Rap, Culture, & God (335): January 2012

Rap, Culture, & God
Religion AFAS 335
01/31/12

def Dave chappell
...omhage to grand master flash
Rhythms
Language itself without the beats being the primary driving force

Hip hop and
Judaism and christianity
Voices of the poor
Emerge out of poverty

Figures that were followers of Jesus were probably
Illiterate

.... Nappy root po folks
Poverty ~ Curse and blessing
Gift of an insight you wouldn't have without poverty

---------one other story to mention on the topic of Matthew
And story that says jesus will separate sheep from goats

Jesus teaching and ministry
John 4: Samaritan women at the well:
Echoes with some of our own themes in hip hop
Samaritans: racially and culturally impure:
Considered inferior and inadequate
Treated as racial minorities... Not about skin color
More like ethnocentrism than racism
Most people were mid eastern dark skin
They were Jewish...
Racism often starts with some misconception of purity
The myth of being pure, anymore pure than anyone else...
E.g. Celts intermingling with spanish, Irish, Italian, etc.... We're all mixed culturally and of mixed origins
....in a very segregated world and time,
Jesus broke down taboos and challenged the segregated mentality
By asking for water from women

Jesus goes on to describes himself as "living water"
Jesus teachings are refreshing and life sustaining for the body and Soul...
We're all thirsty

She was morally suspect and impure; associated with prostitution
So for Jesus to approach her sets a new example for life and interaction
Jesus is not judgmental he shows her compassion and forgiveness

She goes on to have alive changing experience
And begins to be a follower of Jesus

Jesus death ~ crucifixion
This was a common form of punishment by the roman empire
Reserved for political criminals, especially rebels

Jesus would have been arrested for being a political criminal
He was associated with other Jewish revolutionaries of his time that were, in fact, fighting for independence from Rome
Guilt by association

Inscription
People thought of him as King of the Jews
This would of been an act of sedition against the roman king - Caesar

Death of an Innocent man
God suffers through the figure of Christ on behalf of humanity

"Were you there when they crucified my lord?... Sometimes it causes me to tremble.."

Bono's Preek... CNN... thoughts on religion: bono prayer speech:
He considers himself a black sheep
Feels separate
apologizes for his flaws where they need excusing
Allll of us are searching our should how to make better worlds

Admits his aversion
His experience
The line between church and state was blurring
Religion often gets in the way of god sometimes

Perhaps because he's a believer
He was skeptical.. Cynical

Jubilee
...25 35 write the passage
If your bothers become poor
Lend him your money
Luke 4
Era of grace
We're still in it

God gets on the move...
Evidence of the spirit moving
Breath taking

Poverty mentioned more than 2000 times
Matthew 25 40

This is for
Justice not charity
This about equality

God is not silent on the subject

One campaign