After this I was explicit that my intent was neither to push Paul to go or abstain, but simply to offer him another intellectual platform on which to stand as he made this choice. I can't be certain, but I have a strong suspicion he will go.

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^*This is an allusion to the performance of the song "Contact." I considered embedding a Youtube video or a link, but after watching two dozen clips, thought better of it. Most of the footage is of regrettably low quality, or doesn't give an angle conducive to understanding the scene in context. Go see Rent for yourself (if you don't share the reservations of Paul's friends).