Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 15:39:20 EST
Comments:     Converted from PROFS to RFC822 format by PUMP V2.2X
From:         Brenda Curry-White <BSCURR01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU>
Subject:      Re: A Hindu View of Amy Grant

Well, we are back to a rather unproductive topic :^/.  The article Carol
quoted was reportedly authored by a Hindu critic in a major newspaper.  So
everyone (who doesn't like Amy's music anyway) has jumped to the conclusion
that since someone who is Hindu seems to have liked her style, her message
must not be coming across very clearly.  This assumption may be in error.  Lon
has pointed out that the readership of the newspaper may have a significant
(albeit small) Catholic or otherwise Christian readership.  Although it seems
odd that the newspaper would choose a Hindu writer to critique a Christian
album (and Unguarded is one of Amy's that is billed as "gospel"), it does not
seem one bit odd that the newspaper would try to cover that aspect of music
which may be of some interest to at least some of their readers.  Newspapers
are in business to sell papers, after all.

It is also worth noting that the author makes no clear statements of agreement
or disagreement with the message of the lyrics.  The author is critiquing the
style of the music, not the message.  That the author finds some gospel music
"slumberous" should cause no surprise.  I'm a Christian, and some of it
puts me to sleep.  Just because it's called "gospel music" and has worthy
lyrics is no guarantee that it's any good.

Scott Weberg makes this point:
"My point, originally, was that Amy Grant's 'kind of gospel', isn't
really the Gospel at all; her songs don't talk about the good news of
Christ.  Is the name of Jesus even sung in one of the songs on her
latest album?  I have a friend who has her album, and I think our
Lord's name is mentioned maybe one time.  That is NOT the Gospel!
And that was my point."

Amy Grant's latest album (before the Christmas one) should not be confused
with her Unguarded album.  Her latest album was not billed or marketed as
Contemporary Christian (to my knowledge).  In fact, she has taken a lot
of flack from the religious right for "going secular."  It happens to be in
a lot of Christian book stores simply because there is a big market for her
albums, whether secular or no, in the religious community.  Despite the
fact that her most recent album is more secular in orientation, she includes
one song with the lyrics "If anything good happens to me it's been Jesus" or
something like that.

But Scott is confusing the issue :^).  When we get back to the article, and
away from whether or not we personally like Amy's music, we see that it is
a Hindu, critiquing Christian music.  That such an author would have a less
than accurate view of the "gospel" should not surprise us.  Nor should we
expect Amy to include the 6 point Roman Road in every song.  Her Christian
works are intended for a primarily Christian audience, who should know the
Gospel anyway.  Her secular works are intended to reach a larger audience, and
I suspect that is why she chose to "go secular", although I also suspect money
had something to do with it.  Everyone whom I've ever heard talk about a Grant
concert that they have attended has always reported that she comes across very
clearly as a Christian.  Why we deride her for reaching non-Christians with
a message of human love as God taught us to use it (even if not using his name
in every other line in her songs) is beyond me.

Brenda
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