Is all secular music bad, no, is some secular music bad? Yes. And if so, is it worth reacting, responding to and even condemning such a powerful force as a pop star or a current musical trend? Let's take a look at Lady Ga Ga. . After printing out the lyrics and watching the videos, I think it is worth the effort to show our young people why Ga Ga is objectionable. It's not the hype that should be protested, it's what she is saying and acting out that needs to be highlighted and examined.
In "Judas" Lady Ga Ga sings "I'm in Love with Judas" , and "In the most Biblical sense, I am beyond repentance, Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind, but in the cultural sense I just speak in future tense Judas Kiss me if offensed, or wear ear condom next time." Really, "beyond repentance"? What do you think about the above? Would it be a good exercise to lead teens in a discussion concerning the lyrics? I think so. Some of my reader may exclaim, why give Ga Ga the attention anyway? Why expose our teens to it by even mentioning her. The answer is that teens live in a world saturated with Ga Ga type stars. They must learn to discern what they are being sold from the truth. They must learn to question popular culture.
These days every song has to have a music video and at this writing "Judas" has 21,071,387 views on You Tube. What does the video contain? Judas, John, Peter and Thomas all make appearances. Ga Ga sports lingerie with crucifixes on each breast and sits in a large tub with Jesus and Judas and washes Jesus' feet while Judas pours beer on her buttocks. Nice. What is the message, what do the lyrics and imagery portray?
Let's take a look at the lyrics and video for Ga Ga's hit, "Born This Way". The opening line is "It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M." She goes on to sing, "Don't be a drag, just be a queen". The video features the image of a female reproductive system and Ga Ga pulls a large machine gun form her vagina. She wears a small black panties and matching bra and rubs herself throughout the video. Copulation is simulated throughout the video as well as group sex and sex between two skeletons. In other words, it's classic Ga Ga.
Finally we will end with a look at "Bad Romance". In Bad Romance Ga Ga sings "I want your ugly, I want your disease, I want your psych, I want your vertical stick. I want you in my rear window, baby your sick." The matching video consists sexual imagery and of coarse, crucifixes.
Why is this objectionable, why is is there even a debate? Do we really need nine year old girls walking around singing, "I want your disease" and "I want you in my rear window"? The New Testament imagery in most of her videos makes a mockery of the New Testament. So what to do? Don't simply ban Ga Ga in your home. Print out the lyrics and have a rational discussion with your teens. Highlight what you feel is objectionable and ask them to highlight what they feel is objectionable. Have an interactive discussion. You may see an interactive discussion as risky, but "leading" teens is much stronger than "telling" them.
Watch the videos together (they are going to watch them anyway, ("Born This Way" has 48,628,347 views at this writing) and point out how religious and sexual imagery are being manipulated in order to sell videos and promote an artist. Ask your teens, "Sex sells, are you sold? Expose Ga Ga and her ilk for what they are: sexual and religious provocateurs. Chances are, after a rational discussion, your teens will not want to listen to her either. Also, you will be teaching your teens how to discern right form wrong in a continually declining culture. We are called to question culture, we must examine what we are questioning. Teens must learn how to look at the world and make good decisions despite what is being fostered upon then as "in" and "cool".
In "Judas" Lady Ga Ga sings "I'm in Love with Judas" , and "In the most Biblical sense, I am beyond repentance, Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind, but in the cultural sense I just speak in future tense Judas Kiss me if offensed, or wear ear condom next time." Really, "beyond repentance"? What do you think about the above? Would it be a good exercise to lead teens in a discussion concerning the lyrics? I think so. Some of my reader may exclaim, why give Ga Ga the attention anyway? Why expose our teens to it by even mentioning her. The answer is that teens live in a world saturated with Ga Ga type stars. They must learn to discern what they are being sold from the truth. They must learn to question popular culture.
These days every song has to have a music video and at this writing "Judas" has 21,071,387 views on You Tube. What does the video contain? Judas, John, Peter and Thomas all make appearances. Ga Ga sports lingerie with crucifixes on each breast and sits in a large tub with Jesus and Judas and washes Jesus' feet while Judas pours beer on her buttocks. Nice. What is the message, what do the lyrics and imagery portray?
Let's take a look at the lyrics and video for Ga Ga's hit, "Born This Way". The opening line is "It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M." She goes on to sing, "Don't be a drag, just be a queen". The video features the image of a female reproductive system and Ga Ga pulls a large machine gun form her vagina. She wears a small black panties and matching bra and rubs herself throughout the video. Copulation is simulated throughout the video as well as group sex and sex between two skeletons. In other words, it's classic Ga Ga.
Finally we will end with a look at "Bad Romance". In Bad Romance Ga Ga sings "I want your ugly, I want your disease, I want your psych, I want your vertical stick. I want you in my rear window, baby your sick." The matching video consists sexual imagery and of coarse, crucifixes.
Why is this objectionable, why is is there even a debate? Do we really need nine year old girls walking around singing, "I want your disease" and "I want you in my rear window"? The New Testament imagery in most of her videos makes a mockery of the New Testament. So what to do? Don't simply ban Ga Ga in your home. Print out the lyrics and have a rational discussion with your teens. Highlight what you feel is objectionable and ask them to highlight what they feel is objectionable. Have an interactive discussion. You may see an interactive discussion as risky, but "leading" teens is much stronger than "telling" them.
Watch the videos together (they are going to watch them anyway, ("Born This Way" has 48,628,347 views at this writing) and point out how religious and sexual imagery are being manipulated in order to sell videos and promote an artist. Ask your teens, "Sex sells, are you sold? Expose Ga Ga and her ilk for what they are: sexual and religious provocateurs. Chances are, after a rational discussion, your teens will not want to listen to her either. Also, you will be teaching your teens how to discern right form wrong in a continually declining culture. We are called to question culture, we must examine what we are questioning. Teens must learn how to look at the world and make good decisions despite what is being fostered upon then as "in" and "cool".
About the Author:
Keith Deltano is a excitingand captivating youth speaker . He uses interactive comedy to reach out and share with teens. Keith is one of the Nations most requested youth speakers
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