Drag me to Church
The controversial music duo that shot straight to the top of the CCM charts.
Freakout heard around the world
A drag performer and singer songwriter got together to produce an album.
The result: A Right Wing Evangelical fundamentalist Christian Nationalist protest ensued sending it right to the top.
Not to be outdone, Right Wing Christian Nationalist ex-worship leader who now goes around the country spewing Christian Nationalism, anti-vaxx conspiracy theories, and White Supremacy, Sean Fuecht in his infinite un-wisdom decided to take to X formerly known as Twitter to put Flamy Grant on blast by intoning, “We Are in the last days” and “Well, good for us hardly anyone listens or cares what you do…”
Grant’s fans rose to the challenge. They used TikTok, various other platforms, word of mouth, shared each other’s social media posts promoting the song, eventually creating enough curiosity for people to want to see what all the fuss was about. They rode the wave of hate and bigotry right to the top. These people learned nothing from the Satanic panic of the 80’s. The Fundamentalist backlash against Rock Music gave rock bands even more exposure than they would have gotten normally. They got the kind of publicity that you couldn’t buy.
About his work on his latest album, “The Jesus Hypothesis”,
I’m just trying to get people to wake up and pay attention and think about their presumptions. If people stand up and clap or if they stand up and leave, I’m equally pleased and feel like I’ve done my job. -Derek Webb
Derek Webb and drag performer Flamy Grant got together in Tennessee to collaborate on an album. Ironically, Tennessee not too long ago had enacted a ban on drag performances. The song I want to focus on is one that they performed inside local GracePointe church, “Boys will be Girls”.
Let’s focus on that
Video starts out in black. A quote appears on the screen:
If you claim to be someone’s ally but aren’t getting hit by the stones thrown at them, you aren’t standing close enough
The lights come one and the camera focuses on Derek as he walks up to the platform with guitar in hand. He sits down, lays guitar down and a black cloth is draped over him. He faces camera and starts to shave off the stubble as the music begins. He finishes shaving and someone off camera starts applying layers of makeup to his face while he sings the following song:
Let me start by saying that I love you. Maybe, even more than before. I know your face but now I see more of you. So much beauty just behind the door. You invited me in. Believe it or not the hardest is behind you, saying who you are and what you need out loud. But this great gift it’s always gonna haunt you, like a good ghost pulling you from the crowd to places you have never been.
Thoughts on this song
The song is well structured, well written and the music video was superb.
It’s written from the point of view of a relative, friend or ally of a member of the LGBTQ+ community who is responding to this person who has just come out. The song is a positive response and an assurance of continued friendship love and support.
As the song stands it’s great. Wonderful song
But…..
I can’t help but take notice that this isn’t the only purpose for this song by the singer/songwriter.
Listening to and reading different interviews of Webb I get the sense that he’s on a mission to influence Christianity little by little from within to make LGBTQ+ Christians more welcomed and to feel at home as they are. At first glance, it sounds sensible and noble but the only question that I can manage to conjure is….why?
But why though?
Having lived through Christianity from the age of one, attending all the Sunday School classes every Sunday morning and night, plus midweek services, I have become very familiar with the Bible, it’s teachings and precepts. I was encouraged to read and memorize Scripture as a child and to recite it back word for word. Memorizing entire passages even whole books of the Bible in some cases, so it’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve read the entire Bible cover to cover several times. This doesn’t make me a scholar by any means but I know my way around it. I can’t help but ask, why would you want to encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community to remain in the ideology and belief system of Christianity?
Why not rather use this song as an anthem of survival, and escape?
“You’re not alone. There’s life after Christianity”
How’s that for a slogan?
Derek Webb and Flamy Grant want to make Christianity more inclusive and accepting and while I applaud them for that uphill Herculean effort, is there any possibility of that ever?
The Gospel writers claimed that the entire world would hate Christians because of their hate for Jesus. Right from the start, paranoia is instilled into the heart of the believer. Is it no wonder why Christians believe that any pushback against their hateful rhetoric is hate of Jesus so they automatically believe that anyone who hates them personally also hates Jesus?
Christianity
An ideology built on such utterances in Scripture such as “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the father but by me” and “For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction” I highly doubt there’s much of a chance for inclusivity and acceptance. The Christian message is “Come as you are” but there’s an expectation of the person to “grow” and changed.
Changed into what exactly? Hmm. Good question. I’ll let the Apostle Paul answer that one. He had a lot to say on many issues.
Christianity was founded as an exclusive club where “only a few” would find spiritual enlightenment and salvation therein.
I’m not casting any aspersions on the artists or the song itself. I would be shocked if they made any headway and the first to toast their successes if they do.
Cheers!
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Further reading and viewing
