Dear Joe,
I wish you could know how sick I felt,
when I saw Just In Love. All the things you claimed to stand for,
everything you made me believe in, was torn down in a second. You
lied. You lied to me. And what hurts the most is not that you lied to
me, but that you lied to so many others. You fooled me, I believed
you were different, but I was wrong. You lead innocent girls away.
You made them leave their values for what they thought was better.
Was it better? Has it paid off yet? I don't care if you want to say
that that video was just acting- that you don't actually live that
way. It was romanticized, it was shown in a light that said, “This
is beautiful.” And you were the one who sang the song and played
the part. You made the world scoff at God. You told them that
everything you stood for wasn't worth living for anymore, that you'd
made a mistake. You told the world that God can't change someone,
that His blessings aren't worth. You screamed to the world that God
isn't real, or just not worth your time, or that He doesn't care if
you do the things He hates, and ignore the things He loves. Did you
ever believe in God? When I saw that video, I felt sick to my stomach
with fear, not because God is merciless but because He is righteous,
powerful, and has the authority and the right to pour out
consequences on us. I shrunk back, feeling as if I stood too close,
I'd be caught in the repercussions for mocking God as well. I felt
numb with pain, because you, like so many others, had turned out to
be liar, or at the very least, selfish, and decided that you didn't
want to live for God anymore, because it wasn't profiting you. I felt
betrayed; I had trusted you. Don't tell me I didn't know you, every
chance you had you three were trying to let the fans in, to really
get to know “you.” Trying to “keep it real.” Your life was
broadcasted to the world from day one. Maybe I'm being too hard on
you. Everyone falls down once in a while. Well, Joe, if you're
planning on getting up anytime soon, I would never hold your mistakes
against you, but so far, it looks like you're enjoying it down there.
The funny thing is, you were more famous when you were controversial,
but now you're just like everyone else. Don't think that I hate you,
because I don't, I'm just hurt, and being hurt makes you angry. I
stood up for you- that you were telling the truth about what you
believed, and you made a fool of me. I used to pray for you and your
brothers and your family, your crew. I haven't since; I probably
should. I hope your not done. I hope you haven't given up, because I
don't want to see you stay down. Get up, Joe, please. Take hold of
Jesus, who is the only One who can get you back to your feet, and
heal your shattered self, as if you had never fallen.
Get up. Please get up.
Sincerely,
An Ex-Fan
