Texas Church Fighting Rap Music
Friday August 18, 2006
Conservative Christians have a long history fighting just about every aspect of modern culture which comes along. Rock music, close dancing, short skirts, Harry Potter... you name it and conservative churches were active in trying to eliminate them. Today one of the most popular targets is rap music and hip-hop culture.
MSN reports:
Hundreds met at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington to destroy mountains of rap music and piles of hip hop paraphernalia. ... "We're going to take everything you see here and we're going to have it crushed," Rev. Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr. said to his congregation.
The sacrifice at this altar is hip hop culture -- movies, music, clothing. Critics call it a culture of hypnosis, brainwashing kids into mimicking degrading values. "It's all about, you know, selling drugs, getting money, cheating on your girl," parishioner Steve Kelly said.
Now, I won't argue that there aren't rap songs or aspects of hip-hop culture which people can reasonably criticize — and even more which can be understandably criticized from the perspective of conservative Christians. Such broad attacks against hip-hop culture generally, though, will probably undermine their efforts and perhaps make things worse for them in the long run. They should try to focus on just those aspects which are most problematic while trying to encourage other aspects which are at least somewhat neutral.
Christian Nationalism & Dominion Theology:
Comments
I found a gem of a book in a used bookstore the other day. Published the year I was born (20 years ago), this Christian primer on what to think about various 80’s controversies had an entire chapter talking about the evils of rock. There’s absolutley no mention of hip-hop or rap. Of course, back then it was all stuff like Grandmaster Flash, but that’s not the point.
The point is nowadays (to my knowledge) there’s no longer any huge concerted Christian movement against rock. My, how time changes. God’s perfect will seems awfully flexible.
Hey, Karley, what’s the title of the book? It sounds interesting.
I left it at my dorm room and I won’t be back until Monday, but it was called “Hot Buttons” something something.
It’s a compilation of several essays by Christian apologists. I’ve only read the Rock and Roll chapter and the one about clothing (which contains a deliciously ironic tolerence of polyester- Leviticus anyone?).
I’m old enough to remember when the church came out against booze, jazz, swing, jitterbugging, not keeping the Sabbath, for a host of “Blue Laws,” against endless books considered classics, rock and roll, R&B (calling them “Jungle Music”), strip clubs and topless bars, and now, among other things “Girls Gone Wild.” You note all efforts have failed, and Christian Rock is taught at Christian Colleges. Burning a few books and CDs in a nation of 300 MILLION is an exercise in futility, and is only a bid for publicity for the utterly stupid Christian rightwing. Ultimately, most people do as they damn well please, including Fundies and Vangies. TheArt@webtv.net
Would you believe I actually teared up? When I was younger, my youth pastor held a burning of “sinful” media. He told me that hip-hop was evil and I shouldn’t listen to it, unless it was Christian.