Now, I was very upset at not getting any comments over my Mac/PC parody ads, so I expect you all to 'up your game' and let fly at me over this one! (I get in so much trouble when I start writing these posts; self-edits come flying by thick and fast, I tell you!).
All this started about 3 days ago, when I launched into a debate over Christian Art with a bunch of fellow Christians. There was a movie coming out that people seemed to be falling over themselves to go see, and I honestly felt I was going to burnt at the stake when I mentioned that I really wasn't interested - and admitted that I had cringed when I saw the trailer (due to the way it was presented)!
So, after dressing myself in flame-retardant overalls, it got me to thinking about Christian subculture, particularly in the realm of movies and music, and how I just don't 'get it', most of the time.
Honestly, I think a lot of Christianity seems to have taken a massive overdose of happy pills. The industries of film and music often seem very 'milk toast' to me, and I have to admit I don't like a lot of what my fellow friends and family seem to enjoy.
I HATE Contemporary Christian Music, 99% of the time. There are bands and artists I love (Rebecca St James, Delirious and Brooke Fraser mostly); but the majority are the kind that I'd rather stick a needle in my eye, than listen to.
The problem that arises from this, however, is that there can often be a lot of pressure amongst Christian groups (Church, Bible Study, Youth Group, etc) to go see something/support something, simply because it's "Christian". Many times I've been privy to conversations about 'let's go see this movie so that the theatre is packed, and the cinema has to screen it for longer'.
The last movie I did this for, it turned out to be an excellent thing. It was Amazing Grace, and I loved it. I've gotten that movie out so many times on DVD, I think the store manager was at the point he'd just roll his eyes and pass it to me on my way in. I've since convinced my husband that it was a necessary addition to our DVD library!
However, I always feel a bit 'off', when encouraged to 'flood' a cinema, or continually order a movie at the video store, simply because it's Christian. In some ways, I think that it prevents the Christian Film/Music industry from improving, if we keep supporting what is often, sadly, mediocrity. Sometimes I think the need to 'get the message across' often destroys what can be absolutely beautiful and amazing films. Subtlety and symbology often are destroyed due to needing an overt description, or 'paint by numbers' approach to the gospel message.
As a result, there can be a lot of 'cheese' - and friends don't let friends eat really bad cheese.
This can get me into a lot of trouble with people. As evidenced by the conversation I had a few days ago.
Anyway, I realised that I'm more likely to run from Christian subculture things, than run to them with my arms wide open - so I thought I'd go see if there were 'fringe dwellers' amongst the music industry that I actually enjoy.
My deepest darkest secret when it comes to music is that I love heavy, metal, guitar-driven, goth/thrash artists. I am a MASSIVE fan of Rage Against the Machine. I have (secretly) enjoyed Nine Inch Nails for a few years now. And I have never EVER admitted this to anyone, save my husband, who also has a small interest in said bands.
(I should add that there are 2 other artists I'm thinking of now, who I also like, but mentioning their names is far too fraught with danger!).
Evanescence wrote a song called 'Tourniquet', which really spoke to me on a spiritual level when it first came out. However, I found that Evanescence were globally rejected by the Church, due to being too pagan or dark or 'just plain miserable'. Which is sad, because the majority of the band align themselves with Christianity, and were unable to join the Christian market because of the assumptions had because of their goth/dark 'themes'.
I wear goth clothes. I LOVE my corsets and velvet skirts and knee high lace up combat boots. I am in love with Amy Lee's wardrobe. Most of my Christian friends who read this post will probably be shocked by that admission - because I never wear these kinds of clothes at Church. I'm the 'jeans and t-shirt' girl. I would love to wear more of my medieval/gothic stuff; but it's not the place for it. Sadly, assumptions get made when I have worn these kinds of clothes, so I don't wear them half as much as I would like to.
And now I've found Demon Hunter.
Demon Hunter are a Christian metalcore band from Seattle, who, if I didn't listen closely, I'd assume were either Rage Against the Machine or Slipknot some of the time. And not a 'poor imitation' of metal/goth, which some Christian bands sadly fall prey to. The picture I posted above (a demon skull with a bullet through it's head) is their trademark.
"Not Ready to Die" in particular has become one of my favourite songs lately, and I currently have the album on pre-order with my husband for Christmas.
The band speaks out quite forcefully against the 'blandness' that Christian subculture often falls into the trap of, often unnecessarily.
They also are very honest about the fact that being a Christian doesn't suddenly turn everything 'happy chappy clappy'. This is not something that often gets displayed through Contemporary Christian Music (CCM).
I guess I just get so frustrated by the approach that I should be supporting something, simply because it's 'Christian', that I had to write this post.
Yes, absolutely, I think it's important to encourage those who are trying to bring Christianity to 'the masses'.
But do we have to then 'water it down' so much that it in turn alienates people, or turns them off?
I don't think so. And I think that the majority of things labelled as 'Christian' often get so heavily censored for a Christian audience, that they end up missing the very people they are wanting to reach out to.
Continued in part two...
6 comments:
Hey Sascha...great rant! Music is really important to so many people including me. I found it incredibly hard when I became a Christian again and found the music to be fairly insipid. Fortunately I have now found some stuff I like but there is always the guilt of whether you should listen to "other" music. Btw I think you should wear clothes that you love to church...we shouldn't all look the same and it would encourage other people who might want to wear different things to not worry so much about what other people think. I want to go to a church where people have different ideas and tastes in music, clothes, movies and life in general. And they are free to openly discuss it without being shot down or frowned upon. Now that would be interesting!
Jess
P.S. Sorry about my rant :p
Sorry, read that last blog entry at home, at dialup speed, and didn't have a spare 5 hours to stream the videos... :)
I've been watching a conversation on a Salvation Army mailing list this week, and biting my tongue (fingers?) a lot. It's all about postmodernism, and ye gads... but regardless of the irritation factor, it got me thinking.
Postmodernists blah blah blah no absolutes blah blah blah wishy-washy blah blah blah can't tie their own shoelaces blah blah blah don't make good christians blah.
To apply the same sort of generalisations:
Modernists are primarily concerned with appearances. First and foremost, ACT like a good christian. Make sure your image is right. And oh yeah, the inner stuff is important, we guess.
That IS a nasty generalisation. But making it caused me to realise something – those of us in the church with this postmodern sort of outlook DON'T cope well with the concept that appearances are of prime importance. We tend to put a lot more focus on a person's internal spirituality. So we tend to get uncomfortable when people are put in boxes... and that discomfort is maybe more vague, but still very real, when we look at artists in the christian spotlight. Because the prevailing church voices still (for most of us) belong to the modern worldview. “She doesn't dress like a christian” - “His songs don't mention Jesus by name” - “She... DANCES” - “Did you know he's divorced?” - “She said she believes that the UNIVERSE is looking out for her” - “He's not a real christian” ....
And God forbid they should talk, think or sing/write about sex!
I understood this a lot better when I started to put my fictional writings in the public eye. I realised very fast that there was a distinct possibility that a lot of my stories WOULDN'T have an obvious christian message. My characters would swear every now and then. They'd do 'naughty stuff' and not necessarily repent and turn to God. And I realised that this would very quickly negate any sort of 'christian writer' label. It could, possibly, also kill any chance I had to gain a position of prominence in any christian organisation, Salvos included. Sound melodramatic? Maybe it is – but I guess my point is, I realised fast that I had a decision to make – keep up a good image, or do what I felt led to regardless of ambition and 'christian' career. And off I wandered, ever closer to the fringe-dwellers :)
PS. Yay, I managed to comment! Took me over 24 hours for my internet connection to co-operate!
PPS. Apologies for making the comment almost as long as your post... :-D
I like your comment... LOL.
And I think you know me well enough to understand the 'biting fingers' most of these posts take.
TBH - I will never understand the attachment of 'Christian' to something that is, effectively, a non-human entity.
i.e 'Christian band'; 'Christian music'; etc etc.
Yes, the people in it are Christian, sure, I get that.
But, I just don't get the ascribing of the 'Big C' to a thing.
That probably doesn't even make sense. LOL.
Oh yeah - I like your fiction. I like that it's 'real'. Plus it's funny - I like Pete.
Oh and Jess - thanks so much for replying! It's nice to feel understood - and I might just up my combat boot wearing, and gradually add to it... LOL.
Good point on the 'Christian things' angle :)
Jess is right, you should wear anything that your conscience agrees with, to church! We need more punks, hippies and goth/emos brightening up the joint ;-)
Thanks for the comment on the fiction! :-) I can't help liking Pete too... he's a bastard, but he's funny. Like an Aussie bogan Hugh Grant!
I loathed most Christian music in my Christian days. So bland and sanitised. But I was taught to believe secular music was evil.
Then I got to hear U2 in the 80s and realised that there was intelligent, thought provoking and just plain amazing music out there that wasn't 'against' Christianity. It was a way in for me to find music that could speak to me without being sanitised, overly happy or preachy.
And now that I'm long since gone from the Christian world, I still want music that speaks to me on some level, that uplifts me, moves me, whatever. It's out there.
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