The Quiet Out Loud by Jennifer Mock

February 22, 2023 What can Christians learn from the Grammys? Anything?

I’m convinced the more the entertainment tries to disprove or oppose God, the more they reveal Him. The devil cannot put himself center stage without also admitting to God’s existence and ultimate authority.

I’ve shared some of this on Instagram, but wanted to recap here as well, for those who don’t necessarily participate much on social media.

If you missed the Grammy’s…well don’t worry, so did I. Ha! I honestly can’t even remember the last time I watched a nationally televised awards show. That said, I do usually see or catch some of the aftermath the next day. Whether it be ridiculous fashion choices or the shock over a provocative performance. This event seemed to contain both…lots of gender bending fashion and an extremely provocative song performance by Sam Smith.

Let’s quickly recap the song performance so you don’t have to watch it. The song name is “Unholy” and it is performed by two artists, Kim Petra and Sam Smith.

While the song Unholy was performed at the Grammy’s, Sam, who identifies now as non-binary and seems to as of late become much more feminine in his appearance and attire, has been in the news recently for a music video to another new song “I’m Not Here to Make Friends”. This video has received much criticism for it’s over the top queer and sexual content. It’s a video full of scantily clad, glamorous drag queens grinding all over each other. I tried to watch it for the sake of this podcast…but couldn’t finish it. I don’t need to watch a transgender sex fantasy being played out on my screen.

Kim Petra, who honestly, I’ve never heard of, is apparently a trans woman singer. Who accompanies Sam on their hit track Unholy.

So that kind of sets the stage for this Grammy performance…transgenderism is the theme, in case you missed it. I’m not sure how you could, but I just want to be sure.

The song Unholy is about a husband and father who leaves his wife and children at home to do something “unholy” - which is apparently visit a transgender strip club/brothel/burlesque show. This is what I can gather from the lyrics and music video clips. And this is what I first want to point out here…by calling this type of activity UNholy, you are admitting the opposite of these actions are in fact HOLY. He could’ve named the song unfaithful or cheater or any number of things. I find the word choice of “holy” fascinating. Because I would agree Sam…being in a faithful, heterosexual marriage is holy ground. Why? Because it’s God-ordained. By choosing to use the word holy, you are choosing to bring God into the conversation. This is the oldest trick in satans book. Make a holy, God fearing life look drab and boring and an unholy life look like a cornucopia of fleshly pleasures.

As an interesting side note, he also has a song on his new album called Gloria and sounds like a church choir. Why is he so insistent on bringing God into his music? Is it to mock? Or to trick?

The Grammy stage performance of the song Unholy didn’t focus on the story of the lyrics though, rather it was some sort of sexual fetish of a satanic ritual or seance complete with dark lighting, creepy covered faces, solid red outfits, devil horns and contorted dancing in a circle around Sam (who was dressed as a transgender devil) while Kim Petra writhed in a giant bird cage in the distance. And of course, there was fire. You obviously cannot have a depiction of hell without a lake of fire. Satan works so hard to make eternal damnation look so appealing, doesn’t he?

Surprisingly, the reporting of this performance has been mostly negative. Which gives me some hope for the world. But outside of the typical shock and horror, what are some takeaways from this event we can glean as Christians? Because it feels like we’re in this lifetime cycle of being shocked by Hollywood, then we move on, then they do something else and we're shocked again, and the cycle just continues. What else can learn from these types of events and how can we use them to point back to God?

I’ve been told via Instagram comments, there is nothing to learn. The only appropriate reaction or commentary is one of disdain, horror and rejection. Which I don’t disagree, those are appropriate reactions. This should be publicly called out as an evil performance. Absolutely.

But I disagree that we can’t learn from this and use it to point the world to God.

Christians could actually learn something from the recent Grammy “performance”. Not in terms of emulation, I’m not suggesting you mimic their actions or behavior or dress or ideologies. But I had this epiphany as I was watching clips from the performance and looking at pics of outfits from the red carpet…and thinking to myself, who would wear this? Who would act like this? Don’t they know how dumb they look? All of America is going to see this and hate it. But then I realized…these people do not care. They don’t care. They are so lost and so sold out and so deceived. These people are openly and unabashedly proclaiming their faith. They are dancing and singing and looking completely stupid for their gods.

When was the last time you danced unashamedly before God?

When was the last time you gave ZERO cares what others think about your faith and you proclaimed it publicly and loudly for all to see and hear?

When was the last time you simply raised your hands in surrender and worship surrounded by fellow believers? Or even ALONE?

Because the other side isn’t ashamed.

Or afraid. Or quiet. Or private.

You know exactly who they bow down to. Can the same be said for you? For me? For us? Is it obvious who I worship and serve?

These people are more than willing to be undignified and humiliate themselves for the sake of their gods. God of self, god of money, god of fame & fortune, god of gender…

Rather than becoming increasingly steadfast & bold, Christians continue to water down the gospel so that it’s more “attractive.” Meanwhile, the enemy isn’t diluting anything. Quite the opposite actually. It’s becoming more brazen and more bold.

Are we as brave, proud and pervasive about our faith as the Hollywood elites and entertainers are about theirs? Or are we scared of being judged or cancelled or called names? Do we water down our faith or do we double down?

I would encourage you to look at a few pictures from the Grammy’s. Because this is a representation of the agenda that wants to shut you up. They don’t care about offending you or upsetting you or you laughing at their choices. Stop caring what they think in return. Do not let a man who’s pretending to be girl, dressed in a sequin rainbow jumper designed for a toddler shut you up.

So no, I’m not saying copy or act like these people. But I am saying…don’t be embarrassed of God. Don’t be ashamed to worship Him. Stop caring what this crowd thinks of you. Put your dancing shoes on and your pride to the side. YOU have a God WORTHY of praise and worship. Because while that specific performance was demonic, that doesn’t mean music or dancing or celebrating is - when it’s directed at the right audience.

Look at the story of David in 2 Samuel‬ ‭6:14-23‬. I read this a few weeks ago and it has been stuck in mind since. Because it was kind of triggering (aka convicting) for me. David becomes king and is bringing the ark back to Jerusalem. “Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”

And what happens next? One of Davids wives sees him and is aghast. She’s embarrassed for him. She then confronts him and chastises him for causing a scene and looking silly basically. Doesn’t he know that he’s a king? This is not how a king should act. And Davids response is so good…he says… “I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”

The reason this was convicting to me was because it forced me to ask myself…do I have this heart posture? Or am I embarrassed because I care what other people think? Y’all, I’ve been in church settings where people have suggested to not lift your hands during praise and worship because it will scare the new people…

I want to draw a parallel for you between the Grammy performance and David’s dancing. Both could be viewed as “undignified” or humiliating, right? There is a parallel, because it’s not the praise & worship that’s evil…it’s the target of the praise and worship. AND it’s the execution. And there is a parallel because satan is an unoriginal hack. He is not a creator. All he does is take what God says is good and turns inside and out upside down. It sort of looks like what God created, but distorted. And this is why sometimes it’s hard sometimes to discern between good and evil. The Grammy performance wasn’t evil because there was singing and dancing, it was evil because of the target of the worship and the execution through over sexualization, demonic imagery and the distorting of God’s creation of male & female.

The Sam Smith Grammy performance points us to God in three ways:

One, it demonstrates the Biblical principle that humanity was created to worship. We can’t help but worship, because we were purposefully designed for it. We may not all worship the one true God, but we all bow down to something. It’s perfectly fitting that Madonna just posted a statement in support of the performance and ended it with “bow down **tches.” CBS responded to a Sam Smith tweet about his upcoming performance that they were “ready to worship”. It’s the best when they inadvertently, openly confirm their agenda.

Two, it demonstrates the Biblical principle that humanity is fundamentally prone to sin. Even further, it shows when we fail to direct our worship to God and we replace Him with false gods we fall deeper and deeper into degeneracy. Just glance at Sam’s transformation over the years.

Three, it confirms the Biblical principle of God’s holiness. The performance was overtly satanic and the song name is “Unholy.” Something can’t be satanic and “unholy” unless God and holiness also both exist, because God is the only being that is inherently holy. Therefore glorifying UNholiness can only be interpreted as glorifying being apart from what is Godly. There is no reason to work so hard to be unholy if God doesn’t exist. Thank you Sam for acknowledging God exists, albeit I’m quite certain you did so unwittingly.

Even non-believers, non-Christians, have watched this performance and come to the conclusion that something evil was on display, it was inappropriate and aptly named ‘Unholy’. How is it that even non-believers are identifying this performance as demonic and evil? They don’t believe in God, right? You can’t believe in satan, demons, and evil without by default also believe in God, angels, and holiness. In order for the performance to be evil and unholy, God and holy also have to exist. You can’t conduct satanic worship without at the same time, confirm God’s existence. And if God exists, you’d better reckon with that.

Just because something can point us to God, doesn’t mean that thing is necessarily pleasing to God. Or should be emulated. I believe He is abhorred by the performance. And as Christ followers we should be as well. From what I’ve seen, thankfully most are!

But that performance or type of performance is not NEW. Similar things have been happening on concert stages and award shows for DECADES. Forever actually…the Grammy performance is basically Exodus 32 on full display.

It. Is. Not. New.

Honestly I’d call the unoriginality and repetitiveness of satan’s schemes borderline comical. The word “laughingstock” used in Exodus is fitting. However, the consequences will be anything but funny.

Again, thank you Sam for replicating a Biblical lesson from the OT so that we all know what worshiping a golden calf in todays culture looks like. For reminding us that the devil does not have new tricks. He can only take what was designed by and for God (praise and worship) and try to disfigure it into something “unholy”. Lastly, thank you for clearly identifying gender and sexuality as the golden calf so that people can wake up and plead forgiveness for their idolatry before it’s too late.

God, you are the great Redeemer and You make all things new. Reclaim and restore your people unto yourself for your purposes.

Thank you Jesus, for like Moses after the golden calf, you plead before the throne of God on our behalf. May this performance backfire in the most holy way by pointing people to you.

Amen.

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