Here’s a simple fact: It was no one’s fault but her own. Like Kurt Cobain, she was psycho-social poison, her fame giving a romantic aura to what amounts at last to suicide. She is sae in God’s hands now, but in this life, like the Cobain’s of the world, one of her was one too many, their collateral damage far in excess of their benifits. Larry
For once I agree with Larry! There is no such thing as addiction. It is not a disease. The costs of Lindsay Lohan or Charlie Sheen far outweigh the benefits. And think of just “regular” alcoholics; there is a group called Al-Anon just to deal with the collateral damage these people do to their families, let alone others. One of them is WAY too many – plus we let them meet in our churches!!
Sheesh, Larry, some compassion would be a Christian response! She was a young gal who couldn’t handle the fallout of fame. Not the first and certainly not the last. Should anyone really be hounded day and night with cameras in their faces, lies and gossip being spread constantly, and no privacy permitted simply because they are talented and have a hit album? I can’t imagine how horrible it must be to have your every move documented and publicized.
I pray that she has found peace and I’m so sorry for Ms. Winehouse’s family.
So very, very sad. Prayers for her family and the peace of her soul.
I agree that compassion is in order. I know that many celebrities don’t lack for enjoying the trappings of wealth and fame. But, it has a dark, difficult side.
I remember once walking in on my father watching a news program. The story of the moment was the Princess of Wales getting sulky on the ski slopes. I asked my father what was wrong with her. He said, accurately, that “the poor girl can’t even go to the washroom without somebody wanting to take a picture of her”. We take our anonymity for granted. The extreme fishbowl is not an easy place to live.
I wish Ms. Winehouse would have accepted help or someone had been able to help her.
RE: “one of her was one too many, their collateral damage far in excess of their benifits.”
I disagree with this. There is not one human being that is “one too many.” That is how those who accept abortion think about human beings — a reductionistic, utilitarian view that has no place in Christian thought or practice.
For every celebrity who can’t handle fame and fortune and end up as Amy Winehouse did, there are ten who can…..and you almost never read such sad headlines as this one. Pray for her family and friends, and may she find the Peace which wasn’t allowed her on Earth.
Not to pile on, but I agree with no. 4. If we say it was no one’s fault but her own, then we also have to say that about anyone who succumbs to drug or alcohol addiction. People fall into that dependence for all sorts of reasons–from fame and too much attention to feeling lonely and receiving too little attention. We’ve all known some wonderful, deeply moral, supremely Christian people who died because of alcohol or drug addiction. The addiction brings about a downward spiral which takes over one’s life.
Paul was more profound about this: “sin” may be an individual misdeed or wrong choice that leads to big problems down the road; but also “Sin” (with a capital S) is a power or force that takes control of us and bends us toward what is wrong; Sin becomes dominant over what was once a good. That force, it seems, can use alcohol or the Law or power, anything. Then a part of the brain becomes involved–in addiction–which is, both physically and figuratively, below the level of reason.
But, while we still can reason, we need to constantly let young people know to be wary of extreme highs and extreme lows. The best highs come from life as baseball: not an unbroken chain of immediate thrills but inning after inning of going to bat in a worthy enterprise consistently doing the best you can. And the lows: this girlfriend or boyfriend who dumped you is not the only girl or boy who will ever like you or that you will like.
Getting back to “no one’s fault”: Well, I do feel–and have written about this, FWIW, in Sewanee Theol. Rev. recently–that we (western society) have replaced saints with celebrities. The result is horrendous on all sorts of levels. And to some extent we are all–except the Amish–guilty. If many people didn’t participate, then the media wouldn’t be awash in their doings.
I’m not terribly familiar with AW’s music, but the little I heard, I liked; so indeed a loss for all sorts of reasons.
Perhaps, finally, her death will be seen as a very unglamorous way to go.
We live in a society in which people are obsessed with their bodies and many with fitness, and yet obesity, addiction, etc. “Moderation” is not a very sexy theme, though, is it?
The articel says: “…….and fought a long battle against substance abuse.”
It sure didn’t look like she was fighting any battle against it at all. People have their demons. Some fight them; some co-operate whole heartedly with them. We all make choices. What might have made it possible for her to choose life?
Lumen, the cross of Christ, of course. But the cross is an offense to many who are tangled up in the world and its systems; and sad to say, it would not have been well accepted by Ms. Winehouse’s vast audiences, if she had made her appearance on-stage and announced to her audience that she had accepted Christ, and they needed to, also.
The world and its systems, and the Kingdom of God are totally and completely antithetical. This does not take away from the tragedy, but it helps define why stuff like this happens.
Incredibly tragic, though not especially surprising. She had been operating in self-destruct mode for years. Her vast talent could not save her from the vices and passions that had a hold over her life. Prayers for her family.
There’s a very creepy club she now joins;
Jimi Hendrix
Jim Morrison
Brian Jones
Janis Joplin
Kurt Cobain
“Pigpen” McKernan
and now Amy Winehouse
all dead at twenty-seven.
Here’s a simple fact: It was no one’s fault but her own. Like Kurt Cobain, she was psycho-social poison, her fame giving a romantic aura to what amounts at last to suicide. She is sae in God’s hands now, but in this life, like the Cobain’s of the world, one of her was one too many, their collateral damage far in excess of their benifits. Larry
Sheesh, Larry, some compassion would be a Christian response! She was a young gal who couldn’t handle the fallout of fame. Not the first and certainly not the last. Should anyone really be hounded day and night with cameras in their faces, lies and gossip being spread constantly, and no privacy permitted simply because they are talented and have a hit album? I can’t imagine how horrible it must be to have your every move documented and publicized.
I pray that she has found peace and I’m so sorry for Ms. Winehouse’s family.
So very, very sad. Prayers for her family and the peace of her soul.
I agree that compassion is in order. I know that many celebrities don’t lack for enjoying the trappings of wealth and fame. But, it has a dark, difficult side.
I remember once walking in on my father watching a news program. The story of the moment was the Princess of Wales getting sulky on the ski slopes. I asked my father what was wrong with her. He said, accurately, that “the poor girl can’t even go to the washroom without somebody wanting to take a picture of her”. We take our anonymity for granted. The extreme fishbowl is not an easy place to live.
I wish Ms. Winehouse would have accepted help or someone had been able to help her.
RE: “one of her was one too many, their collateral damage far in excess of their benifits.”
I disagree with this. There is not one human being that is “one too many.” That is how those who accept abortion think about human beings — a reductionistic, utilitarian view that has no place in Christian thought or practice.
For every celebrity who can’t handle fame and fortune and end up as Amy Winehouse did, there are ten who can…..and you almost never read such sad headlines as this one. Pray for her family and friends, and may she find the Peace which wasn’t allowed her on Earth.
No. 2: “It was no one’s fault but her own.”
Not to pile on, but I agree with no. 4. If we say it was no one’s fault but her own, then we also have to say that about anyone who succumbs to drug or alcohol addiction. People fall into that dependence for all sorts of reasons–from fame and too much attention to feeling lonely and receiving too little attention. We’ve all known some wonderful, deeply moral, supremely Christian people who died because of alcohol or drug addiction. The addiction brings about a downward spiral which takes over one’s life.
Paul was more profound about this: “sin” may be an individual misdeed or wrong choice that leads to big problems down the road; but also “Sin” (with a capital S) is a power or force that takes control of us and bends us toward what is wrong; Sin becomes dominant over what was once a good. That force, it seems, can use alcohol or the Law or power, anything. Then a part of the brain becomes involved–in addiction–which is, both physically and figuratively, below the level of reason.
But, while we still can reason, we need to constantly let young people know to be wary of extreme highs and extreme lows. The best highs come from life as baseball: not an unbroken chain of immediate thrills but inning after inning of going to bat in a worthy enterprise consistently doing the best you can. And the lows: this girlfriend or boyfriend who dumped you is not the only girl or boy who will ever like you or that you will like.
Getting back to “no one’s fault”: Well, I do feel–and have written about this, FWIW, in Sewanee Theol. Rev. recently–that we (western society) have replaced saints with celebrities. The result is horrendous on all sorts of levels. And to some extent we are all–except the Amish–guilty. If many people didn’t participate, then the media wouldn’t be awash in their doings.
I’m not terribly familiar with AW’s music, but the little I heard, I liked; so indeed a loss for all sorts of reasons.
Perhaps, finally, her death will be seen as a very unglamorous way to go.
We live in a society in which people are obsessed with their bodies and many with fitness, and yet obesity, addiction, etc. “Moderation” is not a very sexy theme, though, is it?
The articel says: “…….and fought a long battle against substance abuse.”
It sure didn’t look like she was fighting any battle against it at all. People have their demons. Some fight them; some co-operate whole heartedly with them. We all make choices. What might have made it possible for her to choose life?
Lumen, the cross of Christ, of course. But the cross is an offense to many who are tangled up in the world and its systems; and sad to say, it would not have been well accepted by Ms. Winehouse’s vast audiences, if she had made her appearance on-stage and announced to her audience that she had accepted Christ, and they needed to, also.
The world and its systems, and the Kingdom of God are totally and completely antithetical. This does not take away from the tragedy, but it helps define why stuff like this happens.
Incredibly tragic, though not especially surprising. She had been operating in self-destruct mode for years. Her vast talent could not save her from the vices and passions that had a hold over her life. Prayers for her family.
Memory eternal.