I ran across Lacuna Coil’s video for “Enjoy the Silence” on Facebook earlier.

In Christianity Today there was a recent article:

Barring Yahweh

The Vatican gives orders to excise the name from worship. Do Protestants agree?

Observant Jews have traditionally not used the name Yahweh, refusing to pronounce the so-called proper name of God out of respect, or to be sure they do not misuse it. Now neither will Roman Catholics, at least in their worship services.

“Protestants should be following their lead,” said Carol Bechtel, professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. “It’s always left me baffled and perplexed and embarrassed that we sprinkle our hymns with that name,” she said. “Whether or not there are Jewish brothers and sisters in earshot, the most obvious reason to avoid using the proper and more personal name of God in the Old Testament is simply respect for God.”

Both Yahweh and Jehovah have been removed from the Christian Reformed Church’s Psalter Hymnal, turning “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” into “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer.”

The article finished by saying

Protestantism has long traditions of both using and avoiding the name Yahweh, according to John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. “Some people said using Yahweh emphasized for them the transcendence of God, which you might say is precisely the goal of not saying the term.”

Seems to me that people are missing the point entirely given that we are to relate to God on a personal level:

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

So in honour of missing the point, I offer one of my favourite worship songs:

A helpful [sic] comment from Sheila pointed me to do a little more research on the song that was going through my head. Wikipedia said:

When the song “Bitch” first hit the airwaves, most call-in listeners believed the song was by Alanis Morissette due to the similar sound and Morissette’s success in rock music at the time. To this day, people still think the song is one of Morissette’s 

So, yes, I stand corrected. The song in my head was by Meredith Brooks and released in 1997. It still doesn’t diminish my dislike of Alanis in any way, shape or form however!

I feel somehow dirty. See, I really dislike Alanis Morissette and will leave the room if her music is playing. It was “hate at first sight” - she appeared on the Jools Holland show back in 1995 performing “You oughta know” - I remarked at the time that she sounded like an angst-ridden little harpy. I’ve not really changed my mind since. You can imagine the reaction, then, when I was writing the “about” tagline for the blog and I thought “Im a geek and believer …” and some song lyrics came to mind:

I’m a bitch I’m a lover
I’m a child I’m a mother
I’m a sinner I’m a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I’m your hell I’m your dream
I’m nothin’ in between
You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way

The song appeared, fully formed with full backing, and her voice attached. The words rearranged themselves

I’m a geek and believer
I’m a ‘limey’ I’m a husband
I’m a sinner, I’m a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I’m a writer and I’ll dream
I’m nothin’ in between
You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way

I filked an Alanis song? Ewww.

Thanks for the link Merinda

From the YouTube description:

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a Shoppers Drug Mart store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store’s PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the store’s leadership role in adopting the Legion’s “two minutes of silence” initiative. He felt that the store’s contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o’clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the “two minutes of silence” to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry’s anger towards the father for trying to engage the store’s clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was later channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, “A Pittance of Time”. Terry later recorded “A Pittance of Time” and included it on his full-length music CD, “The Power of the Dream”.

A recent article on Kingdom Rain caught my attention. Part way through it the author (Brent Helming) said:

I think that a case is easily made that God’s gift of music, has an incredible and powerful ability to touch us at the deepest level of our being. Music stirs the heart and emotions like nothing else. It also embodies the ability to motivate the behavior of those listening. This is not by accident. God intended for music to have the ability to touch us deeply. However, in our brokenness and humanness, we can easily misplace the deep affections and emotions that music (even worship music) stirs in us. When this occurs during worship, we often end up focused on objects other than God; namely the worship leader, the worship band, and/or the engaging melodies of our favorite songs. It is this type of misdirected attention that nurtures a “consumeristic worship” mindset by creating the impression that the time of worship is simply an enjoyable music event (the “show”) instead of a life giving interaction with Creator God.

Can you see the awesome responsibility that God has given to those of us who create, play and lead others with music? We have an incredibly powerful tool at our disposal. One that is capable of deeply affecting those who hear it. Worship Leader/Songwriter David Ruis, has termed this responsibility the “Sacred Trust” of leading worship. We as worship leaders and musicians have been entrusted with the precious gift of music and it is our commission to wield this gift responsibly.

and for those who are interested, he’s not just some random guy-on-the-streeet, his bio makes it clear that he knows something about what he’s saying:

Brent Helming has been involved in Pastoral and Worship Ministry for over 16 years. He has traveled both nationally and internationally leading worship and teaching at Churches and conferences. He has written numerous worship songs such as “Your Beloved”, Jesus Lead On” and “God of All Splendor”, along with a helpful interactive work book titled “Hot Tips for Worship Leaders”. Brent is currently developing a Coaching and Consulting Ministry for Worship Leaders and lives with his son, Brian, in Escondido, CA.

It struck me in this piece of writing what it is about certain worship activities that doesnt sit well internally with me.

I was talking with a friend who described artists who paint during a worship service. They are inspired by the music, about the presence of God that they are feeling, and they paint as a way to express this. There are other churches where people wave flags and banners as a form of worship. Neither activity sits well with me and I think I have understood why.

Helming’s article talked about a “misdirected attention“, saying “in our brokenness and humanness, we can easily misplace the deep affections and emotions that music (even worship music) stirs in us. When this occurs during worship, we often end up focused on objects other than God”

It seems to me that flow of emotions that the music stirred up is being diverted from flowing along it’s correct channel (to God) every day. I know that on a bad day I’ll listen to a stirring piece of music and squander the “lift” it brings, simply reveling in how I feel; a self directed, humanistic experience where I allow my own emotional state to become the end-point of the experience. Other days I’ll drive with worship music on and I’ll let the music lift me into an awareness of the presence of God and focus on Him, on prayer and praising my Creator. I’m a mixed bag of worship and idolatry just like the next man. All that is preface to saying that I feel that painting when the music lifts the spirit internally and an artist feels suddenly “inspired” is directing the flow and allowing the canvas to be the end-point and not God. Someone swept up in the musical worship should seek to give God their intellect as well as their emotion, give him all parts of themselves.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is “to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever” and that “The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.” This requires the use of intellect. You’ve debased worship when you direct the mind from fruitful meditation on the words of the worship songs into a meaningless/mindless waving of a flag to and fro. This would squander not only the emotional lift (being directed toward a flag, not God) but also the giving of the intellect to Him.

I guess at the end of the day I can boil it down to something fairly simple: if I ever end up in a position of leading a church, neither painting during worship nor flag/banner waving will be practiced by my congregation!

Hot Butter - Popcorn

In 1972 Gershon Kingsley composed the classic dance track “Popcorn” that was recorded by a band called “Hot Butter” (read more). Versions of “Popcorn” have appeared periodically ever since. I was in a mood to go searching and found a bunch of them

(wonka / techo version)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mvbrgeE69yg

(crazy frog)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xXrnKGSShMk

(Marsheaux)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CDqnq_Qb-kE

(Medieval Popcorn)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qPwJ5198iYU

(by E-Rotic)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-L9z-h8rvUs

(dance mix - Koruption)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCEi2f-hr4M

(Cynic-Redenbacher Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMKTxvNThDo

(Shadmehr Aghili)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bBLIMotoadE

You need hands…

This came from my searches for versions of “Popcorn” - a guy who can play almost any song with his hands. As for me, best I can manage is a variety of humorous farty noises.

Popcorn

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bdWDJCKEh8k

Bohemian Rhapsody

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IOyEw9bT8yQ

Star Wars- Cantina Band

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pBiLAy7mDbw

Monty Python Theme

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7JaHyxbSiG4

A-Ha - Take On Me

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kwxvOKuLUQ0

Beatboxing Flute player Greg Pattillo

Remember on Men in Black II, Will Smith “communicates” with an alien with “beat box” noises? I’ve never really followed the phenomenon but it seems there are some really accomplished human beat box performers out there. The best from my Youtube searching was a guy who not only does an interesting beat box performance, but he plays flute at the same time.

(inspector gadget)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0

(Peter and the Wolf)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c6SHsF1n9Qw

(Sesame Street)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=clcza815sao

(with Eric Stephenson on cello)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GMUlhuTkM3w

The Eighties

Then I just turned to amazing nostalgia, searching for old 80’s pop videos. Look out … here comes big hair, embarassing fashion and a flash-back of music for you!

Nena : 99 Red Ballons (1984)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4

Maria Vidal : Body Rock

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bSjzT4mWcmI

Bruce Willis : Under the Boardwalk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GKtt5oeKa8w

Curiosity Killed the Cat : “Down to Earth”

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Np-bUqP1li0

Steve “Silk” Hurley : “Jack Your Body” (1986)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mQcg-dRg5h4

Tight Fit : “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow9EaGQHFW0

Pepsi & Shirlie : “Heartache” (1986)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dziJv8Pcb04

The Eurythmics : Sweet Dreams (1987)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OufZbzsUtIo

Rick Astley : Never gonna give you up

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7sK3AqFYAWQ

Kylie Minogue : I Should Be So Lucky

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sAu8kPI-CLw

Taylor Dayne : Tell It To My Heart

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZQxB_kgkz00

King : Love and Pride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_3g_yf1vzI

Something more modern (”Darkwave” music)

Two tracks, both are on my iPod right now. Darkwave is the fusion of the older New Wave, with more modern electronica and gothic styles.

Cruxshadows : Winterborn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVNjx4k8mWk

Cruxshadows : Cruelty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJgkd7IRzU8

Someone asked “why do you post song lyrics?” and the simple answer is to get them out of my head. You know what I mean - the songs that go around and around and you cant get rid of them - posting the song here is my attempt to stop the mental gramophone from spinning and stop hearing the darned thing! So without further ado…

octopus’ garden
The Beatles

I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’ garden in the shade

I’d ask my friends to come and see
An octopus’ garden with me
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade.

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus’ garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
because we know we can’t be found
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they’re happy and they’re safe
(Happy and they’re safe)

We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden with you.

To Be A Pilgrim

by John Bunyan

He who would valiant be ‘gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound - his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.

The BBC has a fascinating article on the “economics of ticket touting” where they talk to Princeton University’s Professor Alan Krueger about the topic. It says at one point:

“The reason why people are going to the secondary market is that they want to get a better seat than what’s available and I think that is an indication that they were not priced properly in the first place,” he says.

“In the secondary market, the tickets average 50% more than their list prices, and some go for a lot more than that. The very best seats go for double or triple the list prices.”

I was told by a serious concert go-er that paying up to 3x the face value of a ticket was OK so long as the ticket was for a great seat in an otherwise sold-out show. His advice to me was to shoot for anything up to 50% over face value simply as “the norm”.

Floor seats in a great location (as opposed to up in the ‘nose bleeds’) to see The Police on July 2nd in St Louis, at 35% above face value was a steal. I figure on it being a simple matter that Ticketmaster doesn’t give me any choice over the location where I would be sitting, so the 35% over-face value is the cost of choice and well worth it.