Replies

I confess that in college and for 10-15 years after, I was a huge Springsteen fan. Saw him six or seven times in concert (first time from the fourth row at Laker Hall, Oswego State in '75). His songs resonated with me as far as the urban/suburban struggles of family, love, work, and life.

But then he grew increasingly political, and he went the wrong way. First it was No Nukes, then the Reagan/"Born in the USA" thing (a song NOBODY in "establishment" got - I was working as a stockbroker when it came out, and they tried to use it in an ad campaign, because they only listened to the title and the patriotic-sounding hook, without understanding what a song of disaffection it was), and it just got worse and worse. At first I forgave him, 'cause Bruce was a hero of mine.

Then, my faith grew, and I realized how tired his music and his attitudes had become. Contemporary Christian music was in its infancy, and I struggled between liking the secular music of my early years (Springsteen, Dead, Stones, Santana), and being drawn by Christ to a higher calling. I actually found myself praying for Bruce because I felt he could become such a force for Christ. Bruce hasn't come around just yet, but God answered my prayers in the form of Steven Curtis Chapman, and Mac Powell of Third Day, and a host of others who have filled the void, at least in my heart, for some hard-hitting, meaningful music and lyrics.

Bruce, in Christ's Holy Name, stop pandering to the World, and take up a Higher Calling.

Gonna get some **** about this one...