Some Christian leaders are criticizing Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” for lyrics they say bash Christians and mock God.
Shane Pruitt of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board posted on Facebook some of the lyrics he found to be objectionable for believers.
“LYRICS MATTER,” Pruitt said in the April 22 post.
“Disclaimer, I’m definitely not the minister or parent that has the ‘no secular music’ stance,” he wrote. “Also, I fully realize unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers.
“HOWEVER, there is a difference between being secular, and being ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”
Pruitt first cited Swift’s lyrics from “But Daddy I Love Him”:
God save the most judgmental creeps
Who say they want what’s best for me
Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I’ll never see
Thinkin’ it can change the beat
Of my heart when he touches me
And counteract the chemistry
And undo the destiny
You ain’t gotta pray for me
Me and my wild boy
And all of this wild joy
If all you want is gray for me
Then it’s just white noise, and it’s just my choice.
He then pointed to the song “Guilty as Sin?” which has drawn criticism for Swift’s comparison of herself to Jesus:
What if I roll the stone away?
They’re gonna crucify me anyway
What if the way you hold me is actually what’s holy?
Finally, Pruitt cited a line from “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”: “I would’ve died for your sins.”
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“In transparency I used to listen to Taylor,” he wrote. “HOWEVER I think now it’s time to reconsider.
“As Christians, who are filled with the Spirit should we be entertained by, sing with, and expose our kids to lyrics that aren’t just different than what you believe, but are actually mocking what you believe?”
He wasn’t the only one warning Christians about the lyrics in “The Tortured Poets Department,” which was released on April 19.
“The album is full of minor quips that elevate Swift above God while also featuring two songs devoted to tearing down the Christian sexual ethic,” MovieGuide said in an article Tuesday, referring to “But Daddy I Love Him” and “Guilty as Sin?”
“While it’s no secret that Taylor Swift is not a Christian, she made her hatred for religion known through her newly released album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,”’ it continued.
MovieGuide was founded in 1985 with the mission to “redeem the values of the entertainment industry” by working directly with industry executives and filmmakers to produce content that is family and Christian-friendly.
Sean Feucht, a conservative Christian singer, shared similar sentiments in a social media post on April 21, saying some of Swift’s new songs “make fun of Christians and straight up blaspheme God.”
“Is this the music you want your kids listening to?” he wrote on X.
“You think I’m just being religious & overreacting? Read the lyrics & decide for yourself,” Feucht said.
Almost half the songs on Taylor Swift’s new album contain explicit lyrics (E), make fun of Christians and straight up blaspheme God.
Is this the music you want your kids listening to?
You think I’m just being religious & overreacting?
Read the lyrics & decide for yourself👇🏼
— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) April 21, 2024
Despite the negative reaction from some Christians, Swift’s album has experienced massive commercial success, achieving record-breaking streaming numbers and sales.
According to Billboard, “The Tortured Poets Department” set a modern-era record by selling more than 700,000 vinyl copies within three days of its release, surpassing the 693,000 vinyl sales of her “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” from October.
The album has garnered mixed reviews, with some praising its creativity while others criticized its approach and lyricism.
