CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Do you think the song "Jesus Walks" by rapper Kanye West can be considered Christian ... and if not why?
(please don't automatically say its not just because it has cussing in it)


"Jesus Walks"

Yo, We at war
We at war with terrorism, racism, and most of all we at war with ourselves
(Jesus Walks)
God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me) with me with me with me [fades]

You know what the Midwest is?
Young & Restless
Where restless N****z might snatch your necklace
And next these N****z might jack your Lexus
Somebody tell these Niggaz who Kanye West is
I walk through the valley of Chi where death is
Top floor the view alone will leave you breathless Uhhhh!
Try to catch it Uhhhh! It's kinda hard hard
Getting choked by the detectives yeah yeah now check the method
They be asking us questions, harass and arrest us
Saying "we eat pieces of s**t like you for breakfast"
Huh? Yall eat pieces of s**t? What's the basis?
We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases
A trunk full of coke rental car from Avis
My momma used to say only Jesus can save us
Well momma I know I act a fool
But I'll be gone til November I got packs to move I Hope

[Hook x2]
(Jesus Walks)
God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me)
The only thing that I pray is that me feet don't fail me now
(Jesus Walks)
And I don't think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
(Jesus Walks with me)
I want to talk to God but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long

To the hustlas, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
To the victims of Welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know he hear me when my feet get weary
Cuz we're the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don't think
I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way yall need Jesus
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes
But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
And bring the day that I'm dreaming about
Next time I'm in the club everybody screaming out

(Jesus Walks)
God show me the way because the devil trying to break me down
(Jesus Walks)
The only thing that I pray is that me feet don't fail me now

From the lyrics, it sounds Christian to me.

i like that song, even though i'm not that big on rap. i think its very a christian song. the videos pretty good.

I've heard it and I like it. I believe it is the closest thing yet to a mainstream rap song about Jesus, it's been on the charts for months now. It's commendable that a rapper would make a song like that. Alot of rappers I've heard claim to believe in God then they rap about violence, cheap women, and drugs.

Hmm...if one could declare someone Christian based on what they talked about...The devil talks about Jesus. I think this is a fine example of how twisted someone can get with money and fame. They blend religion with there own messed up life style. Personaly I would not really consider this a Christian song...but then again, its just my own opinion. Talking the talk is and always will be so easy....its the walking...

Truly spoken, my friend...but we christians are a lonely bunch, and we often try to look for believers where their are none...just look at creed. I personally enjoyed it. It is my belief that all inspiration flows from God, but that it is twisted as it comes down to us. For example, I've heard country songs and rock songs that sounded more like they were for church. God can inspire people in ways even they don't understand. I think this is perhaps whats happening here. Although gaining a brother would be nice...Shatterheart, your right, their are a lot of people posing, but you should always keep your heart open, even if its been torn out before. If we don't try to find and aid believers in the high places as well as the low, then what kind of believers are we?


However...Recently (2003) the rapper famous for the hit ghetto gangsta rap song "Becuase I got high" converted to christianity, quitting mainstream music. His label has not said if he will stay with them. This was a party guy, a druggie and a sex freak. He was rich, living the life, way up on the social meter. And if this guy can be brought to Christ, then who says this video of Kanye's isn't some cry for help, or perhaps more along the lines of a statement of faith? I've known addicts who were doing drugs for YEARS turning into preachers, and drunks and gang members becoming youth ministers. You have to keep your arms open to the people, my friends. Otherwise, their is no renewal of the body of Christ.


Zarn Ishtare, Apparently in a theological mood tonight.

Wow, I didn't think anyone would mention Kanye West here.

I really like that song. And I think the lyrics are very meaningful. As far as being a Christian song, I'm not sure. But I'm leaning more towards "Jesus Walks" being a testimony of West's own personal statement about his faith.

Shatterheart wrote:Hmm...if one could declare someone Christian based on what they talked about...The devil talks about Jesus. I think this is a fine example of how twisted someone can get with money and fame. They blend religion with there own messed up life style. Personaly I would not really consider this a Christian song...but then again, its just my own opinion. Talking the talk is and always will be so easy....its the walking...

I agree with some of what you said. I really don't like how rappers at music award shows or something like that get an award for a song in which they glorify sex, violence, drugs, and what not. First thing that comes out their mouth is "I would like to thank God for this award." Do you really think that God is approving/pleased with you getting an award for degrading women and sending messages out to others that it's okay to do drugs?

However, at the same time, I believe Kanye is expressing genuine feelings about his faith in Christ. Maybe he is just another soul that has given himself to Christ but needs time to grow in his faith the way God sees fit. Maybe "Jesus Walks" is one way in which he expresses the struggles he faces and his need for God to be by his side.

I don't know the complete life story of Kanye West, but I believe that there's a possibility that he's converted to Christianity. West released a song entitled "Through the Wire" some while ago in which he raps about how he faced difficulty at one point in his life because of a very bad accident which resulted in him having his mouth wired shut.

In "Through the Wire" Kanye raps about how his life nearly came to an end. I remember one specific verse: "If you could feel how my face felt, you wouldn't know how mace felt. Thank God I ain't too cool for the safebelt." (my favorite by the way) I also recall that he said a verse in there that went something like this: "I must have an angel, cause look how Death missed his aim." You can't go by what a person raps or sings about in a song necessarily. But (the way I see it) I see that Kanye is giving a lot of credit to God for what he's done in his life.

Man, I got a little bit more to say but that's enough for now. Anyway, I think it's a good song.

Golden_Griff wrote:Wow, I didn't think anyone would mention Kanye West here.

I really like that song. And I think the lyrics are very meaningful. As far as being a Christian song, I'm not sure. But I'm leaning more towards "Jesus Walks" being a testimony of West's own personal statement about his faith.



I agree with some of what you said. I really don't like how rappers at music award shows or something like that get an award for a song in which they glorify sex, violence, drugs, and what not. First thing that comes out their mouth is "I would like to thank God for this award." Do you really think that God is approving/pleased with you getting an award for degrading women and sending messages out to others that it's okay to do drugs?

However, at the same time, I believe Kanye is expressing genuine feelings about his faith in Christ. Maybe he is just another soul that has given himself to Christ but needs time to grow in his faith the way God sees fit. Maybe "Jesus Walks" is one way in which he expresses the struggles he faces and his need for God to be by his side.

I don't know the complete life story of Kanye West, but I believe that there's a possibility that he's converted to Christianity. West released a song entitled "Through the Wire" some while ago in which he raps about how he faced difficulty at one point in his life because of a very bad accident which resulted in him having his mouth wired shut.

In "Through the Wire" Kanye raps about how his life nearly came to an end. I remember one specific verse: "If you could feel how my face felt, you wouldn't know how mace felt. Thank God I ain't too cool for the safebelt." (my favorite by the way) I also recall that he said a verse in there that went something like this: "I must have an angel, cause look how Death missed his aim." You can't go by what a person raps or sings about in a song necessarily. But (the way I see it) I see that Kanye is giving a lot of credit to God for what he's done in his life.

Man, I got a little bit more to say but that's enough for now. Anyway, I think it's a good song.

I've got a problem with the N word, the song is the closest thing to a "mainstream christian rap song". Most likely when a song has a redeeming value it seems like they need to add something demeaning to balance it out.

I'd say it is christian. The term... "N****" is often used by the Black population, and to them it's not a bad word. And much like Black Eyed peas: "Where is the Love", yeah i'd say it's christian

Refering back to my first post, I'm starting to have a change of opinion on this song and West's intention in writing it; the reason is because I learned not long after this thread was made that West has made two or three other versions of this original song. Unfortunately, the profanity gets worst in each of these

I haven't heard any other versions besides the first but my friend was telling me about this. The original version was fine, but seems to me that he has produced these other versions to make the song's lyrics more appealing to an audience by adding more profanity. So as initialdfreak has mentioned, a demeaning factor (the unnecessary profanity) has been added suspectingly (?) to boost sales.

If this is the case then it seems like the message of the song no longer matters, and the versions that came after the original ruins the first version in itself. Yet again, the idea of Chrisitianity/God is used for monetary gain rather than trying to send a genuine message for the sake of helping someone out in some way.

Mr. Smartypants wrote:The term... "N****" is often used by the Black population, and to them it's not a bad word.

It all depends on how it's used. *shrugs*

sounds Christian to me. I didnt read the entire thing cause wlel...I didnt understand it that much.

Anyways th eonly thing I was a l;ittle bit hesitant on was the sh-word. I can't stand when artists put cuss words into music, even when it's "appropriate". A cussword in a song is never approrpiate nor nesscary. It only brings down that song more and more.

but other than that it sounds fairly Christian.