I wasn't sure what to think when I heard popular US gospel group Mary Mary had recorded a song with American rapper and occassional actor David Banner. I don't want to come across as judgemental especially because I haven't heard the song in question, my initial thoughts on this though are not good.
Call me old fashioned but I don't think it's appropriate for Christian artists to record songs with secular artists. What glory does this bring God when clearly He said in 2 Cor. 6:14-17: "What fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?.... For we are the temple of the living God.... 'Therefore come out from them and be separate' says the Lord."
That's all I have to say on the matter.
13 comments:
hmmmm...I don't think we should be quick to judge.
Sounds like someone who does not know about David Banner, his music, or his causes. David Banner helped to aid those in the Katrina crisis. I gather that David and Mary Mary connected when the appeared on the stage of the BET awards a year following Hurricane Katrina. David Banner was raised in the church and professes his faith in God. Listen to Cadillac on 22's. This song is featurted on David Banner's first album. It's also people's judgement that keeps people from feeling comfortable attending church and stops others from getting saved.
I don't think it's appropriate for Christian artists to be mixing with secular artists. Afterall what business has light got to do with darkness?
I don't see what the big deal is in recording songs with secular artists. Does that mean if we are Christians, we can only attend Christian schools, see Christian doctors, buy food only from Christian food shops???
I'm sorry but Mary Mary have lost their mind. Here's some lyrics from David Banner's music:
"Shawty say you don't beat it up no mo'
Don't come and grab her hair, throw that a** on the floor..
Imma put it in your wife"
Sorry peeps, but I couldn't endorse this stuff. Good works and profession of faith don't mean a hill of beans - it is holiness and repentance that make one a Christian.
Oh and Mary, going to non- Christian food joints, doctors and schools is one thing - giving your approval to sick, perverse artists is anothing thing.
This isn' judging this person is right..
When you first think of david banner?
Not god not anything glorifying god!
There needs to be a CLEAR line in secular and christian.
When I saw that in family christian bookstore I was unsure what to think...
Just because a person says God doesn't make them a christian. Is David Banners lifestyle represent Jesus Christ? NOOO it doesn't.. And to the person who mentioned Katrina that doesn't mean crap that they gave to katrina relief.. I am sure that they are Atheists that gave money. Giving to the poor doesn't make you christian...
I understand that David Banner might profess his faith in Christ, But the Bible clearly tells me you should know them by their fruits. I have seen/heard the music videos/lyrics this man has produced. I will leave it at that. There is such a judgment as righteous judgment, I wll end there....
People today are too quick to judge. You can't look at the back of the CD and say "ooh, David Banner is in that song, I dont want this." Yes, David Banner is a secular artist, but he's not on the track talking about getting money, sex, and drugs. If you took the time to hear the song before you judged it, I guarantee some of these posts would be slightly different.
A line in the song says, " I'm fighting the devil, fighting police
And in the church Lord I'm looked at as satan
Cause in my music I curse
But I'm trying to do better and that's the thing that really hurts."
Maybe this song is the beginning of David Banner turning his life around. Saying that David has no business being on this track is just like saying a sinner has no business being in church. How did you get saved? How did you turn your life around? You gotta start somewhere.
The problem that I see with this is not that he is a secular artist, but that you could do a search on an mp3 website and end up hearing this song right next to his song "play". If you haven't heard it, it really objectifies women and glorifies pimpin, sex with multiple partners, and describes many sexual acts in great detail. I actually listened to "superfriend" then listened to "play" and I couldn't help but associate all of the things he talks about with Mary Mary. I think this lowers their stock quite a bit. I also know that many parents approve of Mary Mary for their youth. how many of these young minds will say "who is David Banner?" then look him up and find this type of content? I don't wanna judge the man by his past, but even to this moment I haven't heard a peep about him changing his ways. He's still profiting from the glorification of an un-Godly lifestyle. As Christians we must guard our associations with the idea that people are watching us. New Christians look to us for guidance. I must say I've been a christian for a long time and even I am confused by this move. I work in christian marketing and if say Howard Stern came to me and said "I wanna join forces to help promote this new christian film that's coming out" then that same day I hear him on the radio spouting the same trash as usual. I would have the right and the responsibility to respectfully decline. That doesn't mean we couldn't discuss Christ and salvation, It just means that I'm doing my part to protect the sanctity of Christianity. One blogger said that they commend Mary Mary for giving him an opportunity... I agree, I just think that the opportunity could have been on a different stage that wouldn't be such a stumbling block to so many.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Matthew 7:1 is a wonderful verse to hid your sin behind. But it's a little different when you read more of that chapter. I only put the first 7 verses, it says even more that clarifies that statement and encourages the believer to create a clear separation between holy and unholy.
We have to stop cherry picking verses to suit our own needs. In Colossians 3, it says that our lives are hid with Christ in God. Use that as a litmus test when you look at artists, preachers, professing Christians; is your view of them obstructed by Christ? If so, then there you have it. If not, then they have not been transformed by the Christ living in them.
Trying? David was trying, you see it all in his Psalms. He did crazy things and then he cried out before God. So if someone is trying to live holy and struggling, that should be expressed in some manner. Not just as feature on a gospel collabo.
is it the song super friend?...........well i think we should becareful the pple we get equally yoked with and who is this superfriend.............if it is Jesus they shd state it.........Gods way is light and we must make it clear
This is a disgrace, how in the world can Mary Mary sit up there and sing with not only David Banner, but LL Cool J as well. Why do Christian artists always have to inter mix with the secular. I agree just because David Banner helped out with hurricane Katrina that doesn't mean a thing b/c works don't get you into heaven, but living a life reflective of Christ does. There are plenty of nice charitable people who aren't going to see heaven. And I'm so tired of hearing people say "well we shouldn't judge them or do not judge, b/c the only reason why people say that is so they can accept sin pure SIN. And people need to stop using that scripture out of context all of the time b/c in fact Christians are suppose to judge, but the scripture is stating do not judge somebody else when you haven't got your own life in order first. So for an example you shouldn't talk trash about Mary Mary singing with a secular artist when you listen to them yourself. So Stop Using the Judging Scripture So Much. Excuses Excuses. Stop twisting the word of God to fit you own lifestyle and read the word of God the change you life. Christians need to step up!!! Live the life and stop being fakes. LIVE THE LIFE!!
I don't think we are in any position to Judge, God said let everything that has breath praise God, David banner is praising God. Also if you listen to his lyrics you might not be so quick to judge. Lastly Jesus himself was seen with people that were considered sinners, isn't he the epitome of light? would you call what he did mixing with darkness? Let us not be quick to judge people because you don't know what is in their heart.
God Bless!
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