Youth endangered by music with suggestive lyrics, Filipino bishop says

Manila, Philippines, Aug 13, 2009 / 20:01 pm

Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, the head of the Diocese of Caloocan, is urging music composers and radio stations not to promote a culture of casual sex to the youth through sexually explicit lyrics.

 

The bishop made his comments over the Church-run radio channel Radyo Veritas on Thursday and criticized the song “Banana” by the group “Illegal Substance.” The group bases their songs off of sophomoric humor and crass lyrics.

 

“The song has a meaning that is sexual,” said Bishop Iñiguez.

 

Songs like that, he said, including another hit “Nagmamahal Ako ng Bakla (I’m Loving Gay Men),” have a double meaning.

 

“They should be banned because of its sexually explicit lyrics,” said Bishop Iñiguez, who heads the Committee on Public Affairs of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

 

These songs and others like them “will affect their thinking and their concept of morality regarding those matters” and could encourage teenagers to engage in casual sex, he worried.

 

Music composers should also remember their responsibility to contribute to the good of society by thinking first of the negative effects of the lyrics to the young listeners.

 

"I think those composers should have social responsibilities.”