Catholic perspective on this song

[Rosa Mystica]

This is for all the Depeche Mode fans out there (and even those who don't like the band):

I would like to hear some opinions from Catholic Christians re: the song "Blasphemous Rumours" by Depeche Mode. In the past, I have expressed my detestation for this song in the secular music forum on the grounds of blasphemy. However, I was surprised to have my opinion struck down by other Christians (mostly Protestant), who claimed that it was not blasphemous, but that it simply expressed anger at God for the untimely deaths of loved ones. Here are the lyrics:

Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode

Girl of sixteen
Whole life ahead of her
Slashed her wrists
Bored with life
Didn't succeed
Thank the Lord
For small mercies

Fighting back the tears
Mother reads the note again
Sixteen candles burn in her mind
She takes the blame
It's always the same
She goes down on her knees
And prays

I don't want to start
Any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's
Got a sick sense of humor
And when I die
I expect to find Him laughing

Girl of eighteen
Fell in love with everything
Found new life in Jesus Christ
Hit by a car
Ended up
On a life support machine

Summer's day
As she passed away
Birds were singing
In the summer's sky
Then came the rain
And once again
A tear fell
From her mother's eye

I don't want to start
Any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's
Got a sick sense of humor
And when I die
I expect to find Him laughing

So, now that I have posted these lyrics, I would like to know who is right: me or the other Christians in the secular music forum? Is this an expression of outright blasphemy, or an extreme amount of anger towards God for a highly understandable reason?

I'm very interested in hearing your opinions.

 

[stray bullet]

It is anger at God coming out in the form of blasphemy.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

It is anger at God coming out in the form of blasphemy.

Trying telling that to the other Christians.

 

[stray bullet]

I suppose it makes some people feel better about listening to it. I listen to stuff worse than that. If you feel it is detrimental to your faith or disrespecting God, don't listen to it.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

I suppose it makes some people feel better about listening to it. I listen to stuff worse than that. If you feel it is detrimental to your faith or disrespecting God, don't listen to it.

Why would anyone want to listen to this song? I have heard it before, and I found it to be extremely disturbing, among all other things.

 

[stray bullet]

Why would anyone want to listen to this song? I have heard it before, and I found it to be extremely disturbing, among all other things.

What do you mean, why would a Christian listen to music like this, or why would a person enjoy the particular song?

Some people enjoy dark music, it is just a taste. Some people might identify with it in their own tragedies and rants against God.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

What do you mean, why would a Christian listen to music like this, or why would a person enjoy the particular song?

Either/or.

Btw, an even worse song than this one is "Dear God" by XTC. I'd like to see Christians justifying that one!

 

[stray bullet]

Either/or.

Btw, an even worse song than this one is "Dear God" by XTC. I'd like to see Christians justifying that one!

Well, if it bothers you, simply don't listen to it. It is an artist's opinions and feelings and you don't have to hear it

Like I said, if it offends you or harms your faith in some way, don't bother with it. Some Christians, including myself, listen to a variety of music which would include lyrics that would offend a lot of people.. just doesn't bother me.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

Some Christians, including myself, listen to a variety of music which would include lyrics that would offend a lot of people.. just doesn't bother me.

You're not into Manson at all, are you?

 

[stray bullet]

You're not into Manson at all, are you?

Not Manson particularly, no. However, I listen to music within that range on occasion.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

I'm bringing this thread to the top again so that it can inspire more debate.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

My brother actually preached a homily on DM's "Personal Jesus".... the youth minister then called and left a recording of it on his answering machine!


For me- I suscribe to the "garbage in, garbage out" mentality at this point in my life. I would much rather walk around sining beautiful, Christ centered music to myself then Ani DiFranco songs. Anger begets anger, and I think listening to angry music when one is angry only perpetuates it and turns us away from humility and seeking to right our dispositions through prayer and submission. I just feel that if you listen to and watch things that are impure and draw attention away from the grandeur of God's creation- then there is no escaping having those attitudes. I feel like if you wouldn't listen to it sitting in the stable with the Holy Family- then it is probably far better to not listen to it at all....

 

[ukok]

I used to listen to songs like this, (not intentionally necessarily) for the last few years, however, i have felt personally, that they simply exaccerbate feelings of anxiety and depressive tendencies...God made beauty so that we might experience it. Lyrics like that simply aren't beautiful....they smack of bitterness and a lack of understanding for the subject matter.

It reminds me of todays homily...Fr. Peter was commenting upon lapsed Catholic Germaine Greer..who having visited Etheopia or another country where there was famine, publically stated for the press that after witnessing mothers burying there babies and copmmencing to PRAY at their graveside, she declared that there could not be a God...because he wouldn't allow such thing's to happen...

..the irony of the situation is that she had no authority with which to comment! It was not she who was suffering, she was to return to her lavish lifestyle....but those women had true FAITH, they prayed in their suffering...they didn't blame God for taking their children from them....


...as with the example of this song, it is relatively easy to imagine that we can attribute the suffering that we witness and endure to anyone other than ourselves...but the buck stops here, the author of the song hadn't realised that. We are what we are, we live how we live, God suffers with us because he suffered first.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

My brother actually preached a homily on DM's "Personal Jesus".... the youth minister then called and left a recording of it on his answering machine!

Oh, cool! What did he say about it?

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

Oh, cool! What did he say about it?

I don't really remember what he told me- but it was along the lines of the fact that we all need to personally have a relationship with Jesus, and that relationship will be different for each of us, as we are all indiviiduals...

I'll ask him if he has it written down anywhere and if hhe could e-mail it to me. If so- I'll send it along to you!

 

[Lifesaver]

Teen angst and rebellion. You were clearly, obviously right in your opinions about it. Yes, it is about the sorrow for the death of loved ones which, when converted by the band into anger against God, becomes blasphemous indeed.

 

[Magisterium]

This song in my opinion at best promotes an unhealthy ignorance the meaning of suffering and it's benefits. At worst, it denegrates God by calling him a sadistic jester.

No matter how you slice it, this song is blasphemous. I think too many people don't really even know what the word itself actually means. I've heard songs and read poems in which the author cries out to God in grief and confusion at events which have befallen them. I'm afraid that this song has no such redeeming qualities. In reading it, I was disgusted and disturbed by the complete absence of any reverence to God. This song expresses the perspective of someone who believes themselves to be in a position to judge God.

 

[Rosa Mystica]

See- I knew I was right on this one!