.:RelevANT

[renough]

First, yes, this is something of a rant.
Second, yes, this will probably be long.

That's your warning, so, skip this at your leisure.
    Otherwise, please comment and share your thoughts.

Comments

[dreamofk]

I remember doing a favor for a friend in high school. She wrote for the Tulsa World Satellite section, the student author part. She was asked to do a piece on christian music. So I volunteered to give an opinion. She asked whether I thought, being Christian, whether christian music was better than secular. I said simply that because it is christian does not automatically make it good. That I listen to both categories and judge each piece separately on it's musical and lyrical merits. Well when that paper came out I remember some people were pissed about it. Some Christians I know felt I was betraying the cause, some non-christians thought I was an idiot for thinking some christian music wasn't the worst music in the world. It was a whole lot of lame.

[renough]

I agree. I've also read a book (well, the whole book wasn't about it) that talked about how Christian is a good noun, but a horrible adjective. Just because something is labeled as Christian doesn't make it good. In fact, it can be absolutely horribly done, but acceptable to a group because of its label.

Oy. :-P

[ladyskysong]

I really like that sentiment... Christian is a good noun, but a lousy adjective. The politics of language, eh?

[renough]

Basically, yeah. The adjectives create baggage until it smothers the original meaning of the noun with things it was never meant to mean.

I doubt the first church members thought, "Letsee, we are going to use a word for the people who ascribe to Christ's teachings... Aaaand eventually it will come to mean cheesy music* and poor acting**."

* I don't think all music with a Christian label is bad. But there are a lot of musicians out there that make me want to rethink that.
** I also don't think all media is bad... but it is love that covers a multitude of sins... not topic. Just because the media is over a spiritual topic doesn't mean quality should be lax.

[javachipfrap]

Amen.

[renough]

Ah-ha! I've lured you out! I knew you weren't dead. ;)

[renough]

Thanks! :) I've had a lot of time to talk about/think about/hone my thoughts on the issue.