Shine On Me

The cast of the television comedy series, Amen.

I'm not Christian.  But I have a certain affinity for some liturgical music.  Gregorian chants, arias, and even some Jewish klezmer music can speak to the soul of Bernard Bradshaw (yes, I do have one...I think).  Of course, growing up black, I have been exposed to a fair amount of gospel music.  My favorite gospel song of all time is, Oh Happy Day.

I'm not all about songs that say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus--but that song holds so many great memories of me growing up with Mother (and the Brothers) Bradshaw.  I feel kind of nice and safe and warm on the inside when I hear it--even though I don't quite know what the message of the song is for me.

But despite the fact that I love the song so much, upon review of the lyrics--I kinda feel cheated.

According to the song, Jesus washed my sins away, and when he did, it was a happy day.  If true, its a nice sentiment--but in the end of the day--where's the message?  It just seems like Jesus gave us a free pass, so let's rejoice and praise him.  Call me an ingrate, but I need a message to help me make sense of what's going on right now.  I need a message to help me from committing future sins or mistakes. 

Of course, gospel music doesn't disappoint.  There's a song that most of you should be familiar with is called, Shine On Me.  It was the opening song to the 1986-1991 NBC sitcom, Amen, which featured Sherman Hemsley (famously known as George Jefferson, of The Jeffersons), Clifton Davis, and Ana Marie Horseford--in a comedy about a black deacon and his grown daughter and her love affair with the church pastor.  The main lyric of the song is:

Turn on the light from heaven Lord.  Shine On Me.  Shine On me.

More gay men need to listen to this song. 

Last week, I went over a guy's house in my neighborhood.  He was about 26 years old, had a great smile, decent body and a nice dick.  His apartment was clean.  We had talked about having sex over the telephone, but when we got to his house, he was pretty quiet.  We talked for a minute, and it was pretty clear from the conversation that he was feeling me--in a way more than just sex.  It was cute.

We went to his bedroom where he had a beautiful four poster bed.  He had a huge window, and he lowered his shades.  And then he turned off the light, and took off his clothes and jumped on top of me.

I pulled away from him instantly. Why did you turn off the light? I asked.  He got quiet, before responding, I can't get busy with a lot of light.  Why do you need a lot of light?

I told him, I don't need a lot of light, but I would like to see who I am naked with.  I couldn't see him.  And so much of sex, for me, is visual.  Otherwise, I could just wear a blindfold.  It never ceased to amaze me that guys demand that they get with a handsome guy, and then when it comes to getting busy, they want to have sex in darkness. 

He seemed really hesitant to turn on a light.  Which made me weary.  What if he had a sore on his dick? or on some other part of his body?  I told him that he had to turn on the lights.

He did.  But now he seemed really uncomfortable.  It's too bright, he said.  As nice as his apartment was, he didn't have a dimmer.  He seemed really frustrated.  I told him, Just create some ambiance, throw a shirt over the lampshade.  He did.  Things dimmed, and he relaxed enough for me to fuck him.

But I don't understand the fear of shining a little light on sex.

Comments

[thatguyheath]

What kind of fag was he? I mean, whatever happened to candles and soft lighting and so on? Sounds to me like he needs to take a trip to IKEA.

[Procrastination_xtravaganza]

Maybe dude just likes to fuck in the dark?! I don't have any sores ::knocks on wood::, or scars (cept that one on my left pec when I scratched my chickenpox when I was 7).

Anyway, like you said, he didn't have a dimmer, and I don't like to fuck in artificial light - meaning your damn bright ass lamp, or noisy ass television. Turn it the fuck off!

Now I will fuck in dim light, and if it's daytime I love letting the natural light pour in so you can get the visual sensations as well, but damn, so many people want to have sex with some insanely bright light or television on and it's annoying.

The tshirt over the lamp is a great idea - potential fire hazard, but a great idea.

[Quentin Ergane]

LOL

Brilliant way of annoucing that it is in syndication!

I love the theme song... I used to always try to sound like I was in the choir. Even recorded it on my tape player back in the day, but the recording was no good.

[clay]

lol - i used to like that song

[Linear]

Sounds like yet another young gay who has been socialized to turn the lights down for lovemakin freaktakin. Blah. I'm with Bernard - I wanna see that hard dick and watch mine open that ass.

[Cash S]

Maybe he had some scars, a weird birth-mark, or something on his body that he didn't want you to see.