Writers Note: When will the Saints of God stand up against the Worldly influences in the Black church? Why does the Black community and those in positions of authority allow the creative art forms of Black people to be stolen? Why do we allow our creative talents to be manipulated and exploited by people outside the Black community?

The FreedomJournal declares that your Black mind is the only thing that you really have. Artistic expressions are a product of the ultimate Freedom one can have, yet we sell it to the highest bidder.

IS FREEDOM ONLY NOTED IN MATERIAL WEALTH?

Peace,

Carl A. Patton, FreedomJournal

(The Confrontation of Truth and Knowledge)

(FreedomJournal: Notes in Black History)

THE WORLD SATAN AND THE BLACK CHURCH

(Ungodly Blasphemy)

Part 6: How Did Rap & Hip Hop Get Into the Black Church?

In the name of God, Master of the universe, Ruler of the earth.

The word of God is a message that is everlasting. Thus, it will stand the test of time. God is time and has declared that time and place for everything that exists. To those confused, lost and those that deny the existence of the Creator we appeal to your soul and mind.

We bear witness that man in the Spiritual realm and man in the world (scientific realm) cannot always explain everything about the earth and the universe. The believers also know that everything should not be explained, especially many things that relate to God. However, the Spiritual man can explain many things lost to the scientific world. Surely the world did not just appear, appear from what? Surely man did not evolve from a lower animal? Is it purely emotions that drive the Christian experience of shouting and the Holy Ghost dance? Have you ever thought of supernatural power? What, who, brings the rain, snow, thunder and the flashing light in the sky? Can man bring the rain, can man change the seasons?

Pardon me, but we note a word to the wise. The world is in great trouble and confusion. However, if man could do all things, we would be in bigger trouble. Man would sell sunshine, rain, snow etc. He would also destroy the world with his greed for money and power. Thus, if man really had the Power of the Creator he would have destroyed the world long ago. Think about it? Is it so difficult to perceive the lust of man for money and power? Thus, if he had the power to change, the seasons' he would only change them for his friends and those that paid him the most money. Of course this would constantly change and in the process humankind would cease to exist. Just think about this power in the hands of Hate-Mongers. Aren't you glad, happy and overjoyed that God exists and is in control? Even the atheist and agnostics and Hate-Mongers must see the logic here. More than 90% of those that say any last words have the Creator on their lips, is that right. What will you say?

We believe that God is not only real but, He is alive. Thus, God is very angry with the defilement of the churches throughout the world. Again who has allowed Satan and the world in the church? Will the Preachers and church leaders stand up? Sadly many Preachers and church leaders are part of the problem, but why?

We have noted several crucial attacks on the Black church in this series of articles. However, the impact of Rap and Hip Hop music on the church is one of the most serious attacks on the church. This attack is very serious because it is also destroying our youth. Most if not all of the Rap and Hip Hop music is a negative influence in the Black community. Nevertheless, when they bring this music into the church, it becomes ungodly blasphemy and a high crime against God and the church.

We will briefly look at one of our intellectual's giants for some historical background information on music in the Black church. E. Franklin Frazier, "The Negro Church In America," here Professor Frazier discusses a topic entitled, "The Negro Adopts Christianity to His Experience In The New World."

Frazier argues that the slaves found in theology and Christianity a new orientation to the world. Thus, he adopted Christianity to his psychological and social needs. Frazier notes that the old Negro Spirituals were songs in which you would find the peculiar social and psychological needs of slaves revealed in song.

As we digest the previous statement, we note that the Negro Spirituals eventually paved the way for the radical Gospel music. However before we move to the impact of Gospel and Rap and Hip Hop we note another crucial statement noted by Frazier.

In the following statement we see an on-going pattern to confuse, distort, manipulate and exploit Black creative art forms.

"In recent years there has been some efforts on the part of Negro intellectuals, encouraged sometime by white radicals, to invest most of the spirituals with revolutionary meaning or, to claim that they represented disguised plans for escape from slavery."

The FreedomJournal argues that those that have very little knowledge of God and the unbelievers have few if any skills to interpret Negro Spirituals. We also argue that the Bible is a book of liberation. Thus, the Black experience rendered a natural attraction to the aspects of liberation and freedom as noted in the Bible. However, the slave masters often suppressed these feelings and emotions of liberation. Nevertheless, they did not destroy these feelings.

Frazier adds to our discussion:

“The sacred folk-songs or spirituals were essentially religious in sentiment. We are aware that the Spirituals and folk-songs have undergone changes which make it impossible to know what they were originally. We are also aware of the interpretations which often reflect the biases of whites. We know that some songs were composed for special occasions and, therefore cannot be understood completely outside the framework of a particular time and place. Nevertheless, the sacred folk-songs express sentiments regarding the life and death of the Negro. These spirituals also reflect on the complexity of this existence and his desire to escape from the uncertainties and frustrations of this world."

There are several key words in the statements made by Frazier. His use of the word sacred and the phrase "religious in sentiment" are very important. We argue that it is for sure that the original music in the Black church was sacred. In fact no church should allow anything but sacred music within its walls.

As we continue this series, we see that the world and Satan challenge sacred music in the Black church. Why have Black Preachers allowed the churches throughout America to become dens of sin? Have these ungodly Preachers promoted the commercialization of the church? How can the singing styles of the streets and nightclubs also become a part of a religious experience? How can any Preacher have the nerve to allow Rap music sung by ear-ring attired, backward ball-cap wearing confused youth into the church? Have these Preachers gone crazy or has Satan compromised them with money?

Cont. Part 7: Sacred Music Challenged: Spirituals/Gospels vs. Contemporary Rap & Hip Hop

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