I was initially taken aback by the movie.  Last Friday was the first time I had seen the classic film, “The Blues Brothers”.  It reminded me of popular discussions regarding the appropriation of black culture.  I wasn’t offended when I watched  the movie.  Many parts of the movie reflected my own culture and it’s history but in a comical way.  I even felt as if some parts were funny but for some reason I was still uncomfortable.

There was a hyperbolic scene imitating a black baptist, pentecostal, or AME church’s worship on any given Sunday morning.  There were deacons flipping like acrobats led by the very secular singer who I had recognized to be James Brown.  Were non POC Rose Scholars laughing because they knew it was all an over exaggeration or is this how they will go on imaging black christian culture?  Will they ever develop a serious appreciation for the history of blues and the credit due black people or will it always be a joke?

This comedic church scene frightened me because it had no context.  I grew up a deaconess and minister’s daughter in a black baptist church in northwest D.C..  The gospel music moved me and still moves me today.  No, clouds don’t part and sun beams don’t shine through the stain glass windows of the church when someone is introduced to my faith but I’ve seen the power of the music in more subtle ways.  I want people who don’t understand to see the power of the music.  I want them to understand before they laugh.

There are lots of other concerns I have that I won’t give the attention they deserve.  I’m worried that the worship of my culture is unfairly compared to historically white anglo saxon worship.  I went to a PWI boarding school for girls in high school.  My first 2 years there, on Sundays, they only took us to all white (except for me) episcopal and catholic churches.  The worship was quiet.  Very quiet.  I know some people like this better and connect better with God this way but it shouldn’t be viewed as the proper way to worship.  I’m scared this Blues Brother’s scene and others like it will lead people to subconsciously view traditional black gospel worship as exotic, unproductive, and maybe even improper.

P.S.

I sorta like James Brown.  We shouldn’t tell my parents because they made me skip his songs on old soul Christmas C.D.s.  They don’t like how James Brown’s Christmas songs distract from the true meaning of Christmas.  I wonder how they’d feel about him being depicted as a pastor.