Posted by cav on October 30, 2005 at 09:41:44:
In Reply to: Re: Bill's Christian music story posted by giveawayboy on October 29, 2005 at 11:48:10:
: : Aww, face it Give...you just got old!! ;)
: Actually, getting old, plus I realized that I quit keeping up with it after I quit working at TCS since that was a huge way for me to stay aware of the whole industry. Now I just hear isolated things about it or I might go to Borders and see a Skillet poster or something. So, I'm really out of the loop since I don't work there anymore. But there are advantages to NOT working at a Christian store as well. You don't have to hear Calvinists who are out of work, standing around theologically bullying people all day long, etc. You don't have to organize slobbery jars full of dinosaur ninja darts or sell Thomas Kinkade prints or T-Shirts w arrogant messages that only Christians will understand. O.K. Sorry, if I vented. I guess if I still worked there, I'd have a clue about the music scene.
How is it that Christians are the worst thing about American Christianity? Is it because we allowed it to turn into this whole "industry"? Is that like the money-changers in the Temple? I mean they probably weren't a bunch of wicked people at face value...I mean they were providing an inspirational service to the believers, right? What's wrong with a little encouragement, you need a dove or two, and we have them right here...for cost, plus 10% to support this ministry we have. But before you know it, this wild carpenter is starting riots over you.
I don't know, not judging, really, I don't know, but just wondering if allowing this business mentality to cross into modern Christianity hasn't blinded us to some things. Maybe that's why churches in other nations seem so much more active and effective.
I was thinking about the popularity of these do-gooder shows on TV now. I mean sure its all corporate in origin, but they are helping people and Christians eat 'em up. I mean I'd rather watch some deserving family get a house and a car than some self-centered brats argue in a house too...they even have one hosted by Amy Grant now, so it's got the Contemporary Christian endorsement.
But then I thought of Luke 6:33...about doing good to those who do good to you. That's not Christianity...everyone does that. That's just common human morality. So then I thought of what would REALLY be a Christian show...maybe building a house for someone who DOESN'T deserve it. Like that guy who just left his family or something...It just wouldn't work you know...
I could explain it all into the modern Christian complex too...I mean I still have trouble giving change to pan-handlers, and I could justify myself too, but I don't want to. I'm not making any conclusions...just sharing stuff that's been on my mind. I just see this big disconnect, we all talk about wanting to do better, but churches just can't seem to make it happen. Maybe the paradigm is just wrong from the core.
I've thought this for a long time. And I used to want to stay in the church and try to change it. And then I wanted to just be out of the modern church altogether...just let it go to hell and save my strength for doing what i knew was right with or without it. But now I feel like I can't abandon the church altogether, just like I can't walk out on my family for all their flaws, even though it wears me out and even hurts more than I'd like. I have no idea how it all works out.
i just know that there are lots of good people outside churches, and lots of good people at churches, and there are even lots of Christians outside churches and lots inside churches. I guess that line of church or not church really doesn't mean much, then. I guess it all comes back to not looking from the world's perspective. So as odd as it feels I keep trying to go to church and be true to myself and my beliefs. I've got to learn to not dis-associate and not to conform. That's hard. It's so much easier just to pretend to agree with them, or just flip 'em off and go elsewhere. But neither works well for me.
For whatever that's worth...