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Apr
10
Jesus & American Idol | Controversy Over Edited Lyrics | Mariah’s ‘Fly Like A Bird’
Filed Under American Idol, controversy, Jesus, Mariah Carey, outrage, religion, viral video
American Idol‘s “Idol Gives Back” charity show last night has some people fired up about the closing song choice.
The Top 8 American Idol contestants sang “Shout to the Lord” with modified lyrics.
Reports Reality TV Magazine about the controversy that has erupted among sensitive people who are easily offended:
Leave it to American Idol to step into a huge controversy with a charity fundraiser. To close out Idol Gives Back, the American Idol top 8 finalists sang “Shout To The Lord.” By ending the show with a Christian song, it ran the risk of possible offending people of other religions.
However, the finalists sang a modified version of the song. Instead of singing the verse that goes “My Jesus, My Savior,” the finalists sang “My Shepherd, My Savior.” Jesus was replaced with the word “shepherd.”
The change was likely an attempt by American Idol producers to lessen any controversy among people of different religions. However, the modification of the song seems to have created controversy as well.
Adding fire to the controversy was a segment where Mariah Carey sang “Fly Like A Bird” — one of my favorite songs — which included the words “Higher Jesus.”
American Idol is one of America’s most popular television shows, so I wouldn’t worry that society will crumble. The producers know what American audiences want and put on a great charity show last night.
Maybe there will come a day when people aren’t so easily offended by things that shouldn’t be offensive.
I doubt it.
It’s always in someone’s interest to have a group of people who are easily outraged. It makes fund raising easier for those on the pro- and anti- side of the “outrage.”
It’s too bad that people who are always shocked don’t focus their attention on outrages like the premeditated beating of a teen girl captured on video in an attempt to create a popular viral video or all of the shooting deaths occurring among Chicago public school students.
For some reason, the true outrages just don’t ever seem to get people fired up as much as religious references.
Video: Mariah Carey “Fly Like A Bird”
Comments
12 Responses to “Jesus & American Idol | Controversy Over Edited Lyrics | Mariah’s ‘Fly Like A Bird’”
Hi Chris,
I think what happened was a few activists made millions by becoming the “professionally offended”. After the activists recieved praise for looking out for the downtrodden without critical analysis of their postition or comments it became appealing to anyone who wants to complain. Just claim your motives are pure and you can gripe about any thing.
If you’re interested, here’s what I wrote about this: http://schansblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/idol-goes-christian.html
Hi Aaron,
Both sides do it to a certain extent — the anti-church crowd is always good for getting donations to pro-religious groups and vice-versa.
Maybe it’s time to ignore those who are “professionally offended.”
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the link to your post. I’ve posted a comment over on your blog.
Duh its about Jesus so Why wouldn’t the ones who sing the song in church and listen to it on cd’s find it irritating. Oh yea I m ticked when someone is beaten or when heads are cut off for Allah and yea I open my pockets for the poor which has didley to do when idol sings a song wrong by forgetting lyrics or changing them. Ask Simon when songs are sung incorrectly.
Hi James,
Thanks for visiting the blog this evening. I thought it was great that the American Idol crew sang “Shout to the Lord” again tonight.
I must admit being a Christian I was offended by the fact that they changed the words and removed Jesus from the song. Tonight on the show they corrected it. When I first heard the lyric change I stopped to consider why and look at it objectively and this is what my thought was. When an individual sings a song it is seen as that individuals story or point of view. But when everyone on the show performs a song together it is different; not everyone who sings it or watches the show may feel the same way. The show probably didn’t want to appear as an endorser of a specific religion due to the multicultural aspect of the country and the program. So the real issue is that each person has to deal with the question of Jesus individually, therefore the collective singing of the song brought forth a controversy. Jesus told us that he was the “The Truth” and his words were Spirit and Life but that the world could not receive the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17). The world as a whole can rally around a great cause but they can’t all agree about Jesus. He must be known and received individually and personally. Which is why Jesus said he didn’t pray for the world (John 17:9), meaning the world system. He said that this world hated him without reason and this is true of all of fallen humanity according to what Jesus taught. So we shouldn’t expect the world to be in collective agreement about a song that glorifies the Son of God. But I was happy with song being at the end because I was hoping that God would be glorified in this great cause and not man.
Hi Don,
Thanks for adding your thoughts to the conversation.
!!!!!!!!!!
alright.
First of all, they should not have chosen a religious song. That was a WRONG choice. I am beside myself that the biggest controversy about this seems to be that the lyrics deviated. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. What if they changed the lyrics to a Muslim song and sang that? I’d be watching that on FOX news, I guess.
whatever.
The oversight frustrates me.
So what.
Hi Rachel,
Glad you could join in the conversation.
Very simple thought. People can complain about religious songs but the fact of the matter it is music. The second most popular music. Christian music needs to be added to American Idol. In factWe put up with all the “bad” stuff. But the fact remains is this. They changed the lyrics to a song without the artist permission. That is why it was changed the following night to the correct lyrics. I’m sure the artist would not have sued but the option was there because it is not in her nature but, some would have. That is the reason David A’s father was banned. He was changing the lyrics
Hi John,
Thanks for stopping by!