You may sadly be familiar with the blasphemous theatrical production called “the testament of Mary.” This came out a few years ago, was written by a leftist (go figure), who attacked the sanctity of the Blessed Mother by portraying her as a worldly woman opposed to her son’s delusional messianic call and who ends feeling just betrayed and empty after his death.
So, this play, after attracting scandal and attention around the world (surely, the very point, but the playwright would never be so transgressive about islam or Mohammad), is coming to Dallas. Oh, lucky us. It will be playing at the Untermain Theater starting March 21 and the production is getting heavy advertisement on the local classical station WRR (owned, coincidentally, by the City of Dallas).
TFP has a good report on the myriad problems with this play. It is not just offensive to Catholics, but really to any Bible-believing Christians. It so dishonors not just the Blessed Mother but also the Person and Sacrifice of God. I hesitate to include the descriptions of the sacrilegious filth on my blog, but for the sake of providing context for why this event is so heinous, I will do so:
A narrow-minded, vulgar, egoistic and even idolatrous woman — this is how Irish author Colm Tóibín presents the Blessed Virgin Mary in his novel (now making its debut on the stage) titledThe Testament of Mary.…..
Although a former Catholic seminarian, the Irish writer gives free rein to his imagination when expressing his contempt for the Gospels, Christian tradition, and Mary Most Holy…….. [Given what we know of modern seminaries, especially in Ireland, I am not surprised at all the play was written by a former seminarian. In fact, I expected it, as I expected his hatred to have been driven by his avowed attachment to sodomy]
Contrary to what Christian tradition affirms, Tóibín suggests that Mary was not taken care of in a filial manner by Saint John the Evangelist in Ephesus, but instead was “kept” there by two extortionists who pressured her to provide false testimony they could use to compose the Gospels. Among other things, they urged her to affirm the divinity of Jesus Christ, but she refused, since “She does not agree that her son is the Son of God.”[4]
Mary is portrayed as a skeptic who did not follow her own Son: “I am not one of his followers.”[5] And, she deemed His disciples, “a group of misfits.” Not one of them “was normal.”[6] [Ah……but a sodomite is!]
For Tóibín, the Mother of God was secretly a pagan worshiper of the hunting goddess Artemis (the Greek equivalent of the Roman goddess Diana)…….
There is actually much more, and worse, but hopefully you get the point. Obviously the author has some very, very serious “issues.” The fact that so many (by far, the most) atheists don’t disbelieve in God, they hate Him as they loathe themselves, would seem rather pertinent in this case. Physician, heal thyself.
Nevertheless, since most Trads try to listen to uplifting music, quite a few listen to WRR. It’s the only classical station in the 6.5 million soul Metroplex. So quite a few folks are upset by this. The station has been contacted regarding running ads (AFAIK, they are only running on WRR and the local NPR stations), and their reply was a typical and sneering dismissal of the concerns raised. However…….highly voluble criticism of a niche market station can sometimes evoke some radical changes of heart. If you are local and/or concerned over this blasphemous production, you can contact both the theater (good luck there, this Untermeinkampf Theater prides itself on its (culturally safe) leftist transgressiveness – as such things go in Dallas) and the station:
Here is WRR’s email and phone #.
Tel: 214-670-8888
Undermain Theatre
If it were me, I would focus on WRR, especially if you are a local Catholic who listens to them, which quite a few do.
A sample submittal:
WRR 101.1 FM Dallas is currently running advertisements for the blasphemous, sacrilegious production of the Undermain Theater, “The Testament of Mary.” WRR has many Catholic listeners and supporters and this play is gravely offensive not just to them, but to all convicted Christians. This advertisement represents such an enormous lapse of judgment and is so incredibly offensive that I can no longer listen to or support your station in any way should it not be pulled and an apology issued forthwith. Does WRR run advertisements for productions that gravely offend against Islam or other religions? Not in my extensive listening experience. Why, then, does it feel comfortable in mocking and belittling the sacred beliefs of Christians?
Please desist from your support for this obscenity immediately. I do believe an apology is called for in this matter.
Very sincerely….
——–End Sample——–
I do suggest some effort be made to protest outside WRR by Mater Dei’ers if they refuse to pull the ad. We have a week and a half until the play starts. I’d really like to ask readers outside the Dallas area to spend a minute or two sending a quick e-mail. Use the one above or use your own text. But I think a few hundred comments might result in a positive response, and I certainly have more than enough readers to generate that kind of response. A few thousand would be even better, that would represent a sizable chunk of WRR’s regular listening audience (they don’t have to know you don’t live in the area).
The main reason why there have been so many blasphemies against Christianity like this is because it has been cheap and easy for enemies of the Church to do so. They haven’t had to bear any real cost for their offenses. Islam, by contrast, makes clear there may be a huge cost. And that has had not just a chilling effect on any criticism or offenses against that forlorn, false religion, but it has even led to islam becoming the de facto religion of the West. I’m afraid – and I know this is a bit radical to say – if we want to re-assert Christianity’s cultural prerogatives our Faith once enjoyed, we’re going to have to instill a cost on this kind of behavior. I think sending an e-mail a very, very small step in that direction. We may have to do more, but 2000 e-mails (again, quite possible with this blog’s regular readership) would be a good start, and we can see what develops from there.
Try to leave a comment if you send an e-mail! Don’t assume the other readers will send, YOU do it!
Thank you. Deo Gratias!