So a long time ago I wrote a post about Patronage. I’ve linked it here, and you should click over and read it, because seriously It’s been a while.

There I introduced to to the economic concept of supporting something, being a “patron” of that thing, by spending money on it in the free market. For those of us who are Christians, this is a critical way to change the world by patronizing things that glorify god, and bring about greater love, joy, peace…

But all of this then leads to a question:

“What sorts of things are those?”

“What glorifies God?”

And most of us would say “Christian” things Glorify God. but that would be a mistake.

no actually I’ve argued before, that the belief that things can be made “christian” and therefore better by stamping a cross or a fish or a verse on them is a heresy.

…yes, seriously. It’s a part of gnosticism.

So let’s take movies for example. There is a mature conversation that has to take place in the video store when you go to buy a DVD as a christian. Should you buy “Left Behind the Movie” Starring Kirk Cameron. or “Gran Torino” starring Clint Eastwood.

On the one hand “Left Behind” is a christian movie, based on a christian book, starring a christian man, playing a christian character.

on the other hand Gran Torino is actually a good movie.

Both movies have a fair share of violence, but Gran Torino is rated R for language that would curdle milk in just about every scene. While left behind is considered “wholesome”

You might thing “Left Behind” has a biblical storyline but I’d actually dispute that. It has a Pre-Trib storyline, based on a certain theology some Christians hold, and I’d actually argue it’s wrong. Torino on the other hand is about friendship and sacrificial love. It’s artistically put together, and well acted. it addresses the modern issues of multiculturalism and is engaging to watch. That’s why Torino is one of my favorite christian movies ever!

Maybe a closer comparison would be Braveheart, Or Passion. Which should I patronize?

If what I want is more movies with Jesus in them, then I guess I should pick Passion. But what I actually want is more movies I think Jesus would like, and I think Jesus likes good movies, So I’m going with Braveheart.

The same is true for everything. Which band is more glorifying to God with their art, the band that makes more good music, or the band that puts more bible verses in their songs?

Which Coffeehouse serves the more glorifying coffee, the one with a name that’s a bad christian pun like “Higher Grounds” and has a shelf in the back with Karen Kingsbury books, or the one that treats it’s employees fairly, and buys coffee that’s ethically grown?

The answer to me is obvious.