Canned from the praise band

[Humbled]

OK. You're right.

Please accept my apologies.

"Troll" accusation withdrawn.


...Was the "friend" wanting to boink Short-scale's wife before or after she broke her hip?

 

[GBassNorth]

OK. You're right.

Please accept my apologies.

"Troll" accusation withdrawn.

Yeah, but now you need to apologize about posting a YouTube clip of a guy playing an "Omen" guitar on a praise and worship thread! Quite frankly, I'm appalled!

 

[Humbled]

I apologize for not apologizing more apologetically while debating deploying apologetics.

 

[stringtapper]

Quite frankly, I don't see how it doesn't make any sense. Makes perfect sense to me. I really don't believe it's BS. Of course, there is indeed two sides to every story, but I see no need to go calling the OP a troll.

So it makes perfect sense to you that some Christians would tell a guy he was "serving the devil" because he didn't divorce his wife after she couldn't attend church because of an injury? And then the OP won't answer any further questions about it and just sort of goes along as if that's not an absolutely bizarre thing to happen and deserves a little more conversation?

Come on now.

 

[Short-scale]

I'm kinda glad to be out of the band cause the drummer quite honestly wasn't very good. Unfortunately the drummer is the BL's daughter and there ain't no interfering in a family band.

I feel for the next bass player who has to play along with her...

 

[Humbled]

I'm kinda glad to be out of the band ...

 

[RustyAxe]

So it makes perfect sense to you that some Christians would tell a guy he was "serving the devil" because he didn't divorce his wife after she couldn't attend church because of an injury? And then the OP won't answer any further questions about it and just sort of goes along as if that's not an absolutely bizarre thing to happen and deserves a little more conversation?

Come on now.

What makes sense is that we don't have the whole story. Of that, I'm quite sure. The revelation of the denomination helped us a bit, as would knowing where (generally) this church is. But all that aside, the means and reasons for firing the OP, as he presented in the OP, were just wrong. NOW I've said enough.

 

[stringtapper]

I'm kinda glad to be out of the band cause the drummer quite honestly wasn't very good. Unfortunately the drummer is the BL's daughter and there ain't no interfering in a family band.

I feel for the next bass player who has to play along with her...

See how he doesn't respond directly to people saying that he's straight up BS-ing all of this stuff?

Normal people (who aren't goofing around) will address such a criticism directly and specifically, and say something like "no really, this did happen," while this guy just keeps throwing out more random "add-ons" to the story that have nothing to do with the nutty "devil serving" part that some of us keep asking about.

 

[Short-scale]

Thing is this guy tried to mess with my wife, when she didn't fall for it apparently pissed him off.
So he gets rid of me since he couldn't have her.

 

[two fingers]

Um...... I'm just gonna throw this out there. One thing about the OP's story really stands out to me.

He said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Whatever. At least this will free up some time for me to find a country band."

Many of you are really missing the point of a praise band. It is never about showing up on time. It is not about being the best musician. It isn't even about being a "true pro" (however that is defined in your world).

I will try to put this in a way that doesn't break any rules. If it does, let me know and I will take it down.

Being I'm a praise band is about where your heart is. Do you need to be able to play? Yep. Do you need reliable enough gear? Sure. Do you need to know your part? Well, if course. But none of them even remotely come close to the most important reason you are there.

And if the OP's heart is in such a place that, when "canned" he simply says "Oh well..... onto the next country project." ....Then let me at least float the idea by you all that perhaps a praise band wasn't his thing to begin with.

Full disclosure: I wasn't there. The praise leader could just be an egomaniac douche.

That changes zero about my point though. If you will toss your diety aside to go play honky tonks I don't want you in my praise band leading a congregation. I welcome you to find a seat in the aforementioned congregation and will love you just the same. I will feed you if you are hungry. I will clothe you if need be. I will show you love in every way that you need it.

But you need not be leading anyone in praise. And that's what praise bands do.

Best of luck either way.

 

[JollySpudd]

So it makes perfect sense to you that some Christians would tell a guy he was "serving the devil" because he didn't divorce his wife after she couldn't attend church because of an injury? And then the OP won't answer any further questions about it and just sort of goes along as if that's not an absolutely bizarre thing to happen and deserves a little more conversation?

Come on now.

Perhaps you're from a very traditional or conservative church, or maybe not one at all, but yeah, depending on specifics of the "divorce your wife" thing, there are church people who would say that.

I once did audio and recording of a weekend seminar on the subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage - put on by people that think anything outside of one unadulterated marriage - yes, you're in bed with the devil. I don't know the OP's marriage situation, and it's none of my business, even if it does figure into his canned-from-the-band experience. No disrespect.

As for answering, or not, questions put forth, obviously, this is a very long and heated thread - I confess to not catching or remembering everything I've read here, much less comprehending between the satire, the jokes, the facts and the misinformation that's resulted from it all - How could the OP catch and answer every comment to any poster's satisfaction either? And some of the questions, regarding his wife and circumstances with the BL friend, do get a little personal - I'd be hard pressed to just blurt anything out when he's still processing it all himself.

Not all christians, denominations, sects, and yes, christian cults! are created equal. And oh boy, could I tell you story, after story. Truth is stranger than fiction, and for some believers, their spirituality is hyper.

I always used to marvel back in my 20's when sharing a house with christian guys that a person could so clearly know that they heard the voice of God tell them something, yet they were habitually oblivious to the regular monthly pleas for "I need your cut to pay the gas bill" or "hey, do you mind washing your own dishes?". I've been guilty, too. Looking back it's kinda hard to believe - but - putting aside real spiritual experience - we can be pretty gullible because we went it so badly.

 

[GBassNorth]

I'm kinda glad to be out of the band cause the drummer quite honestly wasn't very good. Unfortunately the drummer is the BL's daughter and there ain't no interfering in a family band.

I feel for the next bass player who has to play along with her...

There's a joke in there somewhere but I've ribbed you enough. Glad to hear things are going in a direction you like, hope your wife makes a quick recovery and the two of you can get back to whatever religious and musical routines that best fit your needs.
Thread hijack - since you have two identical jags you ought to drop a set of Geezer Butler pickups in one of them. It'll give you a whole new sound.

 

[JollySpudd]

If you will toss your deity aside to go play honky tonks

I don't think any musician who believes just does that. It's not one way or the other, black and white; but that is how some church people see it. (I posted an obscenely long comment about this further up the thread, I think it was my first comment on this. Maybe give it a read, if you'd be so kind. No worries if not.)

Canned from the praise band | Page 6 | TalkBass.com

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I believe in the great Salvation for my redemption but stay out of church. Man ruins all concepts that start out pure.

To the OP, whatever caused you to post this I hope you find your comfort. We can't give it to you.

He above also has a sense of humor. Thus the cartoon.

 

[stringtapper]

Perhaps you're from a very traditional or conservative church, or maybe not one at all, but yeah, depending on specifics of the "divorce your wife" thing, there are church people who would say that.

Maybe you didn't get the specifics of what we're talking about (even though they were in my post that you quoted above!)?

The OP said they kicked him out because he was "serving the devil" because he wasn't divorcing his wife after she sustained an injury that made it (presumably temporarily?) impossible for her to attend church.

I find it hard to believe that any serious Christians would believe that's how things actually work. The Christians I know and work with would be bringing her meals and maybe recordings of the services while she mends.

 

[BASSKADET]

 

[CGremlin]

I often ask players to define in themselves what they are about: Are you into being a musician, or are you into being in ministry? Two TOTALLY different realms, careers and lifestyles. They shouldn't exclude one another, but in some church minds, they can't exist simultaneously - you have to choose. I don't agree.

Great post. I've noticed the forced dichotomy as well, and this is why I doubt I will ever play in a praise group. I've played quite a few functions for quite a few churches, and I generally have done it for free as a contribution to their church. Of course you can't say this about everyone, but almost without exception there's been some awkwardness when I've been asked to join the congregation or play with them on a regular basis, and have declined because I'm not the evangelical sort and because I know my own beliefs aren't going to mesh 100% with them. I know what my strengths are, and ministry isn't one of them. Acknowledging that and understanding that we all are given our own special gifts that don't necessarily apply to proselytizing seems to be something that a lot of folks refuse to accept.

 

[Short-scale]

There's a joke in there somewhere but I've ribbed you enough. Glad to hear things are going in a direction you like, hope your wife makes a quick recovery and the two of you can get back to whatever religious and musical routines that best fit your needs.
Thread hijack - since you have two identical jags you ought to drop a set of Geezer Butler pickups in one of them. It'll give you a whole new sound.

It's been an entertaining thread for sure.
Thanks for the tip about the pickups, I haven't gotten around to modding yet but will be soon hopefully.
At least with my 2 Jags I can mod one without worrying about not having another bass to play in the meantime.

 

[JollySpudd]

Maybe you didn't get the specifics of what we're talking about (even though they were in my post that you quoted above!)?

The OP said they kicked him out because he was "serving the devil" because he wasn't divorcing his wife after she sustained an injury that made it (presumably temporarily?) impossible for her to attend church.

I find it hard to believe that any serious Christians would believe that's how things actually work. The Christians I know and work with would be bringing her meals and maybe recordings of the services while she mends.

No, I got that, that's why I quoted you. Though my reply focused on your "Come on now" disbelief that this "serving the devil" thing could be real. That's why I mentioned about the seminar that I did audio for, to corroborate that some churches believe some marital situations are of the devil.

It's unclear that her injury was the reason that the BL thinks he should divorce her. That's just crazy. I didn't take those things as clearly connected - the injury and the divorce. The OP said her injury DIDN'T stop his level of involvement. So I saw nothing there to tie the two together. - The divorce thing seemed to come after the fact of the BL's first reasons for dismissal - It seemed that a 2nd convo between the OP and the BL took place, adding the divorce clause in as further explanation, not connected to the broken hip, and with that divorce thing, the idea of a flirtations indiscretion.

So... I presume that there's some other basis for the BL saying this, hence my biblical references about divorce.

There's a statement in the bible that Paul says that, except for adultery, there's no cause for divorce (although a believer can forgive and stay married). But Paul further says that if you get divorced, stay single, or be reconciled to your former spouse. Further, if you marry a divorced person, then you're guilty of adultery, hence the devil thing. --- That whole issue and it's biblical interpretations is pretty complex to me, and very controversial in the church in general. -- And I can't easily write someone off as demonic if they remarry. --- But that's the long answer to my point and your seeming disbelief that the OP's situation with the "serving the devil" accusation is seemingly hype. That's all.

The OP's comments further encompassed the idea that part of the wife=devil accusation had ties to his friend and worship band leader either hitting on his wife or vice versa. The part about her hip injury seems to be part of a smokescreen from the BL not being direct or honest about the reasons for canning the OP.
Not any of our places to speculate or go into the flirtatious advances.

So, Yes, I got the specifics. Gosh aren't this religious stuff tedious?

 

[Humbled]

...but almost without exception there's been some awkwardness when I've been asked to join the congregation or play with them on a regular basis, and have declined because I'm not the evangelical sort and because I know my own beliefs aren't going to mesh 100% with them. I know what my strengths are, and ministry isn't one of them. Acknowledging that and understanding that we all are given our own special gifts that don't necessarily apply to proselytizing seems to be something that a lot of folks refuse to accept.

Hmm... "everybody" at our church (where I personally went mainly for the benefit of our kids, I'm not a real "organized-religion" kind of guy, but I see it can be a great benefit for many), anyhoo, "everybody" knew I played, but I always said "no thank you" to recruitment efforts. However... When my son started playing in the praise band, it was easy enough to talk me into going into the rotation, although I never cared for Christian Contemporary, having much more of a Doyle Lawson-plays-Cokesbury personal taste, for religious music anyway.

I actually grew to like it, especially because some of the players were really good, they were really tickled to have a bassist that actually put movement and timing into the lines (folks really dug it, if I do say so myself, I've been playing music for well over forty years, and while not a show-off, I can put the movin' in the groovin'), and hey, what dad doesn't get a thrill when sharing a stage with his 15 year old?

So I guess I'm saying my motivations were completely selfish, but I feel like I was ably supporting those who's heart was really into ministry by doing my part to make the music more inspiring than they were used to.

So by some of the logic presented in this thread, are you are saying I did a disservice to the Lord by participating?