Fallen Angel: the Outlaw Larry Norman

[Josh]

Luke 4:23b-24

"Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "

"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

These verses sum up some of my feelings, though not in the same sense that Jesus orginally stated them.

Larry ministered comfort to so many but wrestled his demons to the end and seems to have held on to many things that only further wounded him. It seems he struggled his whole life to find acceptance, but often chose alienation instead.

[Josh]

I'm not sure all of the criticisms were fair

I felt like a lot of the stuff about why Larry left the band "People" and who really started the whole "One Way" thing was kinda gray/ one sided and a bit trivial.

I mean, there was enough truly troubling stuff anyway...

[christopher]

We watched it last night. I really don't know what to say.

It was sad to hear Randy say Larry died a lonely, burdened man. I don't know how he'd know that other than maybe he didn't feel Larry ever really repented of all he did.

To be honest, I left the movie finding it really hard to even consider Larry a fellow Christian (I know, not my call). But it's one thing to be a rebel against the establishment (I can relate to that), but it's hard to imagine someone born of the Spirit even considering doing some of the things Larry did, and especially to his "friends".

Sorry if that sounds judgmental, but if Larry wasn't a great Christian artist who touched many lives with his music, I don't think most Christians would honestly say he was a believer.

I also thought Randy Stonehill was a very gracious and forgiving man and I left feeling a lot of respect for him.

[Josh]

The thing that's really hard for me to square is that Larry wrote some of his best/ most introspective/ endearing/ convicting songs later in his life, in my opinion.

And at the funeral many shared of wonderful experiences they had had with him right up to the end- stuff like a friend overhearing Larry praying in his sleep, Larry seeing a vision of heaven as he was dying.

It is just really difficult for me to reconcile all of it. I can't believe his apparent sincerity/humility was totally fake yet I can't understand why Larry wouldn't have ever recognized his other son.

It's quite a conundrum.

[christopher]

Did you hear the letter read by Danny? Heartbreaking.

[christopher]

I know people who have been saved by charlatans like Benny Hinn and such (not lumping Larry in that class). The conundrum doesn't have to be all that perplexing. The fact is that God can use people even if their motives are wrong (look at Jonah).

But perhaps the take away is similar to what Paul expressed:

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only [that] in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Phil 1:15-18)

It is evident that Larry was mightily used by God to minister to people through his art, and maybe we tend to cloud our judgment of them as a person because we're confusing the person with the power of their message. Perhaps people like Larry and Lonnie Frisbee are used so that, when all is said and done, the attention and glory goes to God. I think, like Paul, we should all rejoice that Christ was preached to an entire generation very powerfully through Larry's music. The rest we can only speculate on and it may just be better left in the hands of a fair and loving God.

Just my thoughts.

[Josh]

Did you hear the letter read by Danny? Heartbreaking.

Do you mean online?

I know people who have been saved by charlatans like Benny Hinn and such (not lumping Larry in that class). The conundrum doesn't have to be all that perplexing. The fact is that God can use people even if their motives are wrong (look at Jonah).

It's really hard for me to see Larry as simply a charlatan; thus the conundrum. It's easier for me to see him as mentally disturbed-- and by the way, having met him, it was obvious that he had some mental issues.

There are a lot of lyrics from his later years rolling around in my brain that seem very difficult to imagine a complete charlatan writing. Unfortunately most of them can't be found online, but I might post a few.

BTW, there was a lot left out of the video- for instance, did you know that Larry has a son by Sarah named Michael? Do you remember the song "Protect My Child"- I think I put it on the mix I gave you. It's about Michael and shows Larry's father's heart. But in light of Daniel, it makes you want to tear your hair out. Crazy.

[Josh]

for example:

from Let the Rain Fall Down, Larry Norman, 1994

My woman left me, felt like she left me for another man
You know it came as some surprise, it wasn't in the plan
She never told me nothing was wrong, she didn't give me a clue
But one morning there was a knock on the door
And I found out we were through.

I saw my future fading and with the papers in my hand
I found myself transported into this desert land.

My feet are burning, the hour is getting late
My journey is much too long and time will not wait.

So Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the good and the bad
So let the rain fall down on me.

As through this life you ramble and through this world you roam
You might live in a lot of places and never find your home.

As down the road you wander and through the open fields you cross
You must never stop believing for all is not lost.

And don't worry 'bout the unfaithful lover and false friend
For the love that you have given is what matters in the end.

So Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the good and the bad
So let the rain fall down on me.

Life is complicated, very hard to live
I try to turn my cheek to everything my enemies give.

I've got a lot of compassion for the sinners and the slaves
I've got a message for those not in their graves

He will cover you with water and baptize your pain
If you let his power wash you clean and soothe your fevered brain

So Heavenly Father, help me thine to be
You let the rain fall down on the quick and the dead
So let the rain fall down on me.

I didn't know you were my father,
I thought you were the hanging judge,
And when I came into your courtroom
I thought you'd hold a grudge.
I thought I was a lowly servant
I didn't know I was your son
And I didn't know you had forgiveness
For anything I might have done.

Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the quick and the dead
So let the rain fall down on me.

Let this good life be the life we lead
Let our faith grow like a mustard seed
Let his love be all the love we need
To carry us all the way home

[christopher]

Do you mean online?

It was near the end of the movie. Very short, but indicated gratefulness for giving him life and that he intended to live it fully. However, you could read between the lines the hurt that Larry wasn't a father to him. I guess it stuck out to me because I know personally how it feels to have a living father that doesn't acknowledge your existence.

It's really hard for me to see Larry as simply a charlatan;

That's why I said I don't lump him with Benny. But the testimony from his ex-fiance was pretty damning. I realize it's one-sided, but it's not out of place with the other testimonies in the film.

It's easier for me to see him as mentally disturbed-- and by the way, having met him, it was obvious that he had mental issues.

I don't doubt it, but I don't think it absolves him from his choices.

There are a lot of lyrics from his later years rolling around in my brain that seem very difficult to imagine a complete charlatan writing.

What do you think makes a charlatan successful? But again, I'll forgo final judgment on that, and now I regret using the word at all. All I'm saying is that the film gave some pretty incriminating testimonies to some of Larry's motives. I won't say all of them.

BTW, there was a lot left out of the video- for instance, did you know that Larry has a son by Sarah named Michael? Do you remember the song "Protect My Child"- I think I put it on the mix I gave you. It's about Michael and shows Larry's father's heart. But in light of Daniel, it makes you want to tear your hair out. Crazy.

Nope. Didn't know that. I don't think I have the song either.

I want to re-iterate that I think the celebration of Larry's life should be the things that God did through (and even in spite of) him. We all have a general tendency to want heroes of the faith (which is not necessarily a bad thing), but it's important to keep in perspective that it's the things that God does through a man that carry an "eternal weight of glory", not the man himself.

[robin]

Jun 18, 2009 21:50:25 GMT -8 Josh said:

for example:

from Let the Rain Fall Down, Larry Norman, 1994

My woman left me, felt like she left me for another man
You know it came as some surprise, it wasn't in the plan
She never told me nothing was wrong, she didn't give me a clue
But one morning there was a knock on the door
And I found out we were through.

I saw my future fading and with the papers in my hand
I found myself transported into this desert land.

My feet are burning, the hour is getting late
My journey is much too long and time will not wait.

So Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the good and the bad
So let the rain fall down on me.

As through this life you ramble and through this world you roam
You might live in a lot of places and never find your home.

As down the road you wander and through the open fields you cross
You must never stop believing for all is not lost.

And don't worry 'bout the unfaithful lover and false friend
For the love that you have given is what matters in the end.

So Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the good and the bad
So let the rain fall down on me.

Life is complicated, very hard to live
I try to turn my cheek to everything my enemies give.

I've got a lot of compassion for the sinners and the slaves
I've got a message for those not in their graves

He will cover you with water and baptize your pain
If you let his power wash you clean and soothe your fevered brain

So Heavenly Father, help me thine to be
You let the rain fall down on the quick and the dead
So let the rain fall down on me.

I didn't know you were my father,
I thought you were the hanging judge,
And when I came into your courtroom
I thought you'd hold a grudge.
I thought I was a lowly servant
I didn't know I was your son
And I didn't know you had forgiveness
For anything I might have done.

Heavenly Father, thou who all doth see
You let the rain fall down on the quick and the dead
So let the rain fall down on me.

Let this good life be the life we lead
Let our faith grow like a mustard seed
Let his love be all the love we need
To carry us all the way home

Hey Josh, I was thinking about this song after I heard it a while back, and thought it would be a good song for communion this week. Do you have it so we can play it this week?

[Josh]

Sure.

I have the studio version and I think I've got a more folky, raw live version.

[Josh]

Hey, just a note, I just got the Randy Stonehill soundtrack to Fallen Angel (it's called Paradise Sky) for the Aletheia library.

It's excellent and a great first introduction to Randy. It will be available for checkout as soon as I put it on my sansa for my Germany trip!

In the liner notes, Randy makes some comments about his relationsihp with Larry. One of the things he says is that he believes Larry is probably listening along in heaven and laughing.

[Josh]

Check out this website, a critique on "Fallen Angel". I've had some contact with the author, who was close friends with Larry.

www.failedangle.com

[robin]

There always seems to be more to the story. If the information on the website is accurate, and much of the inflammatory information in the movie was misleading, then a great injustice has occurred. It is bad enough to slander a man while he is alive, but it is much worse to slander a dead man who cannot defend his reputation. I hope the truth will prevail, whatever it is.

[Josh]

The big thing that still remains an issue to me is the whole not acknowledging a son issue, which I'd love to hear some clarification on. I've recently had some email contact this week with the author of this website. He even said he might grab Larry's brother Charles and come up for a Pubagetics sometime!