The youngest sensation on the South African music / rap / rave scene is 'n group called "Die Antwoord" ("The Answer"). Last night they were supposed to have a live performance in Stellenbosch and apparently, by noon yesterday, students by their thousands were preparing to literally take this "event of the century" by storm. For many students this means: getting drunk beforehand and acting as wildly and as shockingly as possible throughout the night. I have never listened to Die Antwoord's music but I took a quick look at one or two websites on the internet where the praises of this group is being sung. I was shocked and disgusted when I discovered what this group stand for and what methods they use to capture the imagination of the youth of South Africa. Here is one description of this group that I found: "Die Antwoord is a lovable, mongrel-like entity made in South Africa, the love-child of many diverse cultures, black, white, coloured and alien, all pumped into one wild and crazy journey down the crooked path to enlightenment." It seems indeed that their path is a crooked path. On their website they claim that they rap for the "chosen ones" and that anyone who doesn't like Die Antwoord is a .... (here one finds one of the many disgusting and filthy words that they use freely on their site and in their songs). They claim that their own website have had over 20 million hits in one month. Whether this is true or not, there is little doubt that thousands of young people somehow seem to think that this group present them with "The Answer". All that one can say is that if what is found here, is truly seen as "The Answer", one can just imagine what kind of questions are being asked. Knowing, however, what the real, serious questions in the minds and the hearts of young people are (questions like: What brings meaning in life? Where is fulfilment and true joy to be found? What happens after death?), you and I can be perfectly sure that Die Antwoord does not even come close to presenting young people (or any person, for that matter) with any kind of durable answer. It reminds one of the kind of answers that are often given in this world – answers that are soothing and even comforting, but nevertheless misleading. Answers that, at first glance, seem to be satisfying, but will never stand the test of truth.

Gen 3:1-3 And the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh Elohim had made, and he said to the woman, "Is it true that Elohim has said, ‘Do not eat of every tree of the garden’?" And the woman answered the serpent, "We are to eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohim has said, ‘Do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest you die.’ "

2. ANSWERS REVEALING ONE'S FEAR BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE

Gen 3:9-10 And Yahweh Elohim called unto Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" And he answered, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself."

3. ANSWERS THAT SIDESTEP THE REAL QUESTION BEING ASKED

Gen 3:11-12 And He said, "Who made you know that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" And the man answered, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate."

4. ANSWERS THAT ARE INTENDED TO PUT THE BLAME ON SOMEONE ELSE

Gen 3:13 And Yahweh Elohim said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman answered, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

 

5. ANSWERS THAT ARE RELYING ON THE EXCUSE OF IGNORANCE

Gen 4:9 And Yahweh said to Qayin, "Where is Hevel, your brother?" and he answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother’s guard?"

6. ANSWERS LACKING THE ELEMENT OF THE FEAR OF YAHWEH

Exo 5:1-2 And afterwards Mosheh and Aharon went in and said to Pharaoh, Thus said Yahweh Elohim of Yisraél, ‘Let My people go, so that they keep a festival to Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharaoh answered, Who is Yahweh, that I should obey His voice to let Yisraél go? I do not know Yahweh, nor am I going to let Yisraél go."

7. ANSWERS THAT ARE SELFISH AND SHORT SIGHTED

Exo 5:3-4 And they said … Please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness and slaughter to Yahweh our Elohim … But the sovereign of Mitzrayim answered them, "Mosheh and Aharon, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens."

8. ANSWERS THAT ARE NO MORE THAN EMPTY WORDS

Exo 24:3 And Mosheh came and related to the people all the Words of Yahweh and all the right-rulings. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the Words which Yahweh has spoken we shall do."

9. ANSWERS HIDING BEHIND THE EVIL NATURE OF MANKIND

Exo 32:21-22 And Mosheh said to Aharon, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" And Aharon answered, "Do not let the displeasure of my master burn. You know the people, that it is in evil."

10. ANSWERS THAT FAIL TO SEE THE HAND OF YAHWEH IN DAILY MATTERS

Num 22:28-29 Then Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bilám, "What have I done to you, that you have beaten me these three times?" And Bilám answered the donkey, "Because you have mocked me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would have killed you by now!"

Exo 33:16-17 "For how then shall it be known that I have found favour in Your eyes, I and Your people, except You go with us? Then we shall be distinguished, I and Your people, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." And Yahweh answered Mosheh, "Even this word you have spoken I shall do, for you have found favour in My eyes, and I know you by name."

1Ki 18:24 "And you shall call on the name of your mighty one, and I, I call on the Name of Yahweh. And the Elohim who answers by fire, He is Elohim." So all the people answered and said, "The word is good."