I thought it was going to be a different Onion article, but I can't find the text version, just the audio. I'll spare you, but the OP would probably have enjoyed my scenario more.
KO
KO
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An old onion article that REALLY HAPPENED to me
- Thread starter KingLucCole
- Start date
I was once in a band named Rejoice and we were NOT a Christian band.
Then again, I used to jam with a couple of seminary students in a project called "Priest" (no Judas).
Figure that out.
Then again, I used to jam with a couple of seminary students in a project called "Priest" (no Judas).
Figure that out.
But if you do that, then you're accused of being deceptive:
Additional irony - the OP's contribution to the misunderstanding is chalked up to youthful naiveté, but the other members of the band, who were most likely equally youthful, are accused of being lying scoundrels. Perhaps their youthful naiveté allowed them to believe that they had been upfront about their mission, or allowed them to assume the nature of their music was obvious. Maybe they weren't up front because they simply didn't know any better and not out of some devious, malicious plot to hoodwink the OP.
Max, I can relate to most of your post. However, I think the bolded sentence may be a bit insulting to the Christians here.
I wouldn't paint all Christians with the same brush, so to speak.
I probably would have chosen a bit more respectful language.
What?
I'm laughing quite hard at the idea of rock being "current" or "relevant-sounding" in 2012.
You hint at something there that's worth calling out explicitly -- there are bands that write from a Christian point of view, but not about that point of view. They're not trying to "code" or hide that point of view; it's just the lens through which they look at life.
I play in a band where most of the members are Christians, though we are not a "Christian" band per se. It's just part of our songwriters' artistic expression. It's also a little different in that they're not hardcore evangelicals who think they are obligated to make everything about bringing sinners to Jesus; they're mostly Episcopalians with a little more nuanced approach to life and faith. They're good guys and, after a couple years of seeing them walk the walk, I signed on, too.
But they were upfront about who they were from the git-go and asked if I was cool with it. Of course, the fact that their practice studio was in a side building on church property made me ask a lot questions initially, too.
I agree that honesty and transparency about any "message" a band is trying to put out just makes sense for good group dynamics. I'd feel put out like the OP did if a group was not upfront about who they were and what they were trying to do. Any relationship that starts on half-truths or outright lies is going to run into trouble sooner rather than later.
It's current, when compared to Scripture. Relevance is also subjective.
The term, "Christian rock" seems to be an oxymoron, to those raised on classic rock.
Care to elaborate on the supposed contradiction? I've never seen a definition of rock that states the lyrical message cannot be religious in nature.
I'll concede the possibility. But I've been in a few music ministries myself, and I can assure you that sometimes the clandestine nature is very much calculated and intentional.
That's pretty interesting... So calculated deception is a sign of a good quality....? What's next, can't' really trust them if they deceive in the first place...?
I was in a band for a while once. It was with a pair of brothers, vocalist and guitarist. Very talented guys. They had a lot of whacky songs about this character, lets say his name is "Jon", who get's into all kinds of sexual trouble with various people of both genders.
Later on I find out that the character is a real person. Most of the stories are true, and in fact he is the father of these two guys!
I walked out on that one.
Later on I find out that the character is a real person. Most of the stories are true, and in fact he is the father of these two guys!
I walked out on that one.
Not sure I follow.
Let me elaborate:
There are cliches that go along with evangelizing. Contemporary Christian bands are painfully aware of this and the other negative stereotypes. To counter those and still get their ministry and message out there, they just back off a little on the in-your-face lyrics and posturing. A lot of the lyrical content is positive and poignant messages of hope, but almost secular and generic in nature. They want folks to get on board with the music and the message, then they spring it on you that it's Bible-based, and people think, "Oh, I see where you're coming from, wow, interesting," post-message, instead of rejecting the message wholesale before the first sentence is done.
Again, I'm not trying to put a negative, deceitful, or "devious" spin on what contemprary Christian bands do. It's smart marketing for their product and their message, and it works. In some ways it is superior to more conventional forms of evangalizing because it hits a target audience with real-world messages and situations, applied religion if you will. But to say they are up-front about the whole product is also inaccurate. This is just a more subtle alternative to sphincter-tightening cliches like "Do you know Jesus?"
And that it could happen to a potential band member doesn't surprise me. After all, they're hoping the message will attract and affect an audience, so why wouldn't they have the same desires for a talented potential band member?
I didn't mean "coded" in the sense of "deceptive." I just mean that sometimes there are references that the public at large wouldn't get. Lots of songwriters use somewhat opaque lyrics that carry personal references like this, not just religious ones.
This is true. Doesn't sound like it was the case with the OP's band, given their open preaching from the stage. I never got this attitude; you can't trick people into believing something without knowing it. But it's what I meant by my "big tent" statement, that while there are some like this, it's hardly de rigeur.
It has more to do with the rebelliousness of many classic rock artists (and by extension, their lyrics) against the mores and values of "The Establishment," which would include Christianity. Remember, this was the "free love" era, and that, too would be at odds with Christian values. Sure, there have been acts that have rocked well, and rocked hard, and sang about Jesus in the vast majority of their songs, but I don't seem to put any of them in the same category of the better-known, mega-successful acts within rock as a whole. Yes arguably sneeked in some veiled Christian messages in some of the lyrics during their peak era, but were not put in the "Christian rock" pigeonhole. It just seems to me that bands that try to go the Christian rock route are somewhat lying to themselves, and their fans. Rock and roll is about liberation, good times, fast cars, and faster women, a good deal of the time. There is a reason why it has been called "devil's music."
Sam Kinison said it best with his "rock against drugs" joke, calling it something akin to "Christians against Christ."
I didn't even realize the Christian references until I listened to their recordings after I left the band! I swear, dude, these guys were keeping their lyrics VERY vague. The songs were called things like, "In Your Arms," or, "Above the Clouds," and, "Blinding Light," you know... like, that stereotypical 90's nu-metal kind of stuff. At the time I was thinking, "well hey, these guys can rock pretty hard!" It was literally JUST like the Onion article.
I was always a little curious as to how they were writing/playing all of this heavy stuff without ever cursing (it is common in genres such as this), but I didn't actually think they were a full-blown faith-based band! Of course, looking back at it now, I was rather naive.
ON THIS NOTE! If I were ever to be in a Christian band, it would have to be based on the really violent old testament stuff. Imagine such hits as, "Drown, Heathen, Drown," (a la Noah's Ark) or, "Birthing Pain," (a la Eve's punishment).
exactly - "Christian" and "Rock" have gone together since at least the '60s, and the rise of the Jesus People movement, along with such early Christian rockers as Larry Norman - his "Upon This Rock," in '69, in some respects was the "rock" on which the Contemporary Christan Music genre was founded.
There's a contradiction between the stereotypical rock 'n' roll lifestyle and Christian music, but not between the Christian message and loud guitars and drums.
I can see how you would get tricked into this situation by open ended lyrics. Look at some lyrics on Black Sabbaths Master of Reality. Some of them can be interpreted as christian or are generally accepted as such.
I don't really subscribe to the stereotype that christian rock is bland and generic. There's just as many rock groups that do not push a religious agenda that are also just as musically stale as the christian rock stereotype.
I don't really subscribe to the stereotype that christian rock is bland and generic. There's just as many rock groups that do not push a religious agenda that are also just as musically stale as the christian rock stereotype.
