A Church In Chicago Is "Fasting From Whiteness" During Lent
A Chicago church has announced it will be 'fasting from whiteness' for Lent by abstaining from performing any hymns composed or written by Caucasian musicians.
The First United Church of Oak Park announced that for 2022 the church would do a mix of 'giving something up' and 'taking something on' for Lent by not using music written or composed by white people but instead focus on music from other cultures.
'In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more,' the church's website said.
We live in America where the freedom of religion is guaranteed as a fundamental right. Practice however you like, folks. Having said that...I'm guessing y'all have been baptized if you're a parishioner of the First United Church of Oak Park. That means...you already had your original sin of being born in your own skin wiped away. You were absolved from the sin of coming into the world as you are as soon as that priest/minister/whomever rubs your head with oil and then puts you in a dunk tank. You're good, fam. Not actually, but like...in the eyes of the Lord you've been wiped clean of the sin of being white.
Having said that...gotta be on board with this policy. I think instead of making it a whole racial virtuous thing just say the truth...Church songs from the African American community fucking slap and white people church music is blander than the Eucharist. There's a reason why The House Of Blues has been selling Gospel Sunday Brunch tickets at every location across the country for more than a decade and the main attraction ain't the waffles. It ain't even the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Nope. It's the altos, tenors, and sopranos.
Thou shalt not lie. Don't say it's about sin, say it's about song. Also...watch out for that pesky cultural appropriation thing. That'll get ya, Reverend Whitey.