It's the Gospel
Ok all I haven't posted my journey to Islam story yet, but maybe someday. Ok I was raised a Southern Baptist and my whole family is Southern Baptist and my Grandma is the kind, church everyday twice on Sunday type so I know the Chuuch. Anyway leaving out for work today I get this song in my head from back in the day. ~ sings ~ Leaning, Leaning, leaning on the hand of everlasting arms ~ you can check the lyrics here but I can guarantee you it doesn't have the same flavor.
So you know as a Muslim you have to check yourself whenever you get a gospel reminiscince (is that a word? oh well) because of what is in the lyrics. Like I swear whenever someone starts a sentence with "I have decided..." and then stop it hits me but I must hold my tongue. (The rest of it is "to follow Isa (aoothoobillah)" But everyone wasn't raised in those old Georgia churches. Well I guess that lyric is ok as long as it is taken into the context of following Isa into Islam, but anyway. I just find it amusing everytime I get in those old gospel moods.
Then like when I visit my family sometimes it comes all back to me. Like when my Granpa passed on. I was fine for the whole funeral and then they come in with the Gospel music and the memories and the tears all come rushing back. However when they sang one song, it is the other one that gets stuck in my head that I can't remember now, I was like THAT'S NOT HOW YOU SING THAT SONG!!! Because I guess the old singers have moved on or passed now so it doesn't have that same soul to it that I remember. Like the old way was with this ambiance of Deep South churches that didn't have any air conditioning and so you had to use the paper fans with Dr. MLK's face on them like he was some kind of saint or something, or they were always from some funeral home or something but either way they didn't work. It was amazing that more people didn't pass out in those polyester suits in the heat of Georgia. However when they sang, it had the eerie memory of slavery and Africa and there was a hum in the middle of each verse that echoed a pain that was just too familiar of loves lost, but at the same time as soothing as a mothers arms. I don't hear that in todays gospel. It is just glorified hip-hop, and I can't stand it. Not that I listen to it but whenever I happen upon it.
So anyways that was a stroll down memory lane.
So you know as a Muslim you have to check yourself whenever you get a gospel reminiscince (is that a word? oh well) because of what is in the lyrics. Like I swear whenever someone starts a sentence with "I have decided..." and then stop it hits me but I must hold my tongue. (The rest of it is "to follow Isa (aoothoobillah)" But everyone wasn't raised in those old Georgia churches. Well I guess that lyric is ok as long as it is taken into the context of following Isa into Islam, but anyway. I just find it amusing everytime I get in those old gospel moods.
Then like when I visit my family sometimes it comes all back to me. Like when my Granpa passed on. I was fine for the whole funeral and then they come in with the Gospel music and the memories and the tears all come rushing back. However when they sang one song, it is the other one that gets stuck in my head that I can't remember now, I was like THAT'S NOT HOW YOU SING THAT SONG!!! Because I guess the old singers have moved on or passed now so it doesn't have that same soul to it that I remember. Like the old way was with this ambiance of Deep South churches that didn't have any air conditioning and so you had to use the paper fans with Dr. MLK's face on them like he was some kind of saint or something, or they were always from some funeral home or something but either way they didn't work. It was amazing that more people didn't pass out in those polyester suits in the heat of Georgia. However when they sang, it had the eerie memory of slavery and Africa and there was a hum in the middle of each verse that echoed a pain that was just too familiar of loves lost, but at the same time as soothing as a mothers arms. I don't hear that in todays gospel. It is just glorified hip-hop, and I can't stand it. Not that I listen to it but whenever I happen upon it.
So anyways that was a stroll down memory lane.
Being the daughter of a redneck Southern Baptist whose family is spread all across the South, I know exactly what you mean! Of course, I was hearing the Weber's Bread version of the songs, LOL, except when my mom, who was from the East, would pull out the old Mahalia Jackson albums or sneak us away to church with her friend in Inglewood. Looking back on it as an adult, it is amazing how very different Southern Baptist churches were based on the colors of the congregants. . .completely different religious experiences from a child's perspective.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever been to an predominately white congregation of Southern Baptist. We had white people on our street but we never talked to them. My Granpa did, but I didn't know any of them. Just the people across the street cause they had horses and I would take my kids to see them. I think the only time I've been to a congregation of predominately white people was in Germany and that is nowhere near Southern Baptist.
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