Chart-topping diva Lady Gaga has spat in the face of Christians once again. “”Judas,”” the pop star’s latest single, has followers of the Catholic faith up in arms.
The song, which was “”leaked”” four days before its scheduled release (an obvious reference to Judas’s betrayal of Jesus four days before Easter), is sung from the perspective of the biblical prostitute-turned-disciple Mary Magdalene.
At the end of the number, Magdalene, a Roman Catholic saint, professes her devotion to Jesus’s betrayer, “”the demon.””
“”Judas! Juda-as, Judas! Juda-as Judas! Juda-as Judas! GAGA!”” belts the chorus.
Gaga, an ex-Catholic, told Britain’s NME magazine that the lyrics were sent from God.
The singer’s fans, who refer to themselves as “”monsters,”” believe the song teaches a deep and profound moral lesson, one that has been lost in the rush to accuse their “”Mama monster”” of blasphemy.
But if these “”monsters”” were honest with themselves, they’d realize that “”Judas”” is nothing more than an attention-grabbing stunt by a “”fame-hooker”” looking for a controversial way to line her pockets. Gaga’s 15 minutes of fame are almost up and all she’s concerned with is remaining relevant and wealthy. The millions of Catholics she’ll offend with her blasphemous antics are nothing in comparison to the millions of dollars she’ll reap in record sales.
And it isn’t the first time the songstress has denigrated Christianity for a profit.
In her music video to “”Alejendro,”” Gaga, surrounded by half-naked men and dressed in a skin-tight nun’s habit, deep throats an entire rosary.
Her offensive song lyrics and inappropriate use of Christian iconography demonstrate one of society’s glaring double standards.
In the media, Christianity is a constant source of derision and belittlement, whiles other religions, Islam in particular, are treated with the utmost deference.
Cecilia Maldonados of Chicanos Unidos Arizona, a Catholic Latino group based in Phoenix, said it best: “”Why can’t Lady Gaga pretend to be Muhammad? Now that would be brave! It’s so easy to knock Catholicism and Christianity these days.””
Thus far, the reaction to “”Judas”” has been comparatively milder than the firestorm that immolated “”South Park”” in response to its depiction of Muhammad in “”Episode 201.”” After an Islamic fundamentalist group based in New York threatened the show’s creators with physical harm, Comedy Central censored the prophet’s image.
Small-town Koran-burning Pastor Terry Jones received wall-to-wall media coverage for his “”Burn a Koran Day”” after some Muslims contended it was an affront to Islam that would be met with violent protest.
Catholics should not have to threaten Lady Gaga with inquisition-style torture to be accorded the same respect.
Comedy Central hasn’t batted an eye at “”South Park’s”” depiction of Jesus, and the 24-hour news cycle that inundated Jones hasn’t said a thing about Lady Gaga’s “”Judas”” music video slated to premier on “”American Idol”” next week.
Placating Muslims out of the fear of radicalism and political incorrectness, while making a mockery of Christianity, is a gross double standard that should be addressed immediately.
One can only hope that the media will take the necessary steps to reverse the damage it has wrought.
— Nyles Kendall is a political science junior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.
