Comments on: A Response to “Invocation Provocation”

By: kyla

kyla — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:52:46 +0000

Well, we thought it couldn't be done, but I'm actually speechless. I almost feel sorry for Mel right now. Well, at least I would be if the original statements hadn't been so asinine. I do believe his farcical "reasoning" has been soundly trounced!

By: Andrauis

Andrauis — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:23:47 +0000

Great responses to back-up your feelings regarding your initial address of the situation, can't wait to hear Mr. Tillar's response.

By: Derekdolph

Derekdolph — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:59:07 +0000

Killer responses, no reply possible……it’s academic!

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:07:32 +0000

Response #8 — Conclusion
This song was extremely popular last year, and has been remixed at least 6-7 times that I know of. Not to digress too much, but the African-American obsession with glorifying criminal activity made this song hot on several radio stations, including the one where Fred Haynes does his weekly radio show. It is from this song that he got the "swagger like us" line. Why did he use it? Because he knew that there would be a large number of people present that liked the song and its message. So even though he was supposed to be praying to the Holiest of Holies, he opted to get cheers from the crowd by calling to mind a song that tells of the exploits of a murderous, drug-dealing, stick-up artist…and he was successful. This is why I say with immutable, irrefutable evidence that he was doing nothing but pandering to the crowd.

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:04:07 +0000

Response #7 — More song lyrics and explanation:
"No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my burner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas"
-Her crew has swagger, which in this context is pride in the menacing presence that so all too many criminals manifest in urban communities. "Hit me on my burner, prepaid wireless" refers to the fact that drug dealers use prepaid cell phones called "burners" and throw them away after the minutes are used up. If by chance a cop gets a suspected drug dealer's phone number they have to go through the time, trouble and legality of getting authorization for a wire tap on that number. However, by the time this process is complete, the wire tap is useless because the phone has been thrown away and the dealer is using another "burner". The lines "We pack and deliver like UPS trucks, already going to hell just pumping that gas" are pretty easy too…they are packing and moving so much drugs is like they are a shipping company.

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:24 +0000

Response #6 — More song lyrics:
"Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go"
-This is pretty self-explanatory, depending on how she feels, sometimes she'll murder a robbery victim, sometimes she'll let them go.

"Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system"
This artist's logo is a skull and bones (you see it in the video to the song) "Lethal poison through their system" is a reference to selling heroin.

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:58:15 +0000

Response #5 —
"Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name"
-Basically, the artist is on the train, thinking about how at every train stop she and her crew are going to increase their "street cred" and fatten their pockets by way of ill-gotten money.

"All I want to do is (sound of four gunshots)
And (sound of cash register ringing)
And take your money!"
-The artist is referencing armed robbery, and letting you know she is quick with the trigger, too.

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:54:11 +0000

Response #4 —
Finally, as far as God knowing about "swagger", Genesis tells us that when God stepped back and viewed his creative work, he saw that it was "very good". Was God bragging? No, he was simply telling the truth. And even though we are made in God's image, I'm not going to say to Him in public prayer, "Thank You for giving us this swagger!" Especially in the context that Haynes used it, and I'll tell you why. "No one on the corner has swagger like us" is a line from a song called "Paper Planes", performed by a female British Hip-Hop artist that goes by the name "M.I.A." The song is about selling drugs and jacking people for their money. Allow me to share some lines from this song, as well as perform a quasi-exegesis of the lyrics in my following response(s).

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:48:33 +0000

Response #3 — To further address the point of speaking to God using the language of the people present, allow me to present a scenario. Suppose Barack Obama was going to speak to the Congressional Black Caucus, and due to your reputation as a public speaker, your were chosen to be the Master of Ceremonies. When it came time for you to introduce President Obama, would you say, "And now, brothers and sisters, Barry O. is in the house! Everybody get out yo' seats, and give the baddest player player in Washington some love! Straight outta the South Side of Chi-Town to the baddest crib in the country, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! Clap 'til yo' hands bleed and scream 'til yo' lungs are sore for our presidential big homie, BARACK OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" No you wouldn't, despite the fact that everybody in the room may be feeling those exact words. Barack would send the Secret service after you himself. So if you wouldn't address the presence of the President this way, why would you address the King of Eternity in such a manner?

By: MichaelBingham

MichaelBingham — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:46:34 +0000

Response #2 — You make the interesting statement that in my initial piece I was "implying that the words and phrases of some other culture are more fitting; more appropriate and more sacred." Perish the thought. I know there is absolutely no truth in the idea that Europeans, or their descendants, have a monopoly on approaching God. My views on Dr. Haynes prayer are based firmly on Holy Scripture. Throughout the Inspired Canon, the prayers that God heard were those that showed the humility of the one doing the praying, as well as those that showed reverence to Him. For instance, notice the words at Psalm 8:3,4: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (KJV) Did Dr. Haynes' prayer exhibit this type of humility? I think not.