Prince fans usually seem to think of themselves as an open minded, peace loving, lovesexy, funky, all inclusive, diverse, fanbase.

However, I notice quite a bit of close mindedness, sweeping generalizations, and ,sometimes, down right predjudice when it comes to Prince's faith and the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The bottom line is that most of the fans do not know Prince on a personal level, yet they often attribute these ridiculous beliefs to him based on "what they have heard/read/saw on tv" about "his" faith.

Honestly, to me, Prince's message seems to be the same thing that it always has been. This was crystal clear to me during the "musicology" tour--the man was still sexual and not nearly as "preachy" as he was on the "lovesexy" or "purple rain" tour. Furthermore, I was at "TRC" celebration and what I saw was not nearly the weird mind control thing that many here seem to have seen.


Anyways, it just saddens me to see, what I like to think of as, an open minded fan base being way more close minded and rigid than Prince has ever been. Sure, we hear tales of Prince doing weird controlling shit-that has been a Prince thing since before the Jehovahs Witness thang. However, people around here are drawing some really off the wall conclusions, about a man they don't know, and making huge sweeping generalizations about a particular faith and all religion in general that seems very contrary to being "open minded".

Isn't Prince a hypocrite himself?

Anyway, being openminded doesn't mean you're okay with everything. That's being indifferent.

For me Prince is quite simply 1 thing ..... a musical Genius

I really dont mind what he gets up to with Salma Hayek, y should i or any1 else who isnt directly infected by it?? ..... same with his religion, i am not a religous guy (infact i really dont like it ) but every1 has there own path to take & there own choices to make ..... sure i have moaned once or twice about the fact that he will never sing Lets pretend were married or Sexy MF again coz of the lack of cursing BUT in all honesty he was amazing on the ONA tour in London a few years back & equally amazing on the Musicology tour , i mean "Joy in Repitition" ..... fucking amazing ..... "4 letter words will not be heard up opun this stage 2nite ..... ..... & it makes no difference whatsoever coz he is a Master at what he does ,his music gets all us fams talking about him ..... & not the JW shit , so just sit back & enjoy the sound of his guitar & 4get about the religion side of it as that really dont fuckin matter as long as u r liking the Music ..... does it ??

4 ever

AlphabetST1977 said:

I would agree with you if we were talking about instrumental music.

if i was 100% copacetic with every single thing prince ever did, he wouldn't be very interesting, in my opinion.

being as brilliant an artist as he is, he's going to be extreme and eccentric. he's going to do things that "normal" folks may not understand. he might do things that even the hardcore fans might understand.

and that's okay. doesn't mean we have to "get" it or like it, but it's part of the package, take it or leave it.

i choose to enjoy the things about prince that appeal to me; i choose not to dwell on what i don't like. works for me.

skywalker said:

oh, and i love you.

blusapphire said:

A group as a whole will always be hypocritical.

Prince absolutely hates his fans and we love him for it.

RepoMan said:

Imago777 said:

Fans are fans. Some adore, others love, still others like, dislike, detest and even hate, all of it in the name of appreciating a particular artist. I've met fans who were romantically obsessed and/or musically possessed, others that obviously identified to the point they were Him and He was them in some parallel universe, and more than a few who basically counted on him to keep them fresh and hip through his music or image and were so disappointed when he could not with every record wow 'em like he did when they were themselves brats in college or just starting their career.

So yes, Prince fans can be hypocrites but I don't see why they would be more so than the average worshipper of true musical talent.

to quote oscar wilde.. "life is a stage!"

'Bout time sumbuddy sed it!
Damn us fans!
We all oughtta take a symbol-shaped mirror
peer into it long & hard & declare
"Witness!"

watch how these same people act when Prince is in the room (soundcheck, for example) and wants to talk -- naysayers become yes-men then

then watch how these same people act when standing in line to get into an aftershow -- love4oneanother? -- i think not

good point. but yes, it's true of all creatures in the human 4m. peace.

Anxiety said:

Prince does a lot of shit that really doesn't make any sense at all or contradict what he's done, but that's okay. We don't love him for his consistency.

2the9s said:

co


and good thread btw

Aerogram said:

Oh, you mean like this? http://vg.midspark.net/vi...milar.html

Imago77 said

:

RIGHT YOU ARE
[Edited 10/14/05 7:18am]
[Edited 10/14/05 7:26am]

I am one of the most liberal and open minded people that you will ever meet. However, I don't tell anyone how to live their life and I be damned if anyone is going to tell me how to live mine. I don't like judgemental people and I turn the tables and become judgemental against the judgemental ones. If it's wrong....well, who cares? Fight fire with fire. When Jehovah's Witnesses come to my door, I open the door and say "Nobody's home". If they didn't think that everyone else is "wrong" and they are the only ones that are "right", they wouldn't be coming to people's doors and preaching to them. If I want to be preached to, I will go to church. In other words, I will go to you if that's what I want, don't you bring your ass to me.

As far as Prince is concerned, that's a different story. I could care less if he worships a head of lettuce. When I buy a Prince album, I know he's a Jehovah's Witness and I know he might possibly preach on the album. He has every right to because it is his album and his freedom of speech. I'm the one that chose to buy it and he didn't force me to buy it. When I buy an album, I buy it for the funk. Prince can preach all he wants to but it will be going in one of my ears and out the other because the music is what I'm listening to and I can easily tune all that other bullshit out.

Do I wish that he wasn't a Jehovah's Witness? Of course I do because I can't think of a more judgemental group of stuffshirts that I have ever seen. However, it's his life, not mine.

vainandy said:

and that's not 'narrowminded', that's just keepin' it real. now, you won't hear any FAMS saying stuff like that for fear their hero prince will read their post and then fail to ORGnote them with his private number. but ordinary people have noticed a big change in prince over the last few years. it's obvious and it's undeniable.

skywalker, i honestly don't know how you managed to keep a straight face when you typed these words: Honestly, to me, Prince's message seems to be the same thing that it always has been because even the most dimwitted among us will acknowledge that he has been changing the lyrics to his songs.

which obviously, logically means that the message is NOT the same as it 'always has been' it's changed substantially and prince himself is admitting that.

blusapphire said:

EXACTLY!

blusapphire said:

oh. and before you say: 'that's narrowminded of you for saying that Xx, prince can do as he pleases'

please keep in mind that this is a message board and the point of its existence is for discussion.

once again: this place exists for the sole purpose of allowing people to air their own points of view. and because the prince fanbase is comprised of many different types of people you will find many different opinions

as far as condemning his religion - this is also where you will hear people express their concern for a man who might choose to have major surgery while refusing a physician's recommendation that said surgery be accompanied by a blood transfusion.

DAMN right people are concerned for his physical and mental well-being. DAMN right fans will express concern regarding this issue.

and that's not being narrowminded, it's expressing legitimate, reasonable concern about a man who may be putting his life at risk for no good reason other than what someone might have said a few thousand years ago

XxAxX said:

You're right, it's not narrowminded, it's plain scary.

Anxiety said:

God, if only everyone would approach him that way.

There again, the Org wouldn't be half as entertaining as it is then.

RepoMan said:

you forgot this part, which is neither scary nor narrowminded: "it's expressing legitimate, reasonable concern about a man who may be putting his life at risk for no good reason other than what someone might have said a few thousand years ago "

but hey - have it your way. you're on that list of folks who won't regret seeing the world lose a great musician like prince for lack of a simple life-saving medical treatment.
[Edited 10/14/05 8:23am]

btw 'repoman' who were you before you were banned last time?