Godspell blasphemously portrayed "Jesus" as a "afro-haired, face-painted-clown", clad in a Superman shirt! Godspell takes place in a New York junk yard. "Jesus" is baptized by John the Baptist in a New York fountain with a sponge (making sure he get behind his ears). John the Baptist is shown floating in a swimming pool, smoking a cigar. The play ends with "Jesus" crucified on a chain link fence. And of course – NO RESURRECTION!

Face-Painted Clown "Jesus"

"Jesus" in Superman shirt

"Jesus" crucified on a fence in a circus!

Surely no Christian who believes the Bible would approve of the perversion of Godspell . . .

Surely no "spiritually sane" Christian would take Godspell seriously. . .

And sure enough – during the 70’s the Christian mainstream avoided Godspell like a "pit bull dog with AIDS". No Christian distributor would dare touch it . . .

The cover of the Gotee re-released Godspell says, "A musical based upon the Gospel according to St. Matthew".

Godspell is NOT based upon the GOSPEL!

The word of God gives the definition of the GOSPEL in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4:

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

The GOSPEL of Jesus Christ (and Matthew) is:

". . . how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: "

There is NOTHING in Godspell about "Christ dying for our sins"!

That wonderful song says:

What can wash away my sins?
NOTHING but the BLOOD of Jesus

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 1 Peter 1:18-19

And if there is NO BLOOD — There is NO GOSPEL!

". . . Unto him that LOVED us, and washed us from our sins in his own BLOOD," Revelation 1:5

The Word of God continues in 1 Corinthians 15:14-17:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:14-17

According to God, if Godspell is right – NO RESURRECTION – "your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto ANOTHER GOSPEL [GODSPELL]:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT THE GOSPEL of Christ [GODSPELL].
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ACCURSED [GODSPELL].
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that ye have received, let him be ACCURSED [GODSPELL]. Galatians 1:6-9

CCM artist, Charlie Peacock, makes this absurd statement in the Gotee Godspell CD:

"Godspell served to remind me that Jesus was an historical figure-the son of God, and not just some vaporous myth".

Do tell . . . How in the name of sanity does an "afro-haired, superman-shirt, clown-face-painted, harlequin-Jesus" possibly "remind" anyone with a brain -- "that Jesus was an historical figure-the son of God, and not just some vaporous MYTH"?

John-Michael Tebelak wrote the script for Godspell as his master’s thesis at Carnegie’s Tech School of Drama. Tebelak says:

"Be it Jesus or Krishna – the message is the same".
(Satan’s Music Exposed, Lowell Hart, p.40)

The song "Light of the World" has the line – "We all need help to feel fine, let's have some wine!" Listen to it.

But God says in Proverbs 20:1

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1

By far the most blasphemous and sexually vulgar "shot" at the Lord Jesus Christ is the song "Turn Back, O Man". The song "Turn Back, O Man" is sung in sexually, burlesque, strip-tease style. The song contains the sexually vulgar line "C’mere Jesus, I got something to show ya!". Listen to it.

How can any Christian that professes to believe that Jesus Christ loved them so much He died for their sins stomach such sacrilege vulgarity?

And Michael W. Smith makes this incredible statement about Godspell:

"I literally wore out my copy of Godspell. There wasn’t a song on the album I didn’t know by heart. Godspell had a huge impact on my life. . . It spoke my language at a time that was crucial in my development as a believer. I can’t wait to hear it again" (From the Godspell CD)

Smith says, "Godspell had a huge impact on my life!" Now we know why Michael W. Smith very rarely mentions the lovely name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

CCM author and promoter Paul Baker makes this unbelievable statement:

"The clown figure of Jesus allowed the plain message of the Gospel of St. Matthew to come through loud and clear, not just in words, but also in acted-out parables." (Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music, Paul Baker, p. 86)

Who that ever read the gospel of Matthew would think Jesus Christ was a CLOWN? Can a Christian possibly be that spiritually sick?

The Lord Jesus Christ was beaten, smitten, mocked, and crucified as a "curse" for your sins! He didn’t come "bouncing" along as a CLOWN! He died as a CURSE to save you from HELL because He loved YOU so much!

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a CURSE for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13

Joey Elwood, president of Gotee Records, says he hopes Godspell will:

"stretch our minds… open ourselves up to things we that we normally [wouldn’t] and experience Christ in ways that we never thought we could". (CCM May, p. 14)

Are you kidding. . .?

". . . experience Christ in ways that we never thought we could" BY hearing the burlesque, strip-tease tune, "Turn Back, O Man" singing, "C’mere Jesus, I got something to show ya!".

What’s really ironic -- the "heathen" South African government banned Godspell because it was "offensive". (Satan’s Music Exposed, Lowell Hart, p.40)

But . . . why would any Christian re-release the sacrilege, perversion of Godspell?

But . . .why would any Christian promote such distortion of Jesus Christ?

I’ll give you a hint . . . It begins with a "M" and rhymes with "HONEY". . .

CCM "star" Carman told Shout magazine, concerning CCM, "The bottom line is money." (Shout, Dec. 1995 p.36)

The Gotee Godspell re-release contains one song that wasn’t part of Godspell. The song, "By My Side" by Gotee artists Out of Eden and The Katinas. Nok Curtis-Beal of Gotee records, tells the reason for re-relea$ing Godspell:

". … We saw this as a marketing opportunity for our artists. . . That’s our core marketing purpose with this project ". (Release, April/May 1999 p. 11)

And, as usual, the word of God "cuts to the heart" and reveals the real truth:

"For the love of MONEY is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,…" 1 Timothy 6:10

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make MERCHANDISE of you:. . ." 2 Peter 2:1-3