All music has rhythm and most cultural music around the world has a lot of syncopation. You’ll find the sin of syncopation is just about every kind of music including Middle Eastern music, Slavic music, Indian music, Chinese Music, Celtic Music, and Native American Music. However, fundamentalists have determined beyond a shadow of a doubt that rock music has come from evil witchcraft ceremonies in Africa.
How did they come to this conclusion? It’s not quite clear. Surely they didn’t just play on a preexisting racial prejudice and pick the homeland of the group of people who were least liked in society at the time to blame rock music on. One would not even dare to suggest it’s possible. On the other hand, if you ask fundies about what makes music evil it’s unlikely that you’ll be informed about the syncopation of Jewish music and how it makes God’s chosen people dance. Nope, the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of Africa and for fundamentalists that’s where it will stay.
Just once I’d like to hear a sermon on those ‘dangerous Celtic beats’ that drive men into the depths of degradation. Ethnomusicology be hanged. Let’s blame the Africans.
This is a great blog. I’ve remembered so much of my youth (pre-secular college days) since I’ve been following it.
Thanks, Reba. It has been quite a blast writing it as well.
I actually wrote a couple of blog posts recently on how many of our beliefs are based on racist ideas and I brought up music as one example. Its an interesting thought… awesome blog btw
RACISTS!!
I recently watched a program on TLC that showed how banjos are made. They also said that banjos originated with the slaves because they wanted an instrument that reminded them of the music back in Africa. Yikes!!! Do you know what that means for all that beloved Southern Gospel music?
Being black and in fundamentalism (at least for now) i hear alot of off the wall stuff about my people. Did you know its in my culture to steal, that i naturally have inhibitions to kill, and rape. i was once interested in a white girl and her parents didnt think i was the ¨Gods will¨for her. . .it all boiled down to the potential for interracial offspring being inferior to blond hair blue eyed perfection. . . =)
I had a black friend at BJU “back in the day” who bemoaned those very things. He was right, I’m sorry to say. I wish I could talk with him again. He was a godly man with great character. I believe he was from Philly.
B.R.O.
I’d like to blame Africa for a lot more than just Rock music.
What’s to blame? Instead, I thank them for bringing banjos, black-eyed-peas, peanuts, okra, and a host of other great foods and items.
I have had some sweet worship experiences listening to the local culture-based singing in the musical part of the services I was in in East Africa. I’m glad they left the European influence at a minimum. (I even was able to shake off a few more shreds of Fundy influence and clap and sway with my fellow believers.)
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