Today’s parallel to Victorianism would include praise music that mirrors the vapid emotionalism and egocentrism of pop culture. I once visited a church where I was startled to hear the congregation sing lines like “You are my all desire,” and “I want to feel the warmth of your embrace.” Thy lyrics made no mention of God or Jesus. No reference to salvation or justification or any other theological theme. Nothing to suggest that the song was anything but a love song to someone’s girlfriend. The lyrics were such an extreme example of the Jesus-is-my-girlfriend genre that I wondered how any man could sing it with a straight face - though as I looked around the room, I saw several men with their eyes closed, arms raised.
Nancy Pearcey, Saving Leonardo, p.271
I do not even like those types of songs and I'm a woman. My husband and I joke about it if a church we're attending sings one of those. Such songs do not engage the mind at all and I instantly tune out if one of those is being sung.
ReplyDeleteOn rare occasion, when someone replaces our normal song leader, we do one of these stupid things - and I refuse to sing it!
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of "Jesus Is My Girlfriend Songs," you should check out this awesome graphic by Ink Slinger.
ReplyDeletehttp://inkslingerblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/david_psalmwriter.jpg
That is hysterical!!!!
ReplyDeleteGood reminder.
ReplyDeleteIt always strikes me when I visit one of these churches and they make the "mistake" of singing a traditional hymn that the volume of singing increases dramatically. Does no one notice?
Grace and peace.
Okay, speaking of the song reference, I just had to chime in.
ReplyDeleteThe women at our church had a retreat two weeks ago where they studied a book titled Completely His. It has been said that some groups will even do a little "ceremony" after this study and do something similar to "vows" and even light a candle like a wedding unity candle. Talk about making Jesus into our own boyfriend or husband! The church is His bride, not us individually. Well, I had no desire to go on this particular retreat.
Well, the women came back from the retreat, and guess which song they all got up front to sing!?
You are my desire...no one else will do...cause no one else can take your place...to feel the warmth of your embrace...bring me back to you...you're all I want...you're all I've ever needed...etc. blehhhh
It almost seems irreverent to me.