Unsaved "Christian" Country Singers Blues

(11/11 update below)

There's always a problem with watching performers I know aren't saved.  I want them to be saved.  I feel bad watching them after a while.  These country singers I've been watching so much lately often sing gospel songs and hymns too, which just makes it worse.  They may have some sentimental attachment to the songs, the music is a part of American culture after all, or in some cases they may even think they believe them.  The biographies I've found don't make that clear. 

Willie Nelson sings Amazing Grace and Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? and others in that vein and there's no hint that he believes any of it, it's just music, just Americana. 

But Johnny Cash claimed to have some sort of conversion, speaks of believing, of trusting in God, of praying to God, of attributing his blessings to God.  That sounds pretty Christian, but it isn't really.  Where is Christ, where is His dying for his sins?  Where is being born again?   I would like to think he believed rightly but I don't see any evidence that he did.

Merle Haggard describes himself as a very religious man, but again there is no hint that he believes the true gospel message of salvation.  He sings one called The Family Bible which is pure American sentimentality, nothing of the true gospel in it.  Country singers often have such feelings.  But there is no sign they are saved. 

The movie Tender Mercies has the country singer marry the Christian girl and get baptized "on profession of belief in Jesus Christ" and, absurdly perhaps, it made me hope for Robert Duvall who played the part.  But there's no hint that he's a believer in any of the biographical notes I found.

You've got to recognize half your life story is sin, guys, got to see it in the light of the cross of Christ, as an offense to God He can't forgive without the sacrifice of His Son.  He has to give you the power to repent of it and receive His death for all of it.  There is no sign of any of that with these guys.

Sad.  There's something more poignant about those who THINK they are Christian than about those who don't have a clue.  Watching them sing can be painful knowing they are not saved.  Want to give them a good shake and preach the gospel to them.  It would be nice to think they might listen.  But I don't think that.  Only thing that can be done is to pray for them and it's too late for Johnny Cash anyway.

===============
Update:   Some of the best songs of four of the biggest country guys, Willie, Johnny, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson got played when they were all together as The Highwaymen.   They talk to "the Lord" in some of them here too, especially in a song near the end where they sing how they "know what I am" but alas, they don't know how the gospel deals with what they are, what we all are.  They don't know the gospel at all.  The song goes on about maybe making up for their sins.   No Good News there for sure.  Nothing about how HE made up for their sins and their job is to thank Him by obeying Him from now on.  How did the gospel get reduced to such empty uselessness?

But it's too late for Waylon Jennings anyway.

Some Voices I love

Update:  I was wrong, I didn't add to it (see original post below).   I don't listen to music much really, but now and then I go on music binges and listen for hours or days to a particular kind of music.  I was into "crossover" music for a while when I started this post, Bocelli and Brightman and others, but more of that didn't make it to my list here.  Over the last few days I've been listening to a lot of country western of the Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard generation.  Love that stuff too, and many more other types of music as well.  But in binges as I said, not as a regular diet, any of it.  Music can be intrusive, I don't like it as background, I'm either in it completely or I don't want to hear it at all. 

Don't know if I'll post anything from this country phase.  But you can dig up plenty of it yourself on You Tube.  Oh, and the movie "Tender Mercies" is really great in my opinion, see it if you haven't.
--- November 9, 2013


=============================================
Just started this list, I'm sure I'll add to it.

Kathleen Battle O Holy Night
Lynne Dawson Rejoice Greatly, Messiah

Andrea Bocelli, Romanza
Bocelli and Brightman Time to Say Goodbye

Videos of touching rescues of abused and abandoned dogs

I'm a cat person, not very familiar with dogs and never interested in having one as a pet, but someone sent me this touching story of the rescue of a couple of abandoned dogs trying to survive in a park in Southern California, and I fell in love with the dogs and got hooked on this rescue operation, Hope for Paws.  I then watched other videos they'd put up on the web, mostly done by this one guy named Eldad Hagar who runs Hope for Paws with his wife Audrey.  Awfully touching stories.  I have certain videos I like to watch to settle me in the midst of irritating or disturbing experiences, such as a grueling battle in my blogging life for instance, and these have now joined the list for their happy endings. 

This is the first one I saw, The rescue of Sky and Apollo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=basvgzCSNyk
(Blogger has new formatting which is driving me crazy.  Getting the links to reduce to their titles is impossible for me so I'm leaving them in code)

This one is the rescue of blind Fiona, which is one of two I watch most frequently for its feel-good ending, the story of Edie being the other:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJkZXh9v_i4

This one is about Chase, a little abused dog that had been brought to the shelter that they were going to put down because she was so vicious.  It's shorter than the others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4giaORFP5M

This is about Edie, a terrified little dog that would also have been euthanized if she hadn't been rescued:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LqSHfkLvHk

And here's the happy ending for Edie as she is adopted and turns out to be a delightful, pretty, obedient pet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOmDmSrW33w&feature=related

Story after story shows pathetically miserable, hungry, injured, flea-infested and mange-ridden, frightened, abused, neglected dogs that at first hit you as probably unredeemable, but patience and affection, food and medical care bring all of them around and transform them into great pets.  It's SO touching.

This is Eldad Hagar's You Tube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/eldad75  

There are many other rescue stories at this link.

Don't know why I seem to have chosen only stories of little white fluffy dogs but that's what they are.  There are plenty of other stories of big dogs, brown dogs, etc. etc., all touching stories.  (Some of them were so cruelly abused it's too sad to post their stories even though they too have somewhat happy endings -- sometines the scars from the abuse can't be completely erased.)

Henri, Le Chat Noir, a little film in French Existentialist style

Okay, I've been passing this little gem around by email and finally decided to post it. There are three in the series but this one, #2, is the best, a perfect expression of the genre. The visuals are perfect, the French narrator is perfect, the music is perfect (something called Nothing Has Changed by Vi Hart according to another You Tube video in tribute to Henri.)

P.S.  For my friends who aren't familiar with the genre and dislike poor Henri for his self-pity and conceit, hey, it's supposed to be FUNNY!

Another Susan Boyle moment on Britain's Got Talent

Love these Cinderella type stories, or in this case perhaps "Frog Prince type stories" would be more appropriate. Here's the one of Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli.

She's good but he's great, and you'd never have guessed it, and just as what happened with Susan Boyle, nobody did suspect any greatness at first, everybody groaning when they come out on stage, and Simon Cowell saying to the judge next to him, "just when you thought it couldn't get worse."

You see faces in the audience dying of embarrassment for them, until they start singing and then they are "gobsmacked" -- to use Susan Boyle's expression -- and beside themselves with admiration.

And it's always a joy to see Simon Cowell be impressed with a contestant, especially when he'd expected something dreadful instead.

Love this stuff.

Little ministry in India needs help

To Whom It May Concern:
I used to send money from time to time to the pastor of this little ministry in India who sent me the email I've quoted below. Some friends also help out from time to time and it was through them that I found out about him.

I think the letter speaks for the genuineness of this Indian pastor and his concerns for his people. He is working hard among the Dalits (sometimes known as the "untouchables"). As of a few months ago I had to stop working and no longer have the means to send money as I used to do, but I'm glad they still stay in touch with me.

So I'm putting up his most recent email hoping someone might like to help them out. A money order for $50 or $100 goes a very very long way in India. Anyone who is at all interested can email me and I can send you more information about them including pictures of the pastor and the people he works among.

Blessings in the Lord,
Connie

Hello sister Connie, Greetings from India.

How are you doing sister? How is your health? We daily remember you all in our prayers.

By the grace of our great God we are all doing well and we hope this email finds you well there. Children in the school, orphan children, neglected and old aged widows, pastors and their families, my family and all the brethren with me are sending their heartiest greetings to you and all saints with you. By the grace of our great God We have been provided good education for hundreds of children and now we have 300 children in this year. We are promoting 30 more children to the High School this year. And many parents are coming to join their children in our school in this academic year. They are very interested to join their children. Some parents are very happy about our education. You know we are also teaching Bible and its stories and some do not like that. We are preaching the truths to the children. Our goal is to make them well and educated so that they can preach in later days. Yesterday we reopened our school and already 30 new children joined. We are inviting all dalit children and poor children to come and join in our school. Please pray for our school and children. We hope, we will make new generation with these children. Pro 22:6 ` Train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it.` So we are doing our best to reach as many poor dalits as we can. Now we are struggling for the school needs. Please pray for these needs and Lord willing please stretch your blessed helping hand to reach these needs.

1. Books (text books and note books) , Slates and slate pencils.
2. Uniform for the children and Shoes, belt, tie for the poor children in the school.
3. We are planning to provide a `T- shirt for the children` we have already ordered 100 Tshirts. We need to buy 200 more T shirts. The cost of the 200 T`shirts are $ 450. Please pray for these needs of our school.
orphan Home is running well. We are providing good food and accommodation for them all. Now they are enjoying summer holidays and now we will join them in the schools. All are promoted to next classes. So we have to provide clothes, books, bags etc. And also we have to pay their term school fee.
I am planning to bring them to my village so that they can study in our school and live with us.

I have to finish the record work of this year and have to submit to the Educational office. I am doing that. Please pray for me, for my health too. My two daughters, my wife and I are praying for you, for your home and house hold and all the saints with you. Please show the Lord`s love and compassion upon us, our school and children.
We are waiting for your kind reply.
Servant, Samuel.

Under His Wings