In the last week, there have been three fatal school shootings. I am sure that even now the debate is renewing. Why? How? Here are a few of my reflections.
I am pretty tired of this philosophy that our children (and adults for that matter) can listen to whatever they want and not be affected. Personally, I take that as a cop-out because people either lack the courage to stand up for what is right or they don't want to give up the entertainment they enjoy.
Don't think I am trying to be the thought police or go for censorship. It's not the government's job to pick up where parents and other community leaders are dropping the ball. If the church would do it's job, we wouldn't need the government providing day care, welfare, and so many other services that God's people should be engaged in. But that's a different subject for another time.
Back to this entertainment thought. Do we really think our children can listen to whatever they want and not be affected? Here are the lyrics for this week's Billboard Top 5:
WARNING: There is some explicit language in the songs below! I have left them unedited for you to see what many of our youth are listening to.
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Sexy Back (Justin Timberlake) #1
[Verse 1]
I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
I think you're special whats behind your back
So turn around and ill pick up the slack.
Take em' to the bridge
[Bridge]
Dirty babe
You see these shackles
Baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way
Take em' to the chorus
[Chorus]
Come here girl
Go ahead, be gone with it
Come to the back
Go ahead, be gone with it
VIP
Go ahead, be gone with it
Drinks on me
Go ahead, be gone with it
Let me see what you're working with
Go ahead, be gone with it
Look at those hips
Go ahead, be gone with it
You make me smile
Go ahead, be gone with it
Go ahead child
Go ahead, be gone with it
And get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it
Get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it
[X6]
Get your sexy on
[Verse 2]
I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
Come let me make up for the things you lack
Cause your burning up I gotta get it fast
Take em' to the bridge
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
If that's your girl you better watch your back
Cause she'll burn it up for me and that's a fact
Take em' to the chorus
[Chorus]
----------------------------------------
Money Maker (Ludacris featuring Pharrell) #2
[Hook:]
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
I see you on my radar
Don't you act like you dont hear
She...
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
Don't worry about them haters
Keep your nose up in the air
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Verse 1:]
Shake shake shake your money maker
Like you were shakin it for some paper
Took your mama 9 months to make ya
Might as well shake what ya mama gave ya
You ... you lookin good in them jeans
I bet you look even better with me in between
I keep my mind on my money, money on my mind
But yous a hell of a distraction when you shake your behind
I got * on my right side pourin some cups
My whole hood is to my left and they aint giving a fuck
So feel free to get lose and get carried away
So by tomorrow you forgot what you was sayin today
But don't forget about this feeling that im making you get
And all the calories you burn from me making you sweat
The mile high points you earn when we taking my jet
And how everywhere you turn I'll be making you wet..
[Hook:]
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
I see you on my radar
Don't you act like you dont hear
She...
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
Don't worry about them haters
Keep your nose up in the air
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Verse 2:]
Switch, switch, switch it from right to left and..
Switch it till you running right out of breath and..
Take a break until you ready again and..
You can invite over as many friends as..
Ya want to, but i really want you
Just be thankful that Pharrell gave you somethin to bump to...HEYY
Luda...Im at the top of my game
You want my hands from the bottom to the top of your brain
And I...just wanna take a lil ride on your curves
And get erotic giving your body just what it deserves and..
Let me give you some swimming lessons on the penis
Backstroke, breaststroke, stroke of a genius...YUPP
Call me the renaissance man
Get up and i stay harder than a cinder block mannn....HEYY
Im just a bedroom gangster
And i been meanin to tell ya that i really must thank ya when ya..
[Hook:]
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
I see you on my radar
Don't you act like you dont hear
She...
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
Don't worry about them haters
Keep your nose up in the air
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Verse 3:]
Rock rock rock it and make it work girl
Please dont stop it until it hurt girl
You..you been lookin a little tipsy
So if you could jus shake it a little this wayy
See ima member of the BBC
The original bread winna of DTP
And you the center of attention thats distracting this war
Cuz everybody in the camp is like OH MY GODD..she could
[Hook:]
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
I see you on my radar
Don't you act like you dont hear
She...
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
[Pharrell:]
Shake your money maker
Like somebody boutta pay ya
Don't worry about them haters
Keep your nose up in the air
[Ludacris:]
You know I got it
If you want it, come get it
Stand next to this money
Like - ey ey ey
--------------------------------------
How to Save a Life (The Fray) #3
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
---------------------------------------
London Bridge (Fergie) #4
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit
When I come to the clubs, step aside
Pop the seeds, don't be hating me in the line
V.I.P because you know I gotta shine
I'm Fergie Ferg
Give me love you long time
All my girls get down on the floor
Back to back drop it down real low
I'm such a lady but I'm dancing like a ho
Because you know what, I don't give a fuck
So here we go!
[Chorus (x2)]
How come every time you come around
My London London Bridge want to go down
Like London London want to go down
Like London London be going down
Drinks start pouring
And my speech start slowing
Everybody start looking at you
The Grey Goose got the girl feeling loose
Now I wishing that I didn't wear these shoes
It's like everytime I get up on the dude
Papparazzi put my business in the news
And I'm gonna get up out my face (oh, shit)
Before I turn around and spray your ass with mace (oh, shit)
My lips make you want to have a taste (oh, shit)
You got that? I got the bass
[Chorus x2]
---------------------------------------
Lips of An Angel (Hinder) #5
honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now
Honey why are you crying is everything okay
I gotta whisper cause I can't be too loud
Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak
And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And yes I've dreamt of you too
And does he know you're talking to me
Will it start a fight
No I don't think she has a clue
Well my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak
And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak
And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
(And I never wanna say goodbye)
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
honey why you calling me so late?
---------------------------------------
This begs a few questions for me...
Is it any wonder that teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are everywhere?
Is it any wonder that divorce rates have gone up?
Is it any wonder that teenagers are more depressed than ever?
Is it any wonder that respect seems to have faded away?
Is it any wonder that this generation feels lost, lonely, and abandoned?
Which leads me to my other point. Most of the blame is not on the youth. We listen to what we let them listen to. We give them too many adult freedoms without adult guidance. We invest time in our own careers, hobbies, and desires and leave them without much time and direction.
It seems like many parents would rather have a promotion at work than dinner with their family.
It seems like many dads would rather play golf with their buddies than spend time with their son or daughter.
Families spend hours staring at a TV rather than looking at each other and talking.
What happens when the captain leaves the cockpit of a plane? The same thing that happens when parents abandon leadership of their families. Crash!
Granted, parents often face financial struggles and difficulties. But do families really NEED a fancy car, a big house, or a HDTV? Are those things really more important than family time?
I know there are single moms and families that struggle to make end meet. Sometimes the situation makes it nearly impossible to have quality family time. But isn't that where the church should be there to help out and make up the difference? But other than saying hello on Sunday morning are we there to help single moms? Are we there to lend a hand to families in need?
I will be the first to step up and claim falling short. I know I am not doing as well as I should. But it's time for all of us to step up our efforts. It's time to stop letting the entertainment industry shape and form our children. It's time to take the power away from MTV and iPods. It's time we spend more time with our children so WE can shape their minds and hearts.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. (Romans 12:2)
"A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned." -Jesus (quoted from Matthew 12:33-37)
Would you rather your son spend an hour talking to you about how to treat young ladies or get advice by listening to the artists above? Or, who do you want teaching your daughter how to treat and use her body? It's your call.
shine!
Jason
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