Joni Mitchell Attacks Catholic Church

Joni Mitchell is back after nine years, and she’s on the attack. In the title track to her new album, “Shine,” Mitchell takes a nice swipe at the Catholic Church by name.

“Shine on the Catholic Church/And the prisons that it owns,” she sings. “Shine on all the Churches/that love less and less.”

My Comment: I don't have a clue as to what she is referring to here. Does anyone have any idea of what to make of this?
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Comments

  1. Barb Szyszkiewicz9/26/07, 5:38 AM

    No clue here either. But I'm no fan of Starbucks, who sponsored her album. I won't be buying it (or their overpriced coffee).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9/26/07, 5:49 AM

    She seems to be stuck in adolescence - rebelling against authority. She's 64 now - isn't it time she grew up?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Leticia9/26/07, 1:09 PM

    Niether have her aging hippy fans!
    Anti-Catholicism's the "last socially acceptable prejudice", according to the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jean Heimann9/26/07, 4:31 PM

    You know, I grew up in the Hippie era, but have changed and matured over the years. There was a time that I was stuck in the muck, but through the grace of God rose above that. Why aren't these people accepting God's grace to get over this?
    I guess we just need to keep praying for them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous9/28/07, 2:53 PM

    It's usually because they have sinned "big time" (multiple abortions, illegal drugs, etc.) -- or they have kids who have so sinned -- and they don't want to be told/reminded that the Church has always condemned, and will always condemn, these sins. They haven't repented yet, and the repressed guilt is eating away at their innards (both physical and spiritual). They want to persuade the younger generations not to become, or to stay, Catholic. Jonie Mitchell is referring to Catholic church buildings as "prisons," in which the faithful are "doing hard time."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous10/12/07, 12:49 AM

    She is referring to the "Magdalene Launderies" in England, run by the Sisters of Charity. I view the current "news" about these lyrics more as a means of free publicity than outrage. Joni wrote a more damning song about this place on her 1994 album "Turbulent Indigo. No press, no outrage.

    ReplyDelete

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