Girls Suspended from Cheerleading after Singing 'Heaven' Song On Camera (for TV News Brodacast)

Jacksonville, Flordia WJXX ABC Channel 25 & WTLV NBC Channel 12 ^ | September 28, 2002 | First Coast News Staff

[tip of the sword]

JACKSONVILLE,FL (Westside)

Three cheerleaders from Trinity Chirstian Academy have been suspended from cheering as a result of appearing on First Coast News Sideline 2002.

Elena Mattison and two other girls were singing the song 'Heaven' as part of Sideline's 2002 'American Idol' night and were videotaped having fun.

However, when the head pastor at Trinity saw the tape he told the girls that it was inappropriate and as Christians they should not have been singing a 'worldly song.'

Upon learning of the schools decision many were shocked.

Said one person, 'You want to have good testimony as a Christian but I just dont see anything wrong with the song.

It had no sexual content, anytime a boy and girl find eatch other they feel like they are in heaven.'

But according to Head Pastor Tom Messer, 'I just don't think it is appropriate for teenage girls to be thinking of relationships in that way.'

As a result Elena Mattison and two of her friends will be forced to miss cheering at one home game.

In the meantime, Elena's parents say theu are upset about the school's actions and they plan to meet with school administrators next week.

[Illbay]

The pastor can do whatever the "heaven" he wants. But that doesn't keep him from being a doofus. Which he is.

People like him make the world a lousier place.

[tip of the sword]

I think the pastor has a problem with comparing teen love to dying and going to rest in God's place of eternal salvation.

The fact is first loves can seem like that to a lot of kids.. (although I'm not saying its right)

[Eagle Eye]

I don't want to hear a single word for those who think that private schools solve all the problems in education or those think that silly decisions are the sole domain of public schools.

Obviously those cheerleaders wear ankle-length skirts, loose sweaters, and wear their hair in a tight bun. /sarcasm

[tip of the sword]

I won't go that far, I just think the pastor is strictly applying Gods word in this case a bit too harshly.

And I suspect that this being part of an 'American Idol' contest and the girls singing about their first loves like meeting the Lord in Heaven was too much for him to take on the local news.

[tip of the sword]

At least this pastor in a private school setting is telling the kids what is appropriate and not, however wrong the punishment is.

The 'let them do anything they want atmosphere' leads to the world of feel good, no moral judgement mentality..

[tip of the sword]

I would tell the pastor that he made the right call in admonishing the girls, but perhaps the punishment was too severe.

[bimbo]

To Head Pastor Tom Messer:
They are Christian teenagers ... give them some slack, for "HEAVEN"s sake!

[EggsAckley]

"and everyone leaves......
at EggsAckley the same time."

[tip of the sword]

But at least they will learn about the Bible and appyling it to their everyday lives.

[thinktwice]

If they don't like the church's teachings they should go to a different school.

If we extend upon your thoughts about freedom, consider those religions where women are considered slaves; where daughters are sold to the highest bidder; where "honor killing" of female relatives is condoned when the auctioned woman seeks shelter elsewhere from an unwanted husband.

The term "religious freedom" becomes a perverse enigma when religious slavery is the actual truth.

[ChiMark]

Granted, but when he says the song is too worldly it probably is. I'm guessing that the shool permits songs that are more in tune with godly purposes than individual love.
There are churches that will not sing certain hymns because they might reflect a more human view than godly view.It seems a little weird to have cheerleading in what seems to be a fundamentalist institution.

[jude24]

What's so bad about having some decorum. Does every teenage kid have to conform to the slutty standards of society? Yes as a christian you give your life to God. Since when did cheerleaders begin singing duets about boy girl love?

What's "slutty" about "boy-girl love"?

It's a beautiful thing - without it, how could we have Christian marriages and Christian families?

I fail to see the how they failed to "give their li[ves] to God." What, every song we sing needs to be a hymn?

Read the Song of Solomon, sometime. It'll blow your mind away. The problem is that a lot Christianity has somehow getten the idea that sexuality is bad. Where that idea came from, I'm not sure, but it certainly isn't from the Bible. Intra-marriage sexuality is pure and holy (Heb. 13:4), and is indeed the symbol taken for the relationship between Christ and His church.

[tip of the sword]

And the song never mentions a girlfriend or boyfriend so it is possible it can be construed as a hymm.

[tip of the sword]

I can think of two main objections to this situation, first no church school should be participating in a contest called 'Amercian Idol' and second if indeed they were singing the song to a boyfriend in the audience the song is way out of line.

A high school crush is not the same as repentance in the eyes of God.

[EggsAckley]

Debbie Boone's "You light up My Life" was originally a modern Christian "hymn," but was construed as a worldly love song by the audience.

[tip of the sword]

That was a big complaint about Amy Grant, she was selling platnium pop records while never mentioning the 'J' word..

And all of her popular hits were love songs that had no name attached to it , so they could be construed as 'spiritual.'

[jude24]

no church school should be participating in a contest called 'Amercian Idol'

The title is unfortunate, I agree. It's probably based on the FOX TV show, where it was basically a talent search show. That would be my objection too, but more an admonition. "What were you thinking? Wearing a 'Trinity' uniform?"

if indeed they were singing the song to a boyfriend in the audience the song is way out of line.

I disagree. What, a high school girl can't have a boyfriend and express her affections for him?

A high school crush is not the same as repentance in the eyes of God.

???

[tip of the sword]

The lyrics go something like 'baby you're all that I want..when you're lying here by my side...I'm finding hard to believe..we're in heaven

Definitely borderline questionable and definitely blashphemous for freshman teen girls unless the song is referring to a picnic at the park!

[fight_truth_decay]

Now if I was 15, my interpretation would have been: "lying here in my arms (in bed).."in Heaven"..having just made love. However, strange this video was chosen out of all the other videos that station could have used. Am sure the school saw it after it was aired. Little media set up here again? The girls will survive..the school will survive. On to the next media sensation. Again just one persons interpretation!

[tip of the sword]

Right the lyric is 'when you're lying here by my side,' I dont think the girls are thinking it means the church picnic!