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What happens when Christianity gets a catchy tune? One that has a lot of appeal? Why, if the world wants to use it, it has to cheapen it.
That’s what happened on one of the recent episodes of American Idol. Truth be told, I don’t watch the show. Sure, I’ve caught some of the early auditions, but I don’t believe that I can get behind the concept.
It’s not just that the entire thing is mostly rigged, that true talent gets overlooked in preference for the weird singers to get eyeballs, or even that I find the music to be contrary to Scripture. I just don’t have the time in my life to dedicate to a reality show made up of people trying to be the greatest, when I’m called to be a servant. Christ said that the greatest among us were to be those that served, and here we have a bunch of fame hungry men and women all pinning their hopes and dreams on something that will not last… but I digress.
(Video of the song after the jump…)
So, should a Christian be concerned? I wouldn’t be all in a fit because they replaced “Jesus” with “Shepherd.” First off, it’s to be expected. You don’t really think that they’d leave it in there. To me, it’s more interesting that the writers of the song let them use it at all.
To me, I’d be more concerned with the fact that it wants to use a “Christian” song to promote it’s number one show for making people envious! That it was willing to take something that was supposed to worship God, have it performed by non-Christians, for the purposes of raising money– that’s extremely low. AI mocks Christianity by using this song.
If I were watching the show (which we’ve already been through) this mocking of my Lord would be enough to make me shut the thing off.
Um. So I’m not seeing the big deal here. You honestly expected a secular show to mention Jesus? And yet, instead of using this as the amazing tool God’s just placed into our laps, you’re condemning it? This is an opportunity! Do you know how many impressionable minds heard that song for the first time and would be more open to hearing the gospel because of it? Good grief. What Satan means for evil, God means for good. Let’s use this for good.
AG’s last blog post..Fireball
I don’t expect a secular show to mention Jesus, but like we said before, it’s not consistent. Every year some contestant on American Idol sings Lennon’s Imagine (a song I detest) and they don’t water down its atheism, do they? I wish there were some statistic on how many songs were censored. If it was a common swear word, they’d have left it in. They didn’t have to sing the song, it was their choice. It was also their choice to take the Christian song and neuter it.
Certainly you can take it and try to get people to get the “real version” but I can guarantee you that the AI version of that song will now be everywhere, and it will surpass the regular version in downloads.
So?
I’m still not seeing why this is a problem. Did you know that for all the times God was mentioned in the Old Testament, his actual name, “I AM,” was very seldom used. Usually, the titles for God were used. Even today, we don’t usually call him I AM. We call him God or the Father or the Lord.
They’re not singing heresy or blasphemy by saying Shepherd instead of Jesus. And I don’t think we need to try to get the “right” version of the song in front of unbelievers to witness to them with it. It still undeniably speaks of the Judeo-Christian God.
AG’s last blog post..Shout to the Lord
Min, do you really not get the point and meaning behind “Imagine” or are you just being difficult to make a point regarding AI??
AG- I couldn’t agree more. Seems like a complete non-issue.
Musicguy’s last blog post..Idol Hottie
@Musicguy: Lennon wants us to “imagine” a place where all the things that separate us are gone. But in order to do that, he has to have no religion. The idea that an atheistic utopia is possible is a pipe dream.
Okay, y’all just lost me. Que est all this about Lennon and Imagine?
AGs last blog post..Shout to the Lord
@AG: I called “Imagine” an atheist song because of the whole concept of Lennon asking us to imagine a world without Heaven, Hell, Religion, etc. as a world of peace, and saying that someone or multiples sing this song at AI unedited, and other worldly songs unedited, but they have to edit the Christian song.
But like I said, I’m not that upset about it because I expected it, and I don’t watch a show that’s raison d’être is to create a person who is to be worshiped as an idol for Americans.