"A Baby Changes Everything" - Ugh.

[All4Christ]

So, my boyfriend and I were driving to dinner and we just heard this new Christmas song on the radio - and we were shocked into silence. Never before had I heard a song like this.

It's by this Christian pop singer, Faith Hill. I've never been too much of a fan of pop-style Christmas music - but I can appreciate some pop-style Christmas songs. But - not this. I thought that even my old church and other Protestants would think it is disrespectful and uncalled for - but apparently people are raving about it. If you want to listen to it - go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2o1uxzI-hA

Otherwise, here's the song / lyrics.

"A Baby Changes Everything" by Faith Hill

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring
On her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything (x2)

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she Keep his trust
A baby changes everything (x2)

And she cries, oh she cries
She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything (x2)

And she cries and she cries O she cries
Shepherds own they got their...
Star shines down...

Choir of Angels say
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything (x2) everything, everything, every day
Hallelujah x4

My whole life is turned
I was lost and now I'm
A baby changes everything (x2)

For me - it really sounds like it's talking about unplanned pregancy and what it does to a young teenage mother. Seems like it is trying to get girls to make sure to not get pregnant. Then - we find out that they're talking about the Theotokos! It's like they're saying she is dreading every moment of it - and it resentful of it. I don't know - it just gives me a bad vibe - a bad feeling. It seems disrespectful of the Theotokos - in that she willingly agreed to bear Jesus as her Son. She willingly agreed to be the Mother of God. It wasn't a grudging acceptance.

Anyways, it was just frustrating to see that everyone loves it - and thinks that it is a poignant example of how we should look at Mary and Jesus. Look around online at reviews - everyone thinks it's a perfect way to look at things. So...I just wish that people could truly look and understand at the Theotoko's part in the Nativity of Christ.

Venting completed

 

[Anhelyna]

hmmmmmm

Well - I personally don't like it either

 

[EazyMack]

Nevermind me!

 

[Gwendolyn]

At first I thought, "Well, if she's just talking about a teenaged girl who managed to get herself pregnant, then yes, Faith Hill is right."

But then you mentioned Mary - and in that case, the song is entirely inappropriate.

How do you know it is about her, though?

 

[GBTWC]

Im not sure what would be offensive?
One of the Beautiful things about the Mother of our Lord is that She was Human and had human doubts and fears and still obeyed and submitted to Gods plan.
in art many times with music a scene is painted that is not what it first appears to be So to with the Theotokos what must people have thought at first but as in the song That baby changed everything I especially enjoyed the Hallelujah chorus
BTW Im not a big fan of christmas music, faith hill, and especially pop "country"

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Im not sure what would be offensive?
One of the Beautiful things about the Mother of our Lord is that She was Human and had human doubts and fears and still obeyed and submitted to Gods plan.
in art many times with music a scene is painted that is not what it first appears to be So to with the Theotokos what must people have thought at first but as in the song That baby changed everything I especially enjoyed the Hallelujah chorus
BTW Im not a big fan of christmas music, faith hill, and especially pop "country"

Because the song goes against what is told to us in Luke's Gospel. Altough Mary was initially trepiditious, the angel quickly comforted her. I can see why Protestant groups would exclaim over it, because it makes Mary less special. Yes, Mary was human, but she lived a life unlike other girls her age. She grew up exclusively in the Temple, and knew that her purpose in life was to serve God. Protestants don't like to focus on this. They just like to see her as a regular teenager at your local High School.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

At first I thought, "Well, if she's just talking about a teenaged girl who managed to get herself pregnant, then yes, Faith Hill is right."

But then you mentioned Mary - and in that case, the song is entirely inappropriate.

How do you know it is about her, though?

We know because the last three verses refer to Christ:

And she cries and she cries O she cries
Shepherds own they got their...
Star shines down...

Choir of Angels say
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything (x2) everything, everything, every day
Hallelujah x4

My whole life is turned
I was lost and now I'm
A baby changes everything (x2)

 

[GBTWC]

Because the song goes against what is told to us in Luke's Gospel. Altough Mary was initially trepiditious, the angel quickly comforted her. I can see why Protestant groups would exclaim over it, because it makes Mary less special. Yes, Mary was human, but she lived a life unlike other girls her age. She grew up exclusively in the Temple, and knew that her purpose in life was to serve God. Protestants don't like to focus on this. They just like to see her as a regular teenager at your local High School.

you dont think the Theotokos ever had doubts or fears?

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I don't like it

the Blessed Virgin Mary was devoted to God, she wanted to serve Him...perhaps she was afraid sometimes, and - of course she had human feelings, her heart was pierced by grief when her Son was crucified - but in everything she submitted to God's will.. I think this song is disrespectful of her. I think many Protestants like to make her seem like she's just like us....one of us...a regular girl... well no, she was full of grace, she didn't sin...

better look at what she herself said:

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and Holy is His Name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, His servant, mindful of His mercy
Even as He spoke to our fathers -
to Abraham and to his posterity forever.

I don't think she kept on crying and crying that "All her dreams and all her plans" are now ruined, and how her baby "will change everything" in her life. She is a very selfless person..

maybe the reason some people like this song is because it makes Mary, and the whole story, more 'personal' to them, - instead of the 'unapproachable Queen of Heaven' we have this teenage girl crying about her ruined dreams. But - even though Mary was young at the time, and even though she definitely does have human feelings, she's still saintly..

 

[rusmeister]

you dont think the Theotokos ever had doubts or fears?

Hi GB,
I would say the problem such songs make for us - leaving alone the issue of secularized worship music - is that it does for most of the song cast the pregnancy as an undesirable thing and as being viewed negatively until the birth. This is a very common human experience, but it simply cannot be applied to Mary. And I do agree with the others - the lyrics emphasizes the commonness of Mary whereas the Church emphasizes her uncommonness, so it does rub against the Orthodox grain. In general, what Handmaiden and Monica said.

 

[Aloha Joe]

Not that it really matters, but FYI, Faith Hill is actually a mainstream country megastar, not a "Christian" singer. It's not uncommon for country stars to venture into "Christian-y" territory, though.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

you dont think the Theotokos ever had doubts or fears?

It didn't matter if she did, because she knew she had to put them aside and follow the will of God. Luke's gospel says that the angel put aside all those fears.

Mary didn't have all these "dreams and plans" that were dashed when the Annunciation happened. She was betrothed to the elderly Joseph after living her entire life in the Temple. She was an orphan, and was supposed to spend the rest of her life taking care of Joseph and his children.

While she did put her own life at risk by accepting God's will (she could have been stoned to death if the Jewish elders found out she had a child out of wedlock) she did so willingly. From the time she was young, she knew she had been dedicated to God. Joachim and Anna dedicated her to the Temple at an early age, and she was actually allowed into the Holy of Holies. Yes, she was special, and she knew it.

This song throws all of that out and reduces her to the Prom Queen who got knocked up. It's like it says, "Poor little Mary, now she won't be able to join the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority."

She's not the Prom Queen. She's the Queen of Heaven.

I will respectfully disagree with Monica on one point -- although she is Queen of Heaven, she is quite approachable, and asks us to come to her for intercessions. After all, she is Our Mother as well.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I agree that Mary is approachable I was just describing the view of those who want to make her even more approachable by making her just a regular girl

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I agree that Mary is approachable I was just describing the view of those who want to make her even more approachable by making her just a regular girl

I hear ya sister!

 

[cassc]

I think "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) is MUCH better if contemporary Christian Christmas music is your cup of tea:

 

[Julina]

that was pretty bad i must say. the whole part about Mary crying was really what got me.
it's because of things like this that i feel like i can't talk to my Protestant friends about religion. they don't think it matters.

this might sound like such a weird thing to say, but it seems to me like a lot of Christian pop songs are pretty theologically incorrect.

 

[GBTWC]

This song throws all of that out and reduces her to the Prom Queen who got knocked up. It's like it says, "Poor little Mary, now she won't be able to join the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority."

She's not the Prom Queen. She's the Queen of Heaven.

I see were youre comming from but I didnt get that from the song
BTW im still cracking up over the prom queen line thats classic

sorry I hope this doesnt start a big ol controversy but it probably will. I think some of you might be aproaching this from a protestaphobic (is that a word?) point of view youre assuming the intentions of the artist I dont think your reactions would be the same if this writer was a well known Orthodox musician.

I cant believe Im defending faith hill

 

[NyssaTheHobbit]

that was pretty bad i must say. the whole part about Mary crying was really what got me.
it's because of things like this that i feel like i can't talk to my Protestant friends about religion. they don't think it matters.

this might sound like such a weird thing to say, but it seems to me like a lot of Christian pop songs are pretty theologically incorrect.

It's not so weird: A lot of Christian pop songs come from the Evangelical subculture. I've gotten rid of CDs/tapes/records I used to love, because I just couldn't stand the bad theology.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I see were youre comming from but I didnt get that from the song
BTW im still cracking up over the prom queen line thats classic

sorry I hope this doesnt start a big ol controversy but it probably will. I think some of you might be aproaching this from a protestaphobic (is that a word?) point of view youre assuming the intentions of the artist I dont think your reactions would be the same if this writer was a well known Orthodox musician.

I cant believe Im defending faith hill

I see where you're coming from, and no, I don't think Faith Hill is the anti-Christ or anything like that. I think she's a cool Country singer, and I like a lot of her stuff.

What gets me frustrated is that this is false theology that is being spread, and people take this for truth.

I don't know why, but this year in particular I have just been especially sensitive to the secularization of Christmas, and I'm trying in my own small ways to combat it however I can.

God willing, if and when I ever have children, there will be no Santa Claus. Lying to my kids about a figure who is almost god-like (sees you when you're sleeping, knows when you're awake, knows if you've been bad or good...hmmm sounds omnipotent to me...) is just something my children don't need in their lives.

 

[rusmeister]

Yes, the issue is false theology rather than merely being a matter of taste. Also, the sacredness of sacred things becomes more pronounced in Orthodoxy, and in my opinion, most people who join the Church gradually get weaned away from secular worship efforts, simply because the Church does it better - the way it really should be done.

The 'Pop' music is supposed to mean 'popular' - but this is a lie. It is not something that the people have really chosen. Like elections, it is a 'choice' laid before them, or rather pushed, by the record companies day after day until people confuse familiarity with liking.

What 'pop' means to me now is the 'pop' of a soap bubble - very temporary and quickly forgotten. I've thought long on the question - will you sing this song in a group - with others, around a campfire or in some other communal setting? My experience in Russia, where there still was (in the 90's, anyway) an active culture of singing songs communally. The answer I eventually came up with is that commercially produced music is something that doesn't belong to the people - it is quite literally not 'popular' - it is quite private. I suppose 40-year-old classics might, on occasion, be the exception, but it is certain that while we may sing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" together, we will not sing Whitney Houston or Faith Hill together. It is notable that the only places where we still have communal music is patriotic songs - nearly a dead art form - and (OK, Protestant) church hymnals (did I miss anything?)

Another aspect of it is how the music we have now - commercial music divides, rather than unites generations (the whole recent concept of a "generation gap" etc). If in traditional cultures folk songs really are by the people, for the people and sung generation after generation (and sung together), in our culture my grandfather listened to Frank Sinatra, my father to Elvis, me to Phil Collins and my children to Faith Hill* - and we don't sing together at all. I read "Little House" and other literature of the pre-recording industry era and see that my ancestors sang those communal songs - something that we have lost and are not even aware that we have lost it.

The obvious conclusion is that we have been robbed and (if you dare take the thought far enough) ought to turn our radios off.

(*Actually, my children have no exposure to pop music whatsoever - except my oldest son getting junk from his teenage friends at school - but he still prefers symphonic soundtracks, as I do)