Hello World! 
It’s gettin’ hot out there, huh? I guess spring was last week, and now it is straight summer…well not really, but it sure feels like it…
Atlanta soul singer Anthony David is tryin’ to get it hot out there with his new song “God Said.” You like that segue, huh? I don’t know much about his music honestly, but when I saw an article posted about his latest song on Facebook, I was compelled to read it. David is an atheist or secular humanist according to the article in Creative Loafing. And his song “God Said” from his album “As Above, So Below” demonstrates his beef with us religious folk. For the record, I have some beef with some religious folk too, but I wander if dude threw the baby out with the bath water. Nothing on this earth is perfect and that includes Christianity. And anything that involves flawed human beings is sure to have some issues.
Below are a few interesting quotes from the article in which David discusses how his views about various institutions from religious faith to marriage have evolved as he has gotten older…
“What’s really interesting on this album is that I learned a lot of things over the past three years that I’ve been mulling over for a while,” says David, who turns 40 this year. “The biggest change is I became what I call a secular humanist, or an atheist. All I know is that I’m interested in being nice to people but I’ve never believed in any religion. But it’s tricky when you’re in the South and you’re around the culture that I’m in.”
“I like the idea of marriage but I don’t think it works,” he confesses. “I think we need to rework it, I just have no idea about how. That bugs me and I couldn’t really be in a relationship with those kinds of thoughts with no resolve, and that’s part of what happened. Even with ‘4evermore,’ there was a lot of rationalization going on if you listen to my verse.”
And from another Creative Loafing article, below is what David said directly about the new video.
I’m sure there will be some disagreements. I put some of my more radical ideas in there, and there will probably be some disagreement about a few things here and there. That’s ok with me, I’m all for civil discussion and people having their own ideas. I don’t mean any harm, but they’re my ideas (and the directors- we all pitched in). There will be places to have these discussions, but mostly, I tried to stick to the unifying point, which is anti extremism and fundamentalism. I mean well by it. I encourage THOUGHT, REASON, LOVE, and RESPECT. I hope that comes across at the very least.
So check out the video for yourself…
Any thoughts?
I normally don’t reply on these but you read some articles and left out parts where I said I didn’t have a problem with religion and especially not religious folks. We can agree to disagree sis, but at least put EVERYTHING you see out there
wait. I see. the letter that they posted was incomplete. I’ll give you the link to that. But I there is the line where I say “I tried to stick to the unifying point, which is anti extremism and fundamentalism. I mean well by it. I encourage THOUGHT, REASON, LOVE, and RESPECT”
The fact that I have made a personal choice in regards to religion is not a “beef” with religious folk.I wrote the song with two christians about something that I hope most people would agree on. Taking things to the extreme is not good for any of us.
http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/artist/control_room/411326?tab=fanreach&subnav=fanreach_email_history
here’s the whole letter.. peace
Are you Anthony David? If so, thanks for stopping by my blog :)…as you discovered, I only posted what the article included…so I mean no disrespect, and I actually like thought-provoking music even if I don’t always agree with all of the artist’s views…You have a great voice too! And by the way, I don’t get into “extreme” Christianity either…Also, once I clicked on the link, I was taken to a page without content…is there a better link?Thanks.
Interesting comments from “anonymous” … but that’s not what I came here to post :-). He has a beautiful voice and my personal choices/likes aside, I welcome thoughts and opinions that challenge the (sometimes) norm. I actually like the song and think we can all list a few things that have occurred in our recent and distant history as a result of what someone said …. “God said.” Thanks for posting!
I agree with you Bloggess! Good music is supposed to provide topics for conversation and reflection…and there have been some crazy things that have been done because someone said “God said,” so I like the concept…but according to the article, I don’t agree with all of his beliefs…and to that end, the world would be a very dull place even if we all believed the same thing all the time…
lol of course it’s me. I wasn’t trying to be anonymous, I just figured you’d know, cuz I spoke from my own point of view. Being lazy really.
I made it a policy not to jump in blogs and chat it up, because I had put out my letter. I did notice that they didn’t put ALL of it in there, and I do love the discussion. That’s the primary mission of the song, but the one line you wrote about “putting the baby out with the bathwater” I felt totally ignored the line about a unifying point and thinking I have beef. I have my ideas and differences just as you would with a muslim, hindu, another denomination or even someone sitting next to you in church, but that’s not what the song is about, nor the video. It’s about thinking. That could turn anyone to a better christian muslim, athiest, person- whatever. Extremists do not do this.
Now in another discussion, believe me, you’d have plenty to take me to task about lol (PLENTY), but I didn’t set out to be an enemy here.
Again, I enjoy the discussion, and I’m not being aggressive, I just liked what i saw here and I had some time to answer.
Thanks for the compliments as well.
Okay, I’m reading the link now! I had to join this reverb thing in order to read it…and I wanted to be lazy too, but since you put forth the effort of stopping my blog, I figured it was worth the extra effort LOL 🙂 Wow, that’s cool that you found my blog….one of my FB friends must know you or something and alerted you…And since you did comment, I get what you’re saying…It’s all about the crazy extremists….and I did not realize that you actually wrote the song with two Christians…I’m sure that that was an interesting song writing session! But hey, keep making provocative music!
and dammit, my bad, I hope this link works
http://www.reverbnation.com/c/fr5/artist_411326?eid=A411326_8196157_
http://www.reverbnation.com/c/fr5/artist_411326?eid=A411326_8196157_
heres that link. hope this one works
And I’m copying and pasting your whole letter….thanks!
So,
As you know, my albums are more than just love songs. I like to tell stories, and I like to cover issues that I think affect us all.
So I did. I wrote a song called GOD SAID after watching Pat Robertson declare that the earthquake in Haiti was because of a curse from God. After hearing A man named Rev Wiley say that he was praying for President Obama’s death during the election (the prayer didn’t work BTW). After hearing people fiddle around with the idea of a curse on Japan after their recent disaster. After hearing about Koran burnings and battles that seem to have peoples interpretations of religious texts at the foundation of them all.
I’m not one of those who claims that religion is the ONLY thing that causes all of the wars and bloodshed, but it has caused many. But not necessarily even the religion but the interpretetation of a few dangerous minds put into the wrong position of power or influence. I figured it was time to have a conversation with extremists like this, and put that kind of thinking in it’s proper perspective.
Its just my opinion, but I suspect peace loving people from all walks of life will agree with me on SOME level.
I wanted to illustrate the vision I had for the song, and make it clear what I meant, because just off of the title, many didn’t catch the satire. I contacted my longtime friend and incredible director, Devaughn Hughson to work with me on these visuals. We actually started out together when I was writing more screenplay than songs. Music became my format for expression wile he went further in film, but we always shared ideas in hopes to do something powerful together one day.
This is it, or definitely one of em.
Once we started combing and looking for footage that went with it, there was TOO MUCH (unfortunately, and this is further evidence that it needed to be made).
I’m extremely proud of the work we did on this. We made it for the internet, but somehow it got cleared to play on BET of all places. I’m proud of them for airing it. Stephen Hill has always been a supporter of mine from the first album (I can remember seeing this guy in the front row at SOB’s singing ALL THE WORDS, and wondering who he was- it was him). They brought me in on this MUSIC MATTERS TOUR (ft Marsha Ambrosius and Melanie Fiona- check my tour dates, we’re coming to you) and they have exposed me to their audience quite a bit. I’m grateful to them for that.
I’m sure there will be some disagreements. I put some of my more radical ideas in there, and there will probably be some disagreement about a few things here and there. That’s ok with me, I’m all for civil discussion and people having their own ideas. I don’t mean any harm, but they’re my ideas (and the directors- we all pitched in). There will be places to have these discussions, but mostly, I tried to stick to the unifying point, which is anti extremism and fundamentalism. I mean well by it. I encourage THOUGHT, REASON, LOVE, and RESPECT. I hope that comes across at the very least.
Whenever something comes out that’s a little more pointed than love songs, or whatever, I suppose they need to be prefaced with a little disclaimer. Heres mine.
Enjoy? yeah, you can and should
I first have to mention that I attended the BET Music Matters concert in Atlanta on Monday. I had once heard 4evermore by Anthony- but after hearing more of his pieces that night, I was inclined to purchase the cd=) (If my girl was not rushing me out of the door, I would have got the cd that night while Anthony was signing them)
Anyway- after seeing the title of the album and listening to “God Said”…I began to do more research about the meaning behind it all (which brought me to this blog). I am just curious to know, Anthony how do believe we as people were created or how did we evolve? I may be digging to deep and mean no harm, but I like to completley understand where people’s ideas come from. Thanks in advance! P.S. I love your music and the fact that you interact with your fans=)
Hey Curious, I don’t know if you like my blog or not, but thanks for stopping by!
Brilliant voice! So sad the message from Anthony David. I’ve watched the video and heard the song and struggle with the title right out of the gate…. “God Said”. Really? So he knows what “God said” to critique him or his existence on a grand stage (since your atheist stance is now known)? He sounds as guilty as Robertson and any number of folk raining down hell and damnation on Haiti and others.
Yes “men using religion” have caused a great many conflicts throughout history. But if atheists were honest with themselves, had the courage to deal with the responsibility that comes with faith and gave a fraction of the attention to the positive as they did the negative, they would see that religion has also inspired more people(s) to greatness, benevolence and peace (universal and self) than any single ideal in the history of mankind.
Peace be with Anthony… the story is an old one. Everyone must and ultimately will find God in their own time. At some point we will need to know that someone, something is greater than ourselves. We need to believe in an ideal beyond humanity (which is fallible) to inspire us when all other inspiration has lapsed. We will need that light, that goodness, that example of perfection to relate and aspire to when all goes dark around us.
I honestly don’t mean to sound harsh but Anthony David should expect criticism, His Music and his level of exposure affects a lot of people and it also carries with it a great deal of responsiblity.
Hey Scarlett, you have some interesting views…thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you return:)…Curious, please stop by again as well…I value all opinions!
LOL I have to subscribe to this by email. I had forgotten this was going on.
hey Scarlett. You hit the nail on the head with this sentence “WHO KNOWS WHAT GOD SAID”- that’s my point. I made a disctinct point with my friends who co wrote with me (both christians) to NOT attempt to speak on Gods behalf.
I made it known that I’m a non believer so as not to be deceitful. Whenever I had people listen to the song before the album came out, they would usually go on to say “WHAT GOD REALLY SAYS IS…” and I do not wish to even pretend to be in that argument.
I’m not questioning God’s existence on the some grand stage- I’m questioning how some interpret it, without claiming responsibility for it. I make what I imagine are RIDICULOUS statements in the song, and I’m playing the part of someone like a Pat Robertson or Rev Wiley in hopes that people will see how ridiculous it sounds even when THEY THEMSELVES say it “I STAND ON A MOUNTAIN TOP, A SOLID ROCK”- what kind of arrogance does it take to say something like that?
Whether God exists or not isn’t a big deal to me. I’ve made my ideas known on that also because I’m making the point that you can’t judge anything about me based on whether I believe or not. I don’t mind the criticism, I WELCOME it, but there’s no reason to believe that a non believer is any more or less moral than anyone else.
I do have a problem with religious peoples instant reaction to those who don’t believe what they believe. Just as you may disagree with a Muslim about certain aspects of the Universe and it’s laws, or the name of it’s creator- You and I disagree on whether theres a God or not.
But we would both probably agree that Pat Robertson went overboard. That suicide bombers go too far, that anybody who takes a life, or harms someone based on their beliefs can be labeled FANATIC. Yes, I have my ideas in there, and you may critique them. Yes, you know what I think about religion, and you may critique that. I ENCOURAGE it.
I will be clear on this: ALL religious people are NOT fanatics, just as ALL athiests are not immoral or unethical. Actually, what one believes or doesn’t believe doesn’t have much effect on how they BEHAVE from what I can tell. I get the feeling that people don’t know this.
You disagree?
Curious, I am glad you went and did research on the title of the album and it’s meaning. I assure you it isn’t some occult witch crafty thing, as I don’t not believe in anything supernatural, nor do I deal in it.
I wish people WOULD look into the things they buy and listen to more often. Listen to the radio. Theres guns bustin, killing,drug dealing, drug induced craziness going on 24/7. I find it hilarious that people seem to think you have to look that deep into anything to see what you may consider unethical or evil.
My idea as an artist is to provide enjoyment and comfort for the listener. I don’t make my laws too rigid, but theres certain things I won’t say, because I would feel like they were harmful to the listener. I listen to some songs on the radio, and I’m disgusted- this coming from someone who has a pretty sick sense of humor.
The title “as above so below” is 4 words describing an idea that makes some sense to me. many things on a larger scale can be understood by understanding a smaller scale. That’s it. I’ve read where it came from, and some of it I agree with, some I don’t. I feel the same way about many books and writings. I take what I’ve found to work for me, and are positive to my life.
I am also aware that other people have done that throughout history. I see this talk about Masons and elite groups who have incorporated some of this into their own philosophy, even as they have inflicted harm on others. This can happen with ANYTHING, but they don’t OWN IT. You would have to look at those individuals and what they did, not something they claim to have made up.
example:
The GOLDEN RULE, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” was around BEFORE Jesus. He made sure we remembered it, because it was a good idea.
If Hitler were remembered to have said the same thing (even if it meant “kill someone, because I wish to be killed”) that would pervert the phrase, and people might shy away from it, just because of how he applied it.
speaking of Hitler, and symbols, lookup the svastika. It’s a sign of Good luck for Hindu’s- so he co opted it. And we all know what his luck brought him.
The Hindu’s still use the symbol, as well as Bhuddists and Jains, because it’s a POSITIVE symbol for them. They won’t let Hitlers misuse of it taint the positivity that they intended.
We should do the same against Masons, or illuminati, ro whatever the hell people call them these days. We have that power.
If the statement “as above, so below” on it’s face sounds like you can do evil with it, you may need to check yourself. Just my opinion. I use strong imagery, and words, because I WANT people to THINK. I work hard at making my sentences connect, and my music to be pleasing, funny, funky, provocative. I like waking people to listen to it. If that’s bad, then I’m guilty.
As far as my ideas on evolution, they aren’t my ideas. Actually one of the books in the video THE GRAND DESIGN by Stephen Hawkins is a good place to get a better idea than I would ever be able to give you. This book isn’t about any secret knowledge or anything, it’s just science, which is what the VITRUVIAN MAN cover is about. Da Vinci was a jack of all trades, and his mastery in that photo was a depiction of mans relation to the universe. AS ABOVE, SO BELOW. As an artist, he incorporated MATHEMATICS (which was once considered to be “occult”- now we learn it in school) into the aesthetics of art. I suck at math, but music is full of it, so any musician is trying to use it, balanced with feeling. I put a lot of thought into this LOL. It’s what I expect from artists I support, so why not do the same?
Anyone who wants to really read into it won’t find anything bad coming from me.
Hey Anthony, thanks for “stopping” by again 🙂 looks like you might have a hit on your hands at the very least with all of this interest in your song! But most importantly, your song has got people thinking and with the state of music that is played on the radio, I don’t take that for granted…for reals…and your song should be played on the radio by the way…
I agree Anthony that Roberson went too far. I AM a believer and I also believe some people take things too far and its a shame. I have the kind of relationship with the Lord where I know when HE is speaking, I know when i am speaking and when the devil is speaking. I also know WHEN God does speak, what He says NEVER goes against His word and it always comes to pass. Thats how you can tell someone claiming ‘God said’ is off.
Mr David, this is America Sir and you have the right to your opinion. You have a very good voice and a mind that invokes thought. I may diagree with you on some things BUT you do have some very valid points and I acknowledge that.
And Cassandra, I agree with all that you said…and stop by my blog again please:) and I like your site too:)
Thanks Jackieholness. My website isn’t half way finished, work still has to be done before the Thick Madame fashion line comes out later this year.
I must certainly will stop by your blog, it will be a pleasure. Your article was well written and so were the responses. They were both respectful and mature.
Blessings to you Cassandra as you start your new fashion line, and thanks for the compliments on my blog! 🙂
I just discovered this song today, my boyfriend was excited about it but the only thing was for some reason he misinterpreted the song and thought you were a believer speaking on behalf of God! lol ..i dunno, but right away i caught the gist of the tune and corrected him, i was lead here as well to prove the point cuz he still didnt think i was right …any ways, we like the song alot, the video is very poignant,thought provoking the whole nine, i totally agree that extreme religion is retarded, i just wanted to add : i dont know if youre into conspiracy theories but some sites i frequent suggest that “the media”(tv and music esp) is controlled by occultic superstious people trying to put forth an agenda of immorality inspired by luciferian beliefs(some believe in a difference btwn satan and lucifer) , they use lots of similar conflicting images and themes , symbolic mind control images are used repetively so minds young and old become distracted, so they dont focus on being moral, very loose with sexuality, to not care at the real suffereing going on all over the world at the hands of corrupt governments (ours included) ,who also behave as if there isnt a God watching over them who actually cares about all of our behavior,or even for them to care about themselves and respect their self. I say this because yes your song is thought provoking and truthful BUT i feel it was only allowed on tv to cause more distraction and actually incite an anger at God or even disbelief in God Himself, alot of unbelievers use this statement as a response for why they dont believe in God ” look at all the suffering in the world, look at the natural disasters, i cant believe any GOOD god would allow that” and your video shows alot of the world’s suffering , sort of making THAT arguement w/ visuals. Unfortunatly,most “sheeple” who watch TV dont really think deeply about what they see , they are hypnotized by the flicker rate and are in a docile state ripe for advertisments. They havent read 1984 or Brave NEw world or behold a pale horse, or the Gospels for that matter. Thats just my opinion, sorry for any typos,and incorrect spelling, btw this is a great blog, and to Mr.David thank you for taking time out to particpate in the discussion of your song. I wish you much success.
for any one who wants to research can look up: Occult Movies, Occult Media,Mk Ultra, Monarch Mind Control,Project Paperclip,Bluebird and google and youtube. some of the symbols frequently used are : butterlies,black and white checked floors, black , white and red patterns, covering one eye in photos9with hands or hair), blubirds, birdcages,alice in wonderland themes, wizard of oz themes (red shoes), disney themes,models and actresses in leopard prints,young children in adult situations,all seeing eye, pyramids, …theres alot more. Books to read are: 1984, Behold a Pale horse, the unseen hand, the illuminati, brave new world, A good website is the vigilant citizen. any videos by esoteric kitten on youtube . Please DO your own research for yourself. film,magazines,music videos , open your eyes you will see.
heres something… what makes you so sure that alll the books you listed are done in the name of good, or God? Since you believe in all that stuff, what’s your guage to decide which ones to accept? They seem to incite fear, and give most the idea that the power is never in their own hands. Most people I know who read them tend to be all over the place, and reactive.
Could this also be the plan of these elites that the books speak of? Maybe THEY wrote the books. Maybe they are spreading this information to end up with a frightened world, putting people at odds with each other.
Another symptom I notice is that people that like these books tend to stop thinking for themselves deeply, and buy into symbolism, taking the books total word at what should be good or bad without really analyzing any of it based on how much suffering or flourishing they may cause. They tell you that some person making the peace sign in a picture is really holding up the devils horns. Or that someone just casually positioning their hands any where is some evil symbol, speaking to the illuminati. The funny thing about that is that it ends up applying to ANYONE who’s ever taken a picture, including those who told you about it. There are never any real limits.
EXAMPLE
I know a friend of mine who works for the Monique show, used to spread that kinda propaganda all day, until one day, HE HIMSELF was in a picture throwing the funk sign, and it ended up in a video with someone saying HE was doing the baphomet symbol LMAO. They assumed that he was rich and living amongst the elite even though he lives in a 2 bedroom apartment with several kids to raise.
This kind of thinking, I view as mostly reactionary. Not to say there’s NO truth in those books, and that there is no manipulation in the media, but lately people have been taking it too far. And again, MOST of the negative messages are simply not hidden that deep. Look at any gangster rap video, and the least worrisome thing in there would be some symbol on someones shirt as he busts guns or carries out a drug deal.
Why look so deep when its right there in your face?
The funny part is the guy may have on jesus piece or a diamond encrusted cross, so that makes it ok for some, because he will be forgiven for whatever he’s done. This is what I mean in this line of the song:
“cuz I can just ask for forgiveness and it’s over”
SMH. yes, I agree with you all- people need to WAKE UP. Don’t be lulled to sleep by negative messages that make you more REactive than PROactive. It’s your world. Live in it.
Wow AD, thank you for responding,even though you answered my question by asking a question…lol ….but thats ok, Luckily I still think for my self, and thankfully Im not “all over the place” I dont live in fear , I pray for these people because i love them and God loves them. They can be forgiven if they are truly sorry, because thats what God’s Grace is ,which no one deserves it because we all fall short. We may not like the idea of forviness but i am one who believes a forgiving heart is a healthy heart.
Here’s how im proactive: by trying to love my neighbor, and live at peace w/ them. im reactive: BY SHUTTING OFF MY TV and not supporting the industry…:) I truly wish we could have this discussion in person because i can write a whole book addressing everything you touched on. Once again i thank u for taking my question, peace.
First of all, you didn’t ask a question. Read your entry. Not a question in it. Second, I more than asked questions, I made statements in regards to those books you mentioned. Some of them are ok, may have a some truth them, but by and large, they make simple things more confusing than they clear anything up. I no longer waste my time on them. People who are into those type of conspiracies are generally “awake” to one thing, and “asleep” to the more obvious elements. I like information, and I reason for myself, what would be harmful or helpful as best I can.
Third, where do you get the idea that people don’t like the idea of forgiveness?
My statement was in regards to someone doing something immoral and not caring about the person or people they actually did it to.
A forgiving heart is fine, but if you do something TO someone, you’re accountable for it.
In the example that I used, the rapper who deals drugs or murders someone and brags on it, but prays about, is shirking his responsibility and accountability to the friends and family of who he harmed. Thats immoral to me.
Just being clear on that point. No need for a whole book on the rest of it.
Loving your neighbor I agree is a good thing, I don’t watch much TV.
Peace
Hi Anthony,
I love your music and artistry. It’s so hard to convey intent when writing. Before I jump in, I want you to know that I just want to have an intelligent discussion without malice. I read an article that featured an interview you did with heartandsoul.com and you mentioned that you thought it was arrogant for people to assume that they know what God wants. Wouldn’t you say that it’s equally arrogant, then, that you would assume that you know that there is no God? One thing that you and I agree upon, is that there are a lot of man-made ideas infused in religion. As a follower of Christ and His teachings, I wish that most of us would understand that Jesus did not come to earth to establish a religion called Christianity or by any other name. There is nowhere in the Bible that even suggests that. I have learned for myself that the Bible does contain the principles of God, which are not the same as a man-made religion. It’s the misinterpretation of who God is that forms religions. But anyway, one thing I have learned is that before anyone decides to dismiss God because of a lack of understanding or because of the poor representations of Him in the world, it’s best to get to know God for oneself. What are your thoughts?
hello Tiveal. It’s been a while since I’ve been here.
In reference to your question “isn’t it equally arrogant for you to assume their is no God?”
No.
Their is such a thing as BELIEF and such a thing as KNOWING.
I don’t hold the BELIEF in Gods…. any of them. There are many Gods you yourself don’t believe in, so you will understand what that means right there. Just as you don’t believe in say, Zeus, I don’t believe there is a personal God of any name that I can call on to get special favors from.
I also don’t believe in Unicorns, or leprechauns… is that arrogant? I can’t prove to you that they DON’T exist, but I don’t spend much time worrying about them. Only reason the God issue is something I may spend time on is because so many people profess to believe in one, and bother me about why I should as well. That makes it quite a fascinating topic.
You may BELIEVE God is somewhere, and thats fine. The arrogance comes in when you pretend to KNOW what God wants, especially when it conveniently matches your own desires and thoughts. That’s arrogance.
If I decide I want to do or say something, like I did in this video, I am under no illusion that it is of some authority of anyone but me, and I stand behind it. It is no more special or less special than anyone else’s words or thoughts.
In this case, Pat Robertson claimed that he KNOWS what God intended to do with that earthquake, and that Haiti is on the side of the devil. If you look it up, there WAS a ritual that the Haitians practiced before their revolution. They PRAYED to their version of God, then went and fought for justice. Since they beat Europeans, Pat says their God must’ve actually been the devil.
It was one of the most positive things in African history, to throw off European colonizers, and here in 2011, many Black people have been fooled into thinking that their Haitian brothers and sisters were praising THE DEVIL.
The fact that this conveniently matches up with White supremacist ideals just tells me the whole thing is made up. If nothing else, their interpretation of it is made up.
That’s all.
I believe their is a thing called GOOD. I try to be that.
As far as what Jesus really meant and all that, you would do better telling that to other christians, not me. I have no dog in that fight.
Hello Anthony, I recently heard your song “What God Said”, and initially I was under the impression that you were a Christian. Upon researching your different interviews about the song and it’s meaning and watching the video, my spirit was grieved for you. I do understand and agree with you by not being fooled by the extremist mindset, but these gifts that you have; your music, intellect and passion all come from your/our creator and that is GOD. Where else could something so poignant originate from. I pray that you will utilize less of your natural intellect and connect with more of your spiritual intellect……….that will be the one thing that man can’t take away.