Jimmy Carter, it seems, believes in the separation between church and rock. The former president, whose 1976 White House campaign saw both performances by the Allman Brothers Band and the introduction of the term “born again” to the Washington media’s lexicon, has revealed in a new book that he became disenchanted with Bob Dylan after the singer was converted to Christianity. Writes Kevin Mattson in his history of Carter’s “malaise” speech, “Jimmy Carter’s favorite rock musician now refused to sing the songs the president most enjoyed . . . [those] written before Dylan found Jesus.”
Not that Jimmy Carter was ever the great Christian leader evangelicals expected. He nearly lost the Christian vote when he admitted to lusting after women other than his wife in a Playboy interview shortly before voters went to the polls. As president, he went after Christian independent schools’ tax-exempt status.
But Carter’s distaste for Christian Dylan speaks more to his social-justice views than his religious allegiance: Carter once said he’d never understood the confilct between landowner and farmworker until he heard Dylan’s song “Maggie’s Farm.” It’s understandable that Carter would have found more Christian relevance in Dylan’s anti-war and civil-rights songs than in his reinterpretations of Bible passages.
Read the Beliefnet Interview with Jimmy Carter.
posted July 17, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Jimmy Carter thinks he is the only one who knows the correct way to worship.
posted July 17, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Jimmy Carter is out of his peanut-loving mind.
posted July 17, 2009 at 8:22 pm
I think most audiophiles would agree that Dylan’s greatest work was not written during his “Christian” phase. I’m not sure why this is news. I’m a Christian and other than classical sacred music I don’t listen to “Christian” music…it’s just for the most part theologically and musically insipid, and derivative, and uninteresting.
posted July 19, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Dylan’s work during his “Christian phase” which he is still in-includes some of his greatest work.
posted July 26, 2009 at 3:59 am
Jimmy Carter is a better Christian than most self described Christian evangelists who are out and out hypocrites. I don’t listen to Dylan’s music so I won’t comment on the “Christianess” of his music. This is really a non issue. You have to be pretty desperate to latch onto a minor thing like this. There are plenty of other things to criticize about Jimmy Carter, but at least he was honest, unlike the all the presidents who have followed him.
posted July 26, 2009 at 7:35 am
I think history will judge Jimmy Carter ,his humaness and intergrity and values far differently than we it appears presntly. Like Gerald Ford and I our prese we are blessed too often in hindsight and without the medias’s spinnt leader in President Obamas ,decent very human men of character and integrity are while often unappreciated during the time they lead…do just that lead. It is a truely a blessing;however difficult it may be to be navigate the political process, those times as well as these times require those values. God is so good! Dylan has always been a storyteller of our times and it’s journey..it too is a blessing that his story is unfolding as a follower of Cgrist. Again, Praise God for HIS Divine meeting our needs in whatever form it takes. Who would believe the the linkage of the two for discusssion and Praise! pao
posted July 27, 2009 at 7:59 am
I can remember listening to Bod Dylan back in 1965 when I graduated from High School. I became a Born-Again Christian in 1982. I have been playing drums for 40 plus years. I still listen to Bobs great stuff. I have two of His christian albums Slow Train Coming and Saved as well as His greatest hits. I also understand he has Jewish roots as far as I’m concerned God has blessed him with a Talent that mahy other mucisians have. I’m not God and as I remember the scripture ” Judge not for in the same way you judge youshall be judged. bod Dylan is ok with me. I think that some things should not be shared with others. We all need to keep our EYES and Hearts pure. If we do sin we have an advocate with The Father thats Jesus Christ. Sin is sin
posted July 27, 2009 at 9:18 am
jESUS NEVER GAVE AN OPINION. hE ALWAYS STATED FACT. hE WAS NOT HELD CAPTIVE BY HIS EMOTIONS. we SHOULD TRY OUR BEST TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
posted July 27, 2009 at 3:38 pm
What in the world could Jimmy Carter possibly know about Bob Dylan and his music, his faith, and what he tries to get across in is songs? Often times I myself must listen to one of Bob’s songs 10 times before the creativity of the words finally hit me. Bob Dylan is a diverse performer and a genius in his musical and lyrical compositions.
Bob, I love you and every note and word you have produced in your lengthy career. I’ve been listening to you since I was 14 years old and when you started blending Christianity into your lyrics, it was a smooth transition and those who loved you way back in the day, still love you today. I had the pleasure to watch you perform live in Frederick,Maryland when you were out on tour for your then new cd coming out, “Modern Times”. There were too many people there stuck in the 60′s wanting to hear “Maggie’s Farm” and “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands”. Time has moved on and a true fan will move along beside you and enjoy your work.
Keep up the awesome work, God bless you and remember to always walk in the spirit.
Not one single one of my days goes by without Bob Dylan in it. Thank you Bob.
Karen S Augustsson
posted July 28, 2009 at 9:18 am
Ok so Bob eventually realized that he wasn’t put in the position he was in be chance, and his art reflected that. He was blessed with a gift that very few have, and once he realized the source, he used it as a servant uses a broom. He is the greatest poet of our time and one of the greatest of ALL time. Why? How? I think you know. And I’m sure Jimmy does too.
posted July 28, 2009 at 10:14 am
Wow, this is news to me. Congratulations Dylan! Mr. Carter, who are we to judge, lest we be judged? lol I’m sure Bob is just tore up about this… I’m sure he loses sleep at night.
Blessings!
posted August 7, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Jimmy Carter on steroids… Remember when Jimmy was tricked by Castro and he turned loose his criminals on our shores so we could put them in our prisons Now a new presidend is bringing Prisoners from Cuba to live in our prisons. Hey Rush Limbaugh can you read this?