Jesus junk, once again
Wednesday July 26, 2006
Via TMatt comes this L.A. Times story about the Christian Booksellers Association's annual convention. The CBA is well-known for being a Mecca for what some uncharitably call "Jesus junk." I don't know about other Christians, but I can't stand seeing how Christians who traffic in most of this stuff trivialize the most important thing in the world. Is anybody actually brought to faith in Christ by this junk? Or are more people driven away by the cheesy sentimentality of much of it? I vote the latter.
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About Crunchy Con
Rod Dreher is an editorial columnist for the Dallas Morning News, and author of "Crunchy Cons" (Crown Forum), a nonfiction book about conservatives, most of them religious, whose faith and political convictions sometimes put them at odds with mainstream conservatives. The views expressed in this blog are his own.
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Alicia: "Personally, I hate "contemporary Christian music" which I think is the most unmusical and inane garbage I've heard."
Absolutely. At judgment day, Jesus will be held to account for polluting the world with tacky, tuneless, witless music.
It's like Christopher Caldwell said about the Vagina Monologues-- it's the Turner Diaries for urban women. That is, because it hits your (non-art-based) biases, you willfully blind yourself to the fact that, as art, it sucks.
Alicia: "Perhaps we just need to be a bit civil, polite and tolerant about the things we feel are in bad taste, unless we believe them to be truly blasphemous or abominable."
Oh. Um, yeah, that's also a good point.>
Did any of you, including Rod Dreher, actually go to CBA in Denver? It may be a Mecca for "Jesus Junk," but it is also about books. Publishers share their new books--which include the Bible commentaries, etc.
I did go to CBA in Denver, and I admit to having mixed feelings about it. Nearly half of the show floor was taken up by "trinket booths."
But you know what, I just don't buy any of it. It's called voting with my pocket book. Why get all tied up in knots when I can just refuse to buy it? It's the same way I show my opinion on thousands of other items available for purchase in our country--from pornography to generic peanut butter.
For what it's worth.>
Tom. I agree completely about "The Vagina Monologues.">
Oh, yeah, it's Buddy Jesus.>
Even though I'm a Christian, I'm also a recreational music enthusiast and I've gotta admit it. "Christian rock" is somewhat of a joke. I have heard some songs that were exceptions, but sadly, they're few and far between. I would describe it as drawing your version of a favorite pizza on a big piece of corrugated cardboard then taking a sample bite of the same. It just isn't what it appears to be. I'll fess up. This Christian still loves some good ole' head-bangin' metal music once in awhile.>
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