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\nLord I Come To Bathe In Your Glory featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Love is the Way recorded and produced by Bob Ross<\/p>\nWhen I first heard \u201cDo they know it\u2019s Christmas\u201d I thought it was a great idea to raise money in support of those suffering famine in Ethiopia. I also thought it was a great song with a fabulous hook, \u201cFeed the world.\u201d
\nI also thought the line \u201cDo they know its Christmas\u201d was a reference to those who were suffering, understandably not appreciating the time of the season. And now there is criticism of the song being patronising to Africans. Below is an article in the Premier Christian News.
\nCritics of the Band Aid song ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ have said it is insulting to Africa for its ‘stereotypical’ portrayal of the continent and its suggestion that Africans don’t understand Christmas.
\nIn 1984, Dawit Giorgis was the Ethiopian official responsible for spreading the message about the famine engulfing his country. It led to a BBC film showing the plight of starving children and families. It moved millions of people across the world and led to the Live Aid concert which would go on to raise almost \u00a3150m for famine relief and development in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa.
\nBut Mr Giorgis says that the portrayal was insulting, particularly in its reference to Christmas. He told the BBC:
\n“It was so untrue and so distorted. Ethiopia was a Christian country before England\u2026 we knew Christmas before your ancestors.”
\nThe song also describes Africa as a place “where nothing ever grows; no rain nor rivers flow”.
\nSpeaking to the BBC, British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG, said:
\n“The world has changed but Band Aid hasn\u2019t…
\n“It\u2019s saying there\u2019s no peace and joy in Africa this Christmas. It\u2019s still saying there\u2019s death in every tear…
\n“I go to Ghana every Christmas\u2026 every December so we know there\u2019s peace and joy in Africa this Christmas, we know there isn\u2019t death in every tear.”
\nBob Geldof who along with Midge Ure wrote the song, defended its lyrics in an article in \u201cThe Conversation\u201d:
\n“The same argument has been made many times over the years and elicits the same wearisome response…
\n“This little pop song has kept hundreds of thousands if not millions of people alive.”
\n He added that he recognises that Ethiopians celebrate Christmas but says that in 1984 “ceremonies were abandoned”.
\nLast year alone, the Band Aid Charitable Trust distributed more than \u00a33m to various projects including providing clean water, building schools and libraries and providing training to prevent gender-based violence.
\nChristian charity Mary’s Meals UK has been supported by Band Aid since 2010, providing school meals for children in Tigray, Ethiopia, reaching 110,000 last year.
\nA new version of the single is being released this week under the name Band Aid 40.<\/p>\n
Quote of the Week <\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/risen.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/929534-Bob-Geldof-Quote-It-strikes-me-as-being-morally-repulsive-and.jpg\")
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