Messianic music should not be classified as Jewish

[Judy Pinnolis <pinnolis...>]

Friends:
CD Baby is classifying "messianic" music as Jewish, which I firmly disagree
with. 

I think people ought to be aware that there are three albums that are by
Steve McConnell in their list of "Judaica", which are intended to convert
people away from Judaism, by appearing to be about 'Jewish music'-- but it's
really about worshipping Jesus, which is a form of Christianity. 

Whether or not the album cover has great graphics that 'look Jewish', and
whether or not messianic music uses Hebrew, it is not functionally Jewish
music, but music of a new American-flavored Christian sect, that uses the
word "Jews" in its title. Since it's a free country, they can merchandise
however they want. But that doesn't mean that this type of deceiving
practice should go unnoted. I have found that even some Jewish book stores
have been fooled from time to time. Mr. McConnell, is at least upfront, and
says clearly on his website that he is a "messianic Jew". Other websites of
this group are not even that honest. 

There are also other merchandiszing organizations that are starting to
include this type of thing with the "Jewish" sections, which is
unfortunately giving people who are less informed the impression that they
are getting authentic Jewish music. Do not be fooled. Many people will not
understand that they are singing music that is praising and worshipping
Jesus as the true Messiah-- clearly a distinctly Christian, and not a
Jewish, precept.

In the lyrics of this type of music they blend famous Jewish phrases that
any general Jew might recognize, such as the words of the Sh'ma, or the
Hebrew word "Shabbat",...  and then follow those by the texts about Jesus
being the Messiah and so forth. It's this interweaving in and out of Jewish
and Christian themes and sounds that is supposed to lull Jews into feeling
comfortable, mixing the two ideas. Mr. McConnell has gone so far as to place
a "copyright" on words and texts, in that certain lines come from Jewish
prayerbooks, claiming these texts were written by him as original words,
which they are not. He then interweaves these phrases with his proselytizing
texts.

Judy

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