The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

BISHOP Patrick L Wooden of the Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Raleigh, North Carolina has taken grave exception to Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s “Denial” poem. The poem was penned by a British poet of Somali extraction, Warsan Shire, and is featured in the Beyoncé 2016 “Lemonade” album as a prelude to the second tract “Hold Up.”

Considered the second most prominently ranked album of 2016 by Metacritic and the best album of that same year by The Associated Press, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and The Guardian, the album, whose labels are Columbia and Parkwood, has 13 tracts. The Associated Press considers it to be the best album of the 2010s. It has sold 1.5 million-plus units in the US and 2.5 million globally.

In addition to Beyoncé, “Lemonade” has a laundry list of producers, which underscores the exorbitant cost associated with its production. The issue Wooden and other evangelical Christians have with “Denial” is its vile reference to the Holy Bible, in which Beyoncé speaks of using the pages of the Holy Scriptures as a tampon for her menstrual cycle. Contrast this blasphemy with the high esteem of the Bible by the Old Testament patriarch Job in Job 23:12 and the Psalmist in Psalm 119:89.

According to 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21, the Bible is God’s inspired Word. “Denial” is rank blasphemy. According to The New Bible Dictionary, blasphemy is an act of effrontery in which the honour of God is insulted by man. In Matthew 12:31, Jesus warned the Pharisees that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin.

Beyoncé has referenced in the past an entity named Sasha Fierce, which energises her while on stage. It is believed by this writer that Sasha Fierce is demonic.

Old Testament scholars believe that Satan is referenced in Ezekiel 28:12-19 as the king of Tyre and anointed cherub who was privileged to serve in the immediate presence of Yahweh before his catastrophic fall.

Based on the symbolic descriptions of this angelic being in verse 14 of the aforementioned chapter, it is believed by scholars that Satan was a worship leader in heaven. Hence his keen interest in music.

This can explain why he uses the medium of music to combat the Kingdom of God. This can also explain the phenomenal success of many recording artists openly hostile to Christianity.

Beyoncé is continuing in the tradition of John Lennon of The Beatles, Jim Morrison of The Doors and Isaac Hayes -- artists who all openly blasphemed the Lord.

Beyoncé has taken the liberty in publishing “Denial” due to the First Amendment Rights in the US Constitution. The US Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, even to the extent of slandering God.

It is highly unlikely that Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, would publish anything defamatory about the Koran, due to the possible violent backlash by Muslim radicals.

They know that Christians won’t react in a violent manner; that’s why they are not afraid to openly denigrate Christianity and its Founder, Jesus Christ. Bahamian radio station owners should not allow their DJs to play “Denial,” as God will hold them just as culpable for reviling Him as He will Beyoncé, Shire, Columbia, Parkwood and everyone else associated with “Lemonade.”

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama.

October 4, 2022.