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New York Times
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
I Don't Know if I Believe in God, but I Believe in Gospel Music
Before I began listening to gospel music about 12 years ago, I was not the most obvious candidate to become a fan of the genre. Raised by divorced parents who were not particularly religious, I didn't give much consideration to faith. Though my father was a longtime member of the Christ Temple Baptist Church — a Black congregation in Ypsilanti, Mich. — he wasn't a regular presence at Sunday service nor did he pressure me to join him when he did go. My mother, who was a nonobservant Jewish woman, spent much of her adult life criticizing what she viewed as a patriarchal religion; we never attended synagogue, and I didn't have a bar mitzvah. My mother's iconoclasm shaped my attitude toward life, including my taste in music. As a teenager I was drawn to punk rock — loud, fast, angry music that reflected my vague and indeterminate outrage at the world. I defied authority, ranting and raving against the powers that be, including cops, politicians, security guards and my teachers at school, though my defiance usually involved little more than cutting holes in my clothes and quoting song lyrics. I was a perpetually cynical and distrustful young man who believed the world's problems could be solved by my music and clothing preferences, not by organized religion. As I matured and entered my 30s, my father and I grew closer. We bonded over Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin, artists who sang love songs distinctly informed by their respective backgrounds in the Black church. These singers were my conduit to gospel. After hearing the Swan Silvertones sing 'Mary Don't You Weep' on a compilation album of early R&B and gospel groups, I was instantly hooked, and I sought out their LPs as well as records by the Davis Sisters, Marion Williams, Brother Joe May and the Blind Boys of Alabama. I was drawn to the music not because of its religious lyrics but because its rhythms and vocal harmonies moved something deep in my core. I felt the music in my soul before I had even acknowledged the existence of a soul. Each minor chord on the piano, each impassioned cry from the singer broke through my cynicism. I was carried away — if only for a few minutes. I came to understand that the music's religious spirit was inseparable from the music: Each served the other, to help us express our connection to and yearning for the ineffable, to give form to that which is unseen. When a gospel vocalist sings of faith and love of Jesus, it sounds to my ears like a higher power is pouring out of them, using the artist as an instrument. At the top of the Staple Singers' 1965 song 'Let Jesus Lead You,' for example, the band leader, Pops Staples, launches into the opening and his three children follow, creating a simple call-and-response: 'Let Jesus lead you/Let Jesus lead you/Let Jesus lead you/All the way/All the way/All the way from Earth to glory,' before Mavis Staples takes over, her voice slowly building, from mortal earth to the heavenly realms. The sound of the Staple Singers' early records is blues-influenced, trading church organs and a large chorus for a small band, stripping the music down to its raw core. But like much gospel, the Staple Singers' music hinges on a buoyant joyfulness that invites the listener to share in their exaltation. Listening to this song, I clap my hands and stomp a foot on the backbeat. My heart swells with each repetition of the refrain, and I feel myself transported to places I've never visited but that the music conjures for me: some storefront church or a down-home revival. I'm connected to a history, to a not-so-distant past that is not a part of my personal experience but is bound up in my cultural heritage. It reached into the hidden, malnourished and underserved parts of my spirit that I so often tried to repress. To paraphrase Mahalia Jackson's memorable description of gospel, the music brought good tidings and good news to my life. In a world that increasingly fosters self-interest and social isolation, gospel points me toward something more intimate, more collective. Though I don't subscribe to any particular denomination, I aspire to lead a life of curiosity, generosity and compassion — all the best hallmarks of any faith and of great gospel music. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Non-Religious Man Refuses to Lead a Prayer at His Girlfriend's Parents' House. Now, Things Are Strained
'Disrespect was definitely taken by both her parents, and the night basically derailed spectacularly from that point on,' the man recalledNEED TO KNOW A Reddit user described a tense situation at his 29-year-old girlfriend's family dinner involving a pre-meal prayer The 30-year-old man recalled his reaction after being asked by his girlfriend's dad to lead the prayer at their house He replied to the dad, ' 'I appreciate the sentiment and I thank you for it, but I believe it is disingenuous of me to lead a prayer in a faith I don't genuinely hold. And I'd hate to disrespect your beliefs 'All hell has seemingly broken loose after a man declined his girlfriend's dad's request to lead a pre-dinner prayer at their house. The 30-year-old boyfriend detailed the moment — and his reasoning for refusing to lead the prayer — on Reddit's 'Am I the A------' forum. '[My 29-year-old girlfriend and I] went to our first out of state visit to her parents' house,' the man recalled. 'This is America, we live in Chicago, and they live in a smaller town in the Midwest.' 'We both definitely came from different backgrounds. My parents were academics and religion was just never a thing we participated in,' he continued. 'We discussed it obviously, but we were all some form of atheist or agnostic, but I was raised to be very respectful of others' beliefs.' The man said that his girlfriend's parents are Christians. 'Everything was going great honestly. I had a great rapport with both of her parents, lots of laughs and good storytelling,' he recalled. 'But her dad (and I completely understand that he was trying to be nice and offer me what he understood to be a show of respect) asked me to lead prayer before dinner,' he continued. 'I kind of just stuttered in place.' After regaining his composure, the man replied to the father, ' 'I appreciate the sentiment and I thank you for it, but I believe it is disingenuous of me to lead a prayer in a faith I don't genuinely hold. And I'd hate to disrespect your beliefs. Again, thank you and I mean no disrespect.' ' The reaction from his girlfriend's parents surprised him. 'Disrespect was definitely taken by both her parents, and the night basically derailed spectacularly from that point on,' the boyfriend said. 'They were polite, but totally shut down and the mood shift was palpable.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The man said his girlfriend's siblings have made comments about the moment on social media saying he should have just 'faked it and done it.' Wondering if he made the wrong decision, he asked, 'Am I the a------ for politely declining to lead a prayer at the request of my new GF's father?' 'Not the a------,' many people replied, with many Reddit users reassuring him that he handled the situation well, all things considered. However, others said he needs to confront his girlfriend about the way her siblings are publicly shaming him on social media. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Vance Boelter's Life Before the Minnesota Shootings
The sudden change in the teenager was dramatic and unsettling, as if some internal switch had been thrown. Those who knew him could only wonder: What's come over Vance Boelter? One moment he was an affable college freshman, pursuing a family passion by trying out for the baseball team. The next, he was giving up the game and shedding his belongings — even his cherished baseball bat — as if to put away childish things. Suddenly, he was telling dorm mates they were going to hell, denouncing a guest speaker on campus as 'Satan's worker' and announcing he was now 'all in for Jesus.' It was a lifelong commitment he would just as suddenly violate 40 years later, prosecutors say, with an act of political assassination that would stun the nation and send his home state of Minnesota into communal mourning. Throughout his life, Mr. Boelter's Christian belief in the sanctity of life seemed unwavering. He told a church congregation in 2021 that all the world's wealth was 'not worth the value of the person on your left, or the person on your right, or the person you see going home today.' But his worldview darkened as his fortunes declined. He moved from state to state, job to job. He went from overseeing large food-service operations to collecting bodies for funeral homes, struggling at the same time to pair his spiritual and business interests while his wife home-schooled their five children. He began following a far-right website that trafficked in conspiracy theories about stolen elections and evil Democrats. He became distant. In the first dark hours of June 14, prosecutors say, the pious Mr. Boelter, 57, set out to commit a crime that would break a commandment. He drove off in a black S.U.V. outfitted to resemble a police cruiser with several firearms and the names and addresses of intended targets. Less than two hours later, a Democratic legislator and her husband were dead, and another Democratic lawmaker and his wife had been critically wounded. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aaron Judge Makes It Clear Where He Stands Religiously
Aaron Judge Makes It Clear Where He Stands Religiously originally appeared on The Spun. New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has made it clear where he stands religiously. Judge is arguably the game's best hitter since prime Barry Bonds. The New York Yankees star is hitting .355 with 35 home runs and 81 RBI at the MLB All-Star break. He's on pace for a 12.0-plus WAR season, which would be one of the highest of all-time. While Judge hasn't won a World Series - yet, anyway - he's accomplished as much as any recent player in New York Yankees history. The Yankees, of course, are the most iconic franchise in baseball history. But there is something Judge values more than his on-field accomplishments. Judge, who played collegiately at Fresno State, said that his relationship with God is above everything else. The New York Yankees star has made it very clear where he stands religiously. "Our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He's given me this platform, this ability. The fame, getting the chance to do this is great and all, but it's not fulfilling as much as the relationship I have with Him. Build a relationship with Him, and that'll solve all of your problems." The Yankees, meanwhile, are on pace for a very good season. New York is 53-43, second place in the American League East, heading into the MLB All-Star Break. New York is scheduled to return to action on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. First pitch between the Yankees and the Braves is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. E.T. The game will air locally and on MLB Network. Aaron Judge Makes It Clear Where He Stands Religiously first appeared on The Spun on Jul 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Teenager detained for six months for mosque attack
A teenager who threw paint over a mosque and smashed a window while people met inside has been sentenced to six months in Wallace, 18, admitted targeting Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre in March, aggravated by prejudice to Sheriff Court heard that members of the mosque saw Wallace outside smiling at them before he ran Lesley Johnston said it was a "senseless" act of vandalism that had caused upset in the community. Fiscal depute Lindsay Shields said Aberdeen Mosque had been busy on Saturday 15 March with about 100 people was seen outside with a bucket of paint which was repeatedly thrown over the door. It also ended up on the midnight into Sunday, members of the mosque heard a smash and found glass shattered on the ground and a large said they saw Wallace standing nearby, smiling. His movements were caught on CCTV. 'No excuse' Defence solicitor Lisa Reilly said Wallace was currently serving a custodial sentence for assault. "There is no excuse for his behaviour," she told the court of the mosque vandalism."There is no other option than a custodial sentence." Sheriff Lesley Johnston said the vandalism was planned and persistent and aggravated by prejudice to told Wallace his attitude demonstrated a "staggering degree of arrogance". Naveed Mohammed, chairman of the Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre, said at the time that the community was shocked by what had thanked neighbours who helped with the clean-up and sent messages of support. "We've not had anything like this while I've been here for the last 18 years," he told BBC Scotland News."It's a very unique city, Aberdeen," he explained. "It's a very diverse community, lots of cultures, lots of communities all accept each other and we all live happily. It was just a bit of a shock and surprise."When the congregation started cleaning up, the local community came out and helped clean the mess."
