Little Children Come  
2003 11 25  

Eat Your Greens  
2003 10 20  

Van Diemen's Land  
2003 09 01  

Bring Me To Life  
2003 08 26  

According to her website Frankee first began singing in church aged six. How sweet?!

She's now sitting at the top of the charts having deposed supposed former beau Eamon, each singing different lyrics to the same tune.

The content of both songs is explicit, profane, arrogant and bitter. Each blames the other for the acrimonious break-up of a relationship (the same one?) and wreaks revenge in song, attacking the other over their fidelity or sexual prowess. Each absolves themselves of any fault and focuses purely on the other's misdeeds.

The songs reflect the values and norms of our contemporary culture. *My* feelings are paramount, *I* come first, don't you dare criticise *me*. Even when you've done wrong (like Frankee's two-timing Eamon with his best friend) that's someone else's fault and completely defensible. What's perhaps worse than the self obsession is the playground nastiness, trading snide insults and calling each other names. F It and F U right back!

Our *right* to treat people badly for our own amusement and gratification has also been ably displayed in the pictures seen recently taken in Iraq of victorious soldiers humiliating defeated prisoners. '*We're* in charge now!'

In this case our governments have responded quickly by denouncing and disowning the behaviour of these 'few bad apples' and they've been made an example of in the hope of deterring others.

This is classic 'rule of law', surely what our society in the West is founded on. This process, it is proclaimed, will demonstrate our superiority to the Iraqis, even though we've behaved just like the old regime did in the same prison. So even in admitting our collective guilt we're self-centred and proud.

What a shame that in each of these instances the best we have to offer is:

• tit-for-tat trading of degrading insults to get your own back when you've been hurt
• deny any culture of degrading others we care less about than ourselves and limit individual behaviour by the use of legal sanctions

If ever there was a dark landscape in which to shine the light of the Gospel this is it. If ever there was a time for proclaiming the truths of Christ's teaching, the world needs to hear now.

The Bible teaches us that at the root of evil is pride and selfishness (Eze 28:17). Jesus' greatest commandment was to put others ahead of ourselves (Mt 12:31). Paul says clearly (Col 2:23) that prohibiting things doesn't stop us from doing them. The solution is a verse or two later on that we are transformed by setting our hearts and minds on God above; like putting God first so we will be able to put others ahead of ourselves. The 'law' wasn't able to change hearts. Knowing good from evil just destroyed Eden, it didn't help us be better.

There is none righteous (Ro 3:10), we all have fallen short (Ro3:23) and missed the mark. Any of us is capable of terrible things, our hearts deceitful (Jer 17:9) and their imagination evil (Ge 8:21). Covering this over with courts martial and prohibitions does nothing to address the true horror of our deep need.

Would that those soldiers had the life of Christ and hearts set on high to protect them from the temptations of ancient spirits and their weak flesh.

Rather than gloating, denying and belittling, if only Frankee remembered her early days in church and learned to forgive.

BURB - Bless You Right Back?