The deep contradictions of Christian popular culture.
This was an interesting read. I never knew what troubled me about Christian music and fish "merchandise" because I couldn't sum it up or put my finger on it. The competition with secular capitalism(and art/music) sums up this pull much better. I think it speaks to the music crisis in the Catholic Church, too. As a Church, we can't(and shouldn't) compete with secularism and relativism. Not because we can't win, but because the playing field can never be even. How can you possibly make something so "super natural" in nature, so base in expression? I found this article to be a launching pad for my own thoughts on liberal/modern Catholicism. Here's a slice of the article:
They complain about promoting an "adolescent theology" of Christian rock, as one calls it, where they "just can't get over how darned cool it was that Jesus sacrificed himself." In his interview with Radosh, Powell pulled out an imitation of a 1982 New Wave pop song with the lyrics; "You'll have to excuse us/ We're in love with Jesus." This, he explained, was the equivalent of a black-velvet painting of Elvis. Only it's more offensive, because it's asking the listener to base his whole life around an insipid message and terrible quality music.
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5 comments:
this article nails it. this is the problem with our culture. so many christians have embraced the culture instead of trying to change it!!! most catholics don't even bother with "christian" music or whatever. they just dive into the real thing. drives me crazy.
This is a great article, and hits the nail on the head. Blending in with the culture only gets us obscured by the culture. Kind of like countless orders of nuns who eschewed their habits in the 60's, and priests who don't wear their clerics in public. How can the culture be transformed if the obvious witnesses to Christ have conformed to it? The same needs to be for the laity - we need to be "signs of contradiction" too, in what we buy, listen to and watch. That's how we become light and salt.
BTW - I like your blog, and have added it to my blogroll. I look forward to more interesting posts!
Thanks LarryD. This article made me think on the corelation of things in our faith that makes the same cultural mistakes. I say "Oh Lord, how much longer?" weekly.
Finally! Someone has the guts to criticize "Christain rock/pop" or whatever you want to call it. I have always maintained that that music is LAME and not fit for human ears. Now, they are playing those same lame-o songs in my CHURCH. "God of wonders, beyond our galexeeeeeee, you are hoooooly, hoooooly. The universe declares your majesteeeeee, you are holeeeeee, hooooooleeeeeee"
Holee, is right. What a bunch of junk to sing in church! This is the BEST they can bring forward in the way of getting us into a prayerful mindset and preperation for receiving our Lord in Holy Communion???
We're not good at this secular thing, we're much better at chanting.
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