According to some reports, Derek Webb is in hot water with his record label about his new album, Stockholm Syndrome. The controversy is apparently over one of the songs on the album that includes the word “sh*t.”
Knowing what little I know about Webb, my guess is that the use of a curse word isn’t for shock value. (Although some of you reading this will faint, even though I didn’t actually use the whole word.)
Webb is notorious for speaking his mind, regardless of who he offends, and he often tries to challenge the church with his lyrics. While I’m not exactly certain what the fuss is this time, it apparently has something to do with that song.
Then again … is there really a problem with the new album?
I went to his website, and found it down, with just two emails from Webb on there talking about the problems between he and his label. The first was in some sort of code, with underscores scattered throughout the text. I went to his new Twitter account and found some cryptic posts about artifacts and clues. Ah, so is this some Lost-style scavenger hunt!!
A little more searching and I found a great article at the Christian Post that says, “A closer look revealed that the letters after each mark together spelled out ‘paradiseisaparkinglot’ – the .com domain of a website that appears to be part of an elaborate treasure hunt in which pieces of a song have been scattered and hidden as ‘artifacts’ across the nation.”
Looks like maybe this is all just a publicity stunt. In fact, if you go to DerekWebb.net, you’ll see a blog with all of the info.
Although, while I was at GMA in April, I heard a rumor that Derek Webb was starting something my source called the “Give A Sh*t” club. (It reminded me of that quote by Tony Campolo: “50,000 people around the world died of hunger today. That’s bad, but what’s worse is that most of us don’t give a damn. But what’s even worse is that for many of us it is more bothersome that I just said the word ‘damn’ than that I said 50,000 children of God died of hunger.”) So if the whole pre-release publicity stunt ends up still offending most Christians, I wouldn’t be surprised. Leave it to Derek Webb to come up with a creative, engaging way to draw us in and then rub our nose in the truth of our own hypocrisy or spiritual blindness.
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posted June 4, 2009 at 12:14 am
When horse and cow manure was shipped by water it was marked SHIP HIGH IN TRANSIT or S.H.I.T. The reason is that when the always dry manure was held below deck within ships, when it got wet it began to ferment and give of Methane gas… which when exposed to a flame or lamp by an inspecting sailor…. BOOOOM. So is the acronym SHIT really a “Bad Word”, I wonder.
Respectfully submitted by
Ron Dunn
posted June 4, 2009 at 4:07 pm
While it doesn’t bother me personally, Webb has to realize that perception is reality. He’s not just singing these songs for himself or his loyal fanbase, but for non-Christians that may hear it. Someone may be thinking, “if this Christian dude is cussing, then why bother? It’s not any different than what I’m doing now.” Webb certainly has every right to say whatever he wants, but he has to understand that he’s probably pushing away the audience he’s trying to reach. It’s not about me, it’s not about him, it’s not about you, it’s about pointing people towards Christ, towards redemption. Cursing is not going to do that, it’s just going to turn people off or make them dismiss it before they even give it a chance.
posted June 4, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Jeff,
Derek is building Latrines in Africa, the organization to support this will be called give a sh*t. It’s funny that I can’t type the ‘i’. I guess you don’t understand the Tony Campolo quote. Tony is noting that we care more for using proper language then for those who die because we choose to ignore them. You obviously don’t listen to his music. One of his songs, “This too Shall be Made Right”, says, “I join the oppressors of those I choose to ignore.” Christians have to wake up man! If cursing does the trick, then so be it. Me spelling sh*t, with a * instead of an ‘i’ is not saving any lives. Derek is.
posted June 5, 2009 at 6:09 am
Jeff, define cursing. I once said the word “dang” in front of a Christian mom and her homeschooled children and she blanched. “You can’t say that because we know what you really meant to say,” she said. I replied, “Oh rats.”
I’d been with a group of devoutly Christian southerners on a mission trip and they said dang the whole week. If you’re around folks from the UK, the word “bloody” is a serious curse word.
While I agree cursing like a sailor can definitely give the wrong impression, we have to remember that our language is a cultural thing and we give the words their meaning. If he can’t say sh*t can he say shoot, and what’s the difference if he meant the same thing?
It’s a good discussion.
Joanne
host of the GS blog
posted June 5, 2009 at 6:10 am
Adam, thanks for that info! I wondered what the motivation was behind it. I had a feeling it was tied into a serious service project or something designed to really get people movitated to do something.
Thanks!
Joanne
host of the GS blog
posted June 5, 2009 at 11:16 am
“define cursing”..well, that seems to be in the eye (ears) of the beholder; like I said, perception is reality. I’m not saying that you don’t want to do anything to offend anyone, because we all know that someone is going to be offended by something, no matter what.
I don’t have a problem with him using the word, my only point is that he’s turning off the people he is trying to reach. I do not think it is effective. His fans and those that understand where he’s coming from (Adam, for instance) might get it 100%, but they are not the ones that need to change.
Adam, while I “obviously don’t listen to his music”, (I do, seen him in concert a few times with his wife, Sandra) I’m still allowed to have an opinion, after all, that’s what comment sections are for!!
posted June 5, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Jeff, that makes sense and is a very good point.
Thanks!
Joanne
host of the GS blog
posted July 4, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Jeff I believe that is the point. We don’t always need to preach to the lost sometimes we need to preach to the Churched. I believe that is all Derek is really trying to do is “wake up” the believers.
posted November 30, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I think he’s just referencing or doing a send-up of the (in)famous Tony Campolo quote…
“[According to a profile in Christianity Today entitled] The Positive Prophet, … I have three things I’d like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don’t give a shit. What’s worse is that you’re more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night.” – Tony Campolo
He has to use the word “shit” in order for the reference to work.
It’s a good song.