By Mark Ellis
For pop star Madonna’s final half-time number at the Super Bowl, she sang “Like a Prayer” surrounded by a swaying gospel-style choir that strongly resembled a church chorus.
The lyrics to “Like a Prayer” sound a lot like many contemporary worship songs in their intimate expression of the mysteries of divine romance. As the black and white robed choir clapped and pivoted, Madonna’s final words were: “I hear you call my name and it feels like home.”
As she sang the word “home” an eruption of light and smoke engulfed the wavy haired singer and she hurtled straight down – a kind of reverse-rapture – until she disappeared from view. To the massive television audience’s surprise and wonder, the words “WORLD PEACE” appeared in a blaze of lighted torches amidst the throng.
“In many ways it was a church service taking place on that stage and they she was preaching to 100 million people,” says Walt Mueller, the founder of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU).
Madonna’s blending of the sacred with the sexual is deeply troubling to Mueller, who believes many viewers – especially young people – were drawn in by the technological brilliance of the production. “Most people will watch it and say, ‘That was really awesome.’”
“We are emotionally drawn to style, rather than intellectually concerned to engage our minds in what the substance is about,” Mueller notes.
Mueller likes to watch these carefully planned events such as the Super Bowl and the Grammy Awards, because they reveal important clues. “These events serve a dual function in our culture,” he notes. “They serve as a map telling us who we should be, what we should believe, and how we should live, and they also serve as a mirror.”
“They often contain wonderful elements of truth, but woven into that are confusing, unorthodox, and ungodly things,” he observes. While Mueller longs for world peace, he knows that will only come when God ushers in a new heaven and a new earth. “Madonna is intimating that world peace will come from us rather than the Creator.”
“We’ve lost our ability to discern,” he says. “We need to look at culture and become wise to it, and discover how we can contextualize the Gospel so our young people will understand these things.”
Lyrics to “Like a Prayer”
Writer: MADONNA, . / LEONARD, PATRICK
Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home
When you call my name it’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know I’ll take you there
I hear your voice, it’s like an angel sighing
I have no choice, I hear your voice
Feels like flying
I close my eyes, Oh God I think I’m falling
Out of the sky, I close my eyes
Heaven help me
When you call my name it’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know I’ll take you there
Like a child you whisper softly to me
You’re in control just like a child
Now I’m dancing
It’s like a dream, no end and no beginning
You’re here with me, it’s like a dream
Let the choir sing
When you call my name it’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know I’ll take you there
Just like a prayer, your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me, you are a mystery
Just like a dream, you are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice your voice can take me there
Just like a prayer, I’ll take you there
It’s like a dream to me
Do you want to know God personally? Consider these four steps
Its really too bad that Maodonna had to mix her personal choice of expression of heaven, prayer, church, etc. with the all-out message of sex, vulgarity, and worldly values in the largest part of her show where, regretably, her fellow female singer from G. Britain was seen throwing the middle finger and under her breath voicing f… you.
Yes, just what the world needs, more of this type of value system paraded across the stage in front of probably, if not the largest audience viewing audience of the recent past.
I guess I’m having a bit of a hard time understanding where you are coming from as a writer for this news source.
I’m writing from the perspective of a wary observer, not an endorser. God may be drawing her, but there seems to be a fierce spiritual battle taking place for her soul.
Mark: You really need to read Freeman’s account of Maddonna’s performance. It was riddled with occult and kaballistic symbolism. It was not even subtle, it was blatant. Sure there’s a fierce battle for her soul, but this woman is brazen and unrepentant in her occultism. http://freemantv.com/2012/02/occult-symbolism-of-madonna-at-superbowl-halftime/ What is really worrying about this, is how this occultic show was endorsed for America’s biggest sporting event.
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