Gospel music was influence in jazz and blues. In fact, jazz blues and gospel ( and charleston but its is just a form of jazz imho ) influenced each other in their starts. All forms of music and rythm can be valid if properly executed, if you at all like any jazz or bands with jazz influence, listen to Thelonious Monk, he brings gospel and charleston elements to modern jazz and he is a damn legend, i love his music.
I would advice against discarting any musical genre so quickly, specially one that influenced so many other genres.