Katy Perry's evangelical parents hit out at daughter's 'disgusting' song
by Anne Thomas
Posted: Monday, August 18, 2008, 9:38 (BST)
The evangelical Christian parents of US chart topper Katy Perry have lashed out at the lyrics of their daughter's No 1 hit single 'I Kissed A Girl'.
Her parents are outraged by the song's provocative lyrics, which include "I kissed a girl and I liked it".
Perry's mother, Mary Hudson, says she is disappointed at the career path her daughter has decided to go down.
"I hate the song," she was quoted by the Daily Record as saying. "It clearly promotes homosexuality and its message is shameful and disgusting. Katy knows how I feel. We are a very outspoken family.
"I can't even listen to that song. The first time I heard it I was in total shock. When it comes on the radio I bow my head and pray."
The 23-year-old former gospel singer's track continues to soar to the top of music charts around the world.
Her mother continued: "Katy is our daughter and we love her but we strongly disagree with how she is conducting herself at the moment.
"We cannot cut her out of our lives as she is our child - but she knows we disagree strongly with what she is doing and the message she is promoting regarding homosexuality which the Bible clearly states is a sin.
"But the Bible also promotes understanding and forgiveness, which I keep reminding myself."
Mrs Hudson said, meanwhile, that Perry's father has "had words" with her over her skimpy 50s-inspired outfits.
"Some are too revealing and her father has had words with her about it. Like any child she is going through a period of rebellion."
Perry, who has adopted her mother's maiden name for the stage, used to sing for God in church and even released her own Christian pop album as Katy Hudson in 2001, which included the track "Faith Won't Fail" and made it on to Christian Music Today's best albums list that year.
"Katy was spotted by a music producer who invited her to LA. That's when she started to change," Mrs Hudson was quoted by the Daily Record as saying.
"I was worried she'd start doing drugs and drinking alcohol. I still am. I spoke to her only recently. She said, 'Oh Mum, I'm not going to turn into Amy Winehouse.'"
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Added: Friday, August 29, 2008, 6:20 (BST)
I totally agree!
I just recently went to a family reunion and I had this conversation with an older cousin of mine about society, the culture, the sexual revolution and the way Teens and Young Adults and others for that matter test the boundaries of society and the boundaries within their own home.
Some good and some bad. Respectful ways and not so respectful ways. There is a way to challenge and to test boundaries and I think there needs a lot of wisdom involved.
If you take a look at Madonna and look at the history of her career and well, I don't agree with how she's tested the boundaries and how she's influenced her listeners. Now, she's done some good but there's been a lot that she's done that I don't think should have been made public.
Look at The beatles, and Niel Young...others who have tested the boundaries and influenced our society and culture. Were they right? Were they wrong?
I can only look at myself and the things that I value in life. I can only focus on the direction that I'm taking my life. I can't be so bothered by picking apart the choices that others make. Plain and simple but just show others that there is something better then what many are experiencing.
The darkness will always be chased away by light.
With Light there is substance but darkness is only described as an absense of light.
And when we truly live and walk in the light and know pure love people will see and take note but our judgement and criticising people for the choices that they make may hinder ones ability to actually allow for their light to shine in dark places. We are living in a darkened culture where Christianity is seen as offensive.
I think it's time that most Christians begin to ask some difficult questions and evaluate the face of Christianity.
For example. Just read in the book of Acts.
Why is it that the First Century church grew in favor of the public. The church walked in favor with the public but today that's not the case. Why?
I think that's a pretty good question.
Janey, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Added: Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 22:10 (BST)
It's no more than natural that children, and also 'christian' children, have often different views of life than their parents. And often they have to go through a period of hard personal experience to learn the true important things of life. See the socalled 'rumspringa' by the Amish. Ultimately its one own choice of free will if you follow Gods guide for life or not and it's not a matter of growing up in a 'christian family'. Katy will make her own choices and others can only pray for her that she wil eventually chose wise.
Hannes Karnoefel, Venlo, Netherlands
Added: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 20:23 (BST)
I agree with Eli,
She is an adult. I'm not a parent but I live in a family with a different set of moral beliefs and differences of even religious beliefs. I'm the Christian that has come from a homosexual background. I would much rather people embrace who we in truth are. I would much rather see that we put an end to abortion and not re-define marriage.
At the same time I would much rather love a person then to win a moral debate. Is it not true that it's the kindness that leads people to repentance.
The point to her song and what Eli has said is so true.
I still believe that her parents are more concerned about their image then they are about their daughter.
Yes, I believe that parents need to raise their children up with good morals and to teach children to respect people. At the same time people will end up making their own choices when they are older and whether we like it or not
those choices may not be the choices we would like them to make.
In the mean time, we trust that God will work in their hearts. Sometimes I think people begin to play the role of the Holy Spirit in people's lives and that does more harm then good. When really, I think it's better to meet people where they're at and see what Jesus is doing in their lives. And He may be at work in ways that we don't yet see. Who are we and who are her parents to really judge
that matters within her own heart. Do we personally know her.
I've said I think her parents are more concerned about their image then their daughter, maybe I'm out of line to say that and perhaps I'm wrong.
I don't know but did her parents really have to go public to denounce her daughters song?
Janey, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Added: Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 18:52 (BST)
First, I would like to say how on-point Tom's comment is. That is definitely the heart that a Christian should have, especially one that is interested in bringing about any kind of change. Change can only take place once the problem is understood, which chances are won't happen without true conversation (both parties listening and sharing). I agree that the article was extremely confrontational. I'm ashamed that people who want respect for their writing could present an issue this way.
In response to Annie... This young person in question is twenty three years old! She is not a child. While parents may want to raise Christian children with Christian morals and values, you must realize that, at a point, it becomes the child's decision. What she chooses to write songs about is her business. If she wants to kiss girls, that is her business. (And the issue here isn't even homosexuality. She's talking about kissing a girl, which girls do drunk and sober all the time with absolutely zero meaning behind it, right in front of their boyfriends. Which is exactly the kid of instance her song is describing. Though I recognize such an encounter isn't exactly Biblical, you have to recognize that she is not building a life off the experience.)
What I am trying to say is, educate your children while they are young and then be a support system for them as they grow up. While you may not support what they do, they still need to know and understand that you are there for them. There are other ways to display your distaste in their lifestyle than lashing out in the form of an article like this one. There are ways to present your side without it being clouded by ignorance. If a child doesn't feel supported or accepted by you, it is going to be difficult for them to open up to you about their life and the decisions they are making, and if they don't open up then there is no room for a conversation to take place and no room for them to hear your side and be inspired. There is then no room for change.
Eli, USA
Added: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 18:26 (BST)
It seems to me and I'm trying not to be judgemental here but could it be that her parents are more concerned about their image then they are about their daughter?
They are probably, no doubt greiving the choices their daughter is making.
Anyways, some times boundaries need to be placed but then sometimes a rebellious child is in a real need to hear that they are loved just the way they are.
In Romans chapter 2:1,2 we are reminded that it is the kindness that leads people to repentance.
People could have told me how wrong my choices have been but apart from the Spirit of God at work in my life and the faithful few who walked with me, encouraged me and loved me through my rebellious period I probably wouldn't have thought to re-surrender my life back to the Lord.
It's because I came to see the goodness of our God and truthfuly I needed a time of rebellion to become established in my own faith instead of believing somebody elses faith. Today, I have my own faith and a real relationship wtih Jesus.
Janey, Canada
Added: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 14:03 (BST)
I think her parents are out of their mind. And as for calling what some of what she wears being too "revealing", they must be living in the stone age or something.
I am Australian, but went to middle school and high school in America in the 1980s, and it sounds like her moronic parents would have freaked at one very popular brand of shorts that girls were wearing back in the 80s. They would have likely freaked at girls wearing Tricot brand shorts.
JImmy Ribbitt, Woombye, Australia
Added: Monday, August 18, 2008, 15:42 (BST)
In response to Tom's comment, I'm just glad that her parents are alarmed by their daughter's behaviour and are not ashamed to say what is so un-PC and unpopular and apparently "bigoted" and "hateful" to say these days. Any parent should be concerned about what their children are wearing and whom they are doing whatever with. That's what it means to be a responsible parent!!! People are just angry because they think its Christians being hateful and judgemental again. The view that her parents take on these matters should be respected. If they want to raise their children according to Christian values that should be respected. Just because you don't agree with that particular way doesn't give liberals the right to just completely dash it and disregard it as rashly and unintelligently than they so often do. "Hateful", "bigoted"? If they looked a little deeper into the issue they would see it's so NOT about that!
From a very frustrated and misunderstood and generally silenced Christian!
Annie Radcliffe, Huddersfield
Added: Monday, August 18, 2008, 11:47 (BST)
Why is it that when Christians seem to speak about right and wrong, they seem to end up speaking about mouth and foot? A more effective way to communicate is to ask questions, and to listen to the responses, then respond to them - like a real conversation. Sometimes I wonder where people get the idea from that evangelicals look at the world through single issue (homosexuality here, abortion in USA) goggles. We really need to think better. The way that this article is written, as well as the nature and manner of the quoted remarks of her parents is so confrontational, that it could potentially harden the posture of someone who views Christians in this way. That is a damaging and serious affront to the cause of Jesus Christ. We can do better than this.
Tom, London, UK
