I hesitate to post this, because I usually practice a policy of not saying anything negative about a person when they have just passed. Nevertheless, I think circumstances are different here. After her death, Dolly Parton’s “Christian Faith” has been highly praised. I have noticed many Christian folks have escorted Dolly Parton right on up into heaven.
Dolly Parton had that sort of pleasing personality that put people at ease. Back in the day I was a big fan of her songs “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” I don’t know her heart, but I do know some things she has said. If I condemn those sayings in others, I must condemn them in Dolly Parton as well.
Here are a few quotes.
“Well, you have to believe in something bigger than you. And whether you call it science, whether you call it nature, whether you call it this or that, doesn’t matter, you know. There’s a force there. There’s an energy. There’s greatness. And those of us that, you know, do believe like we do. However you find him, just do.”
“We all need something to believe in, whether you believe in God or not, whether you call it Mother Nature or Father Time or a higher wisdom. You need to believe in yourself and you need to believe there’s a force that can push you and lead you on. I was always guided by that.”
“Whether you believe in God or not, you need to be grounded; you need to believe in something greater than yourself.”
“I’m not a religious fanatic in any way. I’m more spiritual but a lot of times when things get crazy during the day, I just kind of stop and just kind of draw in God’s energy or that good higher wisdom, whatever you want to call it. Everybody calls it something different.”
“…the kingdom of heaven is inside. It’s right inside of you. And you can draw from that wisdom, whether you call it God or higher wisdom or a higher knowing, there’s something bigger than you.”
“I try to find the God-light in everybody and everybody shines. I see that in everybody. I go right to that God-light, and I don’t care if you’re Black or white or green or alien gray. I go to that, because we’re all pieces of God and we all have that little God-light inside us.”
“I really don’t know where we go. I don't know if we, If there’s such a thing as reincarnation, I kind of believe all that kind of stuff. I’m just open to things.”
“But anyway, so I’m just saying you don’t really know. You just hope and you have faith. That’s what faith is. But I believe that it’s going to be better. I think it’s not the end of me. I don’t think it’s the end of any of us. I think we’re recycled and if nothing else, we just go back into that great flow of divine energy, and hopefully we can spread ourselves around in other wonderful ways. That’s what I hope.”
To be clear, Dolly did talk about church, the Bible, God, and Jesus. In her interviews, she was exuberant, likable, and relatable. Nevertheless, the more she talks, the more it is clear that that Dolly Parton believed that it was okay to believe what you wanted to believe about God, as long as you believed in something bigger than yourself. (And she consistently talked that way.) That’s not biblical truth.
So, while I can appreciate good things about Dolly Parton, these things she said are just wrong according to my understanding of biblical truth. What Dolly has advocated in such statements is mystical universalism, rather than the biblical teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ alone. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” and “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” The Bible teaches of Jesus: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The biblical gospel message is exclusive, through Jesus Christ alone, not inclusive of all paths.
Don’t get mad at me. If you agree with Dolly, then agree with her. However, in doing so you are not agreeing with the Bible. I cannot see Dolly’s heart. God will judge that. We can hear and read her words and judge those.
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Note: Dolly at times testified of going to the altar many times at her grandfather’s Pentecostal church and not getting saved, but also of praying and finding peace at an old abandoned church house. However, on at least one occasion of telling this, she goes immediately to talk about everyone finding their own path to God, whatever works for you.
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