Beyoncé’s family reportedly purchased a historic church in New Orleans, complete with pews, a pulpit, and ready for service. The church is over 100 years old and located on the corner of Camp and 7th in downtown New Orleans.
Its uncertain if worship is what the property will be used for since the the church is zoned HU-RD1, meaning it could be transformed into a small residence. City ordinance states that HU-RD1 zoning is, “limited non-residential uses such as places of worship, historic neighborhood commercial establishments, and recreational facilities that are compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods.” The Knowles family is also connected to a Garden District home about five blocks away.
The church was purchased on May 11, just weeks after a San Francisco church held a Beyoncé mass. Nearly 1,000 people showed up to sing Beyoncé songs and listen to a sermon by Reverend Yolanda Norton about the Biblical themes in the music. Broadly reports that the event was “to tell a story of empowerment for particularly women of color, but for anyone who happens to sing praises to the goddess herself, Beyoncé.”
Reverend Yolanda Norton says the mass was about “naming black female spirituality” as it’s embodied in Beyoncé’s songs. Using the song “Flaws and All” Norton quotes the lyrics, “I’m a train wreck in the morning, I’m a b**** in the afternoon, every now and then without warning, I can be really mean toward you.” She explains that Grace church is using this song as a prayer to God during worship.
The Beyoncé Mass was part of a three-part series at Grace church that started with a program on Mary Magdalene called “The Original Nasty Woman.”
“For those in the bondage of the patriarchy, we need freedom,” they sing. Music with faith based themes like Beyoncé’s songs “Freedom” and “Walk on Water” are on the rise with the open support of Christianity increasing in America. The entertainment industry is sure to put their own twist on anything faith based. Beyoncé has been known for participating in the goddess worship of Black Madonna, virgin Mary, and African deities, so much so that she herself has become an idol of goddess worship for her devotees.
At Coachella Beyoncé performed as the Egyptian queen Nefertiti. And at the 59th Grammy Awards, Beyoncé presented herself as a mother goddess that according to Harpers Bazaar, “invoked multiracial goddesses–from the Yoruba orisha Oshun to Hindi goddess Kali to the Catholic Black Madonna–and heralded the divine beauty and aura of black motherhood.”
While feminism in the form of worshiping “divine black motherhood” is on the rise, the Bible makes it clear that we should love the Lord our God and serve only Him. Psalm 106:36 tells us that in the past, when people served their idols, they became a snare to them.
The first commandment in Exodus 20:1 says,
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the
land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before (besides) me”.
Jesus reiterates this point in Luke 4:8 by saying,
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Discerning Christians should be careful to not fall in the snare that has caught so many.
