The relationship between gospel group Mary Mary and the gay community confuses me. It’s relatively clear they’re marketed toward us, unless you think it’s some strange coincidence that their latest ingle “Walking” has been given the remix treatment by highly sought-after club DJs like Dave Aude and Karmatronic.
Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with a gospel group embracing their LGBT fans. That would be fantastic! However, last time I checked, the group appears to take a “love the sinner, hate the sin” stance on homosexuality. They’re not openly bashing! They’ll hug us at a concert! But if we don’t change our sinful ways, we will burn in eternal damnation!
The sad fact of the matter? Up until reading these quotes, I legitimately enjoyed Mary Mary’s tunes. They’re upbeat and inspirational, without slapping you in the face with preachiness. Hell, “Get Up” was my personal anthem for a few months! And I’d probably like “Walking” too if it weren’t performed by someone who thinks I have “issues”.
What’s your take on this matter? More importantly, does anyone know if Mary Mary has altered their view on the gay community? This particular quote was taken from a 2006 article, so there’s a chance they’ve changed their minds within the past five years.
– Dewitt
To listen to “Walking”, follow the JUMP:
I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but you have a large gay following. How do you feel about homosexuality and having a gay following?
Erica: We are aware. Um… how do I feel about homosexuality? I feel how God feels about it, um… but I still love them. You know what I mean? I don’t agree with the lifestyle, but I love them. They can come to the concert; I’m going to hug them just like I hug everybody else. They have issues and need somebody to encourage them like everybody else – just like the murderer, just like the one full of pride, just like the prostitute, everybody needs God. What your struggle is may not be what my struggle is, but we all need Him. So, that’s what our music is about: giving and God. Not to condone the lifestyle or to say, Oh it’s okay, but not to bash – but just to give them God. I mean, I’m appreciative of all of our supporters and fans. Hopefully what their hearing and saying in our music is my love for God.
Tina: You know, I think the fact that our music is very, very upbeat and works well in clubs – you know, I think that’s something that makes more people gravitate to it. Like Erica said, we don’t necessarily agree with the lifestyle, but we don’t pride ourselves on bashing. Everyone has things in their life that they need to correct, everybody has struggles. Even though that’s the way we feel, we don’t bash, and we embrace everybody who enjoys our music. Hopefully our music is impacting them in a way that, if they see there’s some things in their life that’s not quite right and doesn’t align themselves with what the Bible says – hopefully our music impacts them in a way that makes them want to change it.
(via Clay Cane)
My guess is no being that they aren’t being booked at any pride events. Kinda like when it was revealed that Kim English doesn’t exactly like gay people….all of her bookings stopped.
When you can make statements like that from a place so deep inside a religious stance, it’s not likely that they have changed their views because that would mean having to throw out the rest of their judgmental belief system.
I loved “Walking” since the first time I heard it on the radio. It sucks to find out that the artists think its appropriate to compare gay people with “murderers” and “prostitutes”
I wholeheartedly agree that linking us with “prostitutes” and “murderers” is insane. Aren’t you supposed to love others as you would love yourself? If someone linked being Asian or being a woman to being a “murderer,” all hell would break loose. However, if you’re bashing the gay community then it’s okay. It’s just so sad.
Is this a 5 year old quote? I have enjoyed their sound but if they are deluded enough to think they know what God thinks about me I think they can fuck off. Perhaps their current views are more reasonable.
ALYSSA REID – ALONE AGAIN
Their songs are great, but I don’t know what to think of their views. Of course, them being African American and very religious people, are always gonna see the gay community as sinners, but at least they are not bashing us they way 50 Cent does every time he wants to criticize the “homos”.
It’s easy to take shots at these ladies because they’re gospel artists and they’re religious…two things not often used positively in the same sentence with “the gay community.” But, other than a few outspoken supporters like Lady Gaga, who says things like “This is for the gays!” so often that it comes of as disingenuous at times, do we REALLY know what some of the gay community’s “favorite” artists truly think of us? The music industry these days is all about marketing and making money. Just because an artist is marketed to a gay fan base and we embrace everything about them (their image, their fashion, their style, their music – whether they can actually carry a tune or not), it doesn’t actually mean that, at the end of the day, THEY agree with our “lifestyle” or even like us. Happy Beagle brought up Kim English above. What about artists like Gloria Gaynor & Donna Summer back in the day? They’ve been considered “gay icons,” yet they’ve both – among other artists – made statements in the past similar to what the ladies of Mary Mary said above. Cher has a huge gay following, yet through her own words, she seems to have trouble dealing with aspects of her own transgender son’s life. As we sing along to their songs at the top of our lungs, do we know for certain that current favorites like Kesha, Britney, Beyonce, Adele, Rihanna, or any others don’t feel the same way about us as Mary Mary? Maybe they’re just better at keeping their views private.
When it comes down to it, I’m pretty good at separating a song from the personal life or views of the person/people who recorded it. Unless the lyrics bash me in anyway, I’m going to listen to it as long as it’s good. The ladies of Mary Mary – or any other artist of any other genre – have a right to their opinions just like I have a right to enjoy their songs without giving credence to those opinions.
Jason, I just wanna say that I totally agree with you & with so many of us in gay community linked to the struggle of religion, right or wrong, good or bad, etc…not everyone is gonna think the same way as the next person is. I personnally think Mary Mary’s music is very inspirational & what they do in their lives is their business & vice versa, unless the put out something that’s gonna personnally bash me for who or what I am I’m gonna continue to listen to their songs. I mean, hell who in any religious genre of music is gonna out right say “oh yeah, I’m a very big gay community supporter”, exactly so until then let’s not read into it so deeply.
Also to add to my comment up above, who’s their hair & fashion stylist, they can’t be THAT opinionated on us, just saying!!!
Haha…yeah. I haven’t listened to anything these two have written or put out there and after being compared to a murderer or prostitute, I never will.
As public figures, they DO have a responsibility to monitor what they say and how they say it in a public forum. See: Sheen
if Tyler Perry wanted these two for starring roles in his next film, they’d be so “Gay Friendly” they couldn’t even see straight! As Madea would say: “That’s just ignernce. Them two Ho’s just tryin’ to sell recuds.”
Too bad gay is nto a race its a life style!! No one is bashing Gay!! It is a religious belief and in the U.S you have the freedom of religion!! god didnt make man to be with man if he did he would not have created woman! Im tired of Gay people acting like a victum! You can go to the bathroom, any school, or any establishment that you want, you were not in prison for your skin color! thats civil right which all Gays have! no you shouldnt get married and Christians dont want you too because it is an act that is made froM GOD Who calls your lifestyle an abonination to him! now thats sad so stop bashing on christians that a real hate crime! you want people to respect you life style well respect that everyone does not have to accept it by law! the freedom of religioN!