Beautiful music
This has nothing to do with our topic, unless some creative person can find a link, but it’s so beautiful.
Tonight on Britain’s Got Talent, the counterpart to American Idol, contestant Paul Potts won. Simon Cowell is incidentally a judge on this show, too.
Below is a video of Potts’ inspiring first audition. Paul is a 36-year-old cell phone salesman with huge debts, until tonight anyway.
Tonight’s other finalist, 6-year-old Connie Talbot, also offered a mesmorizing first audition.
I’d say the UK is more musically cultured than the US, if these shows offer a comparison in tastes. I also like Simon’s fellow British judges better than his American counterparts.



I think the kind of music on American Idol is pretty much NOT what most Aericans consider great music. It’s more of a personality contest, which has the net result of making legitimate musical artists, and music fans, pull their hair out.
Ugh, I can’t stand American Idol, the singers on there all sound exactly the same. All the girls try to belt it like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston and all the guys try to be Brian McKnight or Justin Timberlake. It’s really depressing to watch.
Now I must say, I’m not a fan of opera, but pardon my french…DAMN was that guy an amazing singer! Holy fritz! He reminds me of one of the Irish Tenors! Who would have thought that that voice could come out of that man! I was completely blown away. I say bravo to him. :D
The link here is easy Jill.
You never know who God would use or how God will choose to bless the world.
That’s why abortion is so, so wrong.
Sheez HisMan… does god take credit for Gansta Rap too. Personally, I give Satan credit for everything that is good, and god credit for everything that is bad. If it were all up to touchy feely goodness of jesus juice, we’d be complacent lil’ zombies like something the morlocks harvest at regular intervals.
It’s so great to see the judges hear “opera” and go “oh, brother”. Then he sings and “WOW!”.
I don’t think anyone was expecting his voice.
Also, Cameron you obviously don’t have any idea what it means to follow Christ. Think back to a few weeks ago when I lost my baby. Do you think I was feeling the “touchy feely freaking goodness of “jesus juice””? Through Christ I am strenghthened and I have hope, but faith certainly doesn’t turn me into a happy complacent zobbie.
Just realize that your “jokes” can actually be offensive and don’t just make Hisman blow a fuse (which I assume is what you were going for).
Ahhh…I can’t get the video to play…..
I think it boils down to on American Idol-“cool” appearance and playing “popular” music. But this was music that was popular 10 years ago (nsync, backstreet boys, britney spears, et al). People who are amazing singers can’t win American Idol unless they resort to this kind of music. The kind of music that makes 9 year old girls want to run up huge charges on their parents’ phone bill to call and vote. Look at Jennifer Hudson. She is amazing and she ended up winning an Oscar, but was not a finalist when she was on Idol. What has Taylor Hicks or Katherine McPhee done?
I hear that Taylor has turned into a demanding arrogant diva boy!
And he wasn’t already?
I have a feeling he dyed his hair gray just so there would be something about him that stood out to people.
JK-LOL!
I like Jennifer Hudson, Kelly, and Fantasia. Fantasia did a movie for Lifetime. She was an excellent actress. She should just go into acting.
What an amazing talent! It brings tears to my eyes watching that. He is so humble too.
I was hoping Sanjaya would win last time….to prove what a croc American Idol really is.
Fantasia hasn’t had too much success, aside from her movie, but I like her voice. And I’ve come to like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood of the winners. And Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry of the non winners.
I think the joke is that you can get a better record deal if you don’t win!
Cameron,
By your words you will be justified by your words you will be condemned….you said:
“I give Satan credit for everything that is good, and god credit for everything that is bad.”
That’s blasphemy….’nuf said.
Will Jill, or someone else please deal with the fact that Planned Parenthood recorded a record number of abortions last year? The 30 year strategy of the pro-life movement is obviously not working.
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200706/CUL20070615a.html
Jill failed to mention this in her “Planned Parenthood’s 2005-06 report out” thread.
Nice try at a hijack, Will. Hope nobody rises to the bait and it doesn’t work.
I think Paul was amazing. I’m waiting for the CD.
Bleagh, I’ll never have a good opinion of Fantasia. I heard to many horror stories from Diana about living with her in the Idol mansion. She was really nasty to Diana.
“Think back to a few weeks ago when I lost my baby. Do you think I was feeling the “touchy feely freaking goodness of “jesus juice””?”
I don’t know what you were feeling, nor could I ever know. However, an omnipotent supreme being shouldn’t go without blame for it.
Erin, do tell. Which Diana? The one on this blog?
I didn’t ask you to know, I asked you to *think*. Logically, based on my reaction, would you *think* i was feeling the “touchy feely goodness of “jesus juice”?
I gave praise to God and his wisdom, but it hurt like Hell. I praise God for allowing my even a short time with my child, and for using him or her in such amazing ways. I mourn that we live in a fallen world and that death exists, but praise God for salvation.
My point was that living in Christ isn’t all butterflies and rainbows, but that we do all things in Christ who strengthens us.
My point was that we are not God-o-zombies who do not feel pain or go through trials.
My point… since you seemed to have missed it… is that I find it ammusing that all which is good is attributed to god… but nothing of bad. take off the blinders.
My point… since you seemed to have missed it… is that I find it ammusing that all which is good is attributed to god… but nothing of bad. take off the blinders.
Hello Cam!!
I must day I missed you dearly this weekend!!
*blows kiss*
My point was that I’m ammused by you all so quickly and readily attributing all that is good to God… but when it comes down to it, he can’t even save a baby in one of his righteous followers. I think it’s time you try something different… draw a pentagram and light some candles sugar. The goddess can actually help you.
Hi Midnite!
*Catches kisses… blows a few back… stagering.
Missed you too.
What the F is up with this posting? Maybe time for new server here.
Diana DeGarmo- came in second to Fantasia, good friend of mine, we take from the same voice teacher, Heather. But Fantasia is apparently very full-of-herself and had some not so nice things to call Diana without provocation- especially certain terms having to do with female dogs.
I dont know. I personally like American Idol probably b/c two Alabamians won and I am related to one of them. Oh well. Not to mention, I love Kelly Clarkson.
Maybe she couldnt think of anything else to write about??
Carrie Underwood is amazingly talented (even though I’m not a fan of country). She’s from Oklahoma, too, so that was a nice touch.
Both of the finalists for the British show blew me away. I wish the US would encourage this kind of talent.
They’ve had opera singers try out before on Idol. They turn them away because they don’t think they are marketable.
Well, technically they’re not marketable in the US.
Cameron said:”I give Satan credit for everything that is good, and god credit for everything that is bad.”
HisMan said: “That’s blasphemy….’nuf said.”
Not if you’re a gnostic. What if he’s a gnostic, and he believes that the god of the bible is actually a buffoon and the snake in the garden, who persuaded Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was actually a higher god, the true god that is worthy of worship? (He’s not, but what if he were?) Cuz then what he would really be doing is crediting his god with all that is good in the world. Gnostics aren’t satan worshipers, they just interpret the Bible differently.
Oh Erin, I didn’t know she was like THAT! That’s a shame. She always acts so polite in her interviews.
I know! That’s Hollywood for you though. No matter how much hype someone gets, no one actually ‘knows’ the stars.
Well, this is sort of a low blow, but she sure needs a 911 stylist! In her last guest star Idol appearance, it looked like she was wearing a negligee that was 3 sizes too small. SLAM!
This is fairly good. Not my particular brand of vodka, but the talent in that video is STIFLING!
By the way, would anyone here happen to be a fan of Tim Armstrong? I just found out that he’s going to start touring to promote his newly released solo album with the Aggrolites and he’s making a stop in good ol’ Chi-Town!
Cameron,
You’ve just got no idea has to how arrogant it is to attribute any bad or evil thing to God Almighty. It’s dangerous waters you are treading in and it’s stupid not courageous.
First of all, you place yourself in the judgement seat of having all required knowledge and thus being capable of atttributing evil to God.
Secondly, you assume your own goodness when none exists. You and I are fallen creatures. We have sinned against the Creator and are either His enemy or reconciled to Him by Christ’s shed blood. There’s no middle ground.
Thirdly, the evil that happens in the world is due to sin not God. In His integrity He allows the consequences of sin to play out because, guess what, He told Eve that if she ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil she would surely die. Guess what happened Cam?
What’s really amazing is that He just didn’t blow us off and say to hell with all of us. Once Eve sinned, satan acquired the legal right to mankind because He argued the case to Eve and persuaded Eve to sin. She bought his lies hook, line and sinker and therby created a liabilty to satan. When we sin, we buy into the same deal.
The miracle is, and could only come from an amazingly infinitely loving God, that He sent His only Son to die for us when He didn’t have to thereby cancelling satan’s claim against us if we so choose. How long will a smart person like yourself refuse to see the truth? Well. I’m in it for the long haul man because I don’t think you’re beyond His reach.
Diana,
How can such an educated person like yourself be serious about asking such a question, implying that sin is rlative? It’s not worth entertaining, however, I will give you some salck. Yes, yes, and yes if you’re a gnostic, atheist, pantheist, Hare Krishna, Christain, jew, Noslem, doesn’t matter. If God says it’s a sin, it’s a sin apart from our opinion.
Is murder wrong based on someone’s opinion that it is wrong or did God say it was wrong?
Had the Law not been given we would have no idea as to what sin was except for the moral law written in our heart. The Law was given so that a rightoue and Holy God can make a legal claim that we are guilty before Him and need to be ransomed.
It just so happens that one of the Ten Commandment is “Thou shalt not have any God’s before me”.
I conclude by referring you to my earlier comments to Cameron in this post.
Gotta go guys, taking my son to an NFL football camp.
How’s this for truth HisMan… Jesus’ death was largely regarded by early christians not as a paternistic exhaltation, but as the begining of the end. They thought it was the freaken apocalypes for a few hundred years after that. Jesus, to the early christians, represented the first man of all men who they believed would not have to languish in a grave waiting for the end of the world to move on to… well it varied from sect to sect. Some thought everyone was going to come back to life with bodies and endulge in a paradise, while others thought their souls would no longer have to sit round on earth enduring the worm feast they’d become.
Nobody thought Jesus was lord back then. That came hundreds of years later… sort of adapting the story to accomadate the novel existential reality that it represented in the absence of the un realized lie about an apocalypse. Sort of like a three’s company episode, where one lil’ lie snowballs out of control up to some sort of sexaull loaded catharsis.
Check it out. Really! Make yourself familiar with your biblical times and stop being such simpleton poser. You could try answering a question on occasion yet too.
I think there’s a commandment about worshiping graven images too, but I’ll bet you HisMan kneels before a bloody diarama of the crucifixion whenever he gets a chance. Tha’t why the Eastern Orthodox think HisMan is not really a true Christian, but one who’s become a pawn of satan.
Cameron, what part of “God’s will” do you not freaking understand?
I believe that God was truthful when He said that he both gives and takes away life.
I choose to be amazed that he would bless me at all instead of question the length of time appointed for my child’s life.
It is not a matter of God not being able to save a life, it is a matter of him choosing not to do so. This is an increadibly hard thing to accept, but it does not detract from the glory of God.
My child’s life had a purpose that was fulfilled by God in his infinite wisdom in only 8 weeks of life. How great that purpose must be! I do not understand why your wish is that we forsake our faith? What do you gain from me abandoning my savior?
What alturistic ideals do you believe will come to be should I cast God aside and face the world without faith?
Perhaps it is easier for you to live in a world without hope, but why would you wish it on another?
Um cameron, I believe Hisman is Assembly of God which is a Pentecostal faith. No graven images. Sorry to disappoint. I’m sure all the Catholics here will be better able to explain their faith.
HisMan,
“How can such an educated person like yourself be serious about asking such a question, implying that sin is rlative? It’s not worth entertaining, however, I will give you some salck.”
Oh no! That wasn’t what I was claiming. I should have made it clearer. I do not in any way believe that morality is relative. What I was pointing out is that different people have different views on things, and I want to know why you believe that, say, your interpretation of the word of god is the correct one, rather than the gnostic ones, or that your beliefs about moral theory are the right ones, rather than, say, those of Kant or Aristotle or Hume or Rawls, or…. I wasn’t trying to make a metaphysical point, I was trying to make an epistemological one.
“Is murder wrong based on someone’s opinion that it is wrong or did God say it was wrong?”
Neither, in my opinion. Murder is wrong because, as an infrigement on the rights of another, it is not a virtuous act, that is, the sort of act that leads to human flourishing. (There are a lot more details underlying the whole theory of right and wrong, which is basically Aristotelian ethics with a just a touch of Contractarianism)
Basing your morality on divine command theory (it’s wrong because god said so) is pretty sticky business. None of the christian philosophers I know are divine command theorists. (And I know quite a few. I’m at a Jesuit university) Why? (1) This takes all the sheen out of god’s omnibenevolence, since it ends up boiling down to consistency. What is good is what he says is, so as long as he practices what he preaches, he’s good.
(2) Euthyphro’s dilemma – is it good because god says so, or does god say so because it’s good? If it’s good because god says so, then morality is the result of god’s arbitrary choices. He could have made torturing innocent three year olds good. He could have made abortion a moral obligation. After all, what’s good is only good because he says so, not for any other reason.
Now, if you’re inclined to say that god could have never made it the case that torturing innocent three year olds was good or that abortion was a moral requirement since morality isn’t arbitrary and those things are bad, then you’re impaled on the other horn of the dilemma – if god wouldn’t have said those were good because they aren’t good, then there is something else about them that makes them wrong besides god’s say so. If that’s the case, then THAT is what makes this acts wrong, not god’s command.
“It just so happens that one of the Ten Commandment is “Thou shalt not have any God’s before me”.”
And it just so happens that one of His Noodly Goodness’s I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts is “I’d really rather you didn’t act like a sanctimonious holier-than-thou a** when describing my noodly goodness. If some people don’t believe in me, that’s okay. Really, I’m not that vain. Besides, this isn’t about them so don’t change the subject.” The question is, who’s commandments are you going to buy into and why? You can’t just appeal to your interpretation of the bible and leave it at that. You have to justify.
“Thirdly, the evil that happens in the world is due to sin not God.”
Hmm.. and Jasper was just talking about the problem of evil. Isn’t God indirectly responsible? I mean, he made the sinners, right? Couldn’t he have made better free willed creatures such that they chose good more often than they do now? He’s omnipotent, right? It seems like he could have generated a few really good people who almost always freely choose good, rather than all the bad people we have around today. Why not? And what about natural evil? Tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes and volcanos kill thousands of innocent people. Why do we have those? What sin caused that? I didn’t know that sin was the cause of magma being forced out from the earth’s mantle, or for weather patterns.
Cameron, do you believe in Hell?
“Isn’t God indirectly responsible? ”
No no no no Diana…
We’re only suppose to give god credit for the good stuff.