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Tom Petty’s Pettiness

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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Long-time rock star, Tom Petty.

I’ve always liked most of Tom Petty’s music. It’s not that he’s a great singer. He isn’t. But his songs have that certain feel, and a hook you can’t get out of your head. My favorite? “I Won’t Back Down.” To me, it sort of a personal spiritual warfare anthem, although I’m certain that was nowhere what Petty had in mind when he wrote it:

                Well, I won’t back down, no I won’t back down.

                You can stand me up at the gates of Hell,

                But I don’t back down.

                No I’ll stand my ground, won’t be turned around . . .

                I won’t back down.

But let’s get one thing straight. I won’t be buying his latest album Hypnotic Eye. Why? Petty has taken a sudden turn in the direction of attacking Christianity. Petty calls the release a “moral album” about “social betrayal.” You’d think that there’s enough social betrayal out there to sing about: abortion on demand; Obamacare chipping away at personal, spiritual liberties; child sexual trafficking; the rapid acceptance of legal weed, to name a few social ills. (Have you heard? The New York Times last week endorsed marijuana legalization.) But Petty had to get petty and go after Christians. He attacks the Catholic Church and its sex abuse scandals and rails against “every man of God that lives with hidden devils.” He also infers that faith in God starts “all wars.” But he’s really past the pall when he claims that “no one’s got Christ more wrong than the Christians.” For such a smart rocker, that’s downright dumb. But it will play well with the cynical millennial crowd. For a guy who admits being raised in the territory of Southern Baptists, he’s awfully selective in his ignorance of religion. Instead of a clever tunesmith, he’s starting to sound like a cynical, old rocker.

 

Not all that’s on the album is bad. He laments drug deaths at concerts and financial corruption that is “power drunk.” But whether he mean it or now, he’s fighting the culture war on the wrong side. The devil likes songs like this that buy into the anti-God bitterness of this generation that is soaked in social media, progressive politics, and demonic entertainment. It reinforces a hateful attitude toward Christianity that is demonically self-serving. I still like his earlier stuff, but as far as listening to Petty’s petty, new rant against the Lord, count me out. And I won’t back down!

 


An encouraging word:  ANGER AGAINST GODThere’s a lot of anger against God in our society today. But that’s not new. “Why do the heathen rage?” David asked in Psalm 2:1. In response to the impotent anger of men who would defy The Almighty One, Psalm 2:4 says that, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs: the Lord scoffs at them.” I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to get my dander up when I hear people blaspheme God. And well I should be angry at such demonic arrogance. But there is also a time to laugh at the pathetic puniness of humans who would dare to indict the King of Kings for any presumed wrong. The next time you’re tempted to hit back when men strike out against Christ, remember how foolish it is and have a chuckle.

 


Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did� (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

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Bob Larson

Bob Larson

The world's foremost expert on cults, the occult, and supernatural phenomena.

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