A week or two ago, I shared Teddy Afro’s new patriotic song called “አርማሽ (ቀና በል)” and some people were very upset. I read some comments from genuinely concerned followers of Appeal for Purity, comments that sound like, “You are a stumbling block to weak believers by sharing secular music,” and that made me a bit, “Ugh!”

So, I decided to make this video, not so to argue with anyone because the Bible commands us to stay away from arguments:

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” 2 Timothy 2:23 NIV

“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:9 NIV

Rather, so people may hear what I have to say about this particular issue and music in general. The Bible says, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient (“convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral”): all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” 1 Corinthians 10:23a KJV

So, every Christian is responsible to discern and judge things/people according to the word of God. That is why we don’t lead our lives by “Thou doth thee” and “Thou doest not that” kind of rules.

Paul writes:

“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” Colossians 2:20-23 NASB

The life of a Christian is a life that expresses itself through faith and hope which work through love. Apart from this, we will be “only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13)

That being said, with everything that is going on in Ethiopia right now, I will not for a second think that singing about Ethiopia and wishing and praying for Ethiopia to stay as a sovereign country is a sinful thing.

It’s actually absurd for me even to think that.

And by the way, I really admire Teddy Afro who had been (still is) a voice of Ethiopia for so many years as TPLF wanted to get rid of him and Ethiopia all together. He was a hero (still is) to sing about Ethiopia when calling the name, “Ethiopia,” was considered as a capital crime. Kudos to Teddy Afro! No one can take this from him. And sharing Teddy’s recent new single patriotic song on the Appeal for Purity Facebook page was considered as “an unchristian” act?

I am not really sure how that is.

Well, I am a proud Ethiopian woman. I love my country, Ethiopia, and my people, Ethiopians. I love all patriotic songs that are sang by many talented and gifted Ethiopian singers. Loving my people and my country won’t be in anyway against my profession of faith in Christ.

“Ah,” somebody says, “but Paul said, “if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8:13 NLT

Sure Paul also said, “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” Romans 14:1-4 NIV

You see, leading our lives by one verse sometimes can be a bit misleading and we all should be very careful.

I personally don’t listen to secular music by my own choice because most secular music has lyrics which promote lifestyles that I stand against. My Christian moral values and the values those lyrics promote are opposites. So, to keep my sanity, I generally stay away from secular music.

But when it comes to patriotic music, are you serious! I always love listening to them and I will continue listening to them. I am not generally a music person. If I was, I think by now I would have one or two CDs on that. Oh, well, I don’t have that talent and I don’t cry about it since gifted people like Teddy Afro will play that for me.

By the way, my Ethiopian diaspora friends, what do you all think about this war? I mean, do you think it is enough for us to send $50 here and $100 there to end the war once and for all?

I think we all need to prepare to join our people on the battle ground. I mean, I may not be able to carry machine guns but I can help the Ethiopian National Defense Force in many ways, giving treatment and care for wounded soldiers who are fighting for the sovereignty of Ethiopia. That is the least I can do for the military men and women who are giving their own lives for our beautiful country, Ethiopia, as we speak.

And I don’t know if I have to say this again but it may benefit someone: I am just Missy (Meskerem). I am not a priest; I am not a pastor or a prophet. I am simply Missy, a born-again Christian woman born and raised in Ethiopia by Ethiopian parents. ///