Gagafesto, "Loving Judas, Gaga the Holy Fool" gagablog 20

Gaga has done it again, meeting my expections yet surprising them with a twist, and even exceeding them, again. Judas is amazing, I love it. And I see what all the fuss is about, but the fussers are so silly! Gaga has a great message with Judas on a number of levels.
I was hoping it would not be a song about "a Judas", someone who betrayed you, and a "typical love song". Someone suggested in an article I read that it was a song about loving the "wrong" person or bad boy, and while I think it is silly to think that is all it is, I am glad that it does have that message in a sense and is kind of like a "normal" pop song about love. There is so much more to it, though.
The lyrics themselves do not seem to refer to the Gospel of Judas, but some of the other statements she has made about it suggest she is aware of it, or maybe even carrying out what if prophesied without "meaning" to. The song is about more than loving the "bad guy" it goes deeper than that to suggest a redeemed idea of Judas, as his gospel does. She does mention "he's so cruel" and mentions lies and betrayal. Judas seems clearly portrayed as the one who is cruel, but the first verse is more cryptic, as it is unclear that Judas is the one forgiven for lying, and the three times betrayed could refer to Peter.
Paparazzi is one of my favorite Gaga songs, in part because she works this magic where she changes roles, playing with identity, throughout the song in a way that is spiritual to me. She does the same in other songs, but especially in Judas she takes advantage of a changing identity and associations. At first she is like Mary, washing Jesus' feet with her hair, to which Judas objected and was rebuked. But the second half of the first verse casts Gaga as Jesus, the one to forgive the liar and betrayer, whether it refers to Judas or Peter. This is ironic in itself, because while even within the Bible, and certainly in the Gospel of Judas, Jesus does forgive Judas, or even tells him to do what he does so it is not betrayal, within the traditions of many churches Judas is not forgiven or understood but vilified. If Gaga is really identifying with Mary, not Jesus, it could be that the forgiveness referred to is Mary's forgiveness that she gives later for Judas (or Peter's) role in Jesus crucifixion, that she is capable of with the understanding of Jesus. But Gaga also seems to identify with Jesus near the end of the song when she says "Judas kiss me if offensed" in which she is taking the role of Jesus and saying if you are offended by what she says, go ahead and condemn her, but you will be showing yourself as a betrayer of the true message of Jesus if you do so. The line "even darkness forgave his broken way" implies that there is a way of understanding and loving Judas that is Christlike, and I think the main message of Judas, on the surface, is of Love as Jesus intended and Gaga is fully expressing.
Its no wonder that some people are jealous or afraid of Gaga, as they always have been, but all they manage to do by criticizing her is reveal the limitations of their own understanding. It is funny to me that Gaga is so blatant about this, and it is not like she is "just" trying to trick them but they cartainly took the bait. She says she is a holy fool, which should be a clue to the church and a warning not to make themselves look silly, but at least one Catholic "spokesperson" has tried to make fun of Gaga while the joke is on him. And she tells everyon right there in the song she is a Holy Fool, which I just double-checked on Wikipedia, so anyone can find out, means she does outlandish things even inviting criticism to make powerful points about Love. Even, or especially, if someone does not understand her message, she gives them fair warning not to make themselves look foolish, yet people reveal their pettiness and lack of perception. And her verse "Judas kiss me if offensed or wear ear condom next time" seems directed at past critics who are not capable of understanding her true message and significance, a warning to people who can't handle her to not even try to get impregnated with her meaning, just let the sounds bounce off. And the use of the word "ear condom" is hilraious, especially if she is referring to the Catholic Church for their past criticism of her for Alejandro, since it is good advice to tell Catholics to wear condoms, even on their ears, its a start.
The holy fool acts in ways that invite social condemnation in order to teach lessons about spirituality and judgement, including being half-naked or overtly sexual, according to Wikipedia. For me, Gaga has always filled this role, since my view is that sexuality has been repressed and removed from spirituality and Gaga is restoring both realms to their proper harmony. It is funny that she is saying directly that she is a holy fool, and while such Blessed people in the past were abused throughout life then honored after their death and people learned the real meaning of their lives (again, Wikipedia) Gaga is being honored by many today yet some of those who claim religious authority are making fools of themslves abusing her. And she is telling them openly that she is a Holy Fool, yet they are falling for it! And if she is predicting condemnation from the Catholic Church, which has already happened from some catholics, then she is associating them with Judas, for trying to condemn her out of their lack of understanding or merely their role in a mystery play. I've heard that Judas turned Jesus in because he did not truly understand what Jesus was going to do and was hoping that Jesus would use greater power and overthrow the government, like he wanted to force his hand. Most ideas of how Judas could be tempted to betray Jesus suggest that he did not understand Jesus. The same could be said of church people who criticize Gaga. And the irony is that, the people who are acting like Judas and succumbing to condemnation and judegement, whether from misunderstanding, fear, or greed, who Judas Kiss Gaga to condemn her, she is saying sh still loves them! In a simple sense, if "Judas" is a message to the Catholic Church, it is that though they are betraying and condemning her, misunderstanding her, or just playing their role in a mystery, she still loves them. Even if they are the "bad boy". And it is interesting to me that the refrence to "three times" in the first verse implies Peter, who is the father of the Catholic Church. Also, Peter is the one who argues with Mary in the Gospel of Mary. I think that Gospel is very important in its own right and as pertains to Gaga's message, but since there is already criticism from the Catholic Church about Gaga as Mary (Magdeline, I think) in the video for Judas that has not even come out yet, maybe I will wait and address that when it comes out - if I can wait, it is all so exciting! The idea of the Catholic Church as Judas makes the line "I want to love you but something is pulling me away from you" make more sense in a way, too, and many can relate to it who feel the church lied to and betrayed them.
The greatest, simplest message of Judas is that Gaga is presenting Christlike love, either as Jesus himself or as Mary with the wisdom of Jesus, as the true heir of his most secret teaching as the Gospel of Mary suggests, who was supplanted by Peter when the church took a wrong turn, leading to repression of women and sexuality. She is saying she still loves Judas, she forgives him, as Jesus would, or does. Even in the Bible Jesus either understands, literally sends, or forgives Judas by calling him "friend". In the Gospel of Judas, Jesus tells him to do it and that he will be hated for centuries then honored in the greatest way. Im sure Judas, or anyone, is pleased that Gaga is his redeemer! I must also mention a limitation in the understanding of people who would complain that Gaga released Judas on Easter weekend, like it will spoil their holiday. In fact, "Judas" has led to me reading the Bible more than I have in years, and I am eager to study more of it and try to undertsand this interesting mystery of Judas betraying Jesus, and other mysteries as well. Like any holy fool, Gaga is using unconventional methods to draw attention to important spiritual truths.
There is a particularly mysterious passage in the Gospel of John where Jesus gives Judas bread dipped in suace to identify him to one disciple, the one who the end of John says lives a long time and is writing it down. It syas that Satan entered into Judas as soon as he took the bread into his mouth from Jesus' hand, which to me just seems strange, and reminds me of priests and preachers giving communion. It makes me think it seems contradictory that Satan would enter Judas in the "form" of communion from Jesus' hand, but suggests their is a yin-yang relationship of good and evil. And this comes full circle for the idea of loving the virtue of Jesus and clinging to the demon of Judas. It is really all about this point of an even greater understanding of love, that even includes forgiving a betrayer, or the one who had to play a role that was long misunderstood, and loving Everyone. Wanting to not leave anyone behind or out of love. In this way it is once again a "simple" love song about loving both the good and bad in people, and love as something that can save us and something that we cling to, "a brick you can build a house with or sink a dead body".
I must say with some satisfaction that Gaga does make some of my prediction come true. While the lyrics of Judas do not suggest any obvious familiarity with the Gospel of Judas, some of the other things she has said about it do. She may even be unaware of the Gospel of Judas, but she seems to be carrying out the prophecy of redeeming him, and also restoring the authority of Mary from the Gospel of Mary. She could "just" be playing her role in a mystery play. She introduced Judas by saying something like "get ready for a cultural baptism" like this song will transform our culture's spiritual beliefs. She then asked something like "If the things they are teaching you turn out not to be true, will you still believe?" This can mean either that she is aware that there is another version of the Judas story in which he is a hero, but who is hated (a holy fool in his own right), or that she is criticizing faith that is based on or contains false principles, like if your belief contains misunderstanding that allows you to be a Judas and betray the real thing, but saying that there is still a good belief within that, asking if you will still seek it out even if your "faith" is shaken, as in people losing faith in the church but still seeking Love.  She is exemplifying a holy fool when she says she is a "fame hooker, prostitute wench (who) vomits her mind"  - in the eyes of judgement, which she is drawing out to show it is wrong. And then she says that "culturally" she "just speak in future tense", meaning that in freeing people of judgement and effecting culture, which can change and grow as opposed to "traditional biblical understanding", she is just representing what the future will be when we outgrow some misconceptions. If we take the Gospel of Judas seriously, it is quite revolutionary for Gaga to say "I'll take him down" and say that love can be used "like a brick you can....sink a dead body with." I am reminded of Jesus saying that he would build the true church from the stone that the builders rejected, and how this could apply to Judas and the prophecy in the Gospel of Judas. If all the "church builders" got it wrong by rejecting Judas then he is restored, to be the foundation of the new true church, then Gaga is the one restoring him and truly following Jesus so those who mock her reveal their own falseness. But she also implies that she has this stone out, now, and "can build a house with it(.....) or sink a dead body". "I'll take him down" and "sink a dead body" could refer to the church, which may need to be destroyed to be restored.
A cryptic refrence is to a "king with no crown", which could imply Jesus, or Gaga/Mary - a "king" denied authority for being female, or Judas. If it refers to Judas I see an implication that he is and has been a king, who was without a crown, but now she is crowning him. This gives another, positive implication to the line "I'll take him down" - to "crown him" - which also seems sexually suggestive, taking him down, once I am thinking positively about it. If it is Jesus, it is kind of funny, since he was given a crown of thorns, but with this interpretation it suggests the uderstanding of Jesus as a king who serves and wears no crown. If it refers to Mary, Gaga herself, it seems to suggest that she is just a badass and does not need a crown, or is gaining it back by "taking him down" and re-asserting her authority.
I can't wait to talk about Gaga as Mary Magdeline, as she will appear in the new video for "Judas", and to talk about the importance of the Gospel of Mary and the new emerging spiritual authority, the belief we will have, that Gaga will share with us, when we realize that some of the things "they" are teaching are not true. Once again, Gaga is fulfilling and exceeding my greatest hopes, and in such fantastic style.
I wonder if the Catholic Church will persist in statements against Gaga, taken in by this Holy Fool. If they do, they will have so much egg on their face come Easter!
Oh, I love Gaga so much, both for starting the church I was hoping for, making spirituality sexy again and vice versa, and for making such awesome music  - kudos to her collaborators, too! I really love the music, but have so much to say about the messaged I never get to talking about it - but it's great!

Thanks so much, Gaga. I was initially turned off to church at an early age by some inherent hypocricies, and I found rich spirituality elsewhere, but also continued to find it in my understanding and relationship with Jesus, though I was far from most christian bounds. I love you so much for speaking so openly in these terms, both addressing the evils of misunderstanding and judgement, and for reminding me of the rich mysteries of Jesus and HIS little monsters, and giving me, other monsters and many other people a reason to talk about all this ona  deeper level.. You take such great care of us, mommy monster, of the whole world, and I hope someday you will hear the songs I write about you! "Im still in love with Gaga, baby"