I saw a snippet of an interview with Katie Perry today which really reminded me exactly why we need to get over ourselves and start spreading the Good News.
Katie was being asked about Amy Winehouse’s untimely demise and she said this:
“I just hope she finds peace.”
(see the interview here)
It struck me as I heard that, just how much more upsetting death is for those who don’t know Christ.
I can’t speak authoritatively on whether or not Amy Winehouse was a Christian or even whether or not Katie Perry is.
But I know this:
If Amy Winehouse was a Christian, she has now found peace. If she wasn’t, she hasn’t.
It’s as simple as that.
It would be fair for Katie Perry to wonder whether or not Ms Winehouse was a Christian and even to hope that she was, but the way she phrased her statement, I don’t think that’s what she was ‘hoping’ at all.
Her statement seems to suggest that Ms Perry has no idea what there is or might be after death and that hoping that somehow there is some way that Amy Winehouse might ‘find peace’ after death is all she can do.
I simply cannot imagine how difficult that would be to cope with.
For almost all of my life I have lived with the certainty of what comes after death. There is no question or ‘hope’ in my mind.
Life would be so much more stressful, so much more daunting if I knew that one day I would die and I had no idea what might come next.
So I want to thank Katie Perry for reminding me that there are many, many people out there who simply do not know God. they don’t know the peace, the calm assurance that comes with knowing that death is not the end and that those of us who are Christians know we are heading into much greater things.
It is our job, our responsibility to tell the world that good news, to share the peace and assurance that we have.
Let’s go do it!
The sad thing behind this is that Katy Perry was raised in a Christian home by parents who are pastors of a church.
I understand what you are saying, Peter. I think, however, that we must be careful about saying that finding peace after death is “as simple” as being a Christian and implying that those not of the Christian faith will not find peace. There are many more people in this world who are not labeled Christian than who are but they are religious, have a faith, and are among the faithful who observe and pray; their faith may not be “Christian” but they are no less of God.
I hear what you’re saying, Maureen, but it depends on what you believe.
If you were to believe, as many Christians do, that when Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) he meant that there is no way to get to heaven/God/paradise except going through him, which means becoming what we know as a ‘Christian’ – a follower of Christ, then anyone who is not of the Christian faith might find peace in their beliefs, but it’s a false peace.
If that’s what Jesus was saying, then people of all other faiths/religions are not of God.
I think it’s something you say when you don’t know what to say. It’s empty words to make sense of what doesn’t make sense. The only answer is knowing Jesus–death is a false peace, but resurrection is the real peace. That only happens in Him. Thanks Peter.
Actually, I think “I hope she finds peace” is probably the most intelligent thing she said in those 35 seconds. Unfortunately, we don’t know that Amy Winehouse ever reached out to Jesus for that peace. I do hope that she did.
And I suppose it’s time now that I forgave her for beating Plain White for the Grammy. It’s just that “Hey There, Delilah” was so much prettier than the rehab song… Still, I won’t hold anything against one who has died. She did have a poweful voice.
Just want to point out that Winehouse is being given a Jewish burial.
Peter.. Great post.
I had similar thoughts this weekend particularly in light of events in Norway.
The news has paid particular attention, in my opinion, to the fact that this guy was a “christian”… in light of this it made me think how much more important it is that we get on with the job Jesus tasked us with! and show the world True Christianity!
Peter, one of my uncles died today. Although we believe that he is now with the Lord (he used to go to the church years ago, wandered off, but we have reasons to believe that he got back to the Lord a while ago), his time is over.
Whatever he did or didn’t, it is final now.
And the first thing that comes to our (the living) minds is what we should’ve done or said while he was alive.
I’ve heard someone say once that the worst lie that the devil tells Christians is “you’ve got time for that, don’t worry. No need to rush.”
There’s a reason to rush: time doesn’t wait. People are dying, and they need to hear about Jesus so they can make their decision.
Let’s pray that we don’t delay anymore what needs to be done.