I hate and despise love songs to Jesus in the "contemporary" praise and worship circuit. It's such a "me, me, me" kind of theology where Jesus sounds like a love who is "cool" and "relevant". Yuck. I almost feel gross singing these songs when in a contemporary worship setting. Jesus looks like a distant relationship that looks just like a boyfriend or girlfriend who finally "completes us". All I have to do is compare it with John Wesley's hymns and you can see the difference.
Reminds me of this diddty from in Amos:
Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?
“I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
“Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
“But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Now that preaches.
So I was singing my own verse from a praise and worship song that I just made up. I hope you enjoy.
Jesus you're awesome,
It's really cool the way you saved me.
Jesus your riches,
Are better than the best diamonds.
You came to me in the dark of the night,
And saved me when I was lonely,
You came to me and rescued me
From the darkness of my night.
You're such a great King.
You're really awesome.
You're better than rings.
It's to you I sing.
And I sing to your love.
Jesus you're awesome,
It's really cool the way you saved me.
Jesus your riches,
Are better than the best diamonds.
You give such great hugs.
I sing to your love…for me.
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Perhaps you've come across this already, but John Stackhouse voiced similar frustrations a while back and it generated quite a bit of discussion (more heat, than light, in my opinion!). Anyway, here's the link if you're interested:
http://stackblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/jesus-im-not-in-love-with-you/
(I echo your sentiments entirely, by the way).
Perhaps you've come across this already, but John Stackhouse voiced similar frustrations a while back and it generated quite a bit of discussion (more heat, than light, in my opinion!). Anyway, here's the link if you're interested:
http://stackblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/jesus...
(I echo your sentiments entirely, by the way).
Drew, you Soft-Taco-eating freakozoid,
I agree that a lot of praise music, perhaps 87% of it, is smarmy, gushing, "Chicken Soup for the Musically Illiterate Soul" aimed at soccer moms who consider 1985 'contemporary' and are praying that this next Michael W. Smith tune might make their goth stepdaughter finally realize that stepmom is 'with it' and Jesus is cooler than that skater boy she's been spending so much time with.
However, this 87% rule applies to all genres. 87% of country is crap. 87% of hip hop is crap. 87% of classical, jazz, techno, funk, disco, heavy metal, etc are crap. And yes, this applies to Wesley and his old-school compadres.
If I have to listen to another half-assed attempt to rhyme "word" and "sword," I'm going to tear up the hymnal. Only laziness wopuld allow a composer to blend "heaven" into one sylable. And the songs that supposedly are celebrating the greatest story ever told have all the spark and fire of the shuffling masses of zombies in the mall in "Day of the Dead." The classic one, not the contemporary remake, of course.
The answer? Blended services. That way, people on all sides of the issue suffer. And isn't that what church is all about?
Drew, you Soft-Taco-eating freakozoid,
I agree that a lot of praise music, perhaps 87% of it, is smarmy, gushing, "Chicken Soup for the Musically Illiterate Soul" aimed at soccer moms who consider 1985 'contemporary' and are praying that this next Michael W. Smith tune might make their goth stepdaughter finally realize that stepmom is 'with it' and Jesus is cooler than that skater boy she's been spending so much time with.
However, this 87% rule applies to all genres. 87% of country is crap. 87% of hip hop is crap. 87% of classical, jazz, techno, funk, disco, heavy metal, etc are crap. And yes, this applies to Wesley and his old-school compadres.
If I have to listen to another half-assed attempt to rhyme "word" and "sword," I'm going to tear up the hymnal. Only laziness wopuld allow a composer to blend "heaven" into one sylable. And the songs that supposedly are celebrating the greatest story ever told have all the spark and fire of the shuffling masses of zombies in the mall in "Day of the Dead." The classic one, not the contemporary remake, of course.
The answer? Blended services. That way, people on all sides of the issue suffer. And isn't that what church is all about?
I agree with the 87% rule. But I think you are being nice. Whenever I hear "Michael W. Smith" I am scarily reminded of him trying to pull off Handel and how cool so many people thought that was in 1994. And how many people still think it's rad. Definitely not bitchin'. I say he should have been burned at the stake whilst singing it, Inquisition style. Ok, maybe not in reality – but in a video game like those 'rad' Left Behind games or even underwater like that cool fight scene in Top Secret. Then it would at least be amusing.
But I would say that 95% of music on any major label sucks ass. And then there's only a 50/50 chance you will find anything good in that last 5%. But I am a music snob and I hate everything anyway. Except love.
I agree with the 87% rule. But I think you are being nice. Whenever I hear "Michael W. Smith" I am scarily reminded of him trying to pull off Handel and how cool so many people thought that was in 1994. And how many people still think it's rad. Definitely not bitchin'. I say he should have been burned at the stake whilst singing it, Inquisition style. Ok, maybe not in reality – but in a video game like those 'rad' Left Behind games or even underwater like that cool fight scene in Top Secret. Then it would at least be amusing.
But I would say that 95% of music on any major label sucks ass. And then there's only a 50/50 chance you will find anything good in that last 5%. But I am a music snob and I hate everything anyway. Except love.
[...] have posted before on how much I am not a big fan of so-called "contemporary" love songs to Jesus. I am not a big fan of 99% of all Christian music I have listened to as well. Which is to say, [...]