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Eminem, a man of faith

I sometimes wish so much that intolerance and religious activism and fanatism could be banned from earth. A lot of people among those religious freaks still believe that Eminem is a devilish person.
I have spent years studying the Bible,even in Hebrew. I have studied Christianity and Jewish religion. But even during that confused period of my life where I was in deep spiritual search, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to take the right to judge another person as “devilish”.

What you can read on some websites is getting more and more ridiculous. I will show you some replies to Mr T, who is appearently a Christian religious freak. Because he’s a Christian, Mr T thinks he has the right to send Eminem to hell. Unfortunately, I was unable to find his original posting,but his replies to some fans are plain stupid:

http://www.geocities.com/gerbil_2000/feedback.htm

Here is a good example:

“I wish this email did not need any replying to, but since many people take seriously some of the things Suellen said, I think it necessary to respond.
o A man speaks out of the abundance of his heart. Eminem doesn’t need to go “vent” his feelings, he needs to have himself cleansed so that he won’t have any filth to spew.
o Eminem is going to hell because he hates God and lots of other people.
o The Bible doesn’t say not to judge, it says not to judge hypocritically. Suellen judges me, and then she tells me not to judge. That makes her a hypocrite!
o If I didn’t love my neighbor, I would not be warning him about filthy rappers who spread their filth like an infectious disease.
o The Bible doesn’t say #3 at all.
o If “anger and hate is the path to the fiery pit,” somebody better tell Eminem!
Thanks for the email, Suellen.”

He allows himself to judge Eminem and not only the rapper himself, but the huge crowd of his fans:9 million people of different ages, origins and countries! Ain’t that ridiculous? It’s getting tiresome and boring to see how far those narrow minded people are ready to go in their statements:

“Thank you for the compliment, Paul. However, it is most unfortunate that you are a fan of Marshall Mathers. At least 99% of Eminem fans are on the way to hell. I hope you will reconsider your life and remember that on Judgment Day, God is not going to let you off just because you like this site.”

Have you ever seen a photo of Eminem praying? I have. I’m not talking about the part of the “Cleaning Out My Closet” video.
I’m talking about an authentic photo that had been taken before Eminem’s concert and where you can see him talking to God. I would like to share it with you. Check it out:

http://www.shadysoldiers.com/images/emshirtless/emshirtless_07.jpg

Much more than prayers,Eminem’s love for his daughter and for his family members who live with him is more than obvious.
Eminem feels concerned about his daughter’s education:

” So all I can do is be
the best father that I can and try to instill in Hailie
the best values, because I do care about what is said
around her and done around her.”

He also stated that he regularly prays with her.

Mr T and his fellows describe Eminem as a satanistic person and such stupid comments often contribute to a total misunderstanding of the artist by people who don’t know him so well. Slim Shady may be a devilish character, but it is just an ill character, it is Eminem acting on stage. Relax a little, his only wepon is his microphone:

« The fact that a man picks up a microphone,that’s it, you see? That’s what makes him a rapper. It’s not a gun. It’s a microphone »

Whatever Eminem’s evil alter ego may have expressed, Marshall ‘s fight to succeed in life can be compared to Rabbit’s prayer in the “8 Mile song”:

« Yo I won’t tell no lie, not a moment goes by
That I don’t pray to the sky, please I’m beggin you God
Please don’t let me be piegon holed in no regular job… »

The same will, the same faith appear in « Lose Yourself » :

« Success is my only option, failure is not. So here I go, this is my shot, feet fail me not cause this might be the only opportunity that I got. »

If Mr T had taken enough time to study Eminem’s lyrics that he probably considers like a disgusting amount of profanity, he would have found out that there is a certain mystique in what Eminem says in some of his songs. Eminem has given people the keys to fight when they feel too weak. Take a look at the lines of « Till I Collapse » :

« Sometimes you just feel tired, feel weak
When you feel weak, you feel like you just wanna just give up
But you gotta search within you, try and find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you, and get that motivation not to give up
And not be a quitter no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face… »

Moreover, Eminem’s whole life story is one of the best examples of faith you those integrists could find if they weren’t so blind and narrow minded.
However, some other Christians didn’t systematically condemn Eminem. One of them, Matt Fontaine, made an interesting comparison between Eminem and Jesus, what they have in common and their differences :

“Jesus is popular for the same reason Eminem is: because he says what he sees, clearly and without bowing to the rules about what can be said, about which languages are legitimate, about who and what you can talk about how.
In this way they can speak directly to people’s hearts and not just to their masks of privilege and social propriety. Eminem is also the opposite: he legitimatizes the appropriation of suffering as entertainment by those who are comfortable, who then get the frisson of ‘real life’ without ever living it or suffering through it or doing anything about it. They can be ‘down’ without walking through the actual desert; they can have the pleasures of heroism without any sacrifice. This is me, too.
Anyway, them’s the ‘thoughts out of school’ of a worldly Christian. Keep up the good work,
matt fontaine “

As far as I’m concerned, there is some truth in his statements. Who could deny both men speaking their minds, both also being rebels?
Christian rapper KJ 52 also offered a more positive perspective. He showed some compassion and some respect towards Eminem.
Another point of view on Eminem by a Christian woman (who listens to his records and who likes him) has been debatted on the following website:

http://www.kimimela.com/archives/000068.html

Mr T’s intolerance and misunderstanding of Eminem goes so far that he actually thinks the rapper is a rapist.

If Marshall was the evil man Mr T is talking about, would he have taken time to pray for his ex wife Kim during his European Tour 2003 ?Would he have felt concerned by his ex wife’s problems ?

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/EMINEM%20PRAYS%20FOR%20KIM

Marshall Mathers is a completely different person in real life than the image his evil alter ego displays: he is a responsible father to Hailie and a good big brother to Nathan. He loves his family.

In a former interview given to Lang Whitaker, Eminem points out people’s hypocrisy when they preach against him:

“ People who don’t know shit about fucking hip-hop will take it the wrong fucking way. It’s like they refuse to see the fucking comedy in it. To me that shows me that I’m hitting some soft spots, for them to take my shit that seriously. It’s like back then when they was younger, they were doing this shit and they don’t want to admit it now. Everybody wants to fucking preach, man. “Don’t do this and don’t do that!” Then they go home and they do it. They say, “Stop porn, stop porn!” Then they go home and they beat off to a fucking porno mag under their bed. They want everybody in the public eye to see that they’re so fucking righteous.”

He’s so right about it. I wish Pharisean Mr T could read his statement. It wouldn’t surprise me if he started an anti- porn campaign while hiding some porn magazines at home!

After years of Bible studies, what I have remembered most is to show compassion and love to other people and that’s the main message that you will find in any religion. But you don’t even need to belong to any religion to apply to this.

Mr T, nothing allows you to jugde Mr Mathers, but I will give you two main reasons:
-first if you believe in God, you should know that only God can jugde. You have no right and also no power to send Eminem nor his fans to hell.
-second, I doubt you have ever walked one mile in Eminem’s shoes. If you had, this would definitly close your dirty mouth.

2 thoughts on “Eminem, a man of faith”

  1. I am a Christian and God loves Eminem as much as He loves me. His word says He is no respector of person’s. Jesus said “judge not, lest you be judged for how much judge another you will be judged.” He said first pull the plank out of your own eye then you can see to help your brother. Its not about not judging. Judging can be good or bad. You can either judge critically or you can make a judgement in love to discern how you can help your brother or sister. That is called judging righteously. We all are a work in progress. If any of us could have earned God’s love by being good then Jesus would not have had to go to the cross and make atonement for our sins. The word says God first loved us! I believe Eminem is extremely gifted. The bible says that the gifts of God are irrevocable. So, we are all born with gifts and we can use them to God’s glory or for our own glory. I will never give up on praying for Eminem and neither will God give up on him. God will not ever give up on anyone no matter how bad they may seem to others. The word of God says our righteousness is as filthy rags. Its only because of Jesus we can be blameless and holy in His sight when we receive Him as our Saviour. God has given everyone free will and the choice to choose Him or reject Him. He has left that decision up to us. But anyone who has not chosen Him yet we are to pray for and love. (Hate the sin, not the sinner) All of us fall short of His glory. Amen.

  2. First let me begin by stating that I myself am a true believer, and follower of our Holy Father, and savior Yeshua (that’s “Jesus’s” true Hebrew name).

    That being said let me say this: Just because Eminem curses, and may say awful things, this by NO means is proof that he does not love God, For I curse, and sin as well, but I do truly love God. I do believe that God does not approve of his lyrics, but God is an understanding, and compassionate God.

    Eminem has had a hard life. Harder than most, and God knows his anguish better than any other. Please tell me, when bad things have happened in YOUR life, tell me YOU have NEVER reacted inappropriately??? Tell me YOU have NEVER had a bad thought, or spoken profanely, or as Eminem would say “spit venom” at the ones you love??? For I know I have… If you say you have never done this, then you are a liar, and lying is a sin as well, does YOUR sin make you a satan worshiper? I THINK NOT, for if you love our Holy Father, and Savior as I do, and have prayed to him in repentance, as Eminem says he does, he has forgiven you, and I, and Eminem.

    Marshall Mathers is a pain shaken, sorrowful man, and I myself know his pain. Would you be perfectly well if you were beaten, molested, drugged, and neglected as an innocent child? No you would not, but Marshall is doing his best to cope, and to work through all of his demons… he is clearly doing it right if he is turning to God, the only light at the end of his dark dark tunnel. Forgive me for saying such, but how dare you condemn a man who has been at the end of his frail tattered rope for so many many years now? You condemn a man who is turning towards God who is the only right direction to turn.

    For God IS all things good, beautiful, fruitful, and wondrous… but we are NOT God, and we are HIS perfectly, imperfect creation… we are sinful, angry, lustful, and just plain imperfect. God knows our hearts, and he knows the pain we feel as well… just because Eminem may spew venom, this by no means would indicate that God does not love him, just as he loves you, and me. Nor would it be an indication that he does not love God as well…. he clearly states that he prays to HIM. You have no right to call him a satan worshiper, no human being possess the right to condemn another. God knows the music he writes may not be appropriate, but is his outlet to release his overflowing pain inside, and you must trust that god is not blind to this truth, and is more than compassionate to his outcries. Only God can judge… for his book of Truth clearly states in MATTHEW 7:1-7:5 (King James Version):

    “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

    Are you yourself without flaw, or sin?

    John 8:2-8:11 of the King James Version says this-

    And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him,
    “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
    This they said, tempting him that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,
    “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
    And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?”
    She said, “No man, Lord.”
    And Jesus said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

    These scriptures clearly speak for themselves, and they speak the TRUTH. STOP JUDGING ANOTHER MAN, LOOK IN THE MIRROR, AND REALIZE THERE IS NOT A MAN (OR WOMAN) AMONG US WHO IS WITHOUT FLAW. IF THE ACCUSED IS TO BE CONDEMNED FOR HIS SIN, THEN YOU TO SHOULD BE CONDEMNED ASWELL.

    Lastly I would like to state that my judgment is not askew, because I would never allow my three beautiful young children (2, 4, and 6 years) to be exposed to his music, for they are far too young and vulnerable to distinguish fact from fiction. Yet I myself can often relate to his outcries, and the pain found in his lyrics. His music often brings me to tears to know the pain in the heart of my fellow human being, I feel for him and feel his pain. I pray for his speedy recovery, and for him to be swiftly guided closer to our Fathers light….

    -Leah Sargent
    leah_sargent09@yahoo.com

Comments are closed.


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