[Fwd: Re: FYI--Messianic music should not be classified as Jewish]

[Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan...>]

Dear List,

Here is the response I received from Brian at CD Baby.  I knew the 
artists choose their own categories, but it was worth sending.  If 
anyone wants to email the artist in question you certainly may.

Lorele


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: FYI--Messianic music should not be classified as Jewish
Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 11:29:32 -0700
From: CD Baby <cdbaby (at) cdbaby(dot)com>
To: Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan (at) staff(dot)chuh(dot)org>



Hi Lori -

I understand your concerns, I do.
I'm really sorry for the mixup and any confusion this caused.
We don't want to offend anyone, not by any means, not at all.
I see where you're coming from, it's just that, the problem we're going to 
run into, in rectifying this situation, is that CD Baby doesn't choose the 
genre that cds are listed in.

That's choosen by the artist and is left up to their sole discretion.
If you'd like to contact the artist, I'm sure he'd be willing to listen to 
your concerns.

You can do so by visiting his page on CD Baby at this link --> 
http://www.cdbaby.com/mcconnell2
Just click the 'Email Steve Mcconnell' link towards the bottom on the left 
hand side of the page.

Thank you.
Brian at CD Baby

At 03:34 PM 6/20/2002, you wrote:
>Dear Derek,
>
>I thought I'd pass this on from my list to you.  I don't know whether you 
>have any say as to which category music is placed in, but this subject is 
>important to me and to others in my field.  I believe your company serves 
>an important function to independant musicians and our fans, so I want to 
>see it remain accurate.  Let me know what you think.
>
>Thanks,
>Lori
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: Messianic music should not be classified as Jewish
>Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 15:45:02 -0400
>From: Judy Pinnolis 
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant 
>
>References: 
><3CFDFE36(dot)1050409 (at) staff(dot)chuh(dot)org>
>
>
>
>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 gro
>up 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
>
>---------------------- 
>jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
>---------------------+
>