In his post, Doug says, “Any time you try to put music in service of explicitly political rhetoric, the result is inevitably stilted and clubfooted.” I agree, whether it comes from the Steeles, Merle Haggard, the Dixie Chicks, Joan Baez, or Barbra Streisand.

Of course, artists have their First Amendment right to express their political views, but we as fans/listeners/customers have the right not to support them. And most often, we or don’t support them based upon the compatibility of their message with our own views, rather the rightness or wrongness of bringing politics onto the stage in the first place.

As far as appropriateness on a gospel stage, Doug is correct about appealing to an ecumenical crowd, but the boundaries shouldn’t only be limited to politics. In fact, I’ve seen far more concert-goers offput by denominational or religious expressions or comments than by political posturing.

It usually revolves around a group getting “too charismatic” for an ecumenical crowd, “too preachy” (revealing enough specific theology to offend some), or perhaps using a denomination-related joke that offends some.

Amen Jim!

There are multiple issues we may wrangle and disagree about but abortion (murder) and immorality shouldn’t be on the list and neither should we be offended when someone, be it preacher or musician, has the fortitude to speak it or sing it. Truth has a way of vindicating itself and really doesn’t care if we are offended or not.

David didn’t mince around sin in his Psalms but I’ll admit it is more exciting (and less condemning) to sing about how beautiful God is than about needing forgiveness for my wicked ways.

Not to worry…this is not even close to “permeating” the genre of Southern Gospel. Two songs in fifteen years are rather sparse and two groups at the NQC out of fifty hardly qualifies for a great awakening. So go buy a bag of stale popcorn and ask for extra ice in your soft drink. By the time you get back to your seat the song will be over and the soda will be sufficiently watered down to your liking.

I agree that music should, for the most part, remain somewhat open to interpretation to be more inclusive of the audience (i.e. the recent conversation here about cancer songs - don’t name the disease specifically and more people can identify with the song). But in an age where our country is further and further divided, it may be time to be more specific in gospel music. It needs to be calculated and the artist needs to understand they may have a Dixie-Gate situation (of which the Dixie Chicks have never fully recovered their audience). But in terms of sexual orientation, abortion, prayer in school (your examples) and other hot-button issues that are as much moral issues as political ones, I believe songs should not waffle or present a vague message. Nor should artists simply ignore that these issues/debates are occurring beyond the church walls.

Having said that, it’s tough to write a great ‘message’ song. I’ve heard songs that were against abortion, but they came across contrived and kind of icky (”Mama, please don’t kill me”). I’ve heard songs that were anti-homosexual lifestyle and they were simply weird and sounded more hateful than hopeful (”It’s unnatural! Hey now, listen to me ya’ll, it’s unnatural!” - no joke). I think a really great song could communicate any number of political/moral issues - but it has to be GREAT SONG. And those are stinkin’ hard to write.

Personally I think that’s a load of crap. It’s one thing for a Gloria Gaither to write “Let Freedom Ring” or a Neil Enloe to pen “From A Star To Stripes” or “Statue of Liberty”, but those are analogies, not overtly patriotic songs. I doubt either writer would stoop so low artistically as to try and wrap God up in the American flag. They’re comparisons used to illustrate a spiritual point.

On the other hand, lyrical sludge like “We’ve Got To Get America Back To God” cheapens not only the heart of the message of the gospel but the very patriotic ideals the writer/singer is so desperately invokes. To trivialize the truth of what the Bible teaches in this way is hardly different that the skewed superficial nature of much of the praise and worship music that has flooded the mainstream Christian music market. Neither are accurate in painting a wholistic picture of the Gospel. One of the results is the continual dumbing-down of people’s understanding of what the Bible says as well as what it means to be a God-honoring citizen of this (or any) country. Another is that it contributes to the growing irrelevancy of the genre as a means of communicating relevant Truth.

I’d compare it to the downward spiral of the work of James Dobson. In the 70’s when he was a practicing clinical psychologist and wrote a couple of books on parenting, he was probably doing what God called him to do. And he did it well. As American evangelicalism heaved its way through the decades of the 80’s and 90’s, he traded his position as an articulate professional in one area of expertise for the bully pulpit of right-wing conservative politics. In the process he has been (rightly so) marginalized as just another hack for the conservative right. Even some people in his own organization are ready for him to finally leave (vertically or horizontally) so they can try and steer FOF back to where many feel it should be; a God-honoring family resource, rather than a mouthpiece for every conservative cause that suits its founder.

When politics, right, left or centrist, starts to permeate art of any form, it’s time to read, listen or look at something else. It’s hard enough (as numerous discussions on this blog indicate) to encourage good art in a narcissistic, culturally-entrenched, economically-challenged genre of music like southern gospel. Subverting art in such a blatant
manner reveals the utter lack of understanding on the part of the writers and performers of what art is meant to be and do. If it is meant to convince hearts and minds it must be done in a noble, courageous fashion. To beat people over the head with worn-out rhetoric and tired cliches does a disservice not only God but the country as well.

Jesus didn’t call us to be patriotic; he called us to be faithful. And the Bible also instructs us to “choose this day who you will serve”. You can’t serve God and mammon, especially when that mammon takes the form of hyperpatriotism.