Jim Morrison, New Mexico, The Beautiful Gallows, and the Gothic Connection

Jim Morrison, New Mexico, The Beautiful Gallows, and the Gothic Connection

By Brian Nixon
Special to ASSIST News Service

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS) -- When one thinks of Gothic music-that odd mixture of atmosphere and rebellion, the mind may wander to Goth music architects, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, or the Cure-during the post punk days in England.

Jim Morrison

Or maybe later incantations such as Cocteau Twins-in Scotland-and 45 Grave in the United States. Or you may think of the recent industrial Gothic sounds of Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson. If you were to go back even further in music history, you'd wind up with two groups-The Velvet Underground and The Doors.

But rarely does one think of New Mexico when thinking of Gothic music.

Yet, the southwestern state has a definite place in Goth music history, a geographical point of influence for the music and lyrics of the Godfather of Goth, Jim Morrison.

It was in New Mexico that Jim Morrison-of the rock group, The Doors-lived twice: during his early and late childhood years, before moving to California then back to Florida, and finally to California (Morrison's father was in the military), where he formed The Doors.

Jim Morrison lying on stage during one of his dramatic performances

What is clearly known is that Morrison was influenced by the culture of New Mexico, a state steeped in mystery and beauty; even Morrison's personal look-concha belts, western-inspired shirts, and Frye cowboy boots- draw from the region. And his moniker, "The Lizard King," conjures up the desert southwest.

Music journalist, Jim Reynalds, believes that Gothic music had its origins in Morrison's deep voice and dark sensibilities. Writer, Chris Ott, in this book, "Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures," conveys that Joy Division's singer, Ian Curtis, was fan of Morrison, following his lead in vocal style and demeanor.

In the book, "No One Gets Out Alive," writer, Jerry Hopkins, alludes that Jim Morrison received much of his visual and lyrical content from New Mexico: be it an automobile accident that Jim saw as a boy living in Albuquerque, or from a sledding accident his sister had in the Sandia Mountains (east of Albuquerque) where Jim experienced the pain and misfortune in others.

Concerning the automobile accident Morrison saw in New Mexico, writer, Stephen Davis, states, "Fascinated by the bloody spectacle, Jimmy tried to get out of the car to follow his father, but his mother held him back.Jimmy shuddered and strained to get a last look at the carnage.[Jim] never forgot the dying Indians. 'It was the first time I discovered death,' he recounted many years later."

What is it about New Mexico that influenced the opaque and atmospheric sounds that helped shape the music and lyrics of Morrison, and through his influence, Goth music? Or, for that matter, what in New Mexico elicits melancholy feelings and otherworld attitudes that formed Morrison's childhood memories?

For one, New Mexico is a confluence of ancient cultures, a hybrid of myth and history: Native American, Hispano, and Anglo. And this convergence brings with it a basket of religious thought, philosophical musing and beliefs, some otherworldly and enigmatic.

Penitentes in New Mexico

Take for example the various Pueblo Indian religious rites, or the Matachines ceremonies of the Hispano culture, both celebrating the union of earth and spirit, the physical and metaphysical. Or maybe the Catholic Penitente traditions that meld suffering with religious epiphany, piety and sin.

In a way, mood, setting, faith, melancholy, myth and ambiance are woven into the fabric of New Mexico-elements Jim Morrison-and Goth music-represent; a type of poetry of culture that melds into expressions of creativity.

Second, the New Mexico landscape evokes an exchange of shadow and light (many artist consider New Mexico's light unlike any in the world), illuminating ancient ruins and modern cities, mountains, rock formations, valleys and plains; atmosphere in its deepest form.

Dancers at Zuni Pueblo

And all this landscape becomes etched in the mind, helping shape and craft contrasts in thought and imagery, a characteristic of Morrison's-and Goth-music.

As an example, think of the ethereal and beautiful atmosphere found in Gothic music intermixed with a dirge or driving beat: beauty meets the beast; sublimity meets the repulsive; the heavens greet the earth; the saint meets the sinner.

New Mexico breeds these temperaments, a land ripe for inventiveness, inspiration, thought, and expression.

So it's no wonder that a new Christian band, The Beautiful Gallows, has emerged from the state. Debuting the song, "To The End," the gothic connection continues in the Land of Enchantment (the motto of New Mexico).

The words of "To The End," mostly taken directly from Scripture, allude to life and death, common themes in Gothic music:

"Now
The hour had come
For Him to depart
Having loved His own

This
The Holy Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin
And grants eternal peace

Hallowed be Thy name
Hallowed by Thy name
Chorus: You have loved me to the end (3x)
Now
May Your kingdom come
May Your will be done
On earth as in heaven
This
The Righteous Prince of Peace
Is to us the end and a
New beginning

Hallowed be Thy name
Hallowed be Thy name"

Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico at Studio 150-I talked with The Beautiful Gallows members. I ask, guitarist, Spec, where the stimulus for the song came from. He said, "The inspiration of the song-first and foremost-came from Scripture. But beyond that, the song called for a combination of angst and ambiance. I wanted to communicate Christ's looming death with power and fear."

Author, Cormac McCarthy

Continuing, Spec said, "The influence for the words were the Biblical text themselves, but also the mood of the New Mexican culture: the Southwestern gothic novels of New Mexico resident, Cormac McCarthy, particularly 'The Crossing' and 'The Road.' McCarthy is able to infuse biblical motifs with philosophical and theological slants. Another influence would be the imagery of Georgia O'Keeffe's New Mexico paintings: barren landscape, desert plateaus, skulls and sky." Drummer, Tobias, used a combination of early 70's rock and post-punk dirge-like drumming for his tracks, stating, "I wanted to communicate darkness and authority, a combination of tom-tom drum work with an in-your-face rock chorus riff. The song is deep, especially the spiritual message, so I wanted the drums to reflect that."
Bassist, Loyal, who wrote the pre-chorus riff, stated that the song reminded him of the text in Song of Solomon, "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death."

"Think of that," he continued. "Love and death go together. It was through Christ's death that love had its greatest influence."

An interesting side note of The Beautiful Gallows is that each member had tenures with other Christian bands prior to forming The Beautiful Gallows, and has since assumed stage names. So a purposeful anonymity surrounds the band.
When asked about this, Spec stated, "We want the music to speak for itself, not the bands we were in the past, but the creative future. And on another note, we don't want the band to be about us, but about the God that inspires us."

I asked them where the name, The Beautiful Gallows, came from and keyboardist, Bell, explained, "I came up with it. It is quite fitting, really. When one thinks of the gallows, the mind wanders to the southwestern part of the United States: Tombstone, AZ and the like-a place where criminals found their end.

"But for us, the name has deeper meaning. Gallows came to prominence after the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, abolished the crucifixion-in memory of Christ. So to a certain extent, the gallows are a reminder that the ultimate death-Christ on the cross-was marked and came to an end. Christ paid for it all."
I asked if the band would ever tour and Spec stated fairly directly, "Most likely you'll never see a Beautiful Gallows tour. You'll need to catch the music on-line."
Loyal-who has an art degree-states, "Our artistic pursuits are important to the band, so you'll usually find the music associated with aural imagery. This may never translate to a live tour."
I asked if Goth was a good description of the music of The Beautiful Gallows.

Bell said, "In a way, no; but on the other hand, yes. 'No' in the sense that we don't prescribe to the whole Goth lifestyle mindset, focusing in on darkness, death, and the like. We prefer life. But, 'yes,' in that-as Christians-we understand that death and life go hand in hand: Christ died so we might live; Christians die to self to live for Christ; and ultimately, we die to eternal glory. And 'To The End' does have a very heavy, melancholy sound, that's for sure."

Loyal then jumps in: "I think the Goth comparison is more in the mood of the songs-not the status of our worldview, the dark tranquility of the songs are coming to terms with sorrow, pain, and the anticipation for joy."

Spec states, "Traditional Goth music was rebellion for rebellion's sake; rebellion without a cause, if you will. The Beautiful Gallows have a cause to our rebellion: Christ. We are rebels with a cause."

According to one popular definition of Goth rock, the music "typically deals with dark themes addressed through lyrics and the music's atmosphere. exhibit[ing] romanticism, morbidity, religious symbolism and supernatural mysticism."
When one listen's to The Beautiful Gallows song, "To The End," many of these qualities are manifest. However, after speaking to members of the band, it's clear that "Goth" isn't the best description for the music; maybe "Cathedral Rock," where an infusion of light and hope penetrates the darkness and transport the listener towards the heavens?

Artist, Georgia O'Keeffe with one of her paintings at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

But what is clear is that The Beautiful Gallows stand firmly in the New Mexico region's culture-be it the history of Jim Morrison's musical (not lifestyle) influence, the novels of Cormac McCarthy, the art of Georgia O'Keeffe, or the light and shadow dichotomy of a region steeped in the ancient ways of antiquity, tradition, geography, art, and lore-the fact is that New Mexico helps breeds the art.

And most importantly The Beautiful Gallows members are God-fearing men, wanting less to reflect death, but more about pointing people to life. They do this through soundscapes made to reflect an authentic Christian worldview, one full of creativity and hope; one full of Christ, which includes His death and resurrection.

To listen to The Beautiful Gallows first release, "To The End," click here: https://soundcloud.com/im-an-idiot

* For journalistic transparency, it must be noted that I had a small hand in helping the song along, doing some vocal work.

    

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She Just Wanted to Be Like Other Children

She Just Wanted to Be Like Other Children

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

CARROLLTON, TX (ANS) -- For the last three years, 11-year-old Kalavati had worked alongside her mother, Bhama, trying to provide for their nearly destitute family. Other children played without many responsibilities, but Kalavati did not have that option.





Without a home or job, Kalavati and her mother had to beg in order to survive
When Kalavati was 8 years old, things took a turn for the worse when her father, Deval, lost the job that kept the family afloat. He did not, however, lose his job for any ordinary reason. One day someone performed witchcraft on him, causing him to become mentally disturbed. He not only stopped showing up for work, he disappeared altogether. His family did not hear from him, and nobody knew where he had gone.

Kalavati's family became increasingly worried as time went on. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and the months dragged on. A year went by, and the family had lost all hope of ever seeing him again.

Crazy Man Turns Out to be Father





Kalavati's father was not the same after someone performed a curse on him. He became violent and his behavior became out of control
During a walk through their village, Deval's mother stumbled upon a jarring scene: a crazed looking man, naked and alone, sitting under a tree. At first, she did not recognize the man with the long beard, but she soon realized it was Deval. She immediately took her husband back to his home, where he was greeted by a relieved and overjoyed family.

The relief and joy did not last long though, as the family realized Deval was still not in his right mind. They took him to the hospital for treatments but nothing helped. He was violent and no one could control him. He even began throwing stones at other villagers.

Hopeless Mother Turns to Suicide

Fed up, the people in the village forced the entire family to leave. Without a home or the support of neighbors, Kalavati's life grew more difficult. Her family set out for the big city, where Bhama hoped to find work.

For days, they lived and begged on the streets until Bhama found work as a maid at a farmhouse. The job did not, however, provide the relief the family desperately needed. Kalavati's mother worked day and night and still could not provide even two meals a day for the family. Kalavati helped her mother with laundry and cleaning utensils in the house, all the while seeing the home owner's children studying, and wishing she could do the same.

Bhama borrowed money from her employer to pay for Deval's continued treatment, but it offered no results.

Completely discouraged, she decided there was only one thing she could provide for her family: death. She would poison herself and the family so they would no longer have to face their ever-growing burdens.

Visitors Offer Prayer and Hope





Bhama worked hard to provide for her family, but sometimes they still did not have enough to eat
Around this time, Bridge of Hope staff members visited the family. The whole family looked worn down, and Kalavati looked much older than her actual age because of the harsh conditions the family was living in. The staff members listened as Bhama shared with them that she did not believe there was a God, as well as her plans to end her life. They answered by telling her of Jesus and praying with the family.

Bhama began to rethink her belief that there was no God after her encounter with the believers. Deval began improving a little, and the only explanation Bhama could find was the believers' prayers. She went to the Bridge of Hope center the following day to talk more with them and ask if they would enroll Kalavati.

Different from the Inside Out

The staff members admitted Kalavati, and she started attending the center the very next week. Meanwhile, the staff members continued to ask God for Deval's healing and for Bhama to find stable work that would provide for her family's needs.

Gradually, the family was transformed by the love of Christ they were shown through the Gospel for Asia workers.





Kalavati is flourishing at Bridge of Hope. The love of Jesus has given her a reason to dance and play with her classmates
Kalavati now has ample opportunities to play and be free of heavy burdens. It is not uncommon to find her dancing with the other children or drawing pictures.

With the Bridge of Hope staff's help, Bhama found a stable gardening job at the local hospital, where Kalavati sometimes goes to help her-not because she has to anymore, but because she wants to.

Deval is improving little by little, too, and he is no longer aggressive or violent toward others. He eats meals with his wife and daughter and even attends church with the family, where they worship Jesus-the One who has saved them in every way.

Because of sponsors like you, Gospel for Asia's Bridge of Hope ministry is able to reach out to families like Kalavati's and share with them the hope found in Jesus Christ. To sponsor a child like Kalavati and change a family from the inside out, please go to: http://www.gfa.org/sponsorachild/

Note: 100% of what you give for sponsorship goes to the field.

Gospel for Asia (GFA), a Christian mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, has brought the Good News of Christ to millions in South Asia since its founding in 1978. GFA provides education, meals and healthcare to tens of thousands of South Asia's impoverished children through its Bridge of Hope program. For more information, visit www.gfa.org or on Facebook.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.


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YOU ARE NO LONGER OUTCASTS

You are No Longer Outcasts by Billy Graham

Someone once described a church as a group of porcupines in a snowstorm: we need each other to keep warm, but the closer we get, the more we poke each other — and the more uncomfortable we become.

But of course, it shouldn’t be that way. A church should be a place of warmth and fellowship, a place where even the newest member or latest visitor feels welcome and at home. Is this true in your church? Simply attending a worship service doesn’t automatically mean closer relationships with others.

If you are an old-timer in your church, go out of your way to welcome visitors and new members. And if you are a visitor or new member, make a special effort to get to know people. What Bible classes are held? Does a group of people your age meet regularly? Don’t depend only on one worship service a week to help you meet people or grow closer to Christ.

If this step sounds a little daunting, remember that your best Friend of all — Jesus Christ — will be with you each step of the way.

And so you are no longer called outcasts and wanderers but citizens with God’s people, members of God’s holy family, and residents of His household. — Ephesians 2:19 (The Voice)

* * *

Your Turn

Most of us have a church story that relates to the porcupines in a snowstorm analogy. And yet, we in the Body of Christ need each other; we need to fellowship with one another; we need to support each other and grow in Christlikeness together. Are you involved in your local church community? What steps can you take this week to connect with other believers in your community? Please leave a comment on our blog. We would love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily

How to Build Your Youth Ministry Identity

by Chris Wesley

Your ministry needs identity because identity shows value.

One of the largest frustrations I had early on in ministry was when people didn’t know what I did or who I was. I felt like the invisible man leading a nonexistent ministry. As a result, I built up a lot of negative feelings. I had resentment toward the teens who didn’t come. I had jealousy toward other churches that were receiving praise. And I grew angry at myself for not being good enough. My problem is that my ministry didn’t have an identity. It existed; however, why it existed and for what purpose was nowhere to be found.
You need to make sure you have a clear identity to your ministry. Identity gives people a reason to invest in your ministry. It gives you direction and focus on what God has called you to do. But, to have an identity is more than just to exist. A true youth ministry identity has purpose and value. To build on that identity, you need to:
Know Your Target Audience: Your target audience is the small group of individuals that if you reach, then you can reach the rest of your participants. That means knowing what they enjoy and what topics are on their minds. Craft your messages, activities and programs to them, and you’ll reach a larger audience.
Understand Your Limits: You cannot be everything to everyone. If you do that, you’ll not only water down your identity but wear yourself out. Look at your ministry’s strengths and build upon them. Are you a creative ministry? Do you connect students well through small groups? Discover what you do best and feed it.
Focus on the Vision: Why does your ministry exist? Make sure that you, your team, your teens and parents know why your ministry exists. By focusing on the vision, you’ll avoid temptations and distractions that will pull you toward disaster. Vision will stick and become apparent if your ministry is focusing on it consistently.
Invite Others Into the Journey: Build relationships with the other ministries and organizations that surround you. Invest in them and they’ll invest in you. They’ll advocate, share and spread what you are doing. By having partners and networks share your purpose, your identity will grow.
Your ministry needs identity because identity shows value. If people do not see value in what you do, they will not want a part of it. There is so much competing for their time and energy, let them know why you are important and what you can do for them.
What do you do to build your youth ministry’s identity? 

Chris graduated from Xavier University in 2003 with a BA in Communications: Electronic Media. He moved to Baltimore in the fall of 2003 where he served as a Jesuit Volunteer for a year. During that time, he was a Case Manager at Chase Brexton, met my wife Kate and felt God's calling to Student Ministry. In the summer of 2004, heI was hired by the Roman Catholic Parish Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland as a Middle School Youth Minister. Today he oversees grades 5-12 as the Director of Student Ministry. More from Chris Wesley or visit Chris at www.christopherwesley.org

Tattooed pastor Jay Bakker plans to bring his unconventional Christian church to a Minneapolis bar

Son of televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker to start church in Minnesota
Tattooed pastor Jay Bakker plans to bring his unconventional Christian church to a Minneapolis bar

By Michael Ireland
Special Reporter, ASSIST News Service

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (ANS) -- After nearly seven years as pastor of a popular New York church, Jay Bakker, the son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, has moved to Minneapolis to start a new congregation - in a bar.

Jay Bakker has family roots in Minnesota (Photo: Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune)

According to an article by Rose French in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper, his move to Minnesota reflects the state's growing prominence in the Emerging Church movement, an unconventional, broad-minded brand of Christianity that questions traditional religious labels and practices.

French writes that, "covered in tattoos and piercings, Bakker looks more like a hipster than a minister - quite different in style and beliefs from his evangelical parents," who made headlines in the 1980s for their PTL ministry and subsequent fall from grace amid scandal and fraud. Bakker is liberal-leaning on social issues and a fervent gay rights supporter. He has married same-sex couples in New York where the practice is legal.

French reports that while Bakker spent his early youth in North Carolina where the PTL ministry was based, he has strong roots in Minnesota. His mother was from International Falls. His parents met at what was then North Central Bible College, now North Central University. His father served nearly four years in federal prison in Rochester for his part in the PTL fraud, and Jay visited him there as a teen.

French says Bakker keeps in touch with his father, who leads a church in Branson, MO. His mother, who remarried and became Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, died from cancer in 2007.

Bakker said he and his wife were drawn to Minneapolis for a number of reasons, chiefly the thriving Emerging Church presence. Leaders count close to a half-dozen Twin Cities area congregations, according to the Star Tribune report.

"In Minneapolis, I've seen so many intellectual believers," Bakker said. "People are open-minded. I'm excited to dive into that and see more of that in the city."

The Star Tribune says that in Brooklyn, members of Bakker's Revolution church meet at Pete's Candy Store, a hip bar where Bakker has delivered a sermon from a stool or talked about religious questions he's wrestling with. Up to 75 people attend; others find his talks online.

Bakker has been looking for a Minneapolis location where he can mimic this stripped-down form of worship, the newspaper said.

At his new church there will be no live band or music, no ornate trappings or traditions. Participants can talk about most any religious subject matter. Members of Emerging Church congregations like Bakker's have often become disillusioned with institutionalized religion, the newspaper said.

"For some people, they've been so hurt by the church that the fact they can have a beer or drink in order to come back to church is a baby step," Bakker told the newspaper in an interview.

The newspaper goes on to report that Bakker himself became disillusioned following the fall of his parents' ministry. He said pastors and other supporters abandoned his family when they were in need of help.

"No one wants to have anything to do with you," Bakker said. "Your dad's sitting in prison. Your mom is trying to raise you as a single parent. ... It wasn't the Christian message I'd heard growing up. My parents were always real positive. ... They were like, 'God loves you, He really does. And you can make it.' Life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. That kind of stuff."

"When we went through this, I didn't see any of that. So in a way I got real disillusioned because I thought, that must be just talk. It's all talk."

Bakker fell into alcohol and drug abuse, the newspaper adds. But eventually he and a group of friends formed a Revolution church in Arizona in 1994 - considered among the first emerging churches in the country. He established another in Atlanta, which operated from 1998 to 2006.

Since then, the newspaper states, Bakker has been a pastor at Revolution in New York. For now, he says that location will keep going under the leadership of his co-pastor while he starts a new congregation in Minneapolis.

The newspaper quotes Gerardo Marti, a sociology professor at Davidson College, who is writing a book about the emerging Christian movement. He said Bakker attracts attention because of his parents, but has also made a name for himself.

"Jay Bakker has become the antithesis to the seeker megachurch," Marti said. "The emergent church movement is a reaction to what many perceive to be the excesses of conventional Christianity.

"On the one side, I think it speaks against the large mega-churches. But I also think it targets what they perceive as an apathy and rote religion that exists in the mainline [Protestant churches]."

The newspaper also cites Tony Jones, a theologian-in-residence at Solomon's Porch in south Minneapolis, one of the most prominent emerging churches in the country. Jones is close friends with Bakker and believes his brand of Christianity will be attractive in the Twin Cities. 

Jay with his book

"Jay has had every reason to leave the church," Jones said. "He has every reason in the world to quit Christianity, to never look back. But he has come back. He was the prodigal son. He dropped out of high school, he got into all sorts of drugs and alcohol, got a lot of those tattoos during his sojourn away from Christianity. But I think he just couldn't ignore the calling in his life.

The newspaper adds that in Bakker's latest book, "Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I've Crossed," he writes about his doubts about the existence of God and where he is now on his faith journey.

"Doubt is something that needs to be embraced with faith, because doubt is an element of faith," Bakker said. "Faith is not fact. It's like hope.

Bakker concluded: "My faith was gone and I didn't know what to do ... and [when it came back] what happened was my faith became bigger. To me it's mind-boggling and beautiful, and I can't even begin to know what it is."