Joel Osteen - Only Half the Story

What makes Joel Osteen so popular among his own congregation and millions of others worldwide? I often have people tell me they like listening to him and they are encouraged by his ministry. The reason is clear - Osteen is very encouraging. He is uplifting. He does speak about the love God has for people and God's desire that we succeed. His inspiring and motivating words are very practical and really help people. He teaches kindness and joy, things we all agree are desirable.

So what is the problem with Joel Osteen? Why do so many pastors warn their congregations that he is dangerous? Imagine this: Suppose I knew that a tornado was heading toward your house and so I ran to your house and knocked on the door until you opened it. Then I said, "I wanted you to know that I love you!" And then I ran away. You would look at me leaving in a puzzled way and think, "That was strange." And then the tornado would hit your house.

Osteen's ministry is a lot like this. He only tells half of the story. He does not do the other half of the job that God's pastors are called to perform - that is, to warn the sheep of impending danger. People are under judgment because of our sin and people need to repent and turn to Christ. Yes, of course we need love and yes, of course we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit, and yes, of course we need practical helps in daily living. But we have a bigger issue at stake in this matter (THE TORNADO IS COMING). Osteen fails to warn the sheep and thus is only half-way doing his job and the sheep love him because nobody wants to know they are in trouble.

Let us appreciate Osteen's concern that we live our lives in light of the goodness of God, but we must also read the whole Bible and preach both sides of the story.

Paul Simon and Chris Rice on God

The Simon-Rice project is an attempt to look at the lives and art of two thoughtful musicians, who are extremely similar stylistically, in order to see how their very different worldviews affect them and their art form. Last time, we saw how Paul Simon approaches the idea of significance in life. In his view, as it seems, meaning and purpose in life is existential and tied up to being loved and loving others. Similarly Chris Rice sees significance in life as being loved, but not merely by other people, rather by God. The common thread is LOVE.

Now we will look at a few lyrics from both men that relate to their search for an understanding about God. What is their theology? Noticeably, Chris Rice is much more overt in his views, since he is a professing believer in Jesus Christ. Still we see his broader understanding of God in songs like “Big Enough.”

God if You’re there I wish You’d show me
And God if You care then I need You to know me
I hope You don’t mind me askin’ the questions
But I figure You’re big enough
I figure You’re big enough

Chris Rice clearly sees that much is mystery when it comes to God. As a songwriter who apparently has teenagers in mind as he writes, he too grapples with the questions about who God is, how did He get there, why did He create anything at all, and so on. Rice also understands that his belief in Christ brings persecution.

Am I the fool, am I just a fool?
For standing alone while they mock Your name
"Well if your God is so good, tell us why all the pain?"
I’m not sure, not so sure that God is to blame
So don’t be a fool, please don’t be a fool
‘Cause blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe

Rice freely admits that he has not seen grandiose visions of God - nobody has written “Trust Jesus” in the clouds (see his song “Smell the Color 9”), but nonetheless he keeps believing, because God has spoken through His trustworthy Word.

I hear that a God who’s good would never let the evil run so long
But I say it’s because You’re good You’re giving us more time, yeah
‘Cause I believe that You love to show us mercy
But when will You step into our sky blue
And say "That’s quite enough, and your time is up!"

Rice does not seem to have a problem reconciling the existence of God and the existence of evil. In this verse he shows that God has much in mind that we cannot see, thus He is “giving us more time.” Rice reveals a bit of his view on eschatology here as well. He believes that Christ will return and step into our blue sky on a future day.

So when my heart is beaten by the standard of the law
I just remember Jesus, and I’ve found my favor with God

From where I standYour holiness is up so high I can never reach it
My only hope is to fall on Jesus

Here are two lyrics that give us a taste of Rice’s understanding of salvation. In both songs, Jesus Christ is seen as the way to God. Now having seen a bit of Rice’s view of God, lets change gears and check out Mr. Simon.

In my little town
I grew up believing
God keeps His eye on us all
And He used to lean upon me
As I pledged allegiance to the wall
Lord I recall
My little town

As I mentioned in the previous blog, this song does not necessarily reflect Paul’s belief since it is obviously not autobiographical. But still the song might reveal his underlying worldview, at least in part. If it does, this song is saying that the belief that God “keeps His eye on us all” is something that is old – that is, it is part of the stifling little town where the main character grew up. He leaves that town behind and says nothing but the dead and dying are there.

We celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas day
And Buddah found Nirvana along the Lotus Way
About 1,500 years ago the messenger Mohammed spoke
And his wisdome like a river flowed
Through hills of gold
Wisdome is old
The Koran is old
The Bible's old
Greatest story ever told
The human race walked the Earth for 2.7 million
And we estimate the universe about 13-14 billion
When all these numbers tumble into your imagination
Consider that the Lord was there before creation
God is old
We're not old
God is old
He made the mold

In this catchy tune about aging, Paul admits that compared to God, the oldest among us are comparatively young. Is this verse a sort of tongue-in-cheek mockery of science and religion or is it possible that Simon is reflecting on the necessity of some eternal being? Or both? Or something totally different than both? Now we do know that Simon has had at least a vague interest in the Bible. In an interview he once said the following about writing the song, “The boxer.”

“All I can remember is a time on a plane. I had taken a bible from one of the hotels and I was skimming through the bible and I think I saw the phrase ‘work- man's wages.’ That's all I remember from that song.”

God only knows
God makes his plan
The information's unavailable
To the mortal man
We work our jobs
Collect our pay
Believe we're gliding down the highway
When in fact we're slip slidin' away

In this final verse of Slip Slidin’ Away, Paul speaks about the plan of God verses the mundane activity of human beings. It appears in this verse that God is disinterested, to say the least, in what the humans are doing.

Anger and no one can heal it
Slides through the metal detector
Lives like a mole in a motel
A slide in a slide projector
The cool, cool river
Sweeps the wild, white ocean
The rage of love turns inward
To prayers of devotion
And these prayers are
The constant road across the wilderness
These prayers are
These prayers are the memory of God
The memory of God

In this tune, Simon speaks of the “memory of God.” I’m not really sure what he means, but Simon, I believe, would think that’s okay. In this same interview he spoke about the meaning of his songs.

“And I think direction is sufficient. When you have a strong sense of direction, then meaning clings to it in some way. People bring meaning to it. Which is more interesting to me than for me to tell meaning to some- body. I'd rather offer options to people. Options that have very pleasing sounds.”

I have a wisdom tooth
Inside my crowed face
I have a friend who is born again
Found his savior's grace
I was born before my father
And my children before me
We are born and born again
Like the waves in the sea
That's the way it's always been
And that's how I want it to be

Paul Simon is Jewish by birth and does not speak much about his particular views on Judaism specifically (is it just cultural?) nor on God specifically. But the last part of this verse, if it is Simon’s true perspective, seems to have a strong reincarnation idea in it. “Born and born again like the waves in the sea?” If this is the case, perhaps Paul is more in line with the Kabbalah branch of Judaism made popular recently by Madonna. Kabbalah seems to be a mixture of historic Judaism with New Age beliefs and ideas.

CONCLUSION
How a person understands the existence and the person of God will no doubt affect the way they live their life. If a person, for example, is a true atheist, then the only moral guidelines for living he has is the one he makes up or the one he accepts from his culture. In Chris Rice’s view, on the other hand, God is real and He is close. Thus, Rice attempts to live knowing this is true. Paul Simon is apparently a theist of some kind, though it is hard to say which kind. His Judaism, if it is more than mere cultural apparel, would mark him as a monotheist. However, if he has mixed his Judaism with New Age, Eastern Mystical beliefs, he might view God more as the universe itself.

Until next time!

Paul Simon and Chris Rice on Worldviews

Music As An Expression of Worldview
Music has become the common man’s art museum. Indeed, in its popular radio-oriented form it is accessible, catchy, and enjoyable. Not only this, but artists love to make music because it is a perfect vehicle for communicating ideas in brief, easy-to-remember ways. Music is the universal language, gripping people, motivating them for action, or simply helping them relax on the drive home from work.

As for me I love music and always have, from country to classical and everything in between. I especially like music that makes you think. And most music does. Even the shallow and undying, “Who Let the Dogs Out,” has an innate mechanism that makes us question: “Who in the world are the dogs and why were they set free?”

There is no escaping the fact that built into the fabric of every song (indeed, every work of art) is an underlying worldview. To be clear, not every song is written specifically to espouse a person’s worldview, but every song is written and performed by people who have certain worldview structures and just as one cannot easily cover up an accent when he speaks, so he cannot cover up his worldview in his art form, though it may be more or less noticeable from song to song.

The Simon-Rice Project
With this in mind, I have undertaken a worldview project involving two premiere artists. The first has mounted a body of original work dating back to the early 50’s, having been recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of our era - Paul Simon. He is the one who brought us iconic hits like “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “You Can Call Me Al.” The other artist is much lesser known, but has much in common with Simon. Chris Rice has quietly made a name for himself, especially within Christian circles, as a tremendously talented musician, singer, and songwriter. Though his body of music is much less than that of Simon, still Rice has recorded 9 popular albums, mostly consisting of original material. Those familiar with his work will recognize songs like, “Clumsy,” “Deep Enough to Dream,” and the recently released “When Did You Fall.”

The project I have undertaken examines with critical eyes the original music of these two men with the hope of accessing their worldviews and contrasting them with each other. In the next several blogs, I'd like to share some of the results with you.

The Purpose of the Simon-Rice Project
There are many reasons to conduct the Simon-Rice Project. First, a study like this can show the major differences a worldview makes on a person’s life. This I hope will be helpful for people who hold to a variety of worldviews. Paul Simon and Chris Rice have many similarities stylistically. They both write original music, they both use symbolism and poetry to make their points, they both are very thoughtful with word choice, they both thrive musically in the studio environment, they both write laid back music using the same basic instruments, and they both write about similar themes like love, life, happiness, struggles, and the significance of life. But Simon and Rice have two very different worldview structures. Rice is a conservative Christian who believes the Bible is God’s Word and has built his worldview from that perspective. Simon, on the other hand, has evolved religiously into a sort of New Age mystic who seems to embrace an existential lifestyle (read this and this - particularly the part about Danny Paradise). His worldview seems to be more in flux than Rice as he searches for his place in the world. The point is this, a close examination of the lives and art of these two similarly styled musicians will reveal the way our worldview shapes our lives.

A second purpose to undertake this study is to move people to more readily think about their own worldview structure. Sometimes it helps to see what, how, and why other people think what they think in order to motivate us to examine what we think. Your worldview can usually be determined by your answers to the big questions of life (Read Sire for more on these questions).

1) What is really real or prime reality? Is it matter or energy or God?
2) What is the nature of the world around us? Was it created by God or did it evolve into its present state via natural processes?
3) How do we know? How do we come to hold certain beliefs and why?
4) What is a human being? A natural highly-evolved animal or a special creation of God bearing His image?
5) What is the difference between good and evil? Are these absolute?
6) What is the purpose of human history? Is there any significance to our lives? Are we going anywhere?
7) Is there life after death? Speaks for itself.

So if this study gets people asking these questions and seeking real answers, it will be a success.

A final purpose for this study is to help people enjoy and examine art with wisdom. Simon and Rice are only samples and I focus on them in order to have a controlled study. But all of art, not just music, should be examined and enjoyed with care. When you watch a movie, you should enjoy it with discriminating eyes. That is, you should be able to catch the worldview of the movie makers and be able to discuss it. When you walk through an art museum you should be able to do the same. In my opinion, though surely many might disagree, this wisdom in examining art does not remove the joy and pleasure derived from the art. In fact, it enhances the process.

Qualifications for Examining Art
I should be clear at this point that there are some dangers to beginning with art in order to deduce an artist’s worldview. Art is not the same as an artist, though it does reflect the artist. Here are a few guidelines I have attempted to carefully follow in the Simon-Rice Project, in order to be fair to both of them and in order to find the truth, not my mere opinions of what I think they meant in their songs.

Be Careful – It Can be Esoteric
Not every song a person writes is easily understood. In many cases, the author of a song deliberately writes esoterically, or with a meaning only he understands. Thus, an esoteric song might be coded. It might have a catchy chorus (like “If you’ll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal. I can call me Betty and Betty when you call me you can call me Al”), but the basic meaning just is not apparent on the surface. In the case of songs like this, care must be taken not to read into the lyrics what is not there. In some cases, interviews have been conducted with both Paul Simon and Chris Rice in which they actually revealed what they meant with certain lyrics. In those cases, the lyrics can be used to get a clearer picture of the worldview of the artist.

Be Careful – It Might be about Someone Else
Sometimes when we hear a song we assume it is autobiographical. This is not always the case. Upon purchasing Chris Rice’s newest album Amusing, I heard his song, “When Did You Fall.” It is a song about some person being unaware that another person has a crush on him. When the “news” gets out, he asks the question of the song: “When did you fall in love with me?” When I heard the song it was clear to me that Chris Rice had fallen in love with a girl. However, as it turns out, he is still single. The song, he says, is an innocent love song that people can relate to. The point is lucid, when examining songs for worldview content, it cannot be assumed that the song is autobiographical. That said, I think you will see that both Simon and Rice often write about their own life experiences.

Be Careful – It Might have Been a Phase
Just because a songwriter says something in a song, and it appears he truly believes that way, does not mean he still believes that way. People and their views change and mature (and sometimes mutate). In a study such as this one, that must be kept in mind.

Be Careful – To Deduce Worldview Observe Both Biography and Body of Work
In order to truly get at the truth of the artist’s worldview, I will be trying to draw inferences from the entire body of their work and placing these inferences against the backdrop of their personal biography as a cross reference. Both Simon and Rice have conducted many interviews in which they discuss their worldviews. Not only this, but both have chosen certain actions within their lives that also reveal their worldviews (like religious choices, marriage choices, record company choices, friendship choices, political choices, and so on). I will be working to observe the total package of work and life in order to avoid the error of deducing a worldview out of context.

If you are interested in reading biographical information, go here for Paul Simon and here for Chris Rice.

Be Careful – Noting the Benefits of a Worldview Does not Necessarily Make it Correct
As you will see, the benefits of Chris Rice’s Christian worldview seem to far outweigh the benefits of Paul Simon’s worldview. For example, Rice has an anchor for joy, deep purpose in life, and sure hope for the future even beyond death. But as I conduct this study I want to be sure to emphasize that simply noting the benefits of Rice’s worldview does not automatically make it the correct worldview. I say this so that someone reading will not adopt Christianity simply because it appears to be a better way of life. It certainly can be argued that it is. It can also be argued that it is not (Simon might make that argument for example). The point is, truth is truth whether it is beneficial or not. The question is not, “Which worldview is more beneficial for my life?” The question is “Which worldview is true?”

Now, having explained the Simon-Rice Project, the rational behind it, and the guidelines for the study, lets get to it!

The Search for Significance
Here we are asking the vital questions, “What is the point of my life?” and “Would the world be any different if I were not here?” Most people have pondered these questions, but few have put their meditations into poetic songs. Let's look at a few of Paul Simon's lyrics and see what he says about this issue.

In my little town I never meant nothin'
I was just my father's son
Saving my money, dreaming of glory
Twitching like a finger on the trigger of a gun
Leaving nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town
(“My Little Town” 1975)

The song “My Little Town,” seems to be a sadistic ode to a small community that stifled the person whom the song is about. He “never meant nothin’” there. This means his life, at least at that stage, was meaningless to those around him. Now Simon did not grow up in a small town (Queens, New York) and no doubt the song is about someone else. Also it is clear that the main character of the song seems to find significance in life elsewhere. He leaves behind his insignificant life in the little town for bigger and better things.

You're going to break down and cry
We're not important; we should be grateful
And if you're wondering why – Love (“Love,” 2000)

In this more recent song, Paul expresses what seems to be a clear declaration of the importance and value of love. He states up front, “We’re not important.” But on the other hand there is something to be grateful about. It is the power of love. It is clear in the body of Simon’s work, that significance and meaning in life is wound up with the power of love.

And I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
But it's alright,
It's alright for we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong
I can't help it, I wonder what has gone wrong
(“American Tune,” 1973)

This verse seems to really express how Paul feels about meaning in life. In spite of the difficulty of life, nonetheless, “It’s alright, it’s alright for we lived so well so long.” He also expresses here that in his mind something is wrong with the way the world is. He wonders about what it might be that went wrong. So without jumping to far logically, we could say that Simon has spent much time contemplating why life is not as it should be.

Now lets compare Simon's perspective with that of Chris Rice. In Rice's case, he has a song that addresses this issue directly called "Life Means so Much."

Every day is a journal page, every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in,
All we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse or will today bring the blessing
Fill the page with rhyming verse or some random sketching
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much, Life means so much, Life means so much.
(“Life Means so Much,” 2000)

This song really depicts Rice’s view of the significance of life very clearly. He states that each day is important and should be counted and activities we perform during those days should mean something. It is significant that the chorus is written as a prayer to God. It is a request that God might help us understand just how purposeful and wonderful it is to be alive.

Grass is always greener on the other side
The search is never over in the pastures of my mind
Is the meaning of happiness drowning in smiles
Or that dreadful world I left behind?
O Lord grant the grace to accept who I am
Who I am, that You have designed. (“Sam’s Song,” 1997)

In this song, Rice asks a question regarding the “meaning of happiness.” Is it found in fake smiles or in the world left behind – a reference to the evil in the world? No, the meaning of happiness is found in being exactly what the Lord designed. Notice the connection here between meaning and being designed. In Rice’s Christian worldview, significance in life is wrapped up in being a special creation of God.

You're all I have, You're all I know
Your breath is breathing in my soul
Still I am gasping, aching, askingWhere are you now
(“Smile,” 2002)

Here is another song written in prayer format in which Rice points out to God that God is “all I have” and “all I know.” These lines make it clear that, again, significance in life for Chris Rice is wrapped up in the knowledge of and relationship with God. Now this is not to say that Rice thinks that everything else in life is insignificant however. It is clear from other songs, that Chris Rice finds meaning in many areas of life, such as friendships, exploring nature, and the like, but the value of those other things are only elevated as they relate to his relationship to God.

Conclusion
One thing that Simon and Rice have in common when it comes to their views of the significance of life, is that love is central. For Paul Simon, it is love of others. For Chris Rice it is the love God has for us, demonstrated in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to forgive sinners, that spills out into love for others.

Just a note - this blog is much longer than the next ones will be on the Simon-Rice Project because of all the introductory material. Next time we will look into Simon's and Rice's songs in order to find out their understanding of who God is, what He is like, and what kinds of things He does. See you then.