Q
Quoth
Guest
For my birthday, my sister routinely gets me CDs from bands that "did not pass muster" for their musical style or content at her job as a Christian bookstore buyer. Most of the CDs she brings me are Christian rock bands, with a good mix of screamo and a few weird ones thrown in for good measure. Usually, it's no one that anyone's heard of on a national level.
Something my Dad said recently got me thinking. He commented on how, "for being a Christian band, [the band members] don't look too happy". He said that if we're filled with the Holy Spirit, we should be happy about that fact. I sort of brushed off his comment, because I think he views things at too narrow of an angle.
Yes, we as Christians have the Holy Spirit, and that is a fantastic fact. However, we are also human, and as Jesus told us, we will have trouble in this world. Additionally, not everyone has a personality that can be described as "upbeat and bubbly". Some of us, in fact, are quite the opposite. You've got to try real hard to get us to find something that actually makes us "laugh out loud".
That having been said, I know that it's sort of a running joke how no one smiles on the cover of a CD. Sure, it looks sort of depressing when a band like Third Day doesn't even crack a grin on their cover. However, I think that some people are just unrealistically happy to cover up how they really feel, and that bothers me.
There's a local radio station here that is the "go to" station for CCM in our area. I would listen to it, except for the fact that their slogan, "Safe for the Whole Family", should honestly be, "Helping You Shelter Your Kids and Letting You Hide from Reality Since...". Honestly, when I meet someone who is just so happy all the time, it makes me think they're a bit unstable and more than a little ignorant. The local radio station, I kid you not, did a "moment of silence" for the victims of September 11th on the one year anniversary.
It was literally a moment, and then the DJ popped back in, all bubbles and sunshine and bunnies and kittens and ice cream. That is one of many reasons I don't listen to that station except when there's nothing else on. I sent them an e-mail once about my concerns, attempting to voice the rationale that as Christians, we can be uplifting and encouraging without ignoring the fact that life is just not fun sometimes. The reply came back, and whoever wrote it has obviously lived a very cushy life. They stated that life is almost always a pleasant experience, and they seemed to imply that any pain in our lives is brought about by our disobedience to God.
This is the part where I slam my head on the desk.
One last aspect to consider: I was having a conversation with a friend some time ago about Skillet (the band, not the cooking dish). My friend is a Christian and knows that I'm one as well, but he was not aware that Skillet is a Christian band. His reasoning for denying it is that they are a Christian rock band with a "dark sound".
Where's that desk again?
I'm just wondering if anyone else has noticed this "hyper-optimistic" mentality among Christians, or if I'm just being grumpy and negative in thinking that I'm realistic?
Something my Dad said recently got me thinking. He commented on how, "for being a Christian band, [the band members] don't look too happy". He said that if we're filled with the Holy Spirit, we should be happy about that fact. I sort of brushed off his comment, because I think he views things at too narrow of an angle.
Yes, we as Christians have the Holy Spirit, and that is a fantastic fact. However, we are also human, and as Jesus told us, we will have trouble in this world. Additionally, not everyone has a personality that can be described as "upbeat and bubbly". Some of us, in fact, are quite the opposite. You've got to try real hard to get us to find something that actually makes us "laugh out loud".
That having been said, I know that it's sort of a running joke how no one smiles on the cover of a CD. Sure, it looks sort of depressing when a band like Third Day doesn't even crack a grin on their cover. However, I think that some people are just unrealistically happy to cover up how they really feel, and that bothers me.
There's a local radio station here that is the "go to" station for CCM in our area. I would listen to it, except for the fact that their slogan, "Safe for the Whole Family", should honestly be, "Helping You Shelter Your Kids and Letting You Hide from Reality Since...". Honestly, when I meet someone who is just so happy all the time, it makes me think they're a bit unstable and more than a little ignorant. The local radio station, I kid you not, did a "moment of silence" for the victims of September 11th on the one year anniversary.
It was literally a moment, and then the DJ popped back in, all bubbles and sunshine and bunnies and kittens and ice cream. That is one of many reasons I don't listen to that station except when there's nothing else on. I sent them an e-mail once about my concerns, attempting to voice the rationale that as Christians, we can be uplifting and encouraging without ignoring the fact that life is just not fun sometimes. The reply came back, and whoever wrote it has obviously lived a very cushy life. They stated that life is almost always a pleasant experience, and they seemed to imply that any pain in our lives is brought about by our disobedience to God.
This is the part where I slam my head on the desk.
One last aspect to consider: I was having a conversation with a friend some time ago about Skillet (the band, not the cooking dish). My friend is a Christian and knows that I'm one as well, but he was not aware that Skillet is a Christian band. His reasoning for denying it is that they are a Christian rock band with a "dark sound".
Where's that desk again?
I'm just wondering if anyone else has noticed this "hyper-optimistic" mentality among Christians, or if I'm just being grumpy and negative in thinking that I'm realistic?
