Pick your favorite title. :)
Anyway, I went to The Kingdom Bound Festival this past week and I felt a big rant coming on after witnessing firsthand how Christian Pop Culture is ruining Christianity.
Let me preface this first by saying that through my teen years I went to Kingdom Bound every summer. From '91 to '97, to be exact. And I had fun - through all of the rainy, muddy days, to the hot, smoldering ones, I had a good time back then. I went most recently two years ago, but simply because I didn't pay to go and had an appointment with a client that was there. To say I've grown cynical in my old age would be fair, but I'd like to think I've grown a bit wiser as well.
So I went this year, once again because I didn't have to pay, and I just got plain irritated.
A list of things that really ticked me off:
The T-Shirts
Why is it that Christians have to parody everything popular in the secular culture? From a picture of Mini-Me turned into "Mini-ster" on an Austin Powers Parody shirt (cleverly changed to "Awesome Powers") to Bob the Builder being turned into "God the Builder", I felt like tossing my cookies right in the middle of the merchandise tent.
Why can't we be more creative? Are Christians not supposed to have some dose of originality? Aren't we supposed to me innovators and not immitators? Why do we have to do this? Sure, I remember the days when I was in high school and thought it was cool to wear a shirt with "Know Fear"! (instead of No Fear") complete with the scripture reference "The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom", but now I just feel like we're trying to hard to copy the World and not doing enough to be at the forefront of creativity and originality.
The Music
I'm not afraid to say it publicly anymore, but 90% of Christian Pop Music sucks. I won't name any names (for fear of offending a few of their fans) but there's not a lot of good Christian bands out there. Sure, there's a few (Superchic[k] for instance, or Pillar), but I didn't hear anything that really impressed me or knocked my socks off that I never heard before.
There was a time when I would go to Kingdom Bound, and hear three or four new bands and pick up their CD's (well, tapes - yeah, I'm old) right then and there. But this year there wasn't anyone new that I really enjoyed enough to slam down my 16 bucks for a new CD. And that's sad. All I heard this year were bands trying to copy their secular counterparts. "Well, this band sounds just like Linkin Park" or "This band is so much like System of a Down.".
There was a time when I could hear a band like nothing on the radio, like Hokus Pick or Jacob's Trouble. Now, if I felt so inclined, I could go see the Vans Warped Tour and hear the same music being played as at Kingdom Bound (of course, the lyrics at Kingdom Bound would be cliched Christian-ese, while at the Warped Tour they'd be laced with profanity).
Don't get me wrong, Christian Pop Music is pretty much in the same state as Secular Pop Music - no originality, no quest for craftmanship but for record sales - so I could probably just say that "Modern Music Sucks"
Treating Christian Artists Like "Rock Stars"
When I first went to Kingdom Bound thirteen years ago, it wasn't strange to bump into members of my favorite bands while on the midway, while riding rides and playing games. They'd wear their "Artist" badges and stuff, but they were just normal folks earning their living with a guitar. I'd get autographs, build a repoire with some of the guys and really feel like they were down to earth.
But now, the "artists" are being carted around in vans, flown in and flown out on the same day as their show, and you don't get much of a chance to really meet and get to know your favorite bands. I spent hours with the guys from Jacob's Trouble and I never forgot it. Now you're lucky if you get to talk to them for ten minutes after their show. And that's sad.
The Prices
The first year I went to Kingdom Bound, the ticket was 30 bucks. Now? It's $50 for the full event before March, and if you want to come the day of the event for one day at the last minute? It's $42. That's horrendous. Why pay such huge prices to be "ministered" to?
Oh yeah, The big acts have Concert Riders of about $20,000 (or more).
Other Things
I picked up a copy of Christian Music Planet Magazine, and it was the home issue. Why would I want to see the huge homes owned by the biggest stars of the CCM Industry? Shouldn't this be in People Magazine or something?
The Christian Wrestling Federation is the biggest joke I've ever seen. Horrible performers, horrible promos, just all around bad. As a wrestling fan, I feel I have the right to tell these guys, "No, Vince won't be calling you."
Back in the day there was a place you could buy discount CD's for a fraction of what you'd find at the bookstore. Not anymore. The only place you could pick up anything was at the Bender's Christian Supply section of the merchandise tent. Well, at least their CD's were only $15 instead of the usual $17.
But there Was some good, at least...
I bought KJ-52's CD Collaborations because my sister-in-law got Josiah hooked on the "Coke, Fry, Cheeseburger" song. Normally I don't dig hip-hop, but KJ is off the hizzook! He writes a lot of tunes about serious issues, and I dig it.
ApologetiX is officially my favorite live band. Who can not love a group that utilizes Homestar Runner quotes (and clothing) in their live show?
Superchic[k] is an awesome live band.
Relevant Magazine was there, and they rule. Their t-shirts were the best, and had I had the dough, I would've snagged either "Up and Coming Televangelist" or "Legalism Rules!"
So there you have it, my CCM Rant. Throw all of your rotten tomatoes and eggs in the comments section. But remember, Be Fair to Jer. |
