The Choir of Praise and Condemnation: Coloradogate and The Gospel According to Me—(Kumbaya and All That Jazz)

[Denise Odie Joseph II]

    

          

"Music is my Religion." -- A R Rahman

So I saw this story on The Blaze.com:

 

“A Colorado high school student says he quit the school choir after an Islamic song containing the lyric "there is no truth except Allah" made it into the repertoire.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBOzHfNLLhk (The Song, Zikr)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_50E4qyy0vU&feature=related (The Choir of Hood River Valley High Doing it Proud with The Cross Behind Them)

 

James Harper, a senior at Grand Junction High School in Grand Junction, put his objection to singing "Zikr," a song written by Indian composer A.R. Rahman, in an email to Mesa County School District 51 officials. When the school stood by choir director Marcia Wieland's selection, Harper said, he quit.

 

"I don’t want to come across as a bigot or a racist, but I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,” Harper told KREX-TV. "This is worshipping another God, and even worshipping another prophet ... I think there would be a lot of outrage if we made a Muslim choir say Jesus Christ is the only truth."

 

But district spokesman Jeff Kirtland defended the decision to include the song.

 

"Choral music is often devoted to religious themes. ... This is not a case where the school is endorsing or promoting any particular religion or other non-educational agenda. The song was chosen because its rhythms and other qualities would provide an opportunity to exhibit the musical talent and skills of the group in competition, not because of its religious message or lyrics," Kirtland told FoxNews.com in an email while noting that the choir "is a voluntary, after-school activity."

 

"Students are not required to participate, and receive no academic credit for doing so," he said.

 

At an upcoming concert, the choir is scheduled to sing an Irish folk song and an Christian song titled "Prayer of the Children," in addition to the song by Rahman.

 

"The teacher consulted with students and asked each of them to review an online performance of the selection with their parents before making the decision to perform the piece," Kirtland said, and members who object to the religious content of musical selections aren't required to sing them.

 

Rahman, who has sold hundreds of millions of records and is well-known in his homeland, has said the song is not intended for a worship ceremony. He told FoxNews.com in a written statement that the song, composed for the move "Bose, the Forgotten Hero," is about "self-healing and spirituality."

 

"It is unfortunate that the student in Colorado misinterpreted the intention of the song," Rahman said. "I have long celebrated the commonalities of humanity and try to share and receive things in this way. While I respect his decision for opting out, this incident is an example of why we need further cultural education through music.”

 

The song is written in Urdu, but one verse translates to "There is no truth except Allah" and "Allah is the only eternal and immortal." Although the choir sang the original version, Wieland distributed translated lyrics.

 

Grand Junction High School Principal Jon Bilbo referred questions to Kirtland.

 

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/15/colorado-student-reportedly-qu...

 

So it inspired me to leave the following comments:

 

Ok people, I read the story and the comments. Pleased to see so many intelligent comments here about freedom of religion, separation of church and state and not giving in to uninformed hate. So, I’m not even going to bother dispelling nonsensical notions of the “evil cave genie” religion known as Islam and I’m not going to bother informing any of you needy souls that the word “Allah” is simply the word for God and that Jesus is a Prophet in Islam etc..but I will say that though the A.R. song was chosen to showcase a certain musical style, I feel that the school could have chosen a different song to represent Islam given the controversy that surrounds Islam. Being intimately familiar with A.R.’s work, I’m actually surprised that he wrote this–on first listen, I could see how it could def. scare people unfamiliar with this style of music and accustomed to hearing “Oh Holy Night” style religious hymns. But it is beautiful and passionate, like all of A R's work.

 

So I have a question for you Blazers, what do you think of this song, by British-Iranian Muslim, Sami Yusuf, who sells out Muslim audiences all over the world? Would you have felt better if the school had chosen this song instead?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH8FhbhrPb0 (Song 1)

 

Or what about this one, where Sami (born in Tehran, one of those places some of you want to bomb to bits) sings the refrain:

“O Allah (God, simply God) the Almighty
Protect me and guide me
To your love and mercy
Ya Allah don’t deprive me
From beholding your beauty
O my Lord accept this plea”

 

In several different languages in scenes throughout the world?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=J7×9WixzIWk&am... (Song 2)

 

Does anyone else think his voice is hot? I mean, just look at him toting that briefcase around London (and spare me any jokes about what exactly is in the briefcase although that was my first thought too, lol). Or check him out at 2:15, enjoying a non-alcoholic beverage (looks a lot like scotch but we know it’s apple juice) after squeezing in some last minute Koran reading, before violin practice (Sami knows Shetan makes work for idle hands and is always busy doing something useful and enriching, not only for society but for himself so at 2:20 he’s owning that violin.) Later at 2:42, he looks extraordinarily adorable while trying to master the art of Indian gesticulation, but I’m still caught up in 2:20 when he’s owning that violin. I’m so glad he’s taken some time off helping elderly persons in the street to sharpen his musical skills, but realistically we know that after traveling to India to play soccer with, and be a ridiculously positive influence on, some lucky young lads, he’ll make it back to Turkey just in time to give a charity concert at a nursing home. Take that Golshifteh Farahani! See how we come full circle? Uh huh.

 

Is it horribly wrong to think such thoughts while listening to his videos? I dunno, I read somewhere that he consistently sells out audiences worldwide with a whole lotta women in attendance. I’m sure they don’t come out in droves just for his piety if you know what I mean… I wonder how many conversions he has single-handedly inspired?

 

And saying things like this surely doesn’t make him any less attractive. Uh huh:

 

"We're going through this very difficult period," Yusuf told TIME as he sat in the backseat of a black Humvee on his way to a rehearsal in Amman. "Muslims feel victimized." But Yusuf does not believe conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims is inevitable. "I don't believe there's a clash of civilizations. I believe there's a clash of the uncivilized. We need a wave of people to come along and bridge the gaps, because we have so much in common, so much to learn from each other. We need to silence the extremists. Let's hope the moderates will take the microphone and be louder."


http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1220754,00.html#ixzz1... (TIME Article)

 

But back to Coloradogate.

Legally, the school is within its rights as I didn’t receive any indication that the choir was trying to promote Islam or use the song to denigrate any other religion. It was not used as a tool of worship (the song was chosen to highlight a certain technique) and was presented alongside a secular song and a Christian song. Further, choir participation was voluntary and not for credit.

 

See the law as articulated by the Anti Defamation League:

 

“May school assemblies or special events include religious music or drama?

 

Yes. Religious music or drama may be included in school events that are part of a secular program of education. The content of school special events, assemblies, concerts and programs must be primarily secular, objective and educational, and may not focus on any one religion or religious observance and may not appear to endorse religion over non-religion or one religion over another. ⁴⁴ Such events must not promote or denigrate any particular religion, serve as a religious celebration, or become a forum for religious devotion. Student participation should be voluntary. Thus, a school's choral group can sing songs that are religious in nature but may only do so if the song is part of a larger program of music which is secular.”

 

http://www.adl.org/religion_ps_2004/teaching.asp (ADL Statement)

 

However, I could most certainly see how a very religious person of another faith who doesn’t understand God to be universal in the sense that say, George Bush, The Pope, A.R. Rahman and I understand God to be universal, might not want to sing this song. If such a person (young Mr. Harper for example) thinks Christians pray to a Christian God (like our spendy, narrow and unfortunate friend, Rick Santorum), Muslims to a Muslim God (like many unfortunate Muslims), Hindus to a Hindu God (like many unfortunate Hindus) etc., I can definitely see how he would interpret singing this song as blasphemy or even conversion. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiBr_NyWLLs&feature=related (Pope John Paul II Interfaith Movement Saying that All are Praying to the same God)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGu0-kTi3Eg (George Bush saying that different religions are different routes to the same God)

 

BTW, all you Catholic haters, I know you have no problem telling the Pope where he’s going but are you ready to damn your boy GWBush to Hell as well?

 

I hope that one day young Mr. Harper might live to see God’s universality and I’ll pray for him. I hope that he’ll see that when Jesus says “I am the truth,” He’s telling the truth, even if other religions that have existed long before He ever set foot on Earth don’t call Him by that name. If they recognize a Good, Great, and Righteous higher power, then they recognize Him, even if they don’t know it, even if they don’t mean to recognize Him (and vice versa, mais oui). His truth and divinity can’t be undermined by nomenclature and ritual. Would not a rose by any other name smell as sweet? But I can definitely see how the kid’s beliefs would force him to abstain from singing just as I understand that there are millions of Christians who see fellow Christians of different denominations as heretics and Satan worshippers who they damn to Hell. At least GWBush had the good sense to say that he does not decide who goes to Hell.  This type of ignorance (or misguided wisdom) is not limited to Christians, but is perpetrated by persons of all creeds, who don’t understand their creeds, throughout the world.

 

But back to Coloradogate.

 

What’s most important is that Mr. Harper shouldn’t have to be kicked out of choir because he refuses to sing the song. However, there is no indication that he had to quit. In fact, it seems to me like the kid could have just sat the song out. I’m sure he would have attracted the newsmedia’s attention if he had done this as well.

 

As I said in my Blaze comment, the song sounds intimidating at first blush, and the videos some youtubers have made for it are intimidating as well (but whose fault is that?). However, I think the kid should be schooled on the laws of his country. He might feel better about his school’s chosen program. Further, as I said in my Blaze comment, this song represents a stark departure from the A R Rahman work I know. A R is a composer, singer, and musician of incredible depth and range and has composed zillions of songs for Bollywood, (although Westerners became familiar with him in Slumdog Millionaire) expertly fusing the diverse musical styles of India and the world.  Most ecstasy or agony inducing, transporting, pathos and ethos-ridden Bollywood songs are my favorite songs ever and though Rahman’s songs come in a million different varieties, they usually fall somewhere along the lines of the following:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyARpkIWWM&feature=related (From the Movie Jodha Akbar)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAeASZbv-wk&feature=watch_response (From the Movie Lagaan)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfvGrChLEn0 (From the movie Dil Se 1990s)

 

I assure you readers that unless Rahman has taken a bizarre turn for the worst, he is not a terrorist or extremist etc. He is an Indian who spent much of his youth as an atheist before converting to Sufi Islam. He is a humanitarian and a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization. He has collaborated with artists of many creeds (including the Pussycat Doll for Goodness’ Sake) and has composed songs featuring all of India’s walks of life and religions, including Christianity. He has spent the better part of his life composing passionate love songs which, to my knowledge, are not palatable to extremists and terrorists anywhere. I believe it would be unwise to confuse Rahman’s intentions.  Famed Western film director Baz Luhrman said of Rahman, “Whatever the style, A. R. Rahman's music always possesses a profound sense of humanity and spirit, qualities that inspire me the most.^[“

I agree with Rahman completely on his statement:

 

"It is unfortunate that the student in Colorado misinterpreted the intention of the song," Rahman said. "I have long celebrated the commonalities of humanity and try to share and receive things in this way. While I respect his decision for opting out, this incident is an example of why we need further cultural education through music.”

 

HOWEVER

It is likely that Rahman is unaware of the war various segments of Western society have been waging against Christians in the United States. Moreover, it is likely that he is unaware of young Mr. Harper’s probable particular sensitivity about the war on Christianity seeing that Harper probably knows that his is a country that was founded by Christian culture and on Christian principles.  I can only imagine the general outrage if a Muslim student was asked to sing a song about Jesus with the lyrics, “I am the light, the truth, the way etc.”  in a public school.  It is in this climate of polarizing influences that the peace-loving Rahman enters as an accidental tourist.

 

At the end of the day, I respect the school’s decision to offer the song if their intention of teaching a certain singing style was sincere, and I respect the kid’s decision to quit choir over the school’s decision. However, I would have preferred that the school choose a different song and I would have preferred that the kid respectfully (respectful of U.S. law) sit the song out. 

 

HOWEVER

 

When I played the song for a dear friend of mine (who is also a fan of Rahman) he started to rail about “Islams” which is hilarious considering me and all (you think he would’ve gotten the lingo by now). But when I asked him what he would do in the kid’s situation (I didn't mention that it was a volunteer thing because then he'd just rail about f*g boys who join volunteer choirs...), he said that if he ended up concluding the intiative was somehow biased or inappropriate and not a beautiful learning experience, he would probably think it was incredibly funny and sing the song anyway. I suddenly realized that is exactly what he would do and went into stitches imagining him in an all black get-up with a green bandana tied around his head while furiously waving a dime store sword around in his school auditorium. His singing would have been the most earnest and his recitation, the most (well actually, it’s not like it’s Spanish they’re singing, seeing that most kids can’t even speak English properly, expecting them to learn such unfamiliar pronunciation is a bit of a ridiculously tall order for a volunteer choir). But you catch my drift, though these kids, wow:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_50E4qyy0vU&feature=related (The Choir of Hood River Valley High Doing "Zikr" Proud with The Cross Behind Them)

 

So

 

I guess what I would have really preferred is for young Mr. Harper to have responded to the situation like my friend and provide biting social commentary while not coming off as the second coming of Santorum. But hey, maybe that's his intention. Maybe Santorum is his idol and he has a Santorum bobblehead he sews costumes for in the Grand Junction volunteer knitting club. Hey Jimbo, whatever. Don't tell me and I won't ask. But just so we're clear, not telling me includes not red-alerting the media when your knitting instructor gives you the option of sewing a Buddhist peace symbol or something. I would say "a star of David or something," but I suspect you might be one of those Christians who would like to send American sons to slaughter in an endless number of wars for Israel, even though Jews think Jesus is, "meaningless, undiscussed and completely absent from Judaism," UNLIKE Islam which regards him as a prophet. At BEST, if He is recognized by Jews, it is as a delusional or blasphemous man who thought he was the messiah, as a dangerous liar or a lunatic.

 

For instance:

"
"****No Jew on this planet****:
- worships Jesus
- thinks he was a 'great prophet'
- thinks he was a 'great teacher'
- thinks he was a 'rabbi'
- thinks he was 'messiah'   "

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081018150912AAn1weI (Jewish opinion of Jesus)

 

The Jewish website, simpletoremember.com makes theological differences simple to remember and baldly states that Christianity contradicts Jewish faith and is not somehow, its beloved, esteemed offspring. "This explains why during the Inquisitions and throughout history, Jews gave up their lives rather than convert."

 

 http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/jewsandjesus/

 

If any among you need clarification, I suggest you ask a Rabbi, or better yet, any old Jew will do. They will tell you:

 

" Many people believe that the only difference between Jews and Christians is that Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but the Jews do not. What they fail to understand is that there is a whole theology that one must accept, in order to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Jews, because of what the Bible says, sees this theology as diametrically the opposite of what the Bible states "
--Questions? Email Rabbi Stuart Federow at: [e-mail]

 

http://www.whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation3.html (What Jews Believe)
http://www.whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html (What Jews Believe)

 

And I hope you're all sitting down because on the topic of Islam, simpletoremember.com says:

 

"Islam, like Christianity, accepts the Jewish Bible and is based largely upon Jewish ideas and traditions. The philosophical underpinnings of Islam, however, are more closely aligned with those of Judaism. Whereas Christianity incorporates the idea of the “trinity,” Islam believes in one all-powerful, infinite God.

 

Mohammed, the founder of Islam, based many of his beliefs on the practices of local Jewish population in his native Mecca. For example, the Moslem practices of not eating pig, circumcision, daily prayer and fasting during the first month of the year were all culled directly from Judaism.

 

Talmudic tradition says that while Abraham’s son Isaac became the forefather of the Jewish people, the Islamic line is descended from Abraham’s other son Ishmael. Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity and Islam are part of God’s plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of God. All of this is in preparation for the Messianic age."

--http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/islamjudaism/ (Islam and Judaism)

 

Golly Gee, I hope I didn't cause any heart attacks with information that seems to refute the "evil cave genie religion where 'Allah' is Satan instead of the Arabic translation for the English word 'God' " hypothesis, and I'm not being entirely disingenuous either. Nevertheless, I'm sure you will all find some way to hold on to your hate, being good Christians and all. LOL.

 

Anyway

 

At the end of the day, as an American and as a lawyer, I’ll be satisfied to respect the diversity Jimmy's beliefs bring (even in absentia) to the table, or choir. As long as I can still hear Sami Yusuf and A R sing, somehow, someway, I'll get by without him.

 

Love One Another as Jesus Would Have Us Love For Goodness Sake & Happy
Hunting, until the next post!

 

Introductory Photos

**http://www.ravenna.portage.k12.oh.us/rhs/student_sites/Choir/ (Charlie Brown)

**http://mutyaaulina.blogspot.com/2011/06/sami-yusuf-mother-arabic-vi... (Sami Yusuf)

**http://mp3latest.blogspot.com/2009/08/download-latest-songs-connect... (A R Rahman)

**http://americanvisionnews.com/tag/james-harper (The Kid)