Theology

I wouldn’t normally put so much ‘God speak’ on the web site, but this is typical of the sort of stuff I have tried to fight and disassociate myself with for a long time. The only reason it’s here is because my response wouldn’t fit on the space provided at the relevant web site.Therefore I have put a link there to this diary entry. I have withheld the names of those who have written to me to protect their privacy. I will not be wasting any more time on this as quite frankly there are far more important issues to be dealing with..so here goes I was sent a link to the review of my gig at Greenbelt. I`m not sure who to address this letter to, as it`s not clear to me who wrote the `rider` at the end. I will therefore address this generally. For what its worth I have never seen this happen in a review before. Someone is asked to review a show, does so, and then someone else adds on something totally different at the end. Maybe it would have been better to call it an editorial comment separate from the main review? Anyhow, I want to respond. At the end of this message I have included some other correspondence I have had about the gig so that I don`t need to repeat some of the main points I would make in response to the issue. However, I do have some other things to raise. I was at Greenbelt for the full four days and was available for interviews etc. Why didn’t you contact me to ask me about the issues? Why not try and find out what I was trying to communicate or say? This was not about the gap between Greenbelt and the `theology/practice of many evangelical/charismatic churches`. This was about a charlatan who calls for the most dreadful of things to be done because God is telling him so. I`m not interested in building a bridge to Pat Robertson. I wish him no ill, but he needs to sort himself out. As do we all, but `we` are not calling for assassination of leaders of countries who happen not to fall in line with American foreign policy. I can only hope that pages in your publications have been given over to denouncing the outrageous language, posturing and claims that have been part of Robertson`s output in recent times. The line about punching TV evangelists was in the original version recorded on `Far From Silent` in 99. Why is it that the press or critique, within the Christian realm, is so unable to handle or recognise irony, even if it thinks its a bit harsh? I was not able to see the `bunch of youth clutching Tennants cans and clearly the worse for wear`. I do know that the vast majority of the thousands there were not. This is also typical of the almost spiritual `snobbery` that Greenbelt has had to put up with over the years. The `this sort of thing would never happen at Spring Harvest` slight. Out of the estimated 6-7000 gathered there that night I have had only one complaint (see below) so unless some other social ill had befallen everyone present the vast majority seemed to get what I was trying to say. If someone wants to carry on this debate then I`m happy to do so. It would, however, have been better to have done so in a more controlled and amicable way than the shooting from the hip editorial of the review, ironically the very thing I’m being accused of. Yours sincerely, Martyn www.martynjoseph.com Hello there Martyn, I was deeply disturbed at the Friday night concert at Greenbelt. I know it is not for me to discuss your relationship with God, but I was highly offended by your actions in the concert. You may have been trying to shock for effect or try to get a response from the crowd but was it necessary to be so offensive and use the word fuck? To suggest that God would say so to a believer, is in my opinion, offensive and blasphemous. Further, to encourage the audience to take part in your offensive utterance was disgraceful. it is not the fact that you swore, but the suggestion that God would reject someone is the problem. The Christian teaching is clear God is a God of grace who does love all men and has sent his son to die for each individual to win their salvation. It is clear to me that God would never turn his back on those who have trusted in him as personal Saviour, what ever their political/left/right/radical/denomination etc. or stance. To suggest otherwise, is in my opinion a complete denigration of the faith that genuine Christians have in the Lord Jesus Christ. You may think that it is a `hip Christian` thing to do and you can say fuck on stage. I, personally do not want to be represented as a Christian in this way. In my experience non-Christians know how they expect Christians to behave and they are not conned by those who are trying to be something they are not. I know of your work, and in fact, have been involved with your tours in the past when you were less well known. Unfortunately, you have now lost my respect. Don`t think I am being self righteous. I grew up in one of the roughest communities in the world and am used to swearing and all sorts but I am offended for God. By the way do Larry Norman a big favour please be humble enough to give him the credit when you sing his great songs. Hope to hear from you, Thanks ******* Dear *** Thanks for your message, I appreciate you taking the time to write and tell me how you felt. I presume from the line ‘hope to hear from you’ meant that you wanted me to reply, so for what it’s worth here are some thoughts. The words of the chorus I sang actually don’t put the featured words in God’s mouth. I said ‘what if God said?’ Its meant to raise the point that people who claim to speak for God (that’s if anyone can) and take the most unbelievable of positions on issues, should expect God to be very angry if they miss-represent Him. It’s not unprecedented for God to be angry of course and Jesus showed utter distain and contempt (turned a few tables over as well) for those who acted in stark contrast to what they claimed to be. These were nearly always moral/justice complaints, not those of language or dress codes etc. I’m not the least bit interested in being ‘hip’ and I think my journey, as a musician would back that up. I want to communicate stuff and occasionally you upset folk doing that. I’m curious to know if you have also written to Pat Robertson to complain about the way he has miss represented the truths we hold onto. I would be thrilled to know you had but I have my doubts. In the end it is about the word ‘fuck’ and not the miss representation of Christ. You say your offended for God and my friend so am I. I’m offended enough to go around and consistently and publicly voicing my opinion on those in positions of political power who claim to act for God. To me this is the biggest obscenity. I honestly believe God would have some very harsh words for the likes of Robertson and that’s what I’m trying to say. When you perpetuate and support policies that leave millions disenfranchised or dead, claim that following God will make you financially rich and that the heads of countries should be assassinated because they stand up to the might of the USA (and actually put policies in place to provide great care for the poor of their own countries) then the phrase ‘fuck you’ comes to my mind. I am of course very grateful that God’s grace would not reject anyone; my daft little chorus wasn’t about that. I have to say that out of the six thousand people gathered at the mainstage that night, you are the only one who has drawn that conclusion and felt it was important enough to write. I’m not without sympathy for your position ***, but frankly for me there are more pressing issues to get stuck into. As for the Larry Norman comment that’s a cheap shot and I can only presume that it was fuelled by a little irritation on your part at the end of writing your email. I have often given Larry credit for the songs of his I sing (let alone a decent amount in record royalties). I have turned a lot of folk onto his music through the years, especially in the folk community in the USA where many sadly had never heard of him, and I personally know that he is grateful for that. Many artists sing songs by other people but don’t say who the song is written by. It doesn’t always lend itself to everyone’s persona on stage. Again Rob my thanks for taking the time to write. I’m sorry I have lost your respect but in the balance of the correspondence we have had I’m not sure exactly what you respected me for in the first place. Yours sincerely, Martyn www.martynjoseph.com