Truth, Lies and In Between

A recent incident in Grand Junction, Colorado has struck familiar chords.  I briefly lived in Grand Junction as a young adult, but more important, I am a teacher and professional musician, specifically, a classically trained singer.  The incident happens to be about music, religion, politics, liberty and education.

At Grand Junction High School, senior James Harper found himself in a vexing predicament.  A member of the school’s choir, Harper is also a Christian, and when the choir director, Marcia Weiland, chose a piece—“Zikr”–by Indian composer A.R. Rahman, Harper was conflicted.  The piece is quite clearly a Muslim song (something of an oxymoron, particularly for the more Islamist-leaning who frown–at best–on any music).

The lyrics (via Gateway Pundit, via the Examiner):

Those of you, who seek Allah’s attention, Come, as you are called by Allah.
There is no better deed than ZIKR, said the Holy Prophet of Allah. And those…