Christian Band Apologetix bashed by Perverted Preacher

I take sides on this issue against Mr. Swaggart.  He is good at casting stones, but his history is littered with perversion and pride.  He "fell" twice. Once in a hotel room with a prostitute and the second time in a car with a prostitute.  Mr. Swaggart famously repented once, though his lack of willingness to abide by the Assembly of God restoration process cause him to be separated from the Assembly of God leadership.  Instead of repenting he continued on as an unaffiliated minister in an unaffiliated "ministry."  His pride was more important than any holiness.

 

Well, in 1991 he did it again- the car incident.  And his response before his "church"?  Not the sappy false repentance routine.  No sir.  He told his congregation, "The Lord told me it's flat none of your business."

(http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/datelinedc/s_558619.html paragraph 9)

 

He criticized the music, musicians and ministries of Christian bands.  He preferred we buy his lousy, boring albums for a donation to his "ministry".  I would rather listen to rain dripping on a tin roof than hear this hypocritical, self-righteous, pride-filled windbag sing a note.  He is a sick individual who requires repentance.  I would not be surprised if Mr. Swaggart cries out, "Lord, Lord, did I not prophesy in your name and criticize Christian rock groups in your name?" Forgetting to ask forgiveness for what he should have said, "Did I not dishonor your name with prostitutes, lies and in deceiving the mindless followers I have conned?"

 

I DO NOT ACCEPT MR. JIMMY SWAGGART AS A BROTHER IN CHRIST.  His fruit is rotten to the core.  And before any fan of Swaggart cites Matthew 7.1 (Judge not, lest ye be judged), I will cite for you Scripture following that one:

 

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. ¹⁶ You'll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So you'll recognize them by their fruit.

   ²¹ "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' ²³ Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers! (Matthew 7.15-23 HCSB)

It is clear.  Now, for the article I have been preparing for.  It comes from the fan email from the Christian parody band Apologetix (http://apologetix.com/).  I totally support their response.

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Jimmy Swaggart Attacks ApologetiX?
April 4, 2012, 4:05 pm UTC

Here's an interesting email we received last week:

Recently, I happened to catch Jimmy Swaggart Ministries channel really attacking ApologetiX for an hour. Awfully narrow, their opinion.

Actually my wife corrects me here (She does this often.) It seemed like an hour. First 10 minutes at least featured you with video -- Enter Samson (no surprise).

They went on to go after Skillet, and even Hillsong United. But you and Skillet were the big targets -- the Satanic leading edge.

Hillsong was given the OK. They also had a panel of ministers bashing away. I think Swaggart's wife was with the panel.

Perhaps, since this is a recent attack, some response should be made on the website. It might be a mark of valor, after all.

Pastor Phil Baldwin
Republic WA

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ApologetiX Responds to the Attack
April 5, 2012, 9:51 am UTC

As Pastor Phil suggested, we've written a response for Jimmy Swaggart's panel and anybody else who has doubts about what we do:

Over the past 20 years, we've played almost 1400 concerts for a wide variety of denominations, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from pastors, youth leaders, and missionaries all over the world.

But you can't please everybody. Many of our detractors don't like Christian rock at all, even though it's been around for over 40 years.

Music can be used for good or evil, just like money or the Internet. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "Music is as music does." If we judge people by what they say and do, we ought to judge songs the same way.

God created man and music. Satan corrupted them, but God can redeem them. A redeemed person may look the same, but his heart is changed. A redeemed song may sound the same, but its heart is changed.

In a sense, music is a language like Greek or Hebrew. The Greeks were pagans, but that didn't stop the writers of the New Testament from using their language, because they knew it would reach the most people.

Jesus said to judge a tree by its fruit. Countless people have told us our parodies have helped them in their walk with the Lord, inspiring them to pray, read their Bibles, memorize Scripture, and reach others for Christ.

Best of all, we know people personally who have come to Christ through this ministry. This reassures us that God can and does use what we do, even if not everybody understands why we do it or how God could use it.

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The pitiful show can be seen here: http://sonlifetv.com/the-message-of-the-cross-march-28-2012/.  If you do not want to sit through it all pick it up around the 15 minute mark.  I love when Mr. Swaggart says "They change the words a little bit in the so-called Christian version."  He obviously never heard an Apologetix song.  I listen to the all the time.  There is some really good teaching in those songs. 

 

When does a song become ungodly? Is it the lyrics? Or the beat?  Or the "demon beat"??  What would that be?  I hear Gospel songs with drums, so it cannot be the drums.  Is it the electric guitars? What about when you use electronic means to amplify your piano Mr. Swaggart?  Is it 4/4 timing?  No, it is when it becomes "rock music".  When is that? How far from "rock music" does it have to be to acceptable?  Mr. Swaggart is a joke.

 

So, will I give ear to a perverted preacher's OPINION- not Scriptural reasoning- about what is appropriate in music?  Naw.  I will stick to my Sheep in wolf's Clothes songs. (http://www.reverbnation.com/sheepinwolfsclothes )