In so many ways, Prince today is totally different from Prince of 10 years ago.

he's gone from love4oneanother to watchtower
he's gone from assless pants to suits
he's gone from "shut up already, damn" to "give a duck"
he's gone from liberating women to subjugating them
he's gone from defining the trends to following them (Rave)

Imagine the Prince of 10 years ago - the Prince who was called His Royal Badness - got a box in the mail that contained his recent output starting with the Rave album until today. All of the albums, all of the DVDs, all of his writings, all of the club output, etc. What would His Royal Badness think of the man he would become?

alandail said:

huh? how has he liberated women?

lovebizzare said:

I mean that was his message before vs. now

Wish it could be that way again.

one more for the list - he's gone from Race to Avalanche

"If we never heard of the evils those before us committed, then how would we know"

"I don't want to know why those before us hated each other
I'd rather believe they never did
I'd rather believe that there's hope for our kids"

to

"Abraham Lincoln was a racist"

Religion can be a nasty thing and can change a person beyond recognition. My hope is that this is just a phase with him and he will end his association with the JW's in the future. And if he doesn't, then who knows how far he will fall and how much more he will change?? I certainly have nothing against anyone trying to find themselves or increase their spirituality, however when I see people losing themselves to cult like religions, it makes me sad. Prince is and always will be a master musician and one of the best singers, but I am definitely curious to see where he goes from here and what will become of him.

Can i point out that Jehovas Witness's are not a cult.Apparently The New Translation is the third biggest selling book in the world.

Still, His Royal Badness would still probably be unimpressed.

Marrk said:

So size alone separates a cult from a religion?

FunkMistress said:

Well if you like a cult film, it means you're into something that only a few people are.So presumably the same goes for Religion.

Marrk said:

Not really. You're confusing two different uses of the word cult.

cult n. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner.

...which would refer to a religious cult...

and

cult n.Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
...which would refer to a cult film, etc. with a devoted, usually relatively small, following.

FunkMistress said:

You great big nerd!

OK, but i still think JW's are a bona fide Religion and not a cult.

Marrk said:

And I have no opinion on the matter. I don't know enough about them one way or another. I just had to play Devil's Advocate. Or Geek's Advocate. Or something.

I think weather or not JW is a cult or not is beside the point. The point is that so much of Prince's views and behaviors today are the total opposite of what they were a decade ago.

alandail said:

Congratulations, you've been thread-jacked!

I don't mind being thread-jacked. I am surprised, though, that nobody has really commented on my question.

It's a bit of a troubling issue. His music is still brilliant, but the message in the lyrics music has changed so dramatically - from one of inclusion to one of exclusion.

People grow and change, it's a part of life. I am happy just letting him be whoever he wants to be.

sure - and many of the changes are fine - Prince maturing as a person - but I think a substantial part of Prince's appeal was his message of inclusion. The old Prince would never say "ain't no room to disagree".

I remember at the cleveland sound check - a religious question came up. Prince said something like "there's only one truth, the problem comes when people interpret it differently". I would add to what he said that the problem comes when people insist they are the only ones who are interpreting it correctly.

btw - gotta say I love the version of "Gotta Broken Heart Again" from the new live DVD.

alandail said:

i was listening to ONA this morning and thinking of this exact comparison.