Friday's Real Fusion Video discussed a new website: Godtube. A Youtube for Christians?
Well Russell Hafer sent his opinion of Godtube, and Godtube posted it. Some rather thought provoking comments.
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f768e1ebee3edde01ea7
Not too long ago, I heard Ryan Dobson discuss the whole idea of "Jesus Junk" in a pretty negative light.
(Show #39 & 40: http://www.korministries.com/podcast.html)
And let's not forget Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis (which Russell Hafer references). Rob Bell has some pretty brilliant sounding ideas against labeling anything "Christian."
But don't things like Bible Man and WWJD bracelets touch some people's heart? Ed Young says, "Sometimes Corny works." Are we wrong to call some music "Christian," even if we think it's bad music? Does God even care if it's "bad art"? Is it a "travesty" (as Ryan Dobson calls it) for "Christian bands" to sound like secular counterparts?
And what about the t-shirts. When I was in middle school, I got really excited about "wearing my faith." Was I wrong? Was it just getting in the way of my witness? Is my "My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter" bumper sticker just turning people away from Jesus? Is the sign in front of the local church that reads, "Jesus Died for Myspace in Heaven," just a road block for non-believers? What is the truth about all this "Jesus Junk?"
3 comments:
I'm not sure if I should be impressed with or saddened by the fact that I'd heard of God Tube about two weeks ago already - either my finger is on the pulse of today's culture, or I REALLY need to get away from this computer more often...
Here's my initial though on this whole "Jesus Junk" thing:
(a) it does nothing for me at all. Nothing. For example, I personally find "Bible Man" to be both intellectually and spiritually offensive in its execution of acting, interpretation, and gross oversimplification and just flat-out goofiness of tone. Having said that, I used to watch those odd Christian/Anime-inspired cartoons that ran on CBN ("Superbook," "Flying House" and their ilk) and found them entertaining...as much as a child could.
There are just as many people who love, love, love -- in sincerity and humbleness of heart -- these Jesus baubles, but for me, I'm inspired to want to re-enact the whole cleansing of the temple with them. They're not as offensive to me (mellowing with old age, I guess), but they're still just -- well, I could say a lot of stuff that, again, might offend someone who truly, deeply, madly loves and draws some spiritual comfort from them, so I'll just say they're not my cuppa.
(b) music can't be "Christian." It's got groove, but just like Bryan says about dogs and cats, music doesn't have an eternal soul. It's intangible, and labeling music as "Christian" or "secular" is one of the most petty, divisive and ridiculous arguements we -- the Body -- get into. One of my absolutely favorite bands (Over the Rhine) is on a "secular" label, but the artists profess to be -- and I have no reason to doubt it -- Christians.
So. Are they a Christian band? Does a band have to be on a label owned by Christians to have a ministry?
I've had friends who have been burned by the "Christian" music industry and turned their back on faith in general because of the petty, manipulative and less-than-Christ-like actions of those who profess to be serving Him -- and just happen to have the keys to airplay but act like they've got the keys to the kingdom.
I call music "bad" or "good." I've heard some amazing "secular" bands that have fed my soul a lot more than anything the FISH could ever offer.
(c) For me, something like the FOUND T-shirt (props to us, yo) is freaking brilliant. It inspires a conversation. The problem with a lot of this "Jesus Junk" is -- with no small ode to Compass Pointe -- many people just wear a WWJD bracelet while reading one of the LEFT BEHIND books and eating Testamints and count that as their witness. Many of our brothers and sisters want to tract people but not track with them in their lives.
--and yes, I just made "tract" a verb.
I'm sorry, but kitsch doesn't convert. Actions. Coupled with words. Sincerity of motive and faithfulness in heart. These, to me, count a heck of a lot more than if I eat at Chic-Fil-A versus the comparatively "secular" McDonals's where I'm sure they -- *gasp!* -- have at least one gay or lesbian person on staff in one of their many chains.
What would Jesus do?
I think He might be saddened by the fact we collectively take pride in Him looking more like Jim Caviezel or some clean-cut Ambercrombie-wanna-be artist and less like any of our neighbors.
This is something I copied from a message board a while back. Thought it was interesting, whoever wrote it:
Now, as to the question of what's Christian music, and what's not, I thought I'd throw my two cents in, because I wasn't here for the infamous Lifehouse debate, and I can't find it.
Now, a Christian can be a musician, and a musician can be a Christian. But when we say a Christian musician. In just the same way, some guy who works at McDonald's can be a Christian. But just because that guy makes a burger, doesn't mean it's a Christian burger. That's okay, God doesn't say every burger you flip must be a missionary project. Paul says somewhere to produce only good things, or something like that. So as a Christian, our burger flipper (let's call him Joe), should try to avoid salmonella (however you spell it), and wear a hairnet. Now, suppose Joe starts writing "WWJD" in ketchup on every burger he makes, and calling them "JeezBurgers." Personally, I don't really like ketchup on my burger, but I won't hold that against him. The question I would have is, what's different about the Jeezburger. It still tastes like any other burger with ketchup on it (that is, not very good). What's really Christian about it. Do I love my neighbor more, or pray better when I eat Jeezburgers? I doubt it, and if Joe tells me I will, then he's committing fraud, like Evanescence. Worse, he selling in the temple, and taking the Lord's name in vain, in it's true sense. He's not saying "God" when he finds someone exasperating. He's being falsely religious, and claiming something is Godly when it's not. Tsk tsk, Joe. Now, what if Joe starts making a different kind of Jeezburger, with a bible verse inside the wrapper of each one, like a greasy Christian fortune-cookie, and then makes his Jeezburger palace like a city on a hill, using it for Christian motives, perhaps letting a church hold services in it, and giving free food to those who can't afford it. Now perhaps then, it's a Christian burger.
THE REAL QUESTION, I THINK IS "DOES THE BURGER, OR THE MUSIC DO THE WILL OF GOD?"
Now God wills a lot of things, that we strengthen our Christian brothers (and sisters) in their faith, that we love Him, that we love our neighbors as ourselves, that we truly live our lives for God, and that we spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. If a song does that, it's Christian music. If you're not doing that with your music, it's not part of your ministry. You can still do it, just don't call it ministry, or Christian, and keep the salmonella out.
Jamie
Could it be that our impulse to "copy culture" is actually the inclination for our new, Christ-filled hearts to redeem culture?
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