Gaga, The Illuminati and The Catholic Church : How Far Is Too Far?

For as long as there has been art and religion, there has been controversy about how art portrays the sacred and the divine. From Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper” to Madonna’s song “Like A Prayer”, there has been continued debate about hidden messages in art and allegations of witchcraft and wizardry against the artistes; whether they be sculptors, painters or musicians.

The latest addition to this list of controversial figures is the infamous and much celebrated Lady Gaga. Often eccentric, Gaga has been the subject of much discussion; from her choice of clothes to her lyrics. Her latest single titled “Judas“, released in the holiest period in Christendom, celebrates the figure who is largely held to be the reason why The Christ was crucified. The song flies in the face of all that christians hold to be holy and sacred. Listening to the song, one gets the impression that Gaga is making a mockery of the betrayal, denial and crucifixion of Christ. This of course raises the very important question, does she have a right to do this? This blog says yes, she does.

The Catholic Church has denounced Gaga’s lyrics and her plan to appear as Mary Magdalene in the upcoming video. However, this Roman Catholic is cautious about condemning her. She certainly has a right to sing what she chooses and I’m afraid the fact that it offends our consciences is not sufficient reason to censor or even condemn her. Her music does not prevent us from practising our religion, so why should we be allowed to silence her? That’s fundamentally wrong. If we are allowed to silence everyone who offends us, where do we draw the line? Still, there is the question of making a mockery of what people hold sacred. What is the reasoning behind Gaga’s mockery of the sacred and holy? The staunch christians will say “she’s demonic.” and of course “she’s illuminati.” Is that a credible answer?

That brings me to the issue of The Illuminati. There seems to be a school of thought that says any artiste who has unprecedented success MUST have committed his/her soul to the devil and must be a part of the ancient, and largely misunderstood, society of The Illuminati. Theses artistes include, but are not limited to Beyonce, Jay Z, Rihanna, Eminem, and young Willow Smith. Let me state categorically that I am no historian, nor am I an authority on secret societies. What I do have however, is a brain. And what I can do is read. And so I did read. The official account is that the Illuminati is a group of enlightened individuals dedicated to the spread of knowledge and light to combat the darkness of ignorance. If this is a secret society, how is the membership known to the public? If these individuals are dedicated to knowledge and enlightenment, how are individuals such as Usain Bolt rumoured to be among them? He isn’t exactly Einstein. Seriously.

The truth is that we humans fear what we don’t understand and far too many of us are content to accept someone else’s word without verifying things for ourselves. The moment we see a symbol that we are unfamiliar with, we attribute it to demons and the devil. I cannot accept this. If we just stopped for a second to question some of the things we are told, we’d realize how completely ludicrous some of these allegations are. Am I saying these allegations are untrue? No. Is it highly likely that most of them are made up? Yes. I repeat, how is the membership of an ancient secret society so public? And if the rumours are true, wouldn’t the persons who betray the membership be killed? Please think on these things. But I digress.

While Gaga is known for advocating for gay rights and interests, which is admirable; it is troubling that she chooses to make a mockery of someone else religious beliefs. Could it be that the controversy sells? People like the blasphemous lyrics and provocative music videos? Or is it that she lacks the requisite talent to produce music that is devoid of controversy and that would do well? Does her music survive because of controversy? The more attention the church gives to her music, the more it will be demanded by her fans. The church should simply allow her to be. I don’t think she’s that talented any ways. Her career will die a natural death. Art is art and I repeat, we cannot want to silence and censor anyone who offends our conscience, that’s just not the world we live in anymore. If this was the Middle Ages, we could burn her at the stake, but alas it isn’t.

Has Gaga gone too far? And how far is too far?