Nicole Daughhetee

Life As I know It

By Nicole Daughhetee

On Saturday night I went to see SWU’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I had seen the musical in high school, but I freely admit that I didn’t completely “get it” the first time around. Amazing what maturity, college and graduate school can do to alter the depth to which one thinks about certain things.

I thoroughly enjoyed the production and thought the students at SWU did a fantastic job with their rendition of Superstar (especially considering a group of them were battling a virus through the entire production).

Watching the performance, there were times when I questioned it as a choice for the religious school because there is content in the musical that, at times, I felt mocked Christianity. However, the more I have thought about it, I wonder if the point is precisely that — to make viewers think about the ways Jesus and His followers were mocked, ridiculed and belittled for their beliefs.

In today’s society, we are incredibly suspect of those who profess to be the Messiah returned to Earth. We have good reason, of course: men like Charles Manson, Jim Jones and David Koresh (to name a few) have all turned out to be complete whack-a-doodles.

Cynics ourselves, surely we can’t blame those people in Biblical times who doubted the authenticity of Christ.

If a man were to walk around the streets of Pickens County suggesting that he could bring sight to the blind or show kindness to the most heartless of criminals, he would garner more attention than even the most popular Chihuahua on the block — and I doubt the attention would be flattering.

Hard as I try, I cannot even begin to fathom what life must have been like for Christ — especially the days leading up to His crucifixion. As much as I pride myself on being selfless and thoughtful, striving to be loving not only to people I know, but also to show kindness to strangers, I am ashamed to admit that I can’t say with certainty that I would be able to make the sacrifices Christ made for me and billions of other people who don’t know or care to know Him.

In the process He was betrayed and denied by men who were supposed to be his friends and allies; He was tortured, humiliated and degraded up to the moment He took his last breath as a human being.

Easter has always been a holiday my family has celebrated religiously, which is to say it has always meant more to me than the Easter Bunny, baskets of goodies and ornately decorated eggs. At this particular time in my life, however, Easter has a renewed meaning for me — one that transcends “religion” and has as a focus my personal relationship with Christ.

I’ve never felt terribly comfortable proselytizing because I believe that each person’s relationship with God is unique and personal. Instead, I will take a different tact and suggest that, if the opportunity presents itself, readers should check out SWU’s performance of the Broadway hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar.

I would guess that ticket sales support SWU’s theater and fine arts programs — (you all know I am a huge proponent of the Humanities) and while you show support for some local college students, you might experience the abounding love in which the Easter season finds its meaning.