A 'Wicked' parallel

  While listening to a radio broadcast the other day, which was talking about what the Christ-follower's response should be to our culture in America and its immoral effects, I was struck by the thought that our response should be a little like Elphaba's stand in the song Defying Gravity, from the ever-popular Broadway show, Wicked.


  Now don't take this too far;  I find huge problems with most of what Broadway does, plus confused and yes, immoral things in nearly all (if not all) their shows.  They do a great job with some things, but they are still a product of our wrecked culture, not a mentor we should follow.
  Likewise, Wicked is far from perfect, and I have some major issues with much of the story and the skewed worldview it presents.  But I will say that it does have a few great points, including Defying Gravity, and some wonderful music. (The Wizard And I, What Is This Feeling, Popular, For Good -- love all those!  Plus an extra dose of amazing if Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth are singing them! :) )

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth
      as Elphaba   and   Galinda
  (Side note... My sister and I were just talking about this yesterday;  as an artist, Idina Menzel is amazing not only for her strong, beautiful voice, but also for the way she puts every fiber of her being into her singing.  She does nothing half way. She leaves no moment un-used and holds nothing back. [and yet never runs out of breath!]  Wow. That's definitely a well-done as an artist!)

  But Wicked is NOT perfect, and not something you should label as "safe" or "Christian" in any way in your mind and blindly accept whatever it has to teach you.  Just remember to 'test everything, and hold fast to what is good.'  (1 Thess 5:21)

  So, that said, I felt like Elphaba's resolve to get away from what she knows to be wrong and stand against it, even if she stands alone, is something we should all be doing a lot more of.
  But we're too afraid of looking different. Of making waves.  Oh, we'd never admit that, though.  We claim it's because we don't want to be "un-loving" or "push people away."  (hey wait, ever heard of 'tough love'?)  But even Jesus didn't hesitate to turn over the tables in the Temple when the people there were ignoring and going against God.  He wasn't worried about "offending" people!  Why on earth should we think we have a right to do any less?
  Sure we're scared, sure it's uncomfortable. Yes, it's even dangerous sometimes.  But we were never commanded to 'be chameleons and blend into the culture so you can't be seen.'  (as much as I love chameleons -- some of them are pretty darn cute! :P )


  So take from this what you can -- maybe we can all learn to 'defy gravity' just a little bit more, and take an unrelenting stand for what we know is right, to 'please God, rather than men.'  (Acts 5:16)

  "[Glinda]  Just say you're sorry. You can still... have all you ever wanted--

[Elphaba]  I know. But I don't want it-- No. I can't want it anymore.
Something has changed within me.
Something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.
Too late for second-guessing,
too late to go back to sleep.
It's time to trust my instincts,
close my eyes,
and leap.

It's time to try defying gravity--
I think I'll try defying gravity.
And you can't pull me down.

...I'm through accepting limits 'cause someone says they're so.
Some things I cannot change,
but til I try, I'll never know.
Too long I've been afraid of loosing love I guess I've lost;
well if that's love, it comes at much too high a cost.

I'd sooner die defying gravity--
Kiss me goodbye,
I'm defying gravity, and you can't pull me down.

Glinda, come with me.  Think of what we could do, together.

[Glinda, backing away]  ...I hope you're happy, now that you're choosing this.

[Elphaba]  You too.

[both]  I really hope you get it, and you don't live to regret it.
I hope you're happy in the end.

[Elphaba, leaving the ground]  ...So if you can't find me, look to the Western sky...
And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free.
To those who'd ground me,
take a message back from me;

Tell them how I am defying gravity--
I'm flying high, defying gravity.
...[They'll] never bring me down."

                                                       --Defying Gravity, from Wicked
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  "If you don't stand for something,
                                           you might fall for anything."

                                                                             --Thousand Foot Krutch
                                                 --------------------------------

  "You may choose to look away, but you can never again say that you did not know."

                                                                                   --William Wilberforce
                                                 --------------------------------

  "This is war-- so pick your side.
It's time to move, not time to hide.
Don't let lies invade your mind.
Can't you see we're running out of time?"

                                             --BarlowGirl, This Is War