Francette Moore

REL 2121
24 September 2008
Essay #2: Like a Sermon
Does anyone get beyond watching her cleavage? Mark D. Hulsether asks in his essay
analyzing the black and feminist theologies in a handful of Madonna videos via his essay Like a
Sermon: Popular Religion in Madonna Videos.
He asks because, in many critics analyses of Madonna's music, they fail to see it as anything
more than a trite, exploitation of sexuality, whereas he argues there is theological value to
some, not all of her music (and to more popular music than is realized as well).
No song he concedes can address all political fronts at once, but a few of Madonna's do a
good job of addressing issues of race and feminism within a religious framework. The main
songs mentioned which merit discussion within his essay are 1986's Open Your Heart and
Papa Don't Preach, 1989's Like a Prayer, and 1990's Justify My Love.
In Open Your Heart, Madonna is in the role of a peep show dancer. In it, Hulsether
points out, Madonna's videos pick up where videos like Motley Crue's feministically offensive
Girls Girls Girls leaves off, with men leering at women. In other words, objectifying womennothing new for a song or music video. Contrary to previous music videos which start out in the
same fashion, Madonna's has a different perspective: hers, but doing exactly to the men what
most do to women, while at the same time demanding respect in the form of eye contact, which
the men cannot return.
What Hulsether argues Madonna has done here is gain access to the mainstream-all the while
harboring non-mainstream feminist ideas-by pretending to go along with it (as a bimbo, while
actually subverting it.
Don't try to run/I can keep up with you/Nothing can stop me from trying/You've got to open your
heart to me Madonna sings.
Upon examination of the aforementioned lyrics, I'm inclined to agree with the author as they can
be read as the artist saying, Give me my due. I'm just as good as you. Further scrutiny sees
that the song's video opens with two male figures dressed in naval officers' uniforms in close
proximity to each other. This can be seen as a challenge to open your heart to the notion that
gay men are to be seen equally as well (Ha! Look, queer service members exist!),since the
men appear quite cozy with one another;nothing sexual, just a bit close in a homo erotic way.
In that case the song not only embodies a feminist liberation theology, but one of gay liberation
as well.
Like a Prayer overlaps this song as well, Hulsether says, except more as it pertains to black
liberation theology. In depicting Jesus as a black man whose feet (and subsequently mouth )she
kisses, and who saves a white woman from being raped by white men.
Madonna, Hulsether contends, challenges the prevailing notion of the black man as a violent
untouchable. Madonna croons toward the song's end Just like a dream/You are not what you
seem which, to me, says, Despite what tradition and society tell me, you're not at all the
monster you''re made out to be.

Following this mode, Justify My Love and Papa Don't Preach then, seem clear tests to
religious and patriarchal hierarchies. One mix of 'Justify My Love' features an extended reading
of passages from Revelation over the music-both affirmations of grace...and anathemas rarely
heard in decorous churches, Hulsether notes. The video features positive images of lesbianism
and transsexualism along with good ol' irreligious heterosexual fornication over Madonna's
petitions to Love me/ That's right/Love Me... and of Wanting...waiting...[being]ready...for you to
justify my love/.
This is completely incongruent with established religious mores and challenge the prevailing
religious institutions to accept its tenets,yet come in the form of a pop song from the same artist
who enjoys nothing more than simply reaching for her crotch and simulating masturbation.
While Papa Don't Preach is not as sexually confrontational as the previous song, it has a
healthy patriarchal challenge to it. Madonna sings of being knocked up, in trouble deep...losing
sleep, yet demanding Papa don't preach...I'm keeping my baby which he obviously
disapproves of.
Telling Daddy to knock off; liberating much?
Overall, Hulsether set out to do what he argued, in a manner atypical of many criticsdefending the art on multiple fronts, while not making it the standard for postmodern cultural
aesthetic[s]-and it jibes with my sensibilities both on intellectual and experiential fronts.