On the surface, 'Book of Mormon' is extremely irreverent, but

The words of Stephen Schwartz, “On the surface, ‘Book of Mormon’ is extremely irreverent, but underneath, there’s a great sweetness and a very positive message,” reveal a truth about art that echoes across the centuries: that what may first appear profane may, in its depths, contain profound wisdom. Many works of the spirit disguise their light in laughter, irony, or satire, yet their core is not destruction but creation, not bitterness but healing. What is irreverent on the tongue can be holy in the heart.

The origin of such a paradox can be found in every age where jesters spoke truth to kings, prophets cloaked their warnings in parables, and poets veiled their wisdom in humor. The surface may provoke, unsettle, or even offend, yet this is but the mask of a deeper intention: to reach hearts that would otherwise be closed. The sweetness beneath the satire is like honey hidden in the comb—one must taste beyond the roughness of wax to discover its nourishment.

Consider the story of Voltaire, who with wit and biting irreverence wrote Candide. To many, it seemed mockery of faith and optimism, yet in truth, it was a plea for compassion, for humility, for the simple recognition that “we must cultivate our garden.” Behind the laughter, behind the sharpness, there was a positive message urging mankind toward wisdom and responsibility. So too does Schwartz remind us that art’s sting can conceal its blessing.

The Book of Mormon, with its bold satire and outrageous humor, unsettles some, for its surface is daring and unrestrained. Yet beneath the laughter lies a vision of human connection, of hope born from unlikely places, of the enduring power of belief to transform even the most desperate lives. The sweetness here is not naive—it is hard-won, rising from the recognition of life’s struggles and absurdities, yet affirming still the triumph of the human spirit.

The lesson is clear: do not judge a work of art—or a soul—only by its surface. What seems irreverent may in truth be an offering of love, disguised so that it may slip past defenses and touch the heart. True wisdom is often hidden beneath humor, and true hope often wrapped in paradox.

Let this teaching endure: when confronted with laughter that unsettles or irreverence that shocks, look deeper. For beneath the jest may lie the very positive message that heals, inspires, and awakens. The spirit of art is not always cloaked in solemnity; sometimes it dances in irreverence, yet always with a hidden sweetness meant to lead us closer to truth.