Jeff Godwin
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Jeff Godwin is a Christian fundamentalist preacher and author from Bloomington, Indiana. He is best known for his numerous books critical of rock music, and especially of Christian rock music.
Godwin claims to have led a rebellious and troubled adolescence, often spending time in jail on drugs charges. Godwin was a rock musician and fan. Among his claims is that he survived the stampede that claimed the lives of 12 fans of The Who at their Cincinnati concert on December 3, 1979.
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[edit] Meeting Jack Chick
According to Godwin's testimony posted at his website, he was converted to Christianity in September 1984 by his future wife's family. The change was evidently profound, as his first book, The Devil's Disciples (1985) was published the following year. His story of rock-n-roll debauchery and subsequent conversion brought him to the attention of renegade fundamentalist comic publisher Jack Chick. Chick Publications continues to distribute Godwin's books to this day, even though many have not been updated since the 1980s when they were originally written. The cartoon covers are also drawn very much in Chick's style.
[edit] Post-conversion religious beliefs
Godwin became a King James Only fundamentalist very much in line with his mentor, Jack Chick. Like Chick, Godwin is strongly anti-Catholic, alleging the Vatican's involvement in a host of conspiracies, though this aspect of his faith is not often evident from his anti-rock books and sermons. In his testimony, Godwin has also criticized the Lutheran faith of his youth as being basically Catholic minus the Pope. Godwin sees Satan's influence in music as being maintained by secret alliances between rock musicians, producers, and promoters uniting with demons and Satan himself. Godwin has made several visits to Northern Ireland to preach and has met with anti-Catholic groups while there. Godwin's website is hosted on a Northern Ireland-based server.
[edit] Teachings on rock music
According to Godwin, rock and roll music traces its origins back thousands of years. Its rhythms were written by Satan and his demons and have a sublimnal power to control a listener's mind. The rhythms eventually found their way, via Africa, into the blues, jazz, and other forms of African American music before they appeared in rock music. In addition, rock music's argot is loaded with secret references to sexual - and frequently homosexual - behavior. Satanic symbols dating back centuries, Godwin maintains, can be found in the album covers of rock music, testifying to Satan's power. While Godwin believes that Satanic messages have been "backmasked" (recorded backwards) on rock albums, he believes that Satan's presence in rock music has rarely required hiding. He further believes that Christian rock, also known as contemporary Christian music or CCM, is a Satanic diversion. According to him, most CCM performers are either explicitly in league with Satan or unwittingly duped by him. Godwin's links to Chick and his allegations of Satanic involvement by CCM artists have made him a marginal figure even among fundamentalists.
[edit] Books by Jeff Godwin
All of Godwin's books were published by Chick Publications
- Rock & Roll Religion: A War Against God (1985)
- Devil's Disciples: The Truth About Rock Music (1986)
- Dancing With Demons: The Music's Real Master (1988)
- What's Wrong With Christian Rock? (1990)
