Why was a classic church hymn censored?

I'm not sure about the hymns, gospel music, or Christian rock that youngsters encounter nowadays. However, I'm sure that in most Christian countries the hymnal "All things bright and beautiful" is still widely known.
The thing is that i discovered that the second stanza has been removed. This can only be called some kind of censorship. Could anyone explain why this was removed?

Refrain

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

Refrain

[Most hymnals omit the following verse]

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

(see cyberhymnal.org...)

What is so wrong about this verse that gave every class its space? It's a lot more true and honest than: "There is a green hill far away" (where "our dear Lord was crucified"), which displaces the green hills of England onto arid Palestine.
I think especially in the context of neo-colonialism this verse could create happiness and prevent false expectations.
It's exactly what we need at this point.
Why all the lies and scams of prosperity in the world's poorest nations?
Hey, preacher, it's time to tell the truth!

From what or where has it been removed?

reply to post by sniknej

The second stanza from "All things bright and beautiful" was removed. Google the song and it is missing, unless you specifically type "original+all things...).
At least a decade or two ago it was known and sung in all British dominions, (although I only recently found out about the cut verse: "The rich man in his castle...).
Not only is the ban an attempt to disguise the class system in Europe, it also attempts to white-wash "Christian society" (not necessarily individual Christians).
It blatantly shows that religion kept people, their expectations for life and classes in check.


[edit on 24-11-2009 by halfoldman]

reply to post by halfoldman

In more modern times, due to its endorsement of the class system, verse three is not sung. [3][4][5] In addition, the sixth verse is nearly always omitted because the pastoral imagery within it is no longer true for most congregations.
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by halfoldman

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

The Church has been taken over by liberal A-holes. Their socialist church docterines will not allow them to recognize that God made some men to live rich and some to live poor, despite the evidence of everyday existance.

The new politically correct standard is that we are all created with an equal claim to the world's wealth (which should be divided equally among all by TPTB).

It's socialism pure and simple.

[edit on 24-11-2009 by FortAnthem]

reply to post by halfoldman

The verse seems to suggest that God supports a class/cast system...
...when Christianity in the beginning certainly did not.

Galatians 3:27-29 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Human categories did not count.

reply to post by troubleshooter

Good point. However my Christian friends believe that there will be a capitalist class system in heaven, depending on your earthly life after salvation. She told me she'd rather lick John Hagee's toilet clean for eternity, as long as she doesn't go to hell.

reply to post by halfoldman


Hymns are weird. I never quite understood why so much ritual made it into the Church when Jesus preached against religious ritual.

I think it was probably removed because people don't want to believe that God is making them poor while making others rich. People are petty animals, the idea that a divine power is holding them at the lowest rung of the ladder is a bothersome one.

I guess I am just ignorant. Never heard or sang this song at all, I have no idea about this song or the missing words. I prefer the hells fire and damnation songs. I was raised on those in the 50's, in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Much more visual than this song.

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb. Yikes! A freaking bleeding lamb!! What are we going to do after church, eat the baby sheep? Yummy!

reply to post by FortAnthem

I agree totally. Also I think: different classes have different duties and crosses to bear. Nobility implies a lot of public scrutiny which would drive (and sometimes does so) ordinary people to "fame" madness.
From some of my research people in Brazil's "favelas" and squatter camps can be totally happy. However, we have a media that promises everyone instant fame and riches. With access to such media, levels of happiness in life have dropped considerably.
I think the democratic society can no longer understand the pain of the castle dweller - to them it's unfair advantage and feudal evil.
All must however remember: uneasy rests the head that wears the crown.
I pray for those in power.

Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by troubleshooter

 

Good point. However my Christian friends believe that there will be a capitalist class system in heaven, depending on your earthly life after salvation. She told me she'd rather lick John Hagee's toilet clean for eternity, as long as she doesn't go to hell.

yeah seems like that sometimes eh?

Actually, your friend might be onto something...

Jesus said, "...whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:27-28

Jesus view of the Kindom of Heaven certainly wasn't socialism...
...but total equality with the lowliest jobs reserved for those who want to be the greatest.

Do you know any religion like that...I certainly don't.

The LORD is my Sheppard, I shall not want.

He leadeth me to lay down in green pastures.

reply to post by troubleshooter

From the point of idealism of scripture, all the main religions say that. Especially the eastern religions say that (which is why they are still monk-based).
It was even known in the Cynic subculture in ancient Greece.
It was also known to the Jewish Essenes.
However, Jesus also denied that He would bring peace: Matt 10:34-39.
Jesus also tells His followers to sell their clothes to buy weapons, Luke 22:35-38.

It is odd that songs have extra verses that are not always sung.

The U.S. national anthem has more than one verse but they are never sung.

My favorite song is "Whiter Shade of Pale", by Procul Harum.

There are two more verses that have never been recorded on an album but was always sung at live concerts.

If I listen to a song I would like to hear it in its entirety as it was written not a abbreviated version.

Originally posted by troubleshooter

Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by troubleshooter

 

"Jesus view of the Kindom of Heaven certainly wasn't socialism...
...but total equality with the lowliest jobs reserved for those who want to be the greatest.

Do you know any religion like that...I certainly don't."

Um, don't know how much you've read on older socialism, but that sounds EXACTLY like socialism. Things are never done on merit, simply by inverting an entrenched social order.
This is very problematic.

Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by troubleshooter

 

Jesus also tells His followers to sell their clothes to buy weapons, Luke 22:35-38.

That is set in an interesting context...
...it is if Jesus is setting up the circumstances of His arrest.

Notice a little further down...

Luke 22:48-51 "But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? 49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

The Greek word is machaira which is a long knife used for the killing and cutting of an animal...
...that is a very interesting antitype of the sacrificial lamb motif...
...thank you for pointing it out.



[edit on 25/11/09 by troubleshooter]

I think I've gained some understanding on this touchy dichotomy in Christianity. For example, as another ATS post points out, we have two Lord's Prayers: A transgressor's prayer and a debtor's prayer. (At least they are varying interpretations used by varying social classes.)
We also have an Abrahamic law against usury that is never overthrown by Jesus.
And yet, we never see Christian pickets outside modern banks - that's what "hippies" do, isn't it?

reply to post by halfoldman


Fascinating topic.

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

Theologically speaking, this is actually accurate. God is sovereign in the affairs of men.

The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.

1 Samuel 2:7-9

This is not what it may appear at first glance. Those with a political agenda could (and surely have) used this concept to justify keeping people in their place, as it were. But the Bible is a spiritual book and is only truly understood when one listens with an attitude of humility.

One of the clearest illustrations is the way the Pharisees learned the OT off by heart, then looked down on the masses of ignorant people as 'dogs'. In becoming proud they missed the entire point of the message:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness."

Matthew 23:23

They were so confused they thought the Messiah was going to be a military leader and ended up murdering the very one the entire OT speaks of!

Returning to the way God brings some low and raises others up: it is for their ultimate good. It tends to hurt our pride to be brought low, but from our Maker's perspective it often does us a lot of good.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Mark 8:36

God's purpose in the world is to reveal himself through Christ so that we can be filled with love for God and for our fellow human beings.

Even the proud can be brought low and blessed. Many who had clamoured for Christ to be crucified later followed him, though it involved a humble admission on their part that they had actually had a hand in the crucifixion of the very Son of God.

Being permitted to acquire great riches in this life is sometimes God's way of allowing a person to become spiritually deprived, in the hope that they may at last come to see their poverty, and seek Him.

Others are permitted wealth because they have been humbled by God's love and mercy towards them, and God entrusts them to use what they have in ways that express love for Him and their fellow man.

Yet others experience nothing but material poverty in this life. For some it enables them to avoid the illusion that wealth would make them happy - they seek fulfilment elsewhere, sometimes in seeking out their Maker. Others become embittered, such that they are angry at God for their hardships. Ultimately this hardness of heart becomes a spiritual prison, inclining them to turn away from the message of God's love.

Thus both riches and poverty can either harden a person's heart or bring them blessing. What's really at stake is: what is the state of your heart towards your Maker?

When a person has come to accept this is what really matters in life, whether they have poverty or riches is of relatively little consequence. There is a richness in being filled with God's love that infinitely outweighs such matters.

What is left is contentment, and a heart filled with thanks. This in turn leads to a (hitherto absent) natural desire to sing to one's Maker. Which brings us back to hymns, which sometimes encapsulate such deep truths with wonderful succinctness:





So here's wishing all a merry (old-fashioned) Christmas, filled with meaning: