Remember Keith Green?
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
"Asleep in the Light"
by Keith Green
October 21, 1953 - July 28, 1982
For the last couple of weeks, I've been thinking about Contemporary Christian Music artist Keith Green and humming his songs. I finally had to ask myself, "Why on earth am I thinking about Keith Green all of a sudden? Is the anniversary of his death coming up or something?" Sure enough, July 28th is the 24th anniversary of the day he was killed in a plane crash. But still, why would an atheist, ex-fundie like me still care about Keith Green? I think it goes without saying that I no longer agree with the message of his music! (Though I will have to admit that I agree somewhat with the above lyrics.) And what does it mean that I began thinking of him shortly before the anniversary of his death? I know there's a cosmic meaning somewhere in which I'd like to inquire further.
My gosh, I loved his music! I remember some music reviewers calling him "a Christian Billy Joel". I'm sure that was because he, too, was a piano man who played with such an intensity that he just attacked his instrument. You could hear the intensity in his music (in this sample of his song, "Soften Your Heart", for instance), but it was even more apparent in his concerts, of which I'm sorry I only attended one.
I'm sure that anyone who was alive on July 28, 1982, who was (or still is) a Keith Green fan remembers where they were when they received the news of his death. Me, I had temporarily (thankfully!) moved back home with my parents until I found my own place. This was after I had left the ministry/cult I had been a part of for three years. A girl who would give me rides to church called me up. She said:
"I just wanted to let you know I heard on the radio that Keith Green had been killed in a plane crash today."
I remembered feeling numb when she told me. I thanked her for letting me know.
(Wow. Just typing this is causing my eyes to well up a little. I wonder why I didn't cry at all when I first received the news?*)
I don't really have much more to say. The Wikipedia link above is very detailed, and I really can't add to it. What I would really like, though, is for those of you who have ideas as to why I would be thinking about Keith Green, to share those ideas here. I would be really interested to know!
*Maybe I'm way more in touch with my emotions now than I was then.