The Anti-Gaga Issue

I've often said the Church these days are trying their best to keep themselves relevant by inserting themselves on various issues such as putting their weight on being anti-RH bill or anti-divorce, even when the whole world has evolved into supporting women’s health and choices or their right to remarry when they've made a mistake (and it so frequently happens) the first time around.

I’m all for respecting everyone’s religion and beliefs. But there really are just representatives of religious organizations, such as the Christians, that give everyone else in their group a bad name. Case in point, these ridiculous Lady Gaga protests. Boy, am I not surprised that the group protesting are Christians. And, boy am I not surprised that the CBCP also made their comments on the issue, as are they not always looking for trendy issues to insert themselves in to get themselves some desperate publicity these days?

So, this Biblemode Youth Philippines group protested and performed candlelight vigils against Lady Gaga (CUE: roll eyes).

A Christian group's protest against Lady Gaga - wow, 

they even made an effort to print matching protest shirts

Some quotes (like these below) have been said:

“Her attitude seems to promote godlessness, offensive to any religion,” Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, a member of the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, told reporters.

“We believe that this concert is grossly blasphemous, immoral, lewd, obscene and carries demonic and occultic undertones that are insults to our God and are direct attacks against our Christian faith,” Fred Magbanua, one of the Christian leaders, said. “(The concert) greatly endangers the hearts and minds of our young people, as it overtly promotes satanic worship and sexual perversity.”

“This concert has to be banned,” said Manila Rep. Benny Abante, who is also a religious leader. “We will pray against it and do everything we can to oppose it on all fronts,” he said.

And so it goes… Religious leaders went as far as calling “Born this way” an encouragement to homosexuality. Really? It’s a song about accepting who you are and about being yourself, you know, cause you were born this way, and somehow these religious groups has morphed the song into being pro homosexuality? - which really isn’t a bad thing, anyway. 

Lady Gaga herself is obviously someone who loves the attention and all the controversy that surrounds her. Why else would she do all these things that she does so well?! Wear meat outfits, gyrate around the stage or play the piano while doing weird acrobatic suggestive movements? 

Well, because Lady Gaga is a great concept. It’s a fabulous persona for a pop star. This outrageous, attention seeking, Madonna-esqe approach, has worked wonders for her career so far. AND, it has made a lot of her music videos and concerts entertaining.  

I’ve always said I loved her songs but I don’t particularly love her overt attention seeking behavior. She once claimed that she loved walking around in her underwear in public (or something that sounds like that), which was obviously said to elicit some buzz, and I don't particularly like this blatant overt reach for explicit attention but I get it. I get why she needs to do it. 

AND: It’s entertainment. People know that. No one actually takes Lady Gaga THAT seriously. 

Personally, I thought the concert was just great. The set was gorgeous, what's not to love about her multi color electric lights castle?

Lady Gaga performed really well. Her costumes were really cool. I especially like that meat grinder scene - I don't really know why but I just thought it was cute. 

Throughtout the concert she reinforced her message of acceptance, of wishing the best for all her fans - the opposite of what religious groups says she's about. 

And, well, she also repeatedly said that she doesn't give a fuck (about what the establishment though), which is also kind of cool. 

In summary: it was a kick ass fun concert and everyone had a grand time, sans satanic overtures. 

So, Christian groups:  if you’re bored and are looking for something or someone to roast or look down upon, just – I don’t know, chill out – go on a prayer meeting and try to imbibe the virtues of respecting other people’s beliefs (or entertainment choices). Stop imposing - whatever it is that you want your flock to avoid – to other people. 

And, CBCP: just accept that you guys are no longer as relevant rather than trying to keep up with the youth by issuing statements on Lady Gaga and Jessica Sanchez. 

Ironically though, the way I see it, these Christian groups, the CBCP and Lady Gaga has this one thing in common: It's Attention Seeking Behavior.