I agree, Mo. And I think many people who object to "wretch" in Newton's lyrics are either unfamiliar with his bio and the inspiration for the poem or unclear about what "wretch" means. They unnecessarily read into it "worthless being" or the like. Personally, I hate it when people change it to "soul" -- and if you take the new age attitude that "I am and always have been OK," what the hell did you need to be saved for or from?

That said, I'd honor the wishes of the bereaved family - or the minister if s/he represents them.


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Azizi, you make some valid points about stereotypes and overgeneralizations.   But some of the generalizations may be valid as long as they're recognized as just reflecting average trends. I'm bothered by stereotypes, especially if they're negative, but I'm also annoyed when people (or songs) promote the idea that differences between sexes, gene pools, or ethnicities are nonexistent or that acknowledging them is derogatory.
The saying that "if God had not wanted the races to intermarry, he wouldn't have made their kids so gorgeous" has a lot more than a grain of truth to it. Hybrids are well known in agriculture and animal breeding for their viability and tendency to have desirable phenotypic traits. :)