Friday, January 31, 2014

Silent protests speak volumes

I left this topic alone for a while, trying to come to a conclusion about what I would say. But I finally decided I would jump into the deep pool. Let's begin by saying I grew up (showing my age) on Elvis, who danced the fine line between singing Gospel and singing Rock and Roll. Clearly folks had great problems with him, showing him from the waist up on Ed Sullivan and the like. So our subject has been going on for half a century or more.

Sunday night, award-winning Christian music artist Natalie Grant left the Grammy Awards early.

A disclaimer here: I didn't watch the Grammys. I haven't watched the Grammys in, uh, forever. I will not watch the Grammys. Later Sunday, she explained. Let the discussion begin, again.

“We left the Grammy’s early. I’ve many thoughts about the show tonight, most of which are probably better left inside my head,” Grant wrote on her Facebook Sunday night. “But I'll say this: I've never been more honored to sing about Jesus and for Jesus. And I've never been more sure of the path I've chosen.”

The post received more than 4,700 comments, and bloggers took to the Web to speculate on why the gospel singer walked out. Shortly before she left, Katy Perry and Juicy J performed a song called “Dark Horse” that some have described as “satanic.”

Perry, who was raised in a strong Christian household, has publicly rejected her faith. Her Grammy performance displayed images evocative of the occult, including witchcraft, fire and beasts. The 29-year-old pop superstar pole-danced on a broom and closed her act with a burning on a stake.

But another performance may have caused Grant to leave, bloggers have said. During Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ song “Same Love,” 33 couples—heterosexual and homosexual—were married on stage.

Grant responded to the speculation in a statement on her Facebook page Monday afternoon. It has more than 111,000 likes and more than 9,000 comments so far. “It does sadden me when people argue, judge and hurl insults at each other from both sides of the fence,” she wrote.

Though she said she would not engage in arguments, she made a few clarifications. “I NEVER said I left during any particular performance. I only said I left early,” she said. “I never pointed out any one particular performance, I only said I had many thoughts about the entire show, which were best left inside my head and that is where they will stay.”

She continued, “So those who say I condemned one performance but then condoned others clearly did not read the post. What I DID say is this: I am honored to be a part of the Christian music community. I've had many people throughout my career ask why I never tried to go in to mainstream music and last night was a beautiful reminder that I love singing about Jesus and FOR Jesus."

“I've judged no one,” Grant insisted. “I hate no one. And I believe that every person has been created in the image of God. ... I won't use my platform to engage in political arguments that will only divide and not unite. I will continue to pray that my life will be my message.”

Before everyone goes nutty, those who have been restrained all week about this, let me also point out that a Grammy winner, Christian singer Mandisa, stayed home period. She said the next day, "“I have been struggling with being in the world, not of it lately. I have fallen prey to the alluring pull of flesh, pride, and selfish desires quite a bit recently. … I knew that submerging myself into an environment that celebrates those things was risky for me at this time. I am taking steps to renew my mind to become the Heavenly Father-centered, completely satisfied with Jesus, and Holy Spirit-led woman I felt I was a few months ago, but I’m feeling a bit like an infant learning to walk again on shaky legs.”

She added, “With what I do for a living, and the doors that have opened for me to sing about Jesus on mainstream platforms, I take the phrase from John 15:19, 'be in the world, not of it' seriously,” Mandisa wrote. “God never taught us to stay in our safe Christian bubbles, completely separating from those who do not share our faith (see 1 Corinthians 5). … I can’t force my morality on anyone else. What I can do is live my life in such a way that reflects well on my Savior, stand firm in my values, and do all of these things in love.”

There you have it. A well thought-out position. I think it is very instructive to take what has happened here and apply it to whatever it is we do for a living. Take it down a notch from being newspaper worthy (which by the way I could find only one "mainstream" newspaper that thought this was important enough to write about. What are you doing, what are you involved with that you need to examine>

And what music are you listening to?

Researching this subject, I came across a piece written by Gabriel Swaggart for a site called Crossfire Youth Ministires, and yes, Gabriel is Jimmy's grandson. He wrote, "As it regards the topic of “Christian Rap/Rock/Punk/Metal/Alternative” etc., I want to say the following. These types of music were inspired by demon spirits, and because of that, you CANNOT take that which is inspired by demon spirits, attach the Name Jesus to it, and make it right. When David played before Saul, the Bible tells us that it was the music that drove the evil spirits away. There is no anointing behind Christian Rap or Christian Rock. Rap music, or the basis of Rap music, as well as Rock, is inspired by demon spirits."

While I was pondering just what is this person's definition of Rap and Rock and how he or she decides what is good and what is inspired by demon spirits, he added, "You may ask, “How can we tell?” First of all, we can tell by simply asking the following questions: “Is this pleasing to the Lord? Will that music lead us into the very Presence of God? Will this music cause a Believer who is facing the very powers of darkness to have Victory?” Music Anointed by the Holy Spirit will usher in the Presence of God, and will bring conviction to the lost, and rejoicing to the Saved."

Uh, wow.

So let me see. Grant and Mandisa see demonic activity in Katy Perry, apparently. All of the Swaggart's see problems with bands like Casting Crowns, one made up of youth leaders from a church in Atlanta and others.

Ultimately I think the question is not about music, but about how can we live our lives in such a way that reflects well on our Savior, standing firm in our values, and doing all that we do in love? We are in the world, not of the world. If we stay in our "Christian cocoon," then how can we bring others, the least and the lost, to Christ?

I pray that we all remember to ask ourselves if there is there something we can do that will show that our lives are our message.

While we sing We are (in) the World ...

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