Church Heathen
Earlier this week, my friends and I were having a conversation, and they asked me what I did on weekends. After we talked for a while, it emerged that I have never been to Quad, Asylum or any of the Jamaican night clubs. They found it strange and weird, but if I had decided to give in to their invitation I would have been the center of ridicule some time soon.
My decision to avoid secular Events like these is not based on that reason alone as I also have a personal relationship with Christ and my life is supposed to please him ALL I do- and going to a session is not one of them (even if I didn’t dance or drink anything). In all of this I had to remember…
Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
I know that I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I live in this body, I live for Christ by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20. Therefore i cannot live to please myself, but to please Christ and do as he desires.
I have also realized that trying to convince my secular friends about my spiritual stances will in most cases be futile as their eyes have not been opened to the type of living the Christian life requires. Therefore though you may try to tell your friends why you detest secular living, don’t feel discouraged when they cannot identify with your decisions.
Remember that …the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1Co 1:18
In all of this remember that though the world keeps drawing us into its temptations, and keeps attracting us with its temporary pleasures, nothing can compare to the eternal reward that will be given for a life well lived.
Let us do our best to be examples so that even if we (Christians) become the center of ridicule in a video or song, we can feel content in the fact that we have an eternal bond with our heavenly father.
Mr. Shaggy, please note that we (Christians) do not attend church because we think that we are perfect. That is far removed from the truth. The truth is… we know how sinful we are and how unworthy we are of God’s mercies that we are grateful for his grace.
Let us… Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12
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Stephen
This article was written by Stephen and added
5 years ago
to Perspective-the human challenge, audio.
Stephen says... Love God Bad!!.
February 17th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I detest this song too.So many people are of the impression that christians live double lives.You know what is painful though,mnay of us do,we may not go to Quad,but might as well,because we enjoy all the activities that take place there!You are right we are not perfect we hope to be and thats why we do our best in giving our lives to God.Unfortunately we are read otherwise and people think we say we are perfect.Very sad dont you think?
February 18th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
It’s a pity shaggy don’t know who him dealing wid. God cannot be mocked, and what he has done is to paint an unreasonably exaggerated picture of the church of Jesus Christ. Serious thing that. I am a 20 year old University Student and I am abstinent by choice. Have never been to Quad, Asylum or any of those things…not saying I’m perfect but I know Shaggy not signing bout me. I know many young people living lives to God’s honor and glory and so i oppose this video. It addresses things that are real, but it in itself is a lie because it paints a picture of the entire church without discretion. Him fi know seh a God him a deal wid. Good article -Bless ma brother.
February 18th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Excellent article Stephen. Let us all pray for Gods continued strenghth to persevere as young adults.
February 18th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
A true u a talk to my youth, is a rude thing him do. Poor likkle me only pass quad a new kingston and him making such a generalisation about the church and christians, sometimes dem must stick to what dem know entirely, and don’t trod pan God premises.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 am
Surprisingly, I am not offended by this song. There are at least two sides to any story. On one hand, the world and it’s system has always been ridiculing the Church in one form or the other. It is just persecution in the form of mockery.
The other side is, the issues raised are real. Some people do think in the way he described in the song (unfortunately). Many people are tempted and fall and are unrepentant because they have a form of “christian facade”. But note that God is not mocked, whether by the world or by Christians.
March 9th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Spot on, Gillian! Mi niebl string kot ina di cherch, so mi kyaa fuul miself. Bot Jiizas stil liv im cherch. Eph.5:25-30 “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body.”
Look at all the problems 1 Corinthians addreses in the Corinthian church. Read it for yourself. Paul addresses the issues of:
1. division over which preacher is the best
2. lawsuits
3. immaturity
4. inappropriate use of one’s freedom in Christ and offending weaker brothers (causing them to sin by violating their consciences)
5. sexual immorality
6. verbally abusive
7. swindlers
8. couples denying each other their sexual rights!
9. ignorance of what to do in areas of marriage, divorce, celibacy, and the changing states of life (slavery, circumcision)
10. misuse of spiritual gifts…this leads to confusion in worship services
11. division, drunkenness, and greed at the “Lord’s Supper,”
12. lack of love,
13. Neglect of authority (the head-covering issue),
14. denial of the resurrection of the dead, a man sleeping with his mother-in-law!
SOUNDS FAMILIAR? What a wretched set a people, eeh? Who would like to pastor this Church?
But you know what encourages me? Ans: - The first 9 verses of 1Corinthians 1. “From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge – just as the Testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you – so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
True true.. sometimes we Caribbean Christians live lives which contradict the Gospel. We need to be warned and exhorted to repent of sinning against our Lord. Nonetheless, we must again and again reminded ourselves that Christ has got a non-ending, infinite, incomprehensible, unshakable, non-negotiable love for His imperfect, failing, disappointing, battered, confused, immature negligent Church. Im giv op im laif fi it, yow! And the gates of hell, the world, the devil, our sinful nature will not be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom.8:31-39).
Dis bluo mi main. This is what makes the grace of God in Christ so outrageously stunning!
Sola Scriptura!
March 15th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
shaggy need to get jesus in his soul
March 16th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Get in de Jiizas. Siev im
March 24th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT ALL OF US CHRISTIANS SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THIS SONG AND GET ITS TRUE MEANING. IT MIGHT BE OF A SECULAR NATURE UT CHRISTIANS AT PRESENT SHOULD STOP Discuss FELLOW CHURH MEMBERS, TRY NOT TO DRESS TO IMPRESS WHEN COMING TO CHURH AND CHRISTIAN MEN SHOULD KNOW FCUS ON THE WORD DURING THE SERMON AND NOT ON THE SISTER SITTING NEXT TO HIM (ALL OF WHICH ARE IN SHAGGY’S SONG). WHAT CHRISTIANS NEED TO REALIZE IS THAT SINNERS LOOK AT THEM AND JUDGE. THEREFORE WE SHOULD LIFE A LIFE THAT WHEN BEEN JUDGED OUR CHRISTIANITY IS CONSISTENT AND FROM THIS PERSONS WILL BE INFLUENCED TO SERVE GOD.
I BELIEVE SHAGGY WAS TRY TO TELL CHRISTIANS THAT WE SHOULD LIFE ONE LIFE AND NOT TWO AND IN EVERYTHING E DO WE SHOULD BE PLESING GOD AND NOT THE DEVIL!
March 30th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
The Truth Hurts………. We need to get our Act toghter……….. it might not be you in that song……… but thats the Church now ah days……… not Praying……… NOt Fasting………. So what do you Expect Satan to do? not Expose?
I like the song……. i use it to as a mirror to check my self.
Since that song came out, some times when dramma comes around my way i here that song. And i get back in Order, cause i dont want to be a verse in that song ……….thank you Jesus…….
April 1st, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Jadee…i really love ur MYSPACE! “Doh dis Meh God” is wicked… pul op!!!
April 8th, 2007 at 7:11 am
I’m not surprised…..it was just a matter of time before someone of the world made a song like this. I’m not going to bash Shaggy, because when I really think about it, the song may help some Christians by opening up their eyes and exposing their double mindedness. Many pastors and church leaders are afraid to approach the issue of Christians who lead double lives, but I see it happening all the time. Hopefully, those who are guilty of such will feel embarassed because of “Church Heathen” and realise what a negative impression of Christianity they are giving to the world. Those of us who are not guilty of this should not be offended, I am not…..but I must say that I am hurt, because although I know its an exaggeration (for entertainment value), I know that the church is guilty of many of these things. Let us look at ourselves and look around us and make sure that Christianity is not just a confession but a way of life.
April 8th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
True Sherene,very true.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
……wow, dats deep…awesome
January 20th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Old topic but i gonna add my 10 pence, I think the lyrics are spot on. It is a shame that a non Christian made the song and not a believer but it is very true. I would not play it on my sound as I try to only play Christian artists, but IF it was made by Prodigal or ST Matthew etc I would most definatley play it from its lyrical content. Going Church caant save you! WE need to speak out against the money grabbers, and signs and wonders seekers and fraudsters, religious and supersticious, plastic smiles, lustfull etc etc within the church and so called church.