Friday, May 27, 2011

And goodness knows, we know what goodness is...

This is a Wicked blog post. I can't believe that I actually am making one. Cause I don't really like when people make Wicked references about their lives or anything. Not that I'm going to do that, I'm just going to point out some things I've been thinking about lately.
First of all, if by some unearthly and impossible chance you have not seen, heard of, listened to, or sang Wicked, I tell you that I'll be giving some spoilers... At least I think so. And also, go listen to it ASAP.
Elphaba and Glinda
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a book written by Gregory Maguire which tells the story of or favorite green villain of Oz, The Wicked Witch of the West. Of course that title wasn't always part of her entity, she was first known as Elphaba. And she was a normal person, other than the whole green skin part. She went to school and excelled in magic, well sort of, sometimes her spells would malfunction.
Anyway, she met someone very important to the Oz story, Galinda, later made Glinda. Galinda was a spoiled brat when she met Elphaba and they did not get along very well, all the same they had to live together and make due. Both had the goal of meeting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Eventually this does happen and there is a falling out between the Wizard and Elphaba, he wanting to use her magical powers to help him basically rule over Oz without opposition or rebellion.
Needless to say, because she refuses, the Wizard uses his power and influence to make her Public Enemy Number One of Oz and she must go into hiding. All of the munchkins and other people in Oz think she's evil, or wicked.
Anyway to make the long story short, Elphaba eventually realizes that she cannot stop the Wizard and calls on her friend Glinda to do so. Elphaba has a bucket of water thrown onto her and she "melts" therefore giving Oz peace of mind and good news. Glinda, sad at the loss of her friend must go on as "Glinda the Good" banishing the Wizard and restoring hope to Oz, but in the finale, and opening, the munchkinlanders sing, "No one mourns the wicked". Stating that Elphaba deserved what came to her. Glinda listens and tearfully remembers Elphaba, who actually faked her own death and ran off with the Scarecrow.
I gave a really bad summary of this story and technically I don't know everything about it cause I haven't seen the musical. I have read the book though.
My whole point in writing this post is to focus of the munchkinlanders song "No one mourns the wicked."
There is an acute ignorance in this song. The munchkins sing "No one mourns the wicked. No one cries they won't return. No one lays a lily on their grave.... And goodness knows, we know what goodness is, goodness knows the wicked die alone, nothing grows for the wicked they reap only what they sow." I don't know why this has gotten to me lately. I mean, I don't feel alienated or attacked, nor do I feel wicked. But isn't it sad that the munchkins don't know better. They think that one of the best witches and kindest people was a monster who threatened their safety. And Glinda couldn't say anything to the contrary, lest they should turn on her.
Mainly what gets me is "goodness knows we know what goodness is". It is scary when someone claims they know that something is good when they really are in total ignorance. Can we truly say what is good and what is wickedness? Obviously yes, especially in the LDS church, which is great. But what about the more grey areas. If I may say, this is where some members of my church, and really any religious sect, falter and are too quick to judge. Just because someone is different or has other customs people can write them off as wicked. Of course not many people go to this extreme. I'm just saying that we often think "we know what goodness is" when we are in the same danger of being harshly judged or ostracized. What we think might be goodness actually might hurt others.
I invite all of us to look past the our own noses and admit that we don't really know what goodness is. There is only one who knows and can judge. So stop attacking the Wicked Witch of the West unless you're really willing to live in ignorance.
Sorry for the random rant, I've just been thinking about it. I'm not feeling attacked I just think that people should be brought to the truth and should not be left in their blindness.