Derek Webb and His New Controversy

So, Derek Webb, who I really enjoy, has a new album coming out, Stockholm Syndrome. It will actually have a “Clean” and “Explicit” version. For those who don’t know his music or why that matters, this guy sings about Jesus and the Church.

So, the huge controversy is his song “What Matters More”. As with most of his songs, it is very well written and very challenging. I am going to post a link to the song and the lyrics here. Tell me what you think. I will post my thoughts later…

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently conceal when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters

Comments

[kristine]

I read the lyrics, listened to the song and then mulled it over in my head. This whole post irritated me. I guess I'm really bugged that people are making a big deal over his swear words and missing the whole point of the song. And while I could go on and on, the two main ideas that surface are
1) legalism - a need to appear a certain way and abide by guidelines "define" christian beliefs outwardly
I love how he points to the hypocrisy in this - how our words DON'T match our actions and how we get caught up in language and tradition
2) missing the bigger picture ( acting in love, seeing beyond the surface)
The people upset by words like 'shit' and 'damn' have missed the point, and cannot see the ramifications of our brokenness and how it affects not only us but the world both locally and globally.

P.S. This is the first Derek Webb song I have ever heard so I am not a biased fan...