Joyeux Noel

"I don't sing in the name of Jesus because someone said this is a marketing decision to sing about Jesus. I sing about Jesus because there's nothing greater to sing about."

-- Ray Boltz, The Concert of a Lifetime

I love Josh Groban's music--I've three of his albums, and frankly the way he does songs in Spanish or some language I don't know makes me want to hunt down a translation pronto. Whether he's handsome or not is not for me to discuss (he does look better than most, though) but the far, far more crucial matter is whether he really believes what he sings this Christmastime.

Praise of God is not something to be taken lightly, and in his latest album Noel, a collection of Christmas songs there's plenty of it. Much as I love the music I can't help but wonder at the spirituality behind these performances; with what we call "Christian" ignored by virtually the entire celebrity world today, there's no denying its celebration is one heck of a catalyst for the American and world economy.

Including artistes' performances of Christmas songs and hymns. C'mon, can a single month's spirituality override 11 of secular tunes and (in many cases) values? Do they even mean the words they record for millions of listeners every year?

For their sake, I hope so. "But to the wicked God says, 'What right have you to tell of My statutes, and to take My covenant in your mouth?'" (Psalm 50:16)

So let's have a statement of faith--if they want to put their hearts where their music is. And no artiste who refuses should ever be allowed to lead worship in a Christian church (see http://www.carm.org/questions/unbelievers_worship.htm). Worship is just too holy a thing to be left to unbelievers.

If I've time to expand this post, I will. But I'll leave it as is for now...

And have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Forget the grinches who replace it with "happy holidays" out of fear of offending the imaginary (or otherwise) demons in their politically-correct heads.