Tonight I did something I'm not very proud of. Outside the venue were a bunch of protesters from a local church who turn up with billboards and leaflets outside every Christian concert that comes through Baton Rouge. The basic premise of their argument is that bands such as Third Day 'charge for the gospel' have 'sold out to the world' are 'using demonic rock and roll music' and 'are deceived by the devil and deceiving others'. When I asked what they called Rock and Roll they could only reference Elvis Presley and AC/DC. I made the mistake of trying to have a rational conversation with these protesters and found that they tried to trump every comment I made by quoting a Bible verse back at me. Despite my best efforts, I found myself losing my temper and acting with the same judgmental and condemning attitude that I was so appalled to see in them. I could just about take their criticism of Third Day but when they spoke out against AC/DC that was too much!! (Okay- I am really only joking about this!!)
In fact, their criticism of Third Day really hurt me. Any attempt I made to mention Third Day's worship songs based on Psalms, or the tons of lives I have seen who have been personally ministered to at our concerts, or of the marriages restored, individuals healed, or lives given to Christ, was met with a simple retort that all this was deception. When I retorted that believers should be very careful before they judged other believers, their answer to that was convenient- the likes of Third Day and I aren't genuine believers.
David and Mark from the band also went out and conversed with these protesters-asking them many of the same questions I had asked and repeating an inivitation I had made to come into the concert, experience it for themselves and then make an informed judgment. They came away equally as frustrated as I did. The ultimate irony is that the protesters come from a church called Consuming Fire ministries. One of Third Day's oldest hits, and one of my personal favorite songs is called Consuming Fire, and their own record independent record label is called Consuming Fire records. Oh well....
My husband and I were at the Baton Rouge show, and it was phenominal!! I have been a Third Day fan for a long time, and their music has brought me so much closer to the Lord throughout the years. On behalf of all the Third Day fans in Baton Rouge, I feel the need to apologize for those narrow minded protestors being there and treating you the way they did. The show was a wonderful, worship and spirit filled evening, and we enjoyed it so much. Third Day - please don't let this stop you from coming back to Baton Rouge again!! We love you! : )
Posted by: Carmen Soileau | 10/11/2011 at 02:22 PM