First, the video, then some thoughts about why it's so embarrassing:
If you made it through the video, congratulations. I had to turn it off the first few times.
As someone who has to live with the brand of "Christian," this stuff is really embarrassing. As someone who works with kids, I see it as counterproductive, if not profane.
I don't have any problem with translating for a given audience, or for allowing the local culture to discuss and embody the gospel in a distinct way. In fact, I'd encourage those things. I think the problem with the above expressions (obvious plagiarism, sock spinning, praying about honor then telling Jesus he spins you right round like a record, etc.) is that they only engage superficially.
They scrape across the top of the culture, looking for the benign, fluffy elements that they can use without actual thoughtful engagement. This way, they can present an "interactive" gospel that has no danger of pollution. Basically, the gospel becomes "contemporary" without ever having to deal with human complexity.
Those of us who are into "incarnational" ministry often have a hard time with the way Christians use mass media. We're into the relational connections, the kind of relevance that springs out of living among and with the people who we are trying to reach. When bigger, more formulaic ministries use what we see as "cheap" tactics to seem cool, it looks like a joke.
So maybe some of it is preference. But really, spin your socks? A Holy Spirit Hoedown? Docey Do?
Giving Hope, Community and Economic Opportunities to Immigrants and Refugees
wow - that was sad.
ReplyDeletei do listen to lots of Reformed Rap, but those guys engage with deep theological truths set to hiphop beats and I think it works for reaching their audience.
I can't imagine what audience this guy was trying to reach...those who want to listen to secular music even at church, so they change a word or two to avoid feeling guilty?
i agree - way too superficial
At first I felt a bit ill, then I realised it was some kind of parody, and thought it was funny. Then I realised that no, the guy (Rick Pino, I think) was serious, so I tried to figure out what the crap he was thinking. I gave up. I made it all the way through to "we love the Lordy."
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing about superficiality, is that it is my and yours and everyone's fault, in a way. It's only caused by being lazy and accepting less than the best.
Examples:
Vegging out on the couch and watching shows like Two And A Half Men "just 'cause it's on" means more shows like that and less clever, insightful and creative shows (e.g. Arrested Development.)
Listening to mashups of pop songs and Top 40 countdowns because Tom Waits and The Flaming Lips can be difficult to 'get.'
Reading Dan Brown and Stephanie Meyer because they're easy and fun and not as confronting or verbose as a David Foster Wallace or Vladimir Nabokov or even the comic books(!) of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.
I cheated by only mentioning things I like anyway, but I choose the easier, more popular path a lot. I don't listen to classical music much, because it feels too much like 'learning.' I don't read articles about economics or in-depth politics, and just vote when I absolutely have to.
Chris K
An equation that I came up with recently but I don't really want to believe:
ReplyDeleteL x B = S
My laziness(L) multiplied by the rest of society's(B) leads to mediocrity and superficiality.(S)
In a roundabout way, we all created Nickelback and Lady Gaga.
This guy seems to be tapping into what he sees as a genuine culture, thinking he's a modern-day Hudson Taylor, when it's nothing but scraping the surface and putting a fish bumper sticker on the resultant pile.
That said, this clip also reminded me of a recent McSweeney's article:
"You put your hope in. You put your hope out. You put your hope in, and it starts shaking and shivering on the cold tile floor of the rec center. You are about to pick it up and put it away deep, deep in your soul where no one can hurt it. Then you see that everyone else has put their hope in too. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, pretty sure no one will take your hope while your back is turned since they all have their own. That's what it's all about."
( http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2009/11/5hahn.html )
I'd be a little skeptical of Reformed Rap, primarily because of the alliteration inherent in its title, but I'm willing to give it a chance. Do you have any links I could check out?
ReplyDeleteAnd Chris,your equation is interesting. I'm not too savvy on math, but it seems to add up. And you can always always always count on McSweeney's to mess with pop culture in a sick, insightful way. There's so much more I'd love to write here but I have to go catch up on old episodes of "Two and a Half Men."
Reach Records is the home of my favorite artists: Lecrae and the 116 Clique
ReplyDeletehttp://www.reachrecords.com/
Here is an example of 116 Clique. They did an album where they rapped each of Paul's 13 epistles.
This link is to the rap on Titus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXQm7COZEqQ&feature=player_embedded
And to the Colossians rap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gqahrs9rQY&feature=player_embedded
LeCrae teamed up with John Piper for the "Don't Waste your Life" campaign:
http://dontwasteyourlife.com/
This is the music video associated with that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RWEllqh5J0&feature=player_embedded
Here is Thabiti Anyabwile discussing Reformed Rap:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DGdwyl#p/u/11/Sp-8-C9954Q
Also, there are some really good local guys, The Plumbline Collective. A guy at Southpoint works with one of the members of that group.
Check them out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK_gb0CDXgc
AND
http://theplumblinecollective.com/
If you want more info or if you want me to burn you a sample CD, let me know.
BTW, whatz up with that gift-giving thing I mentioned. How can my family best help support the kids you work with this holiday season?
Hope that helps.
Perhaps these kids would get more excited and and fulfilled with Steven Curtis Chapman or Michael W. Smith and all of the complexity of their music? I think that maybe this is the mother's milk before the solid food. If it were a group of 24-50 year olds, I think the scenario would be entirely different. However, if King David danced nude or barely clothed and got blasted for it by his wife and her embarrassment, how is it that we can judge sock spinning as something that doesn't please God. "And I will be even more undignified than this". . .
ReplyDelete