Righteous Judgement (song)

"Righteous Judgement" is a song written for the third chapter of Blood Over Water: The Novel. It is the song performed by Meredith Celestine that gets her into some amount of trouble with Tobey Moffin and his record label, jeopardizing her chances of making it into the Contemporary Christian music market.

Inspiration
The song's lyrics are inspired by the James Melton article "Is it Right to Judge?," which clarifies the meaning of Matthew 7:1 using not only surrounding passages in Matthew 7, but also in the context of Psalm 37:30 and Amos 5:14-15. The same explanations for the difference between petty / hypocritical criticism of others' superficial flaws and actual moral discretion on the merits of a particular action are backed up by a 1994 editorial written to the Brethren Revival Fellowship website.

Reference to these resources when attacked on The Ring Forum at EZBoard in 2004 and 2005 earned the founder of Dozerfleet several enemies, as the more left-leaning members of that board were driven into a frenzy by the prospect of someone having a rebuttal to their favorite tactic for silencing opposition to their causes. On Facebook, the same scriptural clarifications in debate earned insults and threats from other Facebook users who got frustrated in debates.

From there, it was revealed that this same issue was a hot-button topic in many megachurch denominations across the United States. David Cloud's The Foreign Spirit of Contemporary Worship Music gave numerous examples of how this has led to the existence of "gay" "churches," as well as to numerous worship bands and worship leaders at numerous churches who would often engage in open adultery without fear of recourse. The hard-hitting video caused waves of controversy on YouTube, but also revealed how much apostasy and compromise is in the Contemporary Christian music industry.

Use in Blood Over Water
Main article: Blood Over Water (novel)

As writing considerations were being made for Blood Over Water: The Novel, Aaron Stefflin's girlfriend Meredith Celestine needed to be an inspiration for his specific chosen major while also having an excuse for not being in the story when most of its dramatic events were happening. It was decided that she would be striving to infiltrate the contemporary Christian music industry with songs that emphasized theological integrity over blind emotion, but would also have catchy tunes. This would pose enough of a threat to liberal theologians within the industry, that it seemed logical they would circle the wagons to ruin her chances.

This would leave her feeling threatened and overwhelmed. It also meant that Aaron would have a logical motive to get involved and improve her chances, while also serving as a future bodyguard for her as her message would most certainly earn her enemies. This also served as irony, when Aaron would have to run to her for safety after his exposure of Clyde Spendelworth's criminal activities at Sleet Mountain meant that the Gleeful-N'-Young sex trafficking cartels put a price on Aaron's head.

All-in-all, it explains where Aaron ran to for safety when exposing Clyde to the FBI and EPA - an important plot point that the miniseries never addressed.

Use by Meredith
See also: Meredith Celestine

In the context of the story itself, Meredith wants to make a difference by reminding her listeners that a relationship with God is a relationship with God, and not with themselves. Her style of music is catchy by the standards of most who listen to her. However, it is her song "Righteous Judgement" that she performs for an audition to get a record deal. The producer, Tobey Moffin, reacts violently by grabbing away and destroying her guitar. He also threatens to have her and any studio that considers her "zapped." When her mother Wanda demands an apology for Tobey's aggression, she is instead served a restraining order. This illustrates the persecution that true believers like Meredith can face in a music industry where apostasy is the new normal.

Lyrics
{| class="dzsongtable" align="center"
 * style="text-align:center; color:#447; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt;" | "Righteous Judgement"
 * style="text-align:center; color:#447; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt;" | "Righteous Judgement"

[Instrumental intro]

First verse
It doesn't / take very long / to spot a faker!

Shibboleths of the damned / used today might shake ya! /

But there's two types of "judge" / must embrace distinction! /

Cause the enemy wants / your moral extinction! /

Chorus
They say / you can't be the judge / but the Judge was sayin' /

Gotta make a righteous judgement / every day / explainin' /

Gotta judge by the Judge / and the Word displayin'! /

Cause you can't overrule / what He's declared! / Amen! /

Second verse
Now you might judge that someone's hair / is too short /

And you can just assume / from what they do / what's in their heart! /

But that's not / what the Judge / wants from you / displaying!/

Gotta judge like the Judge, / and by what 's sayin'! /

[Repeat chorus]

Background trail echo bridge
"Then you'll return...discerning between righteous and wicked...between he that serves God and he who does not..."

"Malachi 3:18!!!"

Third verse
On all the / shallow things in life / use consistency /

Because / the standards apply / universally! /

But on the Orders of Creation / there's no deviation/

You can judge to be okay / and with validation! /

'Cause the Judge Above has ruled / men without excuse! /

And it's not even / worth getting / yourself obtuse! /

If you judge that you fall short / turn away / displayin' /

What the Judge says no to / find His grace / he's playin' /

Cause He judged by the Judge / got whipped for you / Amen!

[Repeat chorus]

Lyrics &copy; 2014 Dozerfleet Records.
 * }

Reception
Samples of the chorus lyrics to this song were first shared in a private message between the Dozerfleet founder and a Facebook friend who has herself been embattled by LGBT militants and a deranged half-sister. That friend's outlook on the song and its lyrics was all-around generally positive.