Organizing the "Post-Soul" Generation
Posted by Michael Link on March 1, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Earlier this week, Dr. Rev. Otis Moss, III spoke in honor of Black History Month about "Engaging a New Generation of Prophetic Leadership." In the comments of our post about his speech (with video), SandyH asked for highlights, so we decided to follow up with a post.
He began by talking about shifts in the African American community, stating the black Church is in danger of losing its power. This shift marks the rise of what he called the "post-soul" era, as hip hop "changed the way we look at the world."
He spoke about the shift towards megachurches, influenced by the conservative evangelical community. Yet he also discussed a yearning from young people, whom he calls disconnected from faith community, to hear the "words that come from the spiritual foundation."
He laid out four different symbols of hip hop -- not recommending them literally -- to explain how to organize this post-soul generation and bridge the gap to the faith community.
- The DJ - He pointed out that this speaks to the creativity of this generation, along with adding that young people are "not technophobic" and understand how to utilize technology.
- Breakdance - He used this as a symbol to emphasize the need to reclaim the arts as an organizing and connecting tool.
- Graffiti - He mentioned this to highlight the "utilization of art to communicate and critique," in order to speak to this new generation.
- Rap - He talked about the power of poetry and a failure by many to understand how to communicate. He spoke about the need to speak in stories and images, specifically about hope and community.
Comments (3) «
No offense to this great man,(but)
But as a Black woman who grew up in a very very very strict C.O.G.I.C. Christian Family, I know why we ( The Youth ) have left the organized Church.
1. Pastors stopped preaching from the Bible. They started talking about "Issues" and "Political Activism" and called it " Spreading the Message of Christ". What it's done is actually turn people off of Jesus Christ because the messages have nothing to do with him. They are marching against Homosexuals and Abortion under the guise of Christianity and have made Christ into a Political figure and have cause many to turn away from the Faith. There is no love in their message and as Paul the Apostle wrote,
" If I have the toungues of men and of Angels, I am but a sounding brass or a clanging symbol"
In other words, no matter what I say or do for Christ, if it's not done out of love, it will not be effective. It will not be recieved.
2. Individual Bible Study and Reading for self edification is no longer encouraged in the Church. People can't even quote a Bible verse anymore. When it's in your heart , you tend to implement it in your daily life. If all you know about Jesus is judging and hating others, that's all that's going to come out.
3. Hip Hop used to be good. There used to be a positive message in it. Today, the message that Hip Hop is sending to the youth is,
"Break the Law to Get the Bling"
"Women are to be "pimped out" and that is their only purpose"
"White People are still out to get Black People"
Progressives like me reject that and find it deplorable. What's even worse, our so called "Black Leaders" refuse to deal with that.
There are many other issues facing the Black Community. I don't have enough time to get into it all , but I am so not done with this conversation.
;p
OOOOPPPPS
I forgot to write it all.
" If I have the toungues of men and of Angels,and have not charity (love) I am but a sounding brass or a clanging symbol"
Sorry,
;p
I think we are actually on the same page,
As a black women who grew up in a pentecostal church who is now catholic and in her mid thirties. Many people from my generation and from gen Y have stopped going to church because Of the Hypocrisy of the Black Church.
I think Jesus was a true progressive on social and spiritual matters but all the preachers of today care about is "prosperity" Does Jesus want his people to be blessed sure but he is also concerned about how we treat our fellow brother and sister.
I also feel that the church fails young people in matters of sex and sexuality. We all know someone in the church who is gay they play our organs, sign solos and prepare the pastors first lady'd do and no one says a thing. No one especially says anything when passer goes on a tirade about those dirty gays but everyone in the congregation knows good and darn well who he is talking about.
Young people also don't go because they see the inheritent sexism in the black church as well. You know that in most churches consist predominately of women but we aren't allowed to be bishops or preachers only teachers and in some churches prophetess maybe but certainly not a pastor.
As for hip hop I long for the days of CRS1, grandmasterflash, public enemy etc. what happened to MCing because there is a difference between being an mc and rapping.
To be an emcee you have to understand language, alliteration metaphor, hyperbole. A good emecee can say something sexual without it being overt he/she can be flirty a sort of verbal foreplay without being obvious whereas a rapper well all he can do is just lay it all out like many of them do in their lyrics.
« Hide Comments
Comments are now closed for this entry.
