How would you fill-in the following:

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for ______________________."

CCM magazine, (July, 1999 p. 12) in an article titled, "Say ‘Amen,’ Somebody, Thomas Dorsey remembered on 10^th birthday" by Thom Granger, begins with this "incredible-laughable-ignorant" statement:

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey."

That’s the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard about "Christian music" (And believe me — I've read some ridiculous stuff). Even for the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) crowd, this one goes into "looney-toon-land". One has to wonder, isn't someone at CCM mag, with ANY musical knowledge, editing this stuff.

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would NOT EXIST if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey."

So "Christian Music" did NOT EXIST before Thomas Dorsey (1899 – 1993)?

So "rip-out" Fanny Crosby’s 9,000+ hymns!

Sorry, "All The Ways My Saviour Leads Me", "Blessed Assurance", "Draw Me Nearer", "He Hideth My Soul", "Jesus Is Tenderly Calling Today", "My Saviour First of All", "Pass Me Not", "Praise Him", "Redeemed", "Rescue The Perishing", "Safe In The Arms Of Jesus", "Saved By Grace", "Tell Me The Story Of Jesus", "To God Be The Glory" and 8000+ more – R.I.P.!

Christian music did NOT EXIST without Thomas Dorsey. . .

"Rip-Out" Johann Sebastian Bach’s scores of Christian music such as "Jesu Joy of Man’s Desire"!

"Rip-Out" Handels Messiah!

"Rip-out" Charles Wesley’s hymns!

"Rip-out" Martin Luther’s hymns!

"Rip-out" Isaac Watts, Philip P. Bliss, Ira Sankey and thousands of others . . .

And while we’re here….."Rip-out" the book of Psalms, David’s songs to the Lord — "Christian Music" did NOT EXIST before Thomas Dorsey.

And the "ignorance" of the Apostle Paul writing Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16: – 1800 years before Dorsey was born!

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ephesians 5:18-19

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

Paul don’t you know "that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey". Paul according to CCM "before Dorsey" there was no Christian music – no "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" before Dorsey.

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey".

From a "Christian-historical-musical" viewpoint — somebody’s not "playing with a full deck".

But here’s the REAL "problem" with that statement – and it’s "the foundation" of Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) – CCM uplifts and praises man – rather than the Lord Jesus Christ!

The "creator" of "Christian music" is NOT Thomas Dorsey!

And as great as J.S. Bach’s musical ability is — The "creator" of "Christian music" is NOT J.S. Bach!

And as great as Fanny Crosby is — the "creator" of "Christian music" is NOT Fanny Crosby!

The "creator" of "Christian music" is NOT Martin Luther, George Beverly Shea, Ira Sankey, Charles Wesley,….

It’s entirely UNarguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for THE LORD JESUS CHRIST."

This is one of the "foundations" and main errors of Contemporary Christian Music – they put more emphasis on the artists and the music (especially the rock-style) than on the Lord Jesus Christ.

CCM music "glorifies" and "praises" MAN!

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey".

What does the Lord Jesus Christ say about the "uplifting-glorification of man"? According to the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 16 – this is the work of Satan! Satan glorifies and uplifts man!

"But he [Jesus] turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, SATAN: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of MEN." Matthew 16:23

You don’t believe me? Get your Bible out and read Matthew 16:23.

READ IT FOR YOURSELF!

"It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey".

That "man-worshipping-satanic" statement ought to make any serious Christ-minded, Bible-believing, blood-washed, Christian shudder. And yet, CCMers proudly make such anti-Christian, unbiblical statements without hesitation.

And many of you defend them! Shame on you!

Stephen Curtis Chapman says in the same CCM magazine issue:

"It’s an ugly, weird thing [mixing] celebrity with the gospel. . . I’ve wondered many times if God really wired us to do that we’re doing, the whole Christian celebrity thing. It’s supposed to be about being a servant." (CCM, July 1999, p. 28)

An article in The Dallas Morning News compares the "adoration" of CCMer’s dcTalk to the "worship" of the Beatles:

"As teenagers' shrieks filled the Dallas Convention Center moments before dc Talk took the stage Friday night, one of the relatively few grown-ups in the sold-out crowd observed, 'This is just like the BEATLES.'" Dallas Morning News, (April 27, 1996)

Just the mention of Carman’s name!

Shout! magazine (December 1995, p.35) says of Carman," ...just the mention of his name brings excitement to throngs of fans, many of whom are women. "

Just the mention of Carman’s name!!!!!!

"His concerts [Michael W. Smith] draw hundreds of thousands of fans each year, mostly teenage girls who scream out their AFFECTION FOR HIM non-stop throughout. And that's where the problems start. To his fans, Smith is the absolute greatest there is, bar none." (IM Jan/Feb 91 p 22)

Annette May Thomas, the daughter of gospel great Brother Joe May and chief executive and trustee of the James Cleveland Charitable Foundation/Trust says of Kirk Franklin:

"Nowadays, we have what we call the Brat Pack—Kirk Franklin, Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker. [The young people] all want to jump up and come down in front. Last year when Kirk came out they went crazy. They had bodyguards because everyone was trying to mob him. And I said: 'Uh-uh.' . . . That's a lot of hero-worship-type stuff. And that way you're not putting God first."
(Los Angeles Times, October 4, 1998, p.4)

Here's how CCM magazine introduces it's review of Sandi Patty's, "after-adultery", album, "Artist of My Soul". What is now called Christian Music is nothing but Satanic MAN-worship:

"The press kit arrived today packed full of superlatives and more than 1200 square inches of plush photography. The singer looks to her right and smiles pleasantly as the breeze teases nicely coiffed blond hair. Her arms are thrown wide as she gladly embraces the moment. This is, after all, something of a comeback.

Open the lavish 9-inch by 12-inch publicity folio. Inside, the singer smiles up at you from a photograph a foot-and-a-half wide. Open the folder again and a photographic panorama spreads three-feet wide across the desk. On the left 18 inches, she's outside, same setting, still smiling, gazing skyward. To the right, indoors, under amber light, hands lightly clasped, eyes downcast, she strikes a contemplative pose.

Nestled inside the press kit, enfolded by all those smiling photos, are the words — the P.R.— and the PRAISE [DTTM; Praise of Sandi Patty - NOT the Lord Jesus Christ - according to Matthew 16:23 - this is Satan - read Matthew 16:23 if you do not believe it!] is effusive. [DTTM effusive means: pouring freely, excessively, gushy, that is the PRAISE of Sandi Patty] The singer has created "a distinguished work of art." Her voice is "distinctive," her songs "eloquent and articulate," the CD "masterfully crafted" and "breathtakingly performed." She's a "preeminent talent," who is "critically acclaimed" and "highly successful" -"stirring" with "remarkable musical diversity" and an "expansive vocal range." "Dynamic... quintessential... timeless... heartwarming." She is the recipient of five Grammy Awards, nine Grammy nominations, 35 Dove Awards ("more than any other artist"), three platinum records, five gold records. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera." (CCM Magazine, January, 1998)

CCM artist, Michael Card, admits this glorifying of man in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM):

"Now, the industry is celebrity-driven. The song is almost irrelevant. The focus is on the PERSON, and songs have become disposable." (Can't Buy Me Ministry, Christianity Today, May 20, 1996 (p. 22)

And according to the word of God – that is "ABOMINATION in the sight of God."

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God. Luke 16:15

Why Dorsey? Why did CCM make such a ridiculous and outrageous claim for Thomas Dorsey? "It’s entirely arguable that Christian music would not exist if it were not for the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey." (CCM magazine, July, 1999 p. 12) Because Dorsey was one of the pioneers of CCM music – music that took the sensual, fleshly, secular style and combined it with the sacred. CCM magazine decribes Dorsey’s "gosepl songs": ". . .setting them to the rhythmic jazz and blues-influenced style he had developed. The conservatives of his day branded it ‘the devil’s music’ (not unlike controversies surrounding Christian music in the last 20 years) and found it unworthy to be played in churches." (CCM magazine, July, 1999 p. 12) On some occasions, Dorsey "was thrown out of some of the best churches" when he performed his sacred blues. (We’ll Understand it Better By and By-Pioneering African American Gospel Composers, edited by Bernice Johnson Reagon, p.179) Dorsey was a well-known blues player of his day. Dorsey (aka Georgia Tom) teaming with Tampa Red was especially known for his openly sexual and vulgar lyrics. One of Dorsey’s famous songs was "It’s Tight Like That". "The two became so notorious for their cunningly erotic blues they coined a word for the style (hokum) and went on to name their duo after it, the Famous Hokum Boys. By 1932, they would make over sixty recordings of Dorsey’s songs, .." (We’ll Understand it Better By and By-Pioneering African American Gospel Composers, edited by Bernice Johnson Reagon, p.180) He [Dorsey] teamed up with guitarist Hudson Whittaker (known as Tampa Red, for his Florida origins) and the new duo proceeded to scandalize the churches with their 1928 recording of the highly erotic It’s Tight Like That, released by Vocation. . . It also earned for him the opprobrium of the churches and, even now, as Dorsey comes to be revered in black church history almost as a saint, this episode in his life is rarely mentioned" (Black Gospel, An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound, Vic Broughton, p.40) After the late 1920's, Dorsey did not record any secular-sexual-blues, utilizing his time for his "sacred blues". It's worth noting, according to sources, Dorsey never "repented" nor rejected his earlier sexually-explicit blues: (much as the modern day CCM crowd) ". . .Dorsey is thoroughly unrepentant of his early career. . ." (Black Gospel, An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound, Vic Broughton, p.39) At the age of eighty-five, old Thomas looks back with evident fondness to his days with Ma Rainey and her Wildcat Band. . . As Georgia Tom, he composed many of Ma Rainey's hits, giving them a kind of sleazy magic that is difficult to equate with Dorsey's later career as a gospel write. He chuckles over the contradictions and, with only the merest hint of embarrassment, describes the songs as '. . . deep moanin', low-down blues, that's all I could say!' (Black Gospel, An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound, Vic Broughton, p.39) He was appointed choir director at the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a life-long job, but stayed loyal to his former blues acolytes, since unlike many religious people, he never rejected the secular music. (MusicHound Blues, The Essential Album Guide)