SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013

Lebanese Pop Star Haifa Wehbe stands near Lebanese Minister of Telecommunication Nicoals Sehnawi during a press conference before being appointed communications Ambassador for humanitarian issues for Lebanon yesterday at a hotel in Beirut. Haifa’s new position aims at raising awareness among the youth against using mobile phones while driving.— AFP Redman, TobyMac lead Movie harkens to ‘07 S Korean winners at Dove Awards abductions by Taleban

inger-songwriter Matt Redman won a can’t limit it to one style of music. If you’re talk- leading six trophies Tuesday night at the ing about God, it’s got to be in all styles of SDove Awards, and TobyMac was named music. There’s all kinds of people out there that artist of the year at a ceremony that reflected his are believers who want different styles of music. growing influence. Redman, who did not Gospel hip-hop has always existed, it just has attend, used his song “10,000 Reasons (Bless the never had the platform it’s finally getting.” Lord)” to rule the Gospel Music Association’s A short time later the Doves honored rapper 44th annual Christian music awards, winning Lecrae, who won rap/hip-hop album and song File photo shows songwriter of the year and song of the year. It of the year, and his proteges Trip Lee, KB and South Korean Andy, who performed their rap song “One director Lee Sixteen.” Lecrae gave TobyMac - real name Toby Jang-ho poses McKeehan - credit for the growing presence of before the rap in the Christian music world. “TobyMac is a screening of his legend. ... I told him if he ever wants to do a film ‘God’s Eye song with me, all he has to do is ask,” Lecrae View’. —AP said, before noting rap’s proliferation: “I’m excit- ed to see the transition is bigger than me. It’s a he South Korean Christians kidnapped by tion and apostasy,” Lee said in an interview. He movement.” Other top winning performers the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2007 said the inspiration for his latest work was included Jason Crabb with four, Tasha Cobbs Treturned home to not just relief but out- “Silence,” a novel by Japanese author Shusaku with three, and Chris Tomlin and Tamela Mann rage, rapped for engaging in zealous mission- Endo about a missionary enduring persecution with two each. For King & Country won best ary activity in the Islamic country in defiance of in 17th century Japan. Lee said some scenes in new artist. government warnings and forcing South the movie, such as moments when a character A hyped-up Kirk Franklin and Amy Grant Korea to negotiate for their release. A new dra- is forced to choose one between religious ma by director Lee Jang-ho, well-known in belief and other people’s lives, have a nod to South Korea for his commercial movies in the the novel. 1970s and the 1980s, borrows from those true While the movie is generally sympathetic to events to examine religious conviction in a Christianity, it also reveals the moral dilemma country that sends out many of the world’s and other problems facing the churchgoers. In Christian missionaries. the movie, missionary works by the volunteers “God’s Eye View” portrays Christian volun- improve people’s lives, but the volunteers also teers kidnapped by Muslim rebels while on an have moments where they are self-interested evangelical mission in a fictional Islamic coun- and naive. “I think there could be apostasy that TobyMac, front left, performs at the Dove try. The film directly references the 2007 crisis is more sacred than martyrdom,” said Lee, a Awards. — AP photos in which 23 members of Saemmul Christian convert who explored Shamanism in was TobyMac’s second artist of the year award Presbyterian Church were taken as hostages, some of his past movies. on his seventh nomination in the category and and two of them were killed. Some scenes He was one of South Korea’s most commer- his first since 2008. show pastors in South Korea praying for their cially and critically successful directors in the The gospel hip-hop artist won a total of four TobyMac performs at the Dove Awards. safe return at the time, and the film displays 1970s and ‘80s, making melodramas and awards to bring his career total to 18, including hosted the awards, which will be aired Monday the online comments that condemned their romances with social critique while South pop-contemporary album “Eye On It” and short- night at 8 pm EDT on UP TV. Several of the proselytization. Lee said even as his film drew Korea was going through military dictatorships form video for the title song. He performed that genre’s top acts performed, including Grant, elements from the event and from essays writ- that censored movies. “God’s Eye View” is his song at the top of the awards, appearing on Mann, Cobbs, Crabb, the Gaither Vocal Band ten by the Koreans after they were released, first movie after an 18-year absence, during stage at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn, and NEEDTOBREATHE. Pastor Rick Warren, “God’s Eye View” is not about the Afghan which he taught filmmaking at a university. with a drum corps and a yellow and black can- whose son Matthew’s suicide drew national event itself. Nor does it attempt to defend Upon his return, he said he no longer saw dy-striped cane. “I’ve always come from hip-hop attention earlier this year, attended and pre- Christian missionary works, he said. movies as a means to gain fame and money, roots albeit I’m a pop artist,” he said after the sented an award. Warren spoke with reporters “It is based on the Saemmul Church event. but to achieve loftier goals, and said he hopes show. “I’ve always thought, man, if you’re talk- afterward and sent his thanks to all who have But I tried to use the event as a tool to raise the film will help break prejudice about ing about hope, if you’re talking about faith, you sent prayers to him and his family. —AP interesting questions about religious convic- Christianity in South Korea. — AP