American Idol Gets Religion

I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the finale of American Idol Gives Back special last night. After performances or appearances by the likes of Robin Williams, Bono, Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus (my personal favorite), Mariah Carey, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Annie Lennox, and Snoop Dogg, the remaining contestants dawned some pure white outfits and belted out a great rendition of Shout to the Lord.

The problem is you can’t please everybody. There are Christians jumping for joy in the streets. There are Christians calling American Idol the devil for changing the word Jesus to Shepherd. There are non-religious folks who are up in arms that they did the song period.

What’s your take?

(Other conversations going on here, here, and here.)

**UPDATE**
I’m sure you’ve heard by now, but they opened with the same song last night—only this time with the original version of the lyrics.

New question posed by SWEJ in the comments: Would you be offended had they sung “My Mohammed” instead?

Filed under: American Idol, Charity, Christianity, Giving, Music

Have You Seen These Men?

You know the guys I’m talking about. They’re there every year around this time. They are standing outside seemingly every single store in the world, bundled up, and ringing a bell.

To date I’ve never had one ask me for anything. Usually they just smile and greet me as I rush past them. But I know they’re there for my money. I can feel it. Why else would they have that little bucket? And for most of my life I felt very guilty as I walked by them.

That was until last year when it hit me, I have nothing to be guilty about. I give a lot of money to charities as well as to my church. Just because someone is standing there asking doesn’t mean that’s the place I have to chose to support at that time. It’s not that I don’t support what they are doing (although I do wonder if guilt-driven charity is a healthy practice), it’s just that I used to hate feeling guilty, as though I was kicking a homeless person by not dropping a few quarters in their bucket. But not any more!

So when you seen these kind people the next time you’re out shopping for bread, don’t feel guilty, just give them a smile and be on your way—that is unless you don’t give anything to anybody. In that case you’re a selfish bum, and should feel guilty.

Filed under: Charity, Christmas, Giving, Guilt, Salvation Army