Hear No Evil, See No Evil
Well I would probably be termed a “conspiracy” theorist or just one of the “crazy ones”; but it is high time people begin to wake up and smell the defilement that is taking place in ourearthly air. We in the Cayman Islands supposedly pride ourselves by being a “God-fearing” country and we have made gambling illegal (because this is apparently against righteousness?) and of course there are no adult toy shops, strip joints and anything else that in some way would defile our “God-fearingness”…
It is with this context in mind that I dare to challenge the music that is played on our radio stations (and of course, around the world); with all songs now in some way encouraging the young people to “dance, party, drink and smoke” like they just don’t care, or better yet as if they are going to “die young” as so affectionately stated in the song by famous singer “Ke$ha”; it begs to question, what’s the point of the gambling ban? And as parents trying to establish values and morals into our children, how can having our children hear and sing these songs be responsible parenting?
One can clearly see that the music of our times has absolutely NOTHING to do with we, the peoples’, entertainment. The Bible (and I am in no way a Bible-thumper, but it is truly a wonderful book with many common sense principles) mentions over 1100 times the importance of dance and song. For pete’s sake, John the Baptist was beheaded because a woman danced the king into great delight in order to ‘win’ John’s head! That must have been some great dancing!
Dance has been a HUGE part of every society since humans grew legs, it has also been associated with invoking demons or giving praise, depending of course on the dancer’s preference in worship.
As for song (the influencer of dance), music has been said to “calm the angry beast” or, a song stained with negativity can quite easily do the opposite. Music has been used for everything from assisting in child and adult therapy, calming a fussy infant and in various tests on violent criminals, mind control, satanic rituals, historic witchery and so on – it all of course depends on the music’s message and rhythm and the writers’/singers’/listeners’ purpose for the song.
Love songs are played at romantic dinners to “set the mood”, dance music is played to make people dance and slow, sad music is played at funerals, etc, etc, etc. So if music is a tool to advance and pass on a message to a large crowd, and if it is a tool that has been proven to have the capability of instilling a message, then why is todays music packaged and marketed towards young people with contents containing over-sexuality, suicide, murder, drugs, alcohol, youthful death, Satanism, mind control, demonic possession and the list of negative musical structure goes, on and on and on!
And then of course, repetition of certain lines can invoke particular “power” to what is being said because of how our brains process information. We repeat things to ourselves when we want to remember them, we always seem to remember the chorus of a song but not the rest of it and so on. Religions use music as a way to get a “message” across and a way to bring new followers into their religion – so why would music not be a good way to detract followers AWAY from a religion or spirituality as a whole by putting emphasis on materialism?
Today’s music and music videos are laden with God-defiling messages, with everything from upside down crosses to 8 person orgies in a church complete with a stain glass window of Jesus. The music awards these days take it upon themselves to have whole choirs singing corrupted versions of classical hymns and dressing people for mass while performing on-stage sacrifices to … God? I don’t think so. I know atheists with more respect for religion than what is being shown publicly to millions.
Whether a person is spiritual or religious, we are all taught (or used to be taught) to respect each other, each other’s beliefs and other’s opinions, but I am shocked that any public television station, or worst yet a body of thousands of producers and participants would allow such satanic dramatization to take place on an open stage broadcast to millions around the world. Of course the music industry isn’t the only place, but even the Super Bowl has been turned into a great big tribute to darkness of whatever kind they attempt to portray.
If any of us sat long enough to compare a 1999 music video to a 2013 music video it would be clear as day that the happy, sunny, bright side of publicly broadcast entertainment has become a thing of the past, but what has it been replaced by? Is it necessary for all music these days to be so “dark” and negative? Where are the people who would normally cry out against such sexually explicit scenes on their TV? And what exactly is happening to the young people who are exposed to this stuff?
The moral of the story is, do not make your busy technology-filled lives leave you too occupied to know what your children are hearing, do not be too distracted in traffic to not realize that the song being played on the radio is blazing dangerous messages to yourchild in the back seat, do NOT be so naïve as to think that music is “just a song, just a beat, just a rhythm” music has been a POWERFUL tool since humans could sing and tap their feet, it has been used for many, many important things, songs are written and chosen ALWAYS with a purpose and ALWAYS to contain meaning…
Just sayin’…
Category: Viewpoint
Happy Passover, the day to celebrate when Christianity's "loving" God slaughtered many children out of rage but chose not to slaughter others. Race driven mass homicide, you've gotta love that God.
In this thread I see many have put the cart before the horse. The "nasty" music we hear played all 'roun us yah is not the cause of the scandalous behaviour pervading Caymanian society, it is but a symptom, a very telling symptom of a society that has long since sold itself out to the power of bootay.
this is why the whore houses are in west bay near that old quarry and not in town
Nah. You get better value for dollar there than in Town. You might even get a rebate if you know how to haggle.
I believe that religion does more harm to the youth of Cayman than the lyrics of songs.
I believe Eli's point is to emphasize the types of music our children are exposed to. Nowadays, it is very clear through lyrical interpretation that teenagers and young adults are being encouraged to be intoxicated, party all night etc. While this is not something unusual for young adults to take part in, younger children are also hearing the content of this music, and may be subconsciously influenced about things that are just not age appropriate.
In days gone by, such music would be banned from the radio – whether because of cursing or inappropriate content. Parents would feel safe to allow their children to listen to the radio because the music had to be appropriate for all listening audiences. Some morning shows on Cayman's radios are wayyyyyyy too adult for my two girls, and I ensure that we have alternative listening choices for these points in time. For example, CDs, iPod, etc.
I, too, often complain to my children and other relatives regarding radio content, because it is sometimes annoying to remember to analyze each song as it begins to play. However, as stated before, there are dials and a power button, so changing stations is always, always an option!
In regards to the comment regarding Caribbean music, I agree that there are several regaae artists who blatantly sing about sex, etc. However, you will find that most West Indian music is laden with double entendre, and can be interpreted in more than one way.
Anyone with the gift of sight and a brain can see that Cayman islands and Caymanians in general are not what they like to say they are. I am not trying to get them to take responsibility because that would not be normal for them. Just saying trust your own eyes and ears and plan accourdingly. And this problem is a Human nature thing and not just a Caymanian thing. It happens everywhere there are Humans.
The Viewpoint author writes: "Whether a person is spiritual or religious, we are all taught (or used to be taught) to respect each other, each other’s beliefs and other’s opinions…" but the writer's opinion is laden with the message that only Judeo-Christian morals are worthy. The writer expresses disdain for non-traditional sexuality, partying, nudity, polyamory, drinking and other "sins". I proffer that the writer is disrespecting many pagans, humanists, universalists, Wiccans, and other very spiritual adhereants of non-mainstream religious philsophies who do not consider many of life's wonderful and satisfying pleasures to be immoral just because the "Bible" says they are.
Apparently the author of the Viewpoint has not been taught to respect the spiritual beliefs of those who, for example, hold that the body is beautiful and nudity a free form of that belief, or those who believe that sex is a gift to be freely enjoyed between two, or three (or even eight) consenting adults.
The term “God-fearing” has come to be a worn-out catch-all adjective, used more to polarise people into opposition than to unite people in love. More and more these days I see the term used as a cloak for prejudice and intolerance and contempt: such as they way it is used in this Viewpoint.
Sounds more like you're trying to spread STDs than information…
Hey, thanks for reminding me! STD's. They will put a pretty hard damper on your party life. Might even kill you. But a dose of reality is in order. Instead of all this silly preaching about abstinence, we need to do more to educate our people on safer sex practices so the choices they make do not come at the price of their or their partner's health.
Let's get real here: In your opinion what percentage of people here have for their entire life been involved sexually with only one person? (Other than themselves, that is.)
My radio comes with a dial, buttons, volume and on/off switch, Just Sayin'…
But the relgious freaks are always scared someone else might exercise the free will "god" gave them in the first place.
Apt handle for you. Obviously the concern is about how this affects society as a whole.
Mine does too, but despite me turning of my radio or playing only positive music my 8 year old came home yesterday singing "Talk Dirty to Me" apparently her classmate can rap the whole song…. do these classmates come with dials, buttons and volume controls too???
Which is why we have private schools.
Sorry… did I say my child was in public school?
I think the writer's comments are spot on. Why are radio stations allowed to play this lewd music? People, young or old do not need to hear this thrash..
Don't we have laws and regulations that control this? Is it any wonder that people are travelling on an eternal road to destructon when their minds are warped and filled with garbage day in and day out!
Why is Cayman following every foolish whim and fancy of our north Amercian nieghbours? Can't we see what is happening to their culture?
I am from America and I am sometimes shocked at the music I hear in the caribbean (is it soca? dancehall?) that has such references to sex? (and those songs are not coming from the good ol' USA)
Like one of the above stated….my radio comes with a volume, a button….and if I am not too keen on the song….I just turn the station. More things to concern myself with, I guess.
oh but hip-hop and rap are american genres and guess what they label women as bitches and hoes in every sentence. so, if you ask me we have just had too much bad influence from every corner of the world here, as soca and dancehall are just as bad as hip-hop today and rap.
Kids here in cayman listen to hardcore hip-hop and hardcore rap as well as the disgusting sounds of dancehall and soca…there is no hope for them.
I don't advocate music censorship and lyrical expression even if most of the music nowadays is unoriginal and repetative but here's a little music lesson for you:
Rap and hip hop is directly influenced by Jamaican Ragga, Dancehall and the Dj scene which was then brought to New York via Jamaican migrants.
Music has always been full of sex from the dawn of time. Case in point the Cantata Carmina Burana by Carl Orff with its wellknown 'O Fortuna', is a musical masterpiece that is all about sex and the pleasures of life. Also, Mozart loves writing rude songs about farts.
Sex in music is nothing new, just like sex is not a new concept. T
Can't you see that it is in your culture to put the blame on some one else and side step responsibility? And you call us fools? Don't worry. Everyone expects it now.
All tools that human beings create are double edged swords. They can be used for good or for evil.
Music is just one of many, many such tools.
Apart from single-edged swords, which cannot be double-edged swords.
Really, someone trolled that?
Eli, you should write a book…..
spoken like a true idiot…."songs are written and chosen ALWAYS with a purpose and ALWAYS to contain meaning…" really?….REALLY? Have you listened to pop music for the last 20+ years? There are some very talented and technical artists and there are also the mainstream, mass production, Miley Cyrus types to whom you are giving far too much credit. 90% of todays pop music is created to make money and the "meaning" of a Miley Cyrus/Britney Spears/et al song is in your interpretation only.
The Doors, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. etc. etc. all were chastised for writing music with negative connotations…if you aren't a complete moron you are able to listen to a song, regardless of its message, and not turn into a complete imbecile. Nursery Ryhmes, whilst fantastic, don't create the emotional response that sells records. Successful working musicians have to invoke an emotional response, just like successful writers, poets, artists, etc.
and quote: "with everything from upside down crosses to 8 person orgies in a church complete with a stain glass window of Jesus" – really?!? You are listening to some special stuff, please share the radio frequency….or, here's thought, DON"T LISTEN, and DON"T LET YOUR KIDS LISTEN if you don't like what you're hearing.
We have FAR MORE IMPORTANT things to worry about – like corrupt politicians, a failing private sector, declining tourism, increasing crime, and idiotic viewpoints on CNS, filter the cr@p out of your life and move on…in Jesus' name.
You're a sad, sad individual
LOL! ^^ I dont know how I missed this but I conquer with this view point. It makes me wonder if you are a musician yourself? Can we please focus on the bigger issues which we cannot tune out?
You missed the point completely. And then went on a rant about what musical knowledge you have. The article is well written maybe you should read it again, you might pick-up on something you missed the first time.
I think some adult toy stores would do us more good than harm! Lack of these are surely NOT making for improved outcomes for most of the general public!
Education is the key, alongwith respectful ethical attitudes and behaviour.
I personally think the attitudes and behaviour of many of the worlds leaders (political and religious included) are such that our young, and even not so young, are just plain fed-up!
If you play this viewpoint backwards it still sounds like a pile of crap.
Mockery is perhaps the lowerst form of ignorance and masks an inability to think, debate, or apply reason to this thought provoking subject. Then again, the new way to mask evil is to call it entertainment or freedom. Only a fool would deny the powerful impact of music on our lives and the steady slide of the music industry into the absurd, profane, and perverse shows that talent alone means nothing to us. Miley Cyrus…I rest my case.
So Jonathan Swift and George Orwell were incapable of thought, debate or the application of reason? In fact the comment was quite incisive, in my opinion, as it linked the Viewpoint to the crazy American brigade that insist on playing rock songs backwards to find hidden messages.