The Devil Song in Church
Once again, I've succeeded in failing to keep my blog updated. Oh well. Life goes on. It's refreshing to know that my blog's readership has expanded to the younglings from church. I will be selective and cautious about my blogpics (blog topics*). I've been mulling over a few issues this past week which I plan to blog about. Some of them are: My haunted condo (i just found out), sex and masturbation (controversial, but much info needed), how I'm studying psychology for free, and I told Ashley that'll I'll write something about tattoos and piercings. Well, I do hope this piece of webspace would be of benefit to people in their journeys through life. Otherwise, a channel through which you can enjoy lame comedy.
I remember a Saturday afternoon in church. I was a youth leader then and led a cell group. For some strange reason, we were in the habit of rewriting pop songs with Christian lyrics. It was kind of a lame way to use "pop" music to attract non-Christians. {My advice: DON'T DO IT. Don't re-model what someone has created without their permission}. Of course, it wasn't easy to get Kobain's permission to "Christianize" "Rape me".**
So we were on to other songs. We found a way to make "Hotel California" sound holy. Strumming it loudly to my cellgroup in a plywood-structured-room, we were oblivious to the fact that the church counselling team was meeting in the next plywood-constructed-room.
Halfway through the song (I forget which part of the song but am guessing it was the "stab the beast" part or the "pink champagne on ice" part. Baptists don't like alcohol), two knocks on the door echoed in the room. One of our church counsellors told us to keep the volume down, but was more concerned that we were singing this devilish song in church. Though I tried convincing her that it was reworded, the tune had reminded her of the song's embedded content.
Some say Hotel California was the first Satanic church. Therefore the song is branded evil. Some decide that the song is an elaboration or reminder of the Satanic institution: "... you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave..." Honestly, I don't have a vital clue as to what the Eagles were trying to say through the song. But I'm of the opinion that the interpretation of the song (or any media) should be handled wisely, objectively, spiritually, and cohesively. Never spiritualised! {some of you are perhaps cringing at the words: Satanic, devilish and alcohol}
I like Hotel California because I think it is a well written song. It's proses are rhythmic and rhyme. And the tune is catchy and matches the mood of the song. I see the song as a reminder rather than a form of worship. However, there are limits. I won't make this song into my daily anthem. I will listen intently to its content so that it doesn't conflict with my values and I would make sense of its controversies. I won't write it off as evil because it talks about the devil, in the same way I won't accept songs with Jesus' name as Christian music. (or else, we'll be singing some of Marilyn's, Incubus and Babylon Zoo's songs for worship).
Music is just one example. We are bombarded by tonnes of messages daily. The TV, Internet ads, emails (and pesky forwards), sermons on Sundays, lectures every day, the newspapers, etc. How often do we use our thinking faculty to decided if the message is true or false?
So, be discerning. Don't jump to conclusions too quickly.
* blogpics: Okay, I'm trying to invent my own terminology. Blogpics: Blog topics
** "Rape Me" was a song by Nirvana. Apparently the song was a sardonic rendition to women who dressed to attract unwanted company. Or so I was told. We Chritianised the song into "Save me".
I remember a Saturday afternoon in church. I was a youth leader then and led a cell group. For some strange reason, we were in the habit of rewriting pop songs with Christian lyrics. It was kind of a lame way to use "pop" music to attract non-Christians. {My advice: DON'T DO IT. Don't re-model what someone has created without their permission}. Of course, it wasn't easy to get Kobain's permission to "Christianize" "Rape me".**
So we were on to other songs. We found a way to make "Hotel California" sound holy. Strumming it loudly to my cellgroup in a plywood-structured-room, we were oblivious to the fact that the church counselling team was meeting in the next plywood-constructed-room.
Halfway through the song (I forget which part of the song but am guessing it was the "stab the beast" part or the "pink champagne on ice" part. Baptists don't like alcohol), two knocks on the door echoed in the room. One of our church counsellors told us to keep the volume down, but was more concerned that we were singing this devilish song in church. Though I tried convincing her that it was reworded, the tune had reminded her of the song's embedded content.
Some say Hotel California was the first Satanic church. Therefore the song is branded evil. Some decide that the song is an elaboration or reminder of the Satanic institution: "... you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave..." Honestly, I don't have a vital clue as to what the Eagles were trying to say through the song. But I'm of the opinion that the interpretation of the song (or any media) should be handled wisely, objectively, spiritually, and cohesively. Never spiritualised! {some of you are perhaps cringing at the words: Satanic, devilish and alcohol}
I like Hotel California because I think it is a well written song. It's proses are rhythmic and rhyme. And the tune is catchy and matches the mood of the song. I see the song as a reminder rather than a form of worship. However, there are limits. I won't make this song into my daily anthem. I will listen intently to its content so that it doesn't conflict with my values and I would make sense of its controversies. I won't write it off as evil because it talks about the devil, in the same way I won't accept songs with Jesus' name as Christian music. (or else, we'll be singing some of Marilyn's, Incubus and Babylon Zoo's songs for worship).
Music is just one example. We are bombarded by tonnes of messages daily. The TV, Internet ads, emails (and pesky forwards), sermons on Sundays, lectures every day, the newspapers, etc. How often do we use our thinking faculty to decided if the message is true or false?
So, be discerning. Don't jump to conclusions too quickly.
* blogpics: Okay, I'm trying to invent my own terminology. Blogpics: Blog topics
** "Rape Me" was a song by Nirvana. Apparently the song was a sardonic rendition to women who dressed to attract unwanted company. Or so I was told. We Chritianised the song into "Save me".
Comments
BUt then what do I know?? :-0
Cheers!