goodfight

Mistakes In The Tori Amos Expose

Good Fight Response:

Hi Laura, Thanks for expressing your views. I personally enjoy the opportunity to examine opposing views to our website as it gives me the opportunity to explain in greater detail our positions on the different issues. Below is your email along with my responses. I “italicised ” your comments simply to make it easier to read.

“Hello, I am well aware that you are probably going to delete and ignore this message, as I know you have done to some of my fellow Tori Amos fans. Despite the fact that they were polite, kind, and simply pointing our errors in your "expose" about Tori, you deleted their messages from the guestbook, simply because they did not share your beliefs. ”

We are not deleting yours nor anyone's message, in fact we are collecting all guestbook posts, as we will soon be addressing opposing views that have been posted. At the end of this email, you will find an open letter that I will soon be posting to address the issue of certain guestbook posts not being posted - it's a rough draft so please excuse the grammatical errors.

“However, I still feel I need to clear something up. Your "expose" on Tori Amos is full of quotes taken out of context, misinterpreted, and twisted around to fit your own agenda. I thought that perhaps you would appreciate it if a Tori fan cleared some things up for you.
Here goes:

1. The Mary Magdalene issue. There is a great deal of evidence suggesting that, yes, Jesus and Mary M did have a relationship. Most theological and Biblical scholars, Christian and non-Christian, accept this as a valid theory. Not a fact, but a theory. It is further supported by the Gnostic Gospels. If you know anything about the history of the Bible, you would realize that, in terms of describing Jesus's life and times, the Gnostic gospels are just as valid as the Gospels you use. It's not so blasphemous. It's simply an archeological theory. It does nothing to undermine Jesus's divinity or make him any less holy.”

The “Mary Magdalene issue” isn't even one (an issue). There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever to support a sexual relationship between Mary and Jesus. If it's a theory held by anyone, then it's about as valid as the theory that man evolved from a monkey. If you find any "theological scholars" that hold to this possible view - they would no doubt be very liberal, not holding to the inerrancy of scripture. Instead of mentioning that there is evidence to support this view, please provide it. In Jewish rabbinical writings you will find that Jesus is referred to as a bastard because he was born as a result of an alleged pre-marital relationship between Joseph and Mary - obviously this is not true, based on scripture, thus one shouldn't go around and claim any possible validity to such nonsense - likewise the "theory" of Jesus having a sexual relationship.

“2. You have completely misunderstood Tori's quote about her desire to expose the dark side of Christianity. She does not want to spread lies about it; on the contrary, she wants to tell the truth. The dark side Tori wishes to expose is that of the Crusades, the Inquisition, the witch trials. The murders and rapes and burnings that Jesus would never, ever support. The terrible, horrible, shameful things done in the name of Christianity. Tori wants Christianity and its followers to recognize those periods in history. That's it. She just wants the world to realize that the past 2000 years of Christianity are sadly lacking in, "Love thy neighbor" and "Thou shalt not kill." You completely misunderstood her. She has no desire to destroy Christianity. She simply wants its history to be recognized, both the good and the bad parts.”

The above does not justify her quote, this is made clear simply by examining many other quotes from her, her lyrics, as well as what she believes. To attempt equate any violent or ungodly act to true Christianity is absurd. So often, one tries to "expose" Christianity by pointing to the crusades, witch burnings, etc. - all of this is not Christianity - these people were obviously fulfilling a man's agenda and NOT abiding by the Word of God. Thus, this argument against Christianity falls short. True Christianity does not violate God's word (the bible). God does not cause hypocrisy, men who choose rebellion are to blame. Imagine as a public speaker, you spread the message to love people, to have compassion, etc. and yet a person who's heard your message went out and killed someone - in your name, saying that you spoke to him or her while they were in prayer and received a message from you to kill, yet all along that kind of behavior is wicked to you. How much sense would it make for me to label this person's actions as "your dark side" or a dark side to all the people that truly agree with your message and apply it to their lives? The answer, of course is, it makes no sense at all.

“3. Tori's quote, "Why don't people want to hear about God getting a blow job? I thought those born-again Christians would love that." was intended sarcastically. She was joking. She did not mean it seriously, it was a JOKE. On top of that, nowhere in her music does she write about God recieving a blowjob.”

Let's say that was a joke - has she clarified anywhere that she was only joking? Even if there was evidence that she was joking it was perverse joking. How "spiritual" can this woman be with such vulgarity spewing out of her mouth? The bible says...

Matthew 12:33-37
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED."

“4. Perhaps the best example of shoddy journalism and of selective editing is your paragraph on her song "Spark," in which she sings, "If the divine master plan is perfection, Maybe next I'll give Judas a try." Tori is not saying, "I want to be like Judas." You need to understand what the song is about first. Tori suffered a miscarriage in late 1996. She was looking forward to the baby and was devastated when she lost it. She held herself responsible for the miscarriage, since she got pregnant around the end of her 1996 tour and wasn't very healthy. She didn't take as good care of herself as she should have, she was under a lot of stress, and she wasn't eating right. "Spark" is about the miscarriage. Look on any website with quotes about the album ("Spark" is off of "From the Choirgirl Hotel"), and you will see her talking about it. Tori's line about Judas is not saying she wants to betray Jesus. She feels like she betrayed the baby. Tori uses a lot of mythological and religious references in her music, and this is a prime example. If you hear the whole song or read the rest of the lyrics, you would understand. I'll say it again: Tori does not want to betray Jesus or become Judas. She felt like Judas after losing the baby, since she blamed herself for it and felt she'd betrayed her child.”

I have not yet seen or heard Tori deny or clarify the lyrics. You, however, seem to be convinced otherwise, perhaps you can provide us with the evidence/documentation to support your claims? Regardless, her lyrics expose her disregard for the scriptures/God. If she had any reverence towards God, and has realized that many are deceived by these lyrics, why is this song still out there? Why hasn't she had it been pulled off the shelves or at least make a public correction? Something to think about.

“5. You have also misunderstood Tori's quote, "I wanted to marry Lucifer... I don't consider Lucifer an evil force...I feel his presence with his music. I feel like he comes and sits on my piano..." I see you've edited it as well. Hmm. Anyways, Tori does NOT consider Lucifer an evil force. When she talks about Lucifer, she does not mean the Christian concept of him. She means the original pagan concept, the one of a god of light, the one which Christianity borrowed and twisted to fit its own needs. And, as I have said before, Tori often speaks with tounge-in-cheek humour, and it can be hard to tell if she's joking when reading an interview. The chances are that she was joking or speaking sarcastically.”

Notice what you're attempting to do! You're justifying a few things - First you accept her view about some "paganistic concept" of Lucifer - then you seem to express your view that Christianity is "error" and has twisted scripture, etc and lastly you base all of this on a "chance" as you say "chances are that she was joking or speaking sarcastically". Here you are with no solid idea what Tori was saying and/or meaning and yet you take the time to write an email to defend a person that is cleary influenced by supernatural forces - supernatural forces which CANNOT be of the One and true God, as everything you've attempted to defend contradicts God.

“6. I was also angered with how you twisted around one of Tori's quote in your article about Eminem. What's kind of amusing is that there are tons of quotes you could have taken from her to support your position. In fact, Tori will be covering an Eminem song (97 Bonnie & Clyde) on her upcoming album, in an effort to expose how disgusting the song is. If you look around on Tori Amos websites, you can find several quotes pertaining to this song and how it horrified her. The rest of your Eminem article was as ridiculous, if not more so, than your Tori Amos one. You don't seem to understand sarcasm. Eminem uses sarcasm in half of his songs. Even I know that, and I despise Eminem.”

To justify Tori, your hope lies in that she is simply truly being sarcastic. It is this kind of deception, which you seem to be under, that greives us here at Good Fight Ministries.

“That's all I have to say to you right now. I'm aware that you will probably ignore this and write me off as another Satanic, Tori Amos-loving heathen who needs to be prayed for. That's fine. Think whatever you want about me.”

Laura, You have not been ignored. I make every attempt to respond to individuals that provide me with an email address. You do, however, need prayer - I say this in truth and love Laura. If you are truly embracing the lie that Christianity is error, then you're essentially rejecting Jesus. Jesus died so that you might have life. The bible says that to those who receive Him, He gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12) - and the bible doesn't talk about some superficial "believing in Jesus" to be saved. The bible goes on to say that "even the demons believe in God" (James 2:19), furthermore, the bible makes it clear that demons are not saved.

“However, I have been able to point out errors all over your Tori Amos page. If you do not believe me or trust my points, there are plenty of Tori Amos websites where you can verify them. If you don't want to change your Tori section, fine. Keep the incorrect information and mislead people. But honestly - do you really want to misinform people in the name of Jesus Christ?

Have a nice day. Laura”

Based on what you provided, I have to strongly disagree with your claim that you “have been able to point out errors all over” our Tori Amos page. However, if you strongly disagree with me as well - then please provide us with some solid evidence/documentation to support your claims.
Laura, thank you for taking the time to email us and thanks for expressing yourself in a clear and mature manner - I point this out because much of the email that is disagreement with us is quite vulgar and profane.

Have you been able to view our video expose, "They Sold Their Souls For Rock & Roll"? If not, and you are interested in viewing it, simply provide me with a mailing address and I'll arrange to have a free copy shipped to you.

Feel Free to watch our video expose on Toi Amos.

Thanks again Laura,
Steve Aguilar
–Titus 1:9

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