Christian Publication Goes After Oliver Anthony’s Working Man’s Anthem Because It’s Too Mean

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and they can write about it all they want. Conversely, we’re also allowed to argue against whatever they happened to post if we disagree, and I wholeheartedly disagree with Christianity Today‘s recent article that took offense to Oliver Anthony’s song, “Rich Men North of Richmond.”

Specifically, the author didn’t like the lines where Anthony lambasts obese people on welfare buying “fudge rounds” while others starve on the streets. Is it harsh? Maybe. But I believe Anthony wasn’t blasting everyone on welfare, just those who shouldn’t be but are taking advantage of the system.

I’m not alone:

I thought for sure this had to be a joke, but nope, it’s real!! The Evangelical Rich Men North of Richmond would like you to know, they would prefer if you didn’t like that song that captures the pain of watching the country crumble around us.🙄 https://t.co/324w7BBntF

— Megan Basham (@megbasham) August 17, 2023

Here are the lyrics the author from Christianity Today didn’t like:

Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothin’ to eat
And the obese milkin’ welfare
Well, God, if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds
Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds

The story reveals the author’s personal experience in the past with being on food stamps, which is why she doesn’t like the song. That’s fine. Where I take exception is that she claims other Christians shouldn’t like it, either.

That’s not her concern. This is not a Biblical issue just because she got offended. Again, if Anthony went after EVERYONE needing assistance, that would be one thing. But he singled out morbidly obese people using taxpayer funds to buy unhealthy food. I see nothing anti-Biblical about such a notion.

Oliver Anthony’s song doesn’t rank in the top 10,000 problems this nation and the world faces from a Biblical perspective. A Christian publication and author might want to address real issues instead of manufacturing one over lyrics in a song they don’t like.