Robert Conn (of Sanger, TX) has recently achieved 1 week without listening to any Christian Radio. When asked what he has taken away from this endeavor Conn had this to say, "I've learned that I really don't need it, that listening to those harmful lyrics were slowly eroding my faith system, my grades have gone up, and my desires for alienation and stereotyping have decreased greatly."
When asked to comment on Mr. Conn's findings Dr. Dwight Worthington of Dove Radio Broadcasting Co. had this to say, "We feel that Mr. Conn has every right to refuse our product. If our Explicit lyrics are offensive to him he should just not listen."
Mr. Conn defended his stance with this statement, "Be aware people, this phenomenon is not likely to change overnight. This industry is spending lots of money to try and influence our children. Parents should challenge these kinds of negative representations and discuss them with their kids."
This PSA was sponsored in part by "Safe and Fun for the Whole Family" the only place you can hear your favorite 80s tunes in a whole new Spiritual context!
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7 comments:
WOW you are a nerd!!!!
Look, Robert... I'm sorry to tell you; but, you aren't a 30-something woman... so... uh... Christian radio doesn't care. Their army of prayer warrior, promise calendar, soccer moms are going to take this country by storm by stringing cliche to cliche in a counter-cultural revolution.
I'm going to go make a monthly pledge in your name.
I was an adult at the advent of popular Christian radio. One station in Houston had a line that suggested it would be impossible to praise God without them. I hoped for them, Christian radio would never be banned. How else would they ever be able to praise God? It's the same with books. Recently someone lent me two books on prophecy. I usually read books people hand me at least for the sake of conversation. My reaction to the book was, "Why not just get people to read the Bible?" It's all in there.
Robert,
It is true that not all Christian music currently played on Christian broadcasting is good theology, but I would have to wonder how it would damage your faith? I am an ordained minister in a mainline (mostly NON-EVANGELICAL) denomination, with both seminary and additional graduate degrees. After a career change back to my original field, I am now in management at one of the major Christian radio networks.
The most that I can say is that the worst of our Christian music is fluff or perhaps promotes some incorrect theology -- or is neutral (in that there's nothing identifiably Christian about the lyrics, but, at least, these do not promote violence or human degradation. The best of Christian rock, Christian hit music, or Christian A/C, speaks deeply to the human condition and the need for, or experience, of grace. Perhaps your grades have gone up because you're studying without the distraction of music blaring on your stereo or through your headphones -- rather than the influence of Christian music? And, one week is a little soon to determine if your grades will stay up.
- Pastor R. (Christian Broadcaster)
Mimi, as a Pastor I find most of the popular "Christian" books sold in Christian bookstores or those "big box" stores (like the one out of Arkansas) to promote bad theology, have poor scholarship and to be mostly useless...except for the author's pocketbooks.
The books and authors for which I have most respect are found, usually, not in your local bookstore, but in seminary and university classrooms and libraries. Most of these would be understood, and perhaps enjoyed by the "people in the pew" but sadly these aren't distributed in those popular markets.
Kudos Pastor R for finding this post. I had all but forgotten about it.
Listen, this was just a satirical response to some thoughts at the time. I don't hate Christian Radio. I still listen to it from time to time. I don't run away from it in the car or scream when I hear it on the radio. Really my only beef with Christian radio is two-fold.
First... Why must every song played be a congregational worship song? I mean what about playing the singer/songwriters of our day? People like Ross King, Andy Gullahorn, The Chris Rice stuff (besides the Cartoon song). But really I know the answer is that people love 'anthems', they love to song along with the Chris Tomlin songs that are sweeping and orchestral. I like those songs too. I just wish I could hear some other kinds of music on there from time to time. But I also know that that stuff would not sell to the mainstream market. So we're both kind of stuck.
Second, why do Christian artists seek out secular songs and make them Christian? Even more, why does Christian radio promote that practice. If I wanted to listen to "If I ever Lose My Faith In You" then I would play my Sting CD... Why do I hear that covered on a Christian Radio station? Why is "Jesus Take the Wheel" on my Christian Radio? Are we really that non-original that we have to seek out redemptive analogies in all things secular? I think we'd both agree that simply because a song mentions God or Jesus, does not make it spiritual.
Again, I like Christian radio... it just gets on my nerves from time to time. Thanks for the post and thanks for offering Christian Radio to the world, it beats the alternative.
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