Dear Christian Radio,
I owe you an apology.
You too Carmen. You need to get in on this as well. I don't really know where to start so I guess I'll just come right out with it …
My name is Jon Acuff and I'm a recovering Christian culture snob.
What's that you say? What's a Christian culture snob? You were always so inquisitive Carmen, that's one of the things I love about you.
A Christian culture snob is a Christian that makes fun of people and things that are deemed "Christian." I believe am cooler than you and able to edit "Love your neighbors" to actually say, "Love your neighbors unless you deem them cheesy and then instead feel free to kick them like a hacky sack woven of burlap and sarcasm." Basically, I am prone to turn my nose up at some of the things you do.
Although I've reduced my degree of Christian culture snobbery in the last few years, during high school it was at an all time high, which is when I ran into you Carmen. I think you were doing that Champion song with the devil cameo and maybe the whole God's Army thing with the dog tags at the time. And Christian radio, you were just so bright and chipper all the time. I had a field day with both of you. But looking back on it, and fearing that I'll fall prey to Christian culture snobs when my book comes out, I realize that I was wrong and really unloving. And even though I wish I could eradicate Christian culture snobbery, I am but a meager blogger, one man who wears a retainer at night, a unibrowed writer with only a small voice. But the least I can do is to help other people know if they've fallen into the same trap as me. The least I can do is create the ...
Christian Culture Snob Scorecard
1. You'll give incredibly cheesy, secular TV shows, like the Bachelorette, the free pass of being a "guilty pleasure," but would crucify a Christian program that was equally cheesy. = +5 points
2. You've ever used the phrase "Jesus Junk" to describe the knick knackery that Christian bookstores often sell at the front. = +3 points
3. You've ever used Chris Tomlin's music as a piñata when it comes to busting on Christian culture. = +1 point
4. You publicly make fun of the song "I can only imagine" but secretly love it and get goosebumps when it comes on in the car when you are alone. = +3 points
5. You've ever liked a song until someone told you it was Christian and then you immediately stopped liking it. = +5 points
6. You make fun of the typical fundamentalist Christian uniform, "Blue long sleeve shirt, pleated khaki's, loafers, Republican haircut." = +2 points
7. You did so while wearing a graphic tee. = +3 points
8. And oranately embellished jeans. = +4 points
9. And metrosexual worship leader hair. = +5 points
10. You convinced yourself that wasn't every bit as much a uniform. = +6 points
11. You tell friends that the lyrics to Christian music are "too overt" or "not layered enough" and you like to hear faith expressed in a way that's not so blunt. = +3 points
12. You've ever said that you found Man on Fire or any other non Jesus movie to be a better story about Christ than the Passion of the Christ. = +3 points
13. You would like Switchfoot 17% less if they said "Jesus" all the time in their songs. = +1 point
14. Ditto "The Fray." = +1 point
15. You lie about the first concert you went to when people ask that question because you don't want them to know it was that Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith tour. = +2 points
16. You have an abnormal amount of disdain for the movies "Facing the Giants" or "Fireproof." = +2 points
17. You've never seen them, but still feel compelled to offer up a critique. = +8 points
18. Seven of your top 10 favorite Christian songs are actually by non-Christians. You just like the way they express the sense of longing we all feel without getting all Jesus in your face. = +2 points
19. You regularly criticize the cheesy nature of Christian culture but don't do anything to change it. Like volunteering to rewrite a billboard for your church so they don't have to run the same "Got Jesus?" billboard this year at Easter. = +2 points
20. You’ve ever used Stephen Baldwin's name as an adjective to describe what you're not like. E.G. "I'm a Christian but not a Stephen Baldwin kind of Christian." = +3 points
21. You make broad blanket statements like, "I don't like Christian music," even though that should be impossible on some level because it's not a type of music. There's Christian jazz, techno, country and a million other genres underneath that umbrella phrase. Really? You hate all those types all at once? = +10 points
22. Kirk Cameron is your go to, "weird Christian guy" example when you want to make fun of weird Christian guys. = +2 points
23. You wrote a critique of Christian radio for being so shiny happy but completely missed the point that you might not be the intended target audience. Of course you don't like it, it’s not designed for someone your age in your stage of life. = +3 points
24. You're friend had to convince you to check out the Stuff Christians Like blog because your first thought was, "Oh jeez, another Christian rip off of a popular secular idea." = +8 points
25. You were right to think that way, I ripped off the Stuff White People Like idea, but upon reading the site sent me an email I get often, "I wanted to hate this site for being a dumb Christian rip off, but …" = +16 points
26. If you see any of the Left Behind books on a friend's bookshelf you admittedly discount that friend's ability to make wise decisions about anything in life. = +4 points
27. You've abused the popular church mantra "doing things with excellence" to actually mean, "doing things according to my personal definition of excellence." = +3 points
28. You have a go to joke in your back pocket at all times in case someone ever mentions the name "Thomas Kinkade." = +3 points
29. You complain about the quality of Christian fiction books that feature women being rescued on the cover by a strong, Godly man with a mysterious past, but secretly wish you could be rescued by a strong, Godly man with a mysterious past. = + 4 points.
Let’s add it up
0-10 points = Look at you. You don't get caught up in nonsense discussions about how cheesy Christian culture is? What are you spending your time on instead? Reading the Bible? Loving people? Focusing on stuff that matters? How weird.
11-25 points = You're in the closet, the Christian culture closet. Come out, it's OK to like music that other people might deem cheesy or think is silly. Who cares about what other people think?
26+ points = You are deep into snobland my friend. You spend more time critiquing than creating. The only kind of sweaters you should wear are mock. Upon reading that cheesy joke you immediately started making fun of it.
How did you score? To be honest, I fluctuate a little but on most days, I am on off the charts. But what this site is teaching me is that mocking doesn't really do awesome things for Christianity. I've definitely blown that sometimes with what I write and am probably the guiltiest of all of us, but I realized something the other day. I've never once had a non-Christian say to me, "You know, this faith you're making fun, this Christian culture you're mocking sounds really intriguing. I think I do want to start an everlasting personal relationship with Jesus. Thank you for being so willing to make fun of Carmen for me."
What did I miss on this list though?
Certainly there are other Christian culture snob items I forget?
What’s missing?
Umm whats's a Republican haircut?
ReplyDeleteBased on how many televangelists there are, i bet there is heaps of Christians who secretly love watching them but would never admit it.
ReplyDeleteHow about cheesy Christian poems that use very simple rhyme schemes and a lot of cliches? They've been written in five minutes flat, yet felt redeemable by a lot of people because they're so heartfelt.
ReplyDeleteThe same goes for Christian novels. to me, they cross the line when they are badly written. I study literature for a living so badly written books get me going. Why don't Christian authors have good editors or use believable characters? And why do they always have to beat you over the head with their message? And why are gender roles so stereotyped? Ugh, I get upset just thinking about it. People that don't watch TV because it's all trash feel all virtuous because they're reading a book while they're imbibing the same kind of crap. (okay, the last sentence may be a little too much, I just hate it when people go all holy because they don't watch TV but forget about all the other kinds of media in their lives). It reminds me of the song from Family Guy.
"But the least I can do is to help other people know if they've fallen into the same trap as me."
ReplyDelete"But the least I can do is to help other people know if they've fallen into the same trap as I."
I find correcting people may help them become better people.
I got a 19, which surprised me, because I am a terrible snob about so many things.
ReplyDeleteI got 40. *Runs and hides in shame."
ReplyDeletelol I laughed and cried in shame.
ReplyDeleteHilarious! I've only been following Christ for five years, but my husband (married two years ago), is a pastor who grew up with Faith.
ReplyDeleteSo our cultural experiences are polar extremes--like I had to sing "Stairway to Heaven" to him once because he'd heard of it, but didn't know it...
Yep, some Christian cultural stuff is super cheesy, but so is much non-Christian stuff. We all have our guilty pleasures, and God's in all "art" with or without the judgmental "".
Good post Jon; I don't know what else to say. I think that this needs to be said, and I hope that it challenges people to strive towards excellence in exalting Jesus in films, songs, writing, etc... so that hopefully they are not too mockable (although I think with our sarcastic culture we live in, everything is mockable).
ReplyDeletewell i actually scored pretty low, but in all fairness i tried watching "facing the giants" one day and i just couldnt do it. everything from the camera work to the script was just not good at all.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago I heard someone say "if you can't say amen, say ouch." Ouch!
ReplyDelete42. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI will say, though, that unfortunately the production standards are sometimes (certainly not always!) a little lower for Christian stuff. If a vocalist says she's called into Christian music, and she's okay but not great, and she writes song lyrics for about her love for God and she feels it's God's call for her to sing and write this, then what does the producer say to that? "God's calling you to make music that isn't so crappy?" It's a delicate situation.
I will definitely not be reading that cheesy SCL book when it comes out. I will be too busy reading C.S. Lewis books in the original Koine Greek. He was one of the apostles, right?
ReplyDeleteWV: loptomat (LOP-toe-mat). n. A place you go to get a Republican haircut while they press your blue, long-sleeve shirts.
How about dismissing "I Can Only Imagine" because you liked it the first time, but when Christian and Top 40 radio played it more than the Macarena, it started to leave a sour taste in your mouth.
ReplyDeleteGoosebumps? Not anymore. Shudder. And then guilt (having been long convicted of my Culture Snobbery).
Good post. Just a note, though: Carman spells his name with an "a" in it, not an "e". I should know - I used to have all his albums.
ReplyDeleteI scored a whopping 4. But only because you got me on the Left Behind series. Such bad theology, too much white space, 8 books turned onto 12, so very many things to rail against in that one series.
ReplyDeleteMocking "The Prayer of Jabez" and its many sequels (for kids, for teens.... fill in the blank).
ReplyDeleteYou're a comedic prophet. You point out what we know and hide when pretending to be Christian. The masks don't help, they're what non-Christians hate about the church.
ReplyDeleteProphet on ...
@Tyjinks,
ReplyDeleteAMEN!! I haven't listened to Christian radio on a regular basis in years now (because I like to listen to talk radio not because I'm a Christian culture snob.) And it never fails that if I flip over to the FM dial at any give time, there's an 83% chance that "I Can Only Imagine" will be playing. Sure, great song but way over done.
...can't say I've ever wanted to be rescued by a Godly man with a mysterious past...maybe Doctor Who, but that's just me...
ReplyDeleteWe call the stuff in Christian bookstores "Christian crap."
ReplyDeleteI'm a Christian culture snob, alright. Actually I'm a regular culture snob. That means I'll find a way to defend something I really like if I suspect that it isn't great art, or suspect that someone else thinks it isn't great art.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do think Facing the Giants sucked. I suffered through it. It didn't have to be Christian to be bad. It was just bad.
The Gaithers, you missed the Gaithers in your list. As in, "if the prospect of your in-laws putting on a Gaither DVD as the entertainment for a lovely family evening causes you physical pain...+5"
ReplyDeleteWow - this is a great article, Jon - you've done a good job of using the gift of humor to tell otherwise painful truths.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the comment about the billboard, and not doing anything to change it. That's exactly where I stand. You're not allowed to complain if you're not doing anything to change it.
At church, I work doing lighting - and there's no way I'm going to let it be as cheesy as half the stuff I see at concerts or on TV.
There is some horrid Christian music out there. And some horrid secular stuff. So I grabbed some friends that thought the same, and started a band. We found out it's really hard to play together, stay together, manage that lifestyle, and succeed in the industry. Even those Christian stars you disdain have put 300 times the passion into actually MAKING their music then you did into your snobbery.
I don't like Fireproof. It was cheesy. However, I watched it five times. Why? Because our church was showing it, and I know couples personally that have had their lives changed because of it. I know it didn't target me - wasn't young or hip enough, didn't have enough fast car chases - but when those save my marriage, I'll let you know - give me cheese that works any day.
The real call to excellence is a call to action - get up out of your chair and DO something. The Christian culture I have the biggest problem with is the one that sits in the pew and complains that the experience isn't catered exclusively to their liking.
The mission of Hollywood is to make money by entertaining you - and they hit the target about 10% of the time. If the mission of the church is to transform lives, we need to demand better performance then that - but judge us based on our mission, not someone else's.
If you can complain from your pew, it's obviously too comfortable.
I don't know about the whole don't complain thing because you're not doing anything. As consumers, you are doing somethingthing. If enough people disliked Christian crap enough to stop buying it, watching it, listening to it, supporting it, the market would respond to that and better stuff would be made.
ReplyDeleteWe're not all artists and singers and whatever. Sometimes your power as a consumer is the only one you have.
26.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think I should add extra points for being able to say "yes" to question 26, when the truth is, it was the first "Left Behind" book that started my journey to becoming a real follower of Jesus. I am not a fan of the books now, but God has always had an entertaining way of using anything He wants to try and turn my head around.
I'm pretty sure my first concert was Carman. But I tell people it was Hanson...because somehow that's less embarrassing???
ReplyDeleteActually, I have a picture with Carman from a book signing a few years ago. So, I'm not ashamed. But, I do feel compelled to point out that his name is, in fact, spelled with a second A. I think he explains it on his Yo Kids! album:
CAR - MAN. You know. Carman.
Wow! Excellent post and very convicting to me.
ReplyDeleteThe christian radio here in Des Moines doesn't play "I Can Only Imagine" that often any more, but there is a 78% chance that when I listen they will be playing something by Flyleaf or Fireflight, which equally gets old fast.
I have been guilty of judging the "evangelicals" and the "emerging" saints. I tend to view evangelicals as 3 piece suit wearing, judmental hypocrite (because I used to be one). I also tend to view emergers as the guy with metrosexual haircut you described in your list, but with horn-rimmed glasses and sitting at a Starbucks most of the day. Of course, that's based on my trying to fit in with my emerging friends but not "being down" with the whole lifestyle thing they got going.
So I was in the elevator this weekend at the She Speaks conference with Sandy Vander Zicht, Associate Publisher and Executive Editor at Zondervan. My book proposal was in my bag, but all I could think of was "Should I tell her how excited I am about the Stuff Christians Like book that Z is publishing." Unfortunately, her room was on a much lower floor than mine so I missed both opportunities :-) (But the Revell Books EE took my proposal.....)
ReplyDeleteI loved Carmen (that's because I'm older than you and was mature enough to not need coolness) but The Champion still makes me cringe.
68.
ReplyDeleteI guess the first step is admitting you have a problem.
Here's another one:
When your church plays a popular Christian song at the end of the service, you make a big point of asking friends in the lobby, "Where is that song from?" They reply, "Oh they're playing it all the time on the Christian radio station." Then you reply, "Oh, I don't listen to Christian radio." Just so everyone knows how cool you are.
I scored an 18. A little higher than I would have liked. I think overall we are a critical society. We're kind of snobs about a lot of things (I find myself getting in this rut too). Is this an excuse for mediocrity? No. We have the most powerful message on earth and we should be communicating it with excellence. But, I think we all need to dial down the criticism a bit.
ReplyDeleteI'll admit it, I scored very high. I went to a christian college where this was rampant, but at the same time they did encourage students to do things, including the arts and producing and writing, in excellence. I think it is OK to knock bad attempts when you are trying to deliver the most powerful message, as long as you, as you stated, offer alternatives. Like Jesus tattoos- much cooler than cheesy christian "pray hard" shirts. hahaha.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. So true. my first concert: Rebecca St. James.
ReplyDeleteNice job, Jon. I think you nailed it. There is a huge difference between those of us who grew up in something being able to poke a little fun at it among those who also know what we're talking about, and then, the other side: mocking it and being disdainful about it...and wondering why people aren't interested. I've often thought that...seems like sometimes church people are the ones that put down the church the most.
ReplyDeletelove it. love love love it. even though I resemble those remarks. I need the reminder that even Christian "cheese" can have heart and impact people, even though it may not be my taste.
ReplyDeleteand my first concert - Sandi Patty.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am torn on this issue. On the one hand, we can't pigeonhole what will be meaningful or faith-affirming to anyone. On the other hand, I don't think we need to excuse poorly done, badly written work just because it mentions Jesus - especially if the theology is bad.
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on, Jon, in calling for creation instead of critique. Did you ever "Roaring Lambs?"
But, what do I know? I am wearing right now (no lie) a long-sleeved blue shirt and khaki pants. My wants-to-be-an-afro hair is the only thing keeping me from wardrobe fundamentalism.
36. But I'm surprised it wasn't higher.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I really wish you had a Purpose Driven Blog. Now where can I buy a burlap hackey sack?
I didn't read everyone's comments... but I know agree with patrick, so I'll start with that.
ReplyDeleteI feel convicted, because yeah, some people are changed by the same things that I deem cheesy, annoying, or cliche.
But at the same time, many people are turned off to Christianity by these same things. Really turned off.
That's why I most identify (and probably overuse in my defense of my own Christian culture snobbery) with Rob Bell's (name-dropping someone who perhaps in twenty years will be a target of a new form of Christian culture snobbery? not a prediction, just wondering about the cycle of things) quote: "Christian is a great noun and a horrible adjective"
Christians (noun) will create art or culture that is pleasing to God. And if they are simply trying to create a "christian" (adjective) piece of work... I wonder about its quality.
that being said- who am I to judge prominent Christian artists/creators/speakers, etc and say "you're not being a noun, you're being an adjective."
But props to Jon for daring to get dangerously close to biting the hand(s) that feed him... ;)
Wow, so funny! Best post in weeks.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw SCL, I thought (basically) "oh no, not another "Christian Culture Snob" deal". But you've done a great job of not being "that guy". Actually loving the church as you poke fun at the silly things we all do - whether the "old-school" fundamentalists or the "metrosexual worship leaders" haha. Love it! Keep the funny rolling, and keep the humble perspective.
Oh, one note - watch guest posters' tone. They cross the line sometimes from loving criticism to outright mockery of the Church... I mean, comparing guilt over breaking the speed limit to the monastic mortification of the flesh practices from the middle ages? Really?
But overall, good recovery post. Kept me as a subscriber with this one :)
*hangs head in shame*
ReplyDeleteI don't have much of a score on most of these. However, I feel like I should give myself a few extra points for #16. For some reason, those movies bring out some crazy dislike in me. I don't think it's the message, but rather the fact that bad writing and bad acting are ignored and they are considered great movies because they have such a great moral. I also CANNOT stand the way that once the characters follow God, everything in their lives are magic.
ReplyDeleteYeesh. I better stop now before the Christian Culture Snob in me completely takes over, because the books are next. (I wonder if I re-took the quiz now that I have let my inner CCS out if I would get a higher score...)
Left Behind, The Movie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for apologizing to Christian radio :) I'm not really the audience for our local Christian station (I don't have kids that I worry about the radio corrupting, no Republican haircut, no minivan, etc), but it's on my presets.
ReplyDeleteThe church I attend has some people who are so hip it hurts, and on the way to lunch last week a girl (early 20's) dropped the complaint she didn't listen to the Christian station in Houston growing up, because it was "Soooo cheesy."
My response was "When I was in college I accidentally found that station instead of the rap station I was looking for. Beautiful One was on, and I started listening to the station every so often, which led to me going back to church, which led to my life completely changing."
Cue awkward silence :) God touches my life regularly through music lyrics, especially in these past couple of months, and I'm not going to miss out on that just because the dj's drive me insane :)
Maybe your site isn't exactly evangelistic, but it does serve a purpose by helping us to laugh at (and then quit) some of the weird things we do as Christians. I think your site is great.
ReplyDeleteOh no, I scored 30. How about adding "You listen to Moody Radio (substitute other Christian radio station) but turn off/switch channels when the music comes on"? I do that. I really do.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the cure, doctor?
Okay, honestly, I got a 0 - big fat zero.
ReplyDeleteWhat does that mean? I'm too humble? Or not humble enough.
Maybe I just haven't had time to acquire enough points...
Um, i didn't hit any of these, except maybe not liking the "Left Behind" series. Is Thomas Kinkade a Christian?
ReplyDeleteBut this did make me realize that i've issues. The title had me expecting Christians that are "better than thou" & not caught up in worldly things.
I do have issues (snob-issues?) with folks who constantly say, "It was not me, it was Jesus." Like, they don't realize it was their choice to do something kind?
I read a number of Christian blogs, but i do have problems with some. Someone starts telling me a story of a difficult time in their lives & then turns it into a devotional. I haven't much patience with that. Because to me it doesn't seem real or sincere.
I prefer to read folks who share their real lives with me, hopes, frustrations, & are sincere. If they give God the glory for the outcome, fine. But if it turns into a devotional i feel preached at & condescended to, as if i couldn't come to that conclusion without it being beat into me.
I love this site because it seems real, sincere, not preachy, & it often convicts me of my need for a change in attitude without beating me up with spirituality. :)
Man, why'd you have to convict me so early on a Monday morning? Sunday was yesterday; I'm supposed to have forgotten about being convicted by now. Seriously, I'm going to take better stock of my attitude toward Christian culture from here on out. I'd like to lower my snobbery score.
ReplyDeleteI scored a 13.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, those "Don't make me come down there -GOD" signs really annoy me. I guess cause I know that not in the Bible anywhere.
I find I change the quickest when I am made fun of. So, I have no problem with your expression of distaste for the unauthentic behavior of modern christians. I wish you would keep up the good work. It helps people examine their hidden motivations for their actions and maybe become a little more pure with every insult. But, that's just me. I think it helps bring motivations to the surface so they can be seen for the impurity they are.
ReplyDeleteAh, when i said i didn't score on this, i think it is because i don't know most of these items. I am not at all immersed in "Christian Culture" & most of these are probably from a generation behind me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the bad writing stuff. One particular Christian author whose work i've read a little of wrote her first book in such poor English that i couldn't read it without changing the grammar all the way thru. It was because she was portraying her characters as uneducated, but the book was almost unreadable.
And so, when i hear so many folks say they "love" her books i tend to be a bit snobbish.
Were the questions different, i'd probably have a high score.
Oh, conviction. I am feeling you now.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I really dislike the knick-knackery in Christian bookstores, cheesy lyrics with bad rhymes, and God-themed t-shirts that try to be clever but aren't. I don't dislike them because they're Christian. I dislike them because they're mediocre. I don't think that all Christian art/literature/fashion/knick-knackery is mediocre, but I don't like the part of it that is. And maybe I'm a little harder on Christian mediocrity than I am on secular mediocrity because I don't want people to think that Christians or God are mediocre.
The fact is, I'm not going to start liking the stuff I don't like. So I guess the question I have to ask myself is, how can I dislike the stuff I dislike without being a snob about it? Because regardless of anything else, my being a snob is not cool.
Oww. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThird Day was playing in my home town (which is quite cool since I live several thousand miles from their home town) just over a month ago and I didn't go to see them because I was on a downer about Christian music that week. The next day I felt angry with myself for not going. But at least I saved £35!
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is I am a snob of all culture, bwa ha ha! A couple of years back the BBC tried to do a modern retelling of the Easter Story through the streets of Manchester to a soundtrack of hit 'secular' songs. The songs weren't the cheesiest, but the only ones with any depth were by New Order or Joy Division.
Oh, dear. I'm a 36. I'm actually grateful it's not more. I was a disgusting Christian snob for several years and, apparently, still have my moments.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that shocked me out of it a bit was working intensely for a year with a group of young adults who all were crazy on fire for God, in love with the world around them, intelligent, creative, and many of them working on their own songs and stories that were heartfelt and brilliant. And all these young people liked the Christian music I hated so much. I didn't want to think of these people as less intelligent than me for doing so. I thought these people were great. So I kind of went on a quest to figure out why they would like any of the things they did if they were so cool.
I still don't like Chris Tomlin or Mercy Me. I still have no intention of rewatching Facing the Giants. But I speak a bit more carefully of them now because even though I see no value to them, people I value do.
This is awesome! Dead on.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I scored pretty high, but as you know I suck at math and am too lazy to add up my score.
ReplyDeleteAlso? I do not heart Precious Moments, Willow Tree (anymore - I blame Jon Acuff), Thomas Kinkaid, people who are all about what's wrong and not what's right, and pre-packaged VBS programs.
I am a total snob.
Is it snobish to call crap "crap"? Prayer of Jabez? Left Behind? (no i haven't read either). Can't we leave a little room for an anathema category or must it all overlap with snobery?
ReplyDeleteI feel the "jaded" accusation coming on.
-Tim
I scored a zero. It's just not my style.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it also leads me to the sad conclusion that my friends who are "Christian Culture Snobs" probably make fun of me behind my back...
WV: ulterea: alternate
Ex: When she asked me what the song was that was played as our exiting hymn, I couldn't help but wonder if she had an ulterea motive.
Um, Seems like a sell-out post since you have a book deal with the biggest cheesy of publishing houses. Kinda like all the Green Day albums in between Dookie and American Idiot. "Christian Culture" is an oxy-Moron and shouldn't even exist. but since there's 60 comments of people loving it, i'll just be labeled as a "snob". I liked the blog more when you were getting hate mail.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, I thought Carmen and Newsong were just the bomb and a half. I "outgrew" those in college, meaning they reminded me of things I no longer wanted to be reminded of.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy with all the NPCC music (Steve Fee, Todd Fields, etc) and what they play on WWEV here in the ATL.. but I should take another took and what's out there.
Oh, as a bonus item: My folks gave me a "Stryper" poster (Christian metal group) to put up in my room when I was 12 or so. I had never heard of them and to this day I've not heard a single song that I can recall. And I didn't think that was odd at the time.
Whew! Only got 10 points. I guess I don't need to hang my head in shame. Though I will admit to ambivalence toward "Christian culture" things. I just want good art/music/etc. in whatever form it takes.
ReplyDeleteDude, you just got a re-tweet from Todd Agnew. How cool are you now?
ReplyDeleteAhhh yes, I did love that Michael W. Smith/Amy Grant concert. And it WAS my first one. My mom couldn't find the car in the parking lot after the concert and it was a cold, cold January night...brr freeze.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to hate on the culture that made me who I am. I gotta low score. But it's easy to fall into the trap of mockery. I think you can be sincere in your like or dislike of something...but you don't have to make fun of the person behind it. My go to phrase is, "That's not my favorite, but I love the heart behind it."
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." (Col. 3:23)
Mr. Acuff, I believe you strive to work and write for the Lord, and I really, really liked this post. :)
P.S. My daughter's popsicle joke today was:
Q: What is the bird with the worst manners?
A: A mocking bird.
Who knew popsicles could be prophetic...hmmmm....nobody likes to be mocked.
I am a Christian culture snob, however, I don't get many of those points since I became a Christian as an adult and don't know enough about the Christian artists you mentioned to make fun of them.
ReplyDeleteI do want to say that, as far as I'm concerned, Jesus Himself would not like much of Christian culture. Granted there is some valuable stuff out there that I am slowly warming up to, instead of just listening to Spacemen 3 "Walking With Jesus" (which is totally drug induced and is probably more Satanic than anything), but I can't handle, for example, Christian grind-core. I can't even believe that's a real thing, but it is.
By the way, I approve way more of the republican uniform than the soul-patch/ grunge t-shirt/ pre-ripped $300 jeans. YUK.
awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, my problem with Christian media is that the quality has been so poor that even bad secular movies are better made. My complaint is that if we have the God of all creativity on our side, we should be out-selling secular media in every area. But we don't. Why? Because we only use what we see being done in the secular realm (fireproof and Facing the Giants excepted, they were fantastically made films). If we really stopped trying to rely on our own smarts, creativity, and non-witty humor and began to rely on Go'd smarts, creativitty, and humor, then Christian crap wouldn't be Christian crap, it would be God's goods.
ReplyDeleteI personally cringe every time someone mentions Veggie Tales (they were good when they started but after Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki sold it off to Virgin or whoever thne they really took a spike downward. I don't watch them anymore). I am tired of Christian media being ruined by religion instead of crowned by God's creativity!!!
How 'bout "Chicken Soup for the Soul" and its many spin-offs? Yeah. I've definitely mocked 'em. And Point of Grace. I've called their lyrics "Bubble Gum Christianity." Not fair, I guess, considering that i don't know them AT ALL and maybe that really is how simply (and innocently) they view their faith. "child-like." But as a side note, I had an excellent professor in college (who challenged me DAILY in what I thought was "right") who asked us the question, "Since when did 'Christian' become an adjective?" "Christian music", "Christian books", "Christian shirts"... The mistake here is to deny that true beauty in ANY form or category is a gift from God, whether or not the "artist" acknowledges from Whom the gift was given. Yep, there are CERTAINLY books, music, and other forms of "art" that DO NOT glorify our Maker, but I believe that at that point, the "artist" has chosen to use the gift that was given them in a selfish way (a way that only brings glory to themselves). But to deny that he or she ever had talent to begin with is not understanding that we were ALL created in His image! :) (ie: current events-wise, Michael Jackson. I was SO disappointed to see how SO MANY claiming to have a deep faith in Christ were so hateful, cruel, and unloving in the man's death. Even to go so far as to deny his musical talent! When, in reality, those very gifts WERE God-given... he just may not have ever chose to glorify Him in response with them.)
ReplyDeleteI got 2 points; I've made fun of Kirk Cameron on occasion.
ReplyDeleteMy friends and I make fun of TBN all the time. But I watch TBN so I can have my own theology debates in the comfort of my own apartment. It's fun.
Hi there! I'm a regular follower of your blog, but this is my first comment (I think)! How about avoiding the use of the word "fellowship"? My husband will not say this word due to it's extreme nerdiness. Our Sunday school department just had an event called an "Ice Cream Social" and there was no way he was calling it that, never mind that it was a fellowship event too. In his words, it was a Dodge Ball to the Face party and there will be ice cream too. Fellowship? Whatever. We'll be hanging out.
ReplyDeleteI didn't add up my points because I'm afraid of how high the number will be. I did go to the Amy Grant/Micheal W. Smith concert and have lied about it. (And yet I just went to the New Kids on the Block reunion concert and am not embarrased... something is wrong with this!) Also, my friends and I call cheesy Jesus junk "cheesus".
ReplyDeleteI scored very low, but I don't know if my score counts for much, because I just questioned a Christian license plate in one of my tweets on Twitter. However, I am thoroughly convicted thanks to this blog post, and I have come down off of my high horse.
ReplyDeleteso true - Carmen was my first concert. And I usually avoid mentioning it :)
ReplyDeleteI thought I was going to be okay but then I saw that your top category was 26+. Are you kidding that is junior level snobbery.
ReplyDeleteI am a chagrined 75. I would be higher except I found SCL all on my own. However if someone had told me about it I would have had exactly the reaction you described.
Apparently, I have a problem.
i heckled Randy Stonehenge from the deepest recesses of the auditorium on year, yelling "Rodney Stonehenge." I thought I was cool. A few years later he came to my church. I apologized to him.
ReplyDeleteGod is good
jpu
I got a 4. I really do have a big problem with "inspirational fiction" being . . . well, the same book written 500 times with a different title. I choose to stand by that.
ReplyDeleteI didn't tally my score but at first glance it looks to be in the low hundreds. While there are a few things here that hit home with me, I remain unapologetic in my belief that Fireproof was a terrible (although well intentioned) movie.
ReplyDelete24
ReplyDeleteThe big point getter was me wanting to hate this site when I saw it the first time. I don't even remember where, but I cringed and prayed it wasn't cheesy and a terrible rip off of SWPL. I'm glad I came!
I'm actually surprised I didn't score higher, I'm terribly judgmental, infantile and petty. But at least I can admit it.
But I've gotta say, I do NOT enjoy listening to I Can Only Imagine... but I know God makes me do it, b/c it's the one song that ALWAYS comes on the radio when I'm in the shower, and usually with a headful of suds, so I can't even jump out and change it fast enough!
BTW-- Met Stephen Baldwin at a Luis Palau festival.. dude's insane and not in the good way. I'm just sayin'.
Oh, and the WORST Christian T shirt on the market right now, "Jesus Died for MYSPACE in Heaven" (*groan*)
And, I judge Christian Fiction by it's cover. Sorry, if it's got a horse or a bonnet or poofy dress, I'm not gonna read it. I will read the ones that are hot pink and lime green and have coffee cups and cake on the front. Christian Chick Lit is the cheesiest, but that's what's available.. I like the romantic comedy version of fiction, unfortunately, there are parts in "secular" stories that just cross that line that I'm not comfortable reading-- in the "relationships" department, if you know what i mean.
Anyways.. great post!
Thank you, thank you, and did I say thank you?
ReplyDeleteAnd I've read all the comments and got a bit of a chuckle from a very few people who responded and were even MORE snobbish. And didn't get it. At all.
Yeah, I don't like everything, but if it reaches someone, that's cool. It ain't all about me anyway, right?
@Darcyjo,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing. :)
I am deeply, deeply cut to the core.
ReplyDeleteWhat timing.
Just the other day, I heard my heart grumbling diligently against nuances of what I call "pop Christian culture" - and felt a soft rebuke for defaming the hearts of people I do not know.
Today, that slap came louder and with more obvious finger impressions against my skin.
I have no words.
My question for you, Jon, is where you're going to take this blog. Was this another entry, or was it a wake up call to write, now, about what's actually beautiful about Christ's body - and let the lampooning be done by those who joyfully fall before the Lord in repentance and forgiveness? --Because I think your post nailed it on the head.
More, I think your post threatens Cultural Christian snobs because, whereas we think we've found the sort of Christianity Christ likes, we have really blown it altogether. He wants faith, not panache. He could care less about how amazing our acute wisdom cuts through fluff. He wants faith.
Again, I'm deeply cut. May God have mercy on his church.
I'm very proudly off the charts. Christian culture gives me a stomach ache. I say this as someone who has studied the bible, spirituality, and church history for several decades and who knows just how very far American Christian culture is from what Jesus talked about.
ReplyDeletehehehe. "Painter of light"
ReplyDeleteGyah, can't help myself. I need a snob stamp.
I don't feel convicted at all.
At one time or another, I have gain points for every single question on this list.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even bothering adding it up. I get maxed out points.
And I have been a Christian for 2 years.
God, help me love Your Bride like You love her. Because I really suck at it.
Boy. Convicting. I didn't score that high on the Christian Culture Snob survey here, so I guess I'm weird, according to SCL. I have to confess, though, Christian music is my hot button. When I was a teen in the 80's, I REFUSED to listen to it. Period. I won't name names, but the stuff that was playing on Christian radio was all sounding the same. Musically, homogenous and boring (to me). But, one thing's for sure I've noticed that past decade, it is AWESOME now. I've always loved worship music, but as for "pop" Christian music, there's more creative and personal artistic expression nowadays. Thank God!
ReplyDelete63 points for me.....
ReplyDeleteActually for awhile, I remember these Christian culture things turned me away from Christianity. I thought that if I gave my life to Christ, I would have to throw away my Nirvana Cds and start listening to Carmen and Sandi Patty. I thought I woudl have to read cheesy books and only watch cheesy movies. That did not appeal to me at all! And it still doesn't appeal to me.
When your book comes out I'm kind of hoping it comes with a matching SCL tea set. If that doesn't happen I'll have to quit the site.
ReplyDelete(*everyone jumps for joy*)
I've been known to make fun of women's ministry and lately I have realized 2 things: 1) I was wrong to take the approach I took and 2) I am my own cliche. Today for an interview I wore a very trendy/professional shirt that had beading. I spend more time on my hair to go to Bible study or church than anywhere else. I have Christian jewelry and I like it. Still, I don't do Christmas cheeseballs shaped like Baby Jesus and covered in pimento slices, but anywhoooooo... There are so many good aspects of Christian culture that though they beg to be mocked maybe it's just better to let people be their own kind of Christian, Thomas Kinkade and all. And, yes, I own a Thomas Kinkade.
The post hurt a little. Thanks for that.
Joanna -
ReplyDeleteWant to see a good republican haircut? Google Jonathan Edwards.
How about ... "You think that ex-American Idol contestants keep getting signed under Christian labels, because they can't cut it on secular radio .... +5 pts."
ReplyDeleteStacy from Louisville writes:
ReplyDelete"Want to see a good republican haircut? Google Jonathan Edwards."
You win the internet.
What irritates me about the so-called Christian culture is that it mostly just a big money making market that says if you are a good Christian, you will have these things...when everything in a christian bookstore is way more expensive than any other store...why would I want to buy anything there? It just doesn't make sense to me...why do we have to label things as "christian" and "non-christian"
ReplyDeleteget some help Jon...
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I didnt keep track.
ReplyDeleteBut Im a huge Switchfoot fan and upon seeing #17, I knew I'd be in the deep end.
It made me laugh.
(17 is oh so very true. Howd you get into the minds of us hardcore fans?)
You forgot this one: you LOVE Worship music...but only during a Worship Service. You start to bash it as soon as you listen to it on the radio.
ReplyDeleteHey Jon, Thank you for a humorous and provocative post. Love the way you write, really connects with me.
ReplyDeleteI score pretty highly on the Snob Scale. My favourite term being 'Jesus is my boyfriend' to refer to any worship music that's all about 'me and my lovely saviour'.
To be fair, sometimes those songs mess me up when I'm going through a hard time in my faith. No excuse to insult the godly men who write worship songs though.
Great post.
ReplyDeleteI spent a couple of years working in a Christian bookstore and it totally jaded my view of Christian 'stuff'... I mean, the Prayer of Jabez was a good book but the minute they started bringing out the mugs, bookmarks, fridge magnets etc and the myriad of follow-on books they lost me!
I once had a couple of ladies come in looking for books on worship. Interestingly enough back then there weren't that many, and I confess that my comment was along the lines of 'you know what my favourite worship book is? Psalms'. I lost a sale but they left happy!
I agree too with one of the other post-ers - how could you have left out the Gaithers!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Saskia: It's nice to 'meet' someone who shares my dislike for Christian fiction. I can count the number of authors whose novels I can tollerate on one hand with fingers left over (Francine Rivers is, hands down, my favorite). I have gotten so disgusted with Christian fiction before I actually flung the book--rather hard--at the wall. I abhore the 2D characters, the cliched non-Christians, abrupt 180-degree changes when someone accepts Christ (and someone *always* accepts Christ Just In Time), thin, predictable plot...the list goes on. I've been writing original fiction for years and for a while my guiding motto was 'What Wouldn't Janette Oke Do?' and I wrote some truly awesome short stories during that time. I'm currently working on combining several of the short stories into a novel, and when I feel it's ready to start submitting, I'll be going to secular, not Christian, publishers even though the main character is a Christian and there's not a small amount of her faith being put to the test and her wondering what God's purpose in it all is because I can't see any Christian publisher going for a novel where there are plenty of likable, sympathetic non-Christians, none of whom fall on their knees and tearfully accept Christ Just In Time. I have unrepentant serial monogamists, some of the main character's friends are openly gay, and sticking to her convictions does not result in a Happy Ever After. It does end on an up note but there aren't any nice, neat resolutions. Like my motto says, "What Wouldn't Janette Oke Do?" ;D I'm always interested in new opinions from people who know what good writing is, so if you're interested let me know.
ReplyDelete@Hannah: "What irritates me about the so-called Christian culture is that it mostly just a big money making market that says if you are a good Christian, you will have these things"
My thoughts exactly. How about all the Bibles that only vary slightly from one another? xp The only difference between secular conformity and Christian conformity is Christian conformity has Jesus and Bible verses on everything.
I sneer at a lot of the 'Jesus Junk' not because I think I'm too good for it but because I think the glow-in-the-dark harmonicas with a Bible verse printed on them are a sign things have become WAY too commercialized. I roll my eyes at all the different types of Bibles because teen girls do not need six or more different Bibles aimed at them to choose from. We do not need Devotions for Women I Bible and Devotions for Women II Bible. How about when you have new devotions, you print a booklet of them to suppliment the original Devotions for Women Bible? pfft! I have two Bibles, and that's only because I found the one I was certain was lost after replacing it and writing my name in the new one.
I'm sick of 'I Can Only Imagine' because it's been so totally overplayed it should be taken off the air entirely for at least a year because we need a break and we should air the music that's been pushed aside in favor of 'I Can Only Imagine'. I'm not ashamed to admit my first Christian concert was Smitty, and the second was Smitty/Steven Curtis Chapman. I find some of Smitty's songs trite and cliche but for the most part, as bubblegum pop goes, it's good stuff. If I had the chance to see DC Talk, I'd definitely be there.
I grew up in an atheist household. I grew up hearing everything Christian mocked. Which is why, now, I LOVE all the bad music, books and plastic Jesus crucified on a cross for 9.99 at my favorite Bible bookstore. I listen to it, watch it and read it with a joy in knowing that it is ME! I am a cheesy Christian. (Of course, I think the good stuff is even sweller!)
ReplyDeleteWhat about WWJD and its many mock variants? I scored a 16. Left Behind got me...which isn't totally fair since that series can be mocked in any culture.
ReplyDeleteDo I get more or fewer points for knowing Carman's name was spelled with an A at the end and not an E?
ReplyDelete26 and I have a few comments
ReplyDelete1. Actually I'm proud that MWS/DCT was my first concert - it means unlike the rest of my peers that it wasn't New Kids on the Block. And TobyMac is still cool.
2. Christian novels. Okay I learned in school solving your plot by deus ex machina was a bad thing not a goal to be written towards.
3. My non-Christian guy coworker was telling another Christian co-worker and I how he cried through Fireproof. Both of us Christians laughed at him, as I realized that probably wasn't good witnessing...
4. Shouldn't liking Thomas Kincaid earn me some negative points.
You, my friend, have cut me to the heart. Bravo, Jon. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteI didn't take the test because I knew I would score high.
ReplyDeleteI have been a recovering CCS (Christian Culture Snob) for several years now when I realized that I was being rather pompus and that several people close to me liked and appreciated the things that I called garbage.
Of course even the fact that my recovery from CCS started several years before this post means that I am a snob in regards to not following the crowd, but preceeding the crowd...
With all this being said, there are still a few Christian Culture points of snobbery I will forever refuse to renounce:
1. Youth group guitar guy - only 3 chords, gel in hair, uses the word "extreme" or "radical" every 3 minutes, etc
2. Veggie Tales
3. Any Christian book title that becomes emblazened across coffee mugs, floor mats, journals, bumper stickers, etc
In the 60's the Christian Culture snobs eschewed guitars and such. They used their power to keep things the way they liked them!
ReplyDeleteToday's Christian Culture snobs use their hipness to ridicule and exclude anyone unlike them. This weird combo of narcissism and self-proclaimed holiness is a pretty slippery slope.
One day Rob Bell and Donald Miller will be met with the next generation's rolling eyes and snickers. They will be the "three points and a poem" of this generation!!!
w.v. chaph-- let God sort the chaph from the wheat-- things have value apart from their value to YOU!!!
hey...what about all things 'purpose driven'? if mocking that earns christian culture points...i'd be in good shape! ;)
ReplyDeleteI make fun of "ladies teas" --- and Point of Grace.
ReplyDeleteThis Saturday I have to host a ladies tea at my house ... and I am sure we'll have stinkin Point of Grace playing in the background ...
unless I sneak in a little Derek Webb. (wouldn't that freak out the ladies!)
Snob,
Tara
I'm a Christian culture snob and I'm proud of it. Just because something is "Christian" doesn't mean that it shouldn't be criticized by other Christians and I think this pop culture version of Christianity is ultimately extremely harmful to Christianity.
ReplyDeleteHaving Jesus Junk, whether it be T-shirts with pithy slogans on it, knick knacks, bumper stickers etc. etc. takes our faith and reduces it to a giant corporate marketing scheme. I don't want a T-shirt proclaiming my faith. If someone can only tell my faith by my clothes or crap I have laying around my house, then I'm not doing a very good job of living my faith. I have a strong belief that a lot of this crap is just an attempt by some big corporation to profit on Christianity.
Left Behind books are horribly written fiction filled with plot holes. They also are virulently anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic. They are based on a completely erroneous interpretation of Revelation. They take gleeful excitement in the fates of non-believers. They bear no resemblence to what how I believe Christ would want us to act.
The Prayer of Jabez? Should we really be taking one verse of the Bible and blowing it all out of propotion to basically mean "pray for stuff."
Some people get so caught up in this pop culture Christianity that they can no longer thing for themselves about what the Bible means or have an relationship with God that isn't filtered through all these layers of junk. Its not all bad but I think a large amount of it is.
That doesn't mean I don't love people who engage in it or that I judge them, but I don't think I'm being a snob by criticizing things that I think need to be criticized for being harmful. Christianity is not a TV show or summer blockbuster movie, so it doesn't need a billion marketing tie-ins as if it were Star Wars.
@ Joe Tognetti:
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those people. I think worship is much more powerful when you get 10, 20, 1000, etc. people all praising God at once. Hearing it on the radio is just not as "real" for me, I suppose.
Yes, I've been the "Christian music hater". I used to be a HUGE fan of the Newsboys and MWS. Then when I hit college I decided I hated all things Christian. I was cool with Jesus (for lack of a better expression), I just didn't like all the mediocrity. Now, I'm 22 and I'm starting to slowly allow worship songs back on to my iPod. :)
However, I saw a t-shirt iron-on at a fabric store recently that was a yellow diamond-shaped road sign that said "Christian Crossing". No joke. I think a small part of me died.
Check out the Radical series by David Platt at www.brookhills.org
ReplyDeletethat's not cheesy in the slightest. It will challenge you as a Christian.
Count me convicted. Honestly, I lost count. My husband has been trying to point out all my snobbery lately, but because I'm such a christian snob it was all he was talking about!!! Thanks for the wake up call.
ReplyDeletewv: pigam - The prodigal son's job title in the "far off land"
Just roll me in nuts because I guess I'm just one big ol' cheeseball! haha I perfer about 99.9% on the declared "snob list". In fact, when my heart starts to slipping, and I'm dangerously close to dipping, it's those cheesey things that I usually find my grounding in.
ReplyDeleteI start my lonely walk back onto the right path, remembering that my 1st concert was Amy Grant. I recall being thoroughly saturated in CarmAn's music when I first accepted Christ as my Saviour.
I must confess though... "I Can Only Imagine" stopped giving me goosebumps. But only after the umpteenthmillionth time I heard it played. LOL Still a nice song.
Cheryl -
ReplyDeletei'm most definitely interested in following what you are doing. J. Oke is the writer of whom i was speaking.
But your profile is not available & i don't know how to find you! Please let me know @ either http://kateekat.blogspot.com/ or at 4kat2009@gmail.com. Thanks! :)
so, i didn't keep track of my points but definitely scored big time on this, the last one is absolutely hilarious, but also ridiculously true!
ReplyDeletejoel osteen is always my go-to guy for a good christian joke.
and the first concert i ever went to was sandi patti and babbi mason. whew. feels good to get that out in the open.
one other thing - my biggest issue is usually with christian spoof t-shirts. you know? a bread crumb and fish instead of abercrombie and fitch, and all those ones that use popular brands replacing the words with christian things. lord have mercy those irritate me to no end. mostly because most of those cheap shirts are made in sweatshops! if i could rid the world of any one thing, it would be those t-shirts.
ReplyDeleteLife from the other side of the coin: I became a Christian within the past 10 years, and what really hurts is the "better-than-you" attitude by the snobs out there. I don't know who Carmen/Carman is, but I do listen to Christian radio and even have those cheesy fish on the back of my Suburban. My kids bought them for me on my birthday a few years back, and my fishies represent our family of four. Yeah, they are cheesy and I now feel slightly more guilt when cutting people off in traffic (by accident of course), but I can't just take them off my car no matter how many snobs look down their noses at me--they were a gift from my kids!
ReplyDeleteMocking hurts. When I see scruffy-faced 20-something Mac-wielding guys with goatees, bare feet and horned-rimmed glasses chortling at my Christian dorkiness, I tend to get pretty hot.
I'm glad the car fishy came up...where would those fit in? (I currently have one in my junk drawer that I'm debating to stick onto the car or not...would I be putting myself at risk of being ultra-scrutinized on the road??) hmm....
ReplyDeletewv: mates
What would my mates think of my Christian car fish?
Hey Cheryl, I'm a bit of a Christian "literature" snob myself. I just don't bother with it usually. But try Mary DeMuth's "Daisy Chain" if you want some real characters. It's the best Christian fiction I've seen probably ever.
ReplyDeleteAnd, sorry Jon, but I think I may be raising a household of CCSs. All three of my children chortled in laughter when we watched "Facing the Giants." And then my husband got into a fight with his father over it. Just too much sweetness and light for this family, I guess.
3 points. I actually used the term "Jesus junk" just yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHi. My name is Ann Marie. I scored 38. I'm a snob.
ReplyDeleteBut i secretly love cheesy Christian novels. Myhusband makes fun of me, so he's probably a BIGGER snob than me.
But this is what I like about your site...helps me laugh at myself about the stupid things that run thru my head!
You're on my toes! Ouch!
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous @258am 8/4/09, anonymous @912am 8/4/09, and Amy from Cheeseland:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you anon921am that there are some things that are just needing to be criticized in our culture (note that I am admitting I am part of that culture by using "our"). Although I am outside the marketing demo of most so-called "christian junk", I do think they have a place for those if it encourages the saved and brings to salvation the lost (didn't Paul say in the NT that the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world?). But there are some things in our culture I just can't/won't get past.
A few of you mentioned the "holy hipsters" (anon258am and Amy from Cheeseland). This group, while proclaiming their stuff/world as "relevant", "emergent", "trendy", etc, come off just as snobbish as those they are trying to distance themselves from. A few years back I visited a bible study for artists at a local emergent church here in Minneapolis, and one of the leaders of the study twice corrected me when I said "services" - he insisted they were "gatherings". Reminds me of the Elvis Costello on a Simpsons Episode where someone accidentally knocked off his hat at a carnival, and Elvis (actually voiced by him) yelled out "Oh No! My Image!!!!"
Puke.
Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith WAS my first concert! Get out of my head Jon, seriously, this is getting ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThe latest sign I've seen outside a church:
ReplyDelete'What's missing from ch--ch?... ur!'
I laughed, but who knows it might convict someone!
Even the Christian music which so many people have complained about, I have found to be a major part of what has developed my faith, it may be poor quality but at least I can sing along and not worry that I'm going to be singing about sex and drugs :)
Great post! I hope you don't mind that I "piggy-backed" off of it on a post to my blog (http://www.kenwords.com/2009/08/church-germ.html)
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI love being called out!!!! I am a member of the K-Love advisory board just so I can give all of their song low scores & also to include a note about how cheesy thier djs are!!! I am such a jerk!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the point of this post.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that as long as something is labeled as Christian (or worse, MARKETED as Christian) - no matter what the level of quality - it cannot be critiqued?
You cannot say "Fireproof" failed because it oversimplified a universal problem and blew an opportunity to witness to more people than one's own choir?
Or that most of the Christian knick-knacks are cheaply made?
Maybe that's why there is so much cheesy, unchallenging stuff out there. Because there is a built-in audience blinding buying and reading and watching whatever is given a thumbs up by Zondervan.
I do love your line saying many of us are critiquing more than creating. But I still think a large part of Christian cheese turns other people off because it is not fully REAL, it is FANTASY.
The Bible is dark and R-rated. The heroes are weak and full of doubt. No one had an easy path and ALL met tragic, sad ends because of their love of God.
And everyone from Moses to Peter to Jesus questioned what exactly God was doing/thinking.
To say I don't get Christian cheese b/c I'm not the target audience misses the point. Perhaps the Bible - AND Christian materials - is SUPPOSED to rattle our cage a bit?
Yay! Only a 9! I counted the "Kindake" joke because I've got a few parodies on my harddrive.
ReplyDeleteThe thing with the "Christian Radio" is that I totally agree that most of it (specifically the KLOVE Stuff) isn't aimed at 18-30 year olds. My beef is with those stations that ARE aimed at that age that still play sedate music. When I was in that demographic, the local "Christian Youth" music station played 4Him, Point of Grace, and Twila Paris. They've all got good songs, you most people under 30 wouldn't be caught dead listening to them.
I also work in Christian Radio, so I think I should get a deduction :)
What could be added:
- You roll your eyes at "The Purpose Driven Life" book on someone's bookshelf. +2
- You've never even read the book but read critiques of it. +7
- You MST movies on late-nite TBN +5 (Guilty!)
- You groan whenever a Republican candidate talks about his Christian faith. +3
- Yet become optimistic when a Democratic candidate does the same. +5
Yes, but it's awfully hard to keep your scorecard down (and your lunch and cynicism) after you've experienced a week at a CBA bookseller's convention. And I ended at the height of the Jabez craze, so I'm still recovering.
ReplyDeleteif I don't like something, I don't like it. If I like it, I like it. I do like a few Christian artist. I don't mind overt references to Jesus. I however don't like music just because it's Christian, nor do I listen to something just because it's christian. I love that God has given us the ability to create beauty - Christian music or not, but there's a lot of worthless stuff out there too. I don't generally like Christian paraphernalia because it's cheesy and meaningless, and Christ isn't - seriously - a guitar pick that says "Pick Jesus" or a Fish bumper sticker are supposed to be my witness in place of loving God and other people? I also don't like commercializing Christ.
ReplyDeleteI think your article misses the heart of the issue. You do make a good point that disingenuousness is immature - but I think there's more to the whole Christian Crap thing.
hey man,
ReplyDeletejust wanted to say i love & read your stuff (though i am always behind, which would explain this comment 3 weeks after you posted it). looking forward to the book coming out. what i really wanted to say is that when i tag your posts i use the word 'funny', but all i have to type is 'f' 'u' before the word comes up. just thought you should know its nothing personal.
peace homie.
I think you forgot to say something about Christian graphic tees that have some sort of rip-off of a popular logo. I have one my aunt gave me that has the Starbucks logo except instead of the Starbucks lady, it's Jesus. Those shirts make me cringe. +3
ReplyDeleteI'm a proud Christian Culture snob. Alot of that stuff is just ingrained cheesy culture & has little to do with the gospel or being able to relate to world outside the four walls of our church. I think I was blasted with more of it than the average kid because I had to go to Christian school, Christian University & Christian camps every holidays.
ReplyDeleteI've really appreciated this site because it's poked fun at the Christian culture while staying true to Christ & the gospel message