The Bishop of Sheffield wants to put the fear of God into churchgoers with help from the 2008 Lily Allen single “The Fear.”
Right Reverend Dr. Steven Croft suggested churchgoers check out the tune, along with Neil Diamond’s “Pretty Amazing Grace” and clips from “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” as part of a Bible study course, according to BBC News.
“The Fear” is featured on the British singer’s sophomore album, 2009’s It’s Not Me, It’s You.
The song begins with the following lines: “I want to be rich and I want lots of money/ I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny/ I want loads of clothes and f**kloads of diamonds/ I heard people die while they are trying to find them.”
Dr. Croft made sure to point out that church group leaders should use the radio version of “The Fear” without expletives. He clarified that the tune was suggested for use in church groups as opposed to being played in public worship.
The bishop told BBC News he thought the song is “clever” and that he liked Allen’s use of puns.
“I think it captures a certain spirit of contemporary culture,” Dr. Croft said. “I am not commending it as a way to think, but the song sums up a particular way of seeing the world which is very common, which is confused and afraid but also confident.”
Allen responded to Dr. Croft’s endorsement by tweeting a link to the BBC News story along with the comment, “Quite Right !!!!!!”
Click here to read the BBC News story.
Click here for Lily Allen’s Twitter page.