Grateful Dead

Keep it real...

Greetings, and let me clarify a few things. #1, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I also love the Grateful Dead's music. #2, I am not a "missionary" in the way I saw spoke of here. I am not looking to harm any indigenous peoples, as I believe was mentioned, and I'm not on any type of conquest to harm anyone! #3 I am not part of any official organization. I love Jesus. He loves me, and loved me first, and died for me, and I put my faith in Him to give me eternal life. That's what I believe. #4 As for the SYF. Mary, thanks for the way in which you discussed this. The cross of Christ is important to me and I put it in a SYF, actually I didn't, I copied it from someone else who did. The same way I love the Boston Red Sox baseball team and also got a shirt with a Red Sox SYF at a show one time. The same way others have SYF with a dove of peace, a marijuana leaf, their favorite sports team, etc. #5 I mean no one no harm. I have a website, greateststoryevertold.org, that shares the love of Jesus Christ in a way I hope is appealing to open minded Dead Heads and hippies, intertwined with the community that we're all a part of. Finally, I would like to apologize on behalf of any "Christians" you have met, or Christian experiences you have had that have seemed hypocrital, for any misrepresentations by the media or individuals or churches. I have met many who have had bad experiences and all I want people to know is that the real Jesus Christ has often been misrepresented by others, and probably even me, and I'm sorry for that. None of that changes that fact, that as the Grateful Dead sung so beautifully at the end of many shows, Jesus Loves You the Best. Be an honest seeker, check it our for yourself. Jesus said "I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me." He made that claim, I believe it, it's a claim worth investigating. You have nothing to lose and eternal life to gain. Check it out. May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Ben Jesus Loves You The Best! greateststoryevertold.org

Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.

for example the line "ashes ,ashes all fall down"is a recitation of the revelation of st.john also known as the apocalypse...and i am aware of the tons of recitations of this kind appearing in the lyrics.but thats what i am trying to say,everybody is free to place this words in his/her model of believe.the side i saw appeared to me like fishing for new customers..thats only my opinion and i think i have the freedom to share it on this site.likewise everybody else has the freedom to agree with me or not.thats all!!!:-)(-:Peace anyway..Frankly

"the greatest story ever told" was used as a Bible/Jesus term long, long before the song Hunter insists is actually called "Moses" was written, and indeed that's part of the song's resonance.

I understand your point and tend to share your view of missionaries, but, c'mon. Given the cheerful abandon with which the stealie has been adapted for personal artwork of all stripes, and some of it even becoming part of the official offerings (e.g. Space Your Face), I'm not exactly surprised if Deadhead Christians fuse their two most important symbols. I'm sure, for example, I've seen Star of David stealies over the years. (Disclaimer: I do not speak for Grateful Dead Productions here...) And let him who has never dragged a reluctant friend or family member to a Dead show cast the first stone, re missionary zeal. The whole One True Path thing is a big trouble vector, whoever's preaching it.

i do agree with you.there are people who want to help and there are people who want to conquer.so i get a catch on your sentence about desecrating cultures.i know that the cultural movement that is represented by the Grateful Dead is young,but i also know that it is for sure incredibly complex and sophisticated,as it leaves to anybody the possibility to interpret freely the lyrics and to place them on whatever place in each persons spiritual context.the greatest thing is that the SYF is something like a secret symbol that shows that you are part of a BIG community which does not judge you about your believes,philosophies of life etc.but includes you because we are jerrys kids.seeing this symbol with the cross,shows me clearly that these group sees itself as something special..which gives me the idea that they might be part of the second kind of missionaries.peace:-)(-:Frankly

In my travels I have met, worked with and heard about missionaries and transparently Christian organisations who work hard to help poor people and to defend the rights and traditions of indigenous groups without trying to persuade or induce people to convert. The approach appears to be to do good works because that is a Christian thing to do. Of course folks who want to convert are welcomed but that does not seem to be the agenda of those involved. These are good people. In contrast to these worthy groups and individuals are the hordes of evangelical missionaries sweeping though Asia with their fierce conviction, intense zeal and stunning ignorance and insensitivity. Their methods are not quite those of the conquistadors but not far off. Much of what they do is in my view not only unethical, it is also against the interests of the people concerned. These missionaries are so convinced they are right they do not take the trouble to learn or understand what people need or want, they wade in with their cash and their crosses and do far more harm than good. Hundreds of years ago missionaries burnt almost all the written records of the Mayan people and today they continue to desecrate cultures more ancient than theirs and far more complex and sophisticated than they know or can be bothered to find out. But as I said, they are not all like that..... in the end being a righteous person is not about what we believe but how we behave. that's my missionary position anyway ;-)

Hey Frankly-I totally agree with you on the missionary thing-it was the reason indigenous people were wiped out & still are oppressed. Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is the poorest place in the USA.........don't know what else about the "greateststoryevertold.org" but I'll be sure & not go there-think I saw his writings on here somewhere........thanks for the tip!Gypsy Cowgirl

i know the fact that the GD have used many religious in lyrics in their songs but i also believe that this was not a kind of missionary thing.believe it if you need it,if you dont just pass it on....well i made the mistake of takin a look at "greateststoryevertold.org"man i have to say that i am not too happy about the fact that i cannot get this page out from my screen anymore,and i also wonder who gave you the right to use SYF with across instead of the bolt.i do not like missionaries because they have been the reason of indigenous people being wiped out,were forbidden to talk their language(because it came from satan),and i would be happy to get this page out of my comp. again.i am sure you can help me.............................