Friday, January 26, 2007
After a Slow Sip of Cappuccino, He Says . . .
In the Spirit of the Coffee-House
I was pleased and a little surprised that my U2 blog scored a response from a fellow 90&9 blogger, David (check out "Dismantling Bono"); I appreciate his considered response. So, in the same spirit, let me reply and attempt to clarify some of the "issues". At the end of the day, if you compare our answers, it seems to me that we end up on the same page: a certain fascination with all things Bono, and a certain nagging hesitancy about his all-too-purposeful ambiguity.
Looking for Questions
David nails the essence of U2 with this statement: "To me, the bottom line on Bono is this. Yes, he asks some probing spiritual questions in his lyrics. Yes, he sings about the spiritual quest we are all on. Without a doubt his songs have spiritual overtones and even when the do not they are usually about some worthwhile cause. But Bono never offers an answer! And that is the key . . . Bono asks the right questions but doesn't offer any answers." (italics mine)
I've grown up Apostolic my whole life; my parents would lean toward the more conservative end of the spectrum. As an example, I wasn't allowed to play video games (I'm not sure it was exactly a religious conviction; all I know is I never had a Nintendo or Sega or anything like that-this might explain my techno-Neanderthal ways in part). So, like all good Apostolic youth, I played them at my friends' houses. I am in no way remorseful about my raising; I have great parents, so this isn't going to turn into some sort of histrionic catharsis.
But David states exactly why I pay attention to what Bono and Rob Thomas and other secular artists say when they begin to speak on religious themes. I don't go to them looking for "answers", I go to them looking for questions.
I think it was Marilyn Manson, in a long-forgotten interview, who hit me with this reality. He said (I paraphrase), "For two thousand years, Chrsitianity has controlled our image of death and sexuality with their image of the cross. Is it a symbol of hope or hopelessness?" Two things I realized: 1) Marilyn Manson is one of the most, well, "theologically-aware" artists of the present generation (plus Satanically-influenced, a not all-too-minor detail); he is extremely intelligent and purposeful in his frankly diabolical work. 2) He simply gave voice to the question that this generation was asking: "What does the Cross really mean?"; that's why he appeals to so many alienated young people-not so much that his music gives them answers but that his music identifies their questions.
The Wisdom of Abraham Maslow
"If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."-Dr. Abraham Maslow
If there's any "problem" or "crisis" in the contemporary Apostolic movement, it's that we only have one tool (Acts 2:38). We keep hammering people with the "salvation message", but we never pay attention to what kind of questions they are asking. We're trying to convince our generation that there is only one God, not three; they're asking, "Is there even a 'god' to begin with?"
That's why we're looked at as a little bit loony. Not that those distinctive doctrines aren't important (please don't be so obtuse as to accuse me of saying that); they are vital to a truly Apostolic identity but they are not initial. All too often, when we meet new, unchurched peopole, we "run up the colors" so to speak; we feel somehow that God or our peers will be disappointed if they don't know I'm a "one God-tongue talkin'-Apostolic-holy rollin'-born again-heavenbound-believer" in 3.2 seconds flat. We almost literally, "blow them away".
Let me try this another way: remember the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. God uses Star Trek's transporter beam and takes Philip from the middle of a great revival (hope he was done preaching) and plants him in the desert. Along comes this Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah. Phil says, "What'cha readin'?"
"I dunno," replies the eunuch. "This Isaiah dude is radical, mon." (Jamaican accent for some reason). "Who's he talking about? Himself or some other?"
So Philip (I'll be a little less paraphrastic here) starts "from that Scripture and preaches to him Jesus." He started where the eunuch was, then worked up to where he needed to be.
Where is Our World?
Can we answer that question anywhere near accurately? Do we know what's foremost on people's minds? We can't begin with our "pet doctrines" as it were; we must begin with people's needs. Paul uses multiple images to convey the whole idea of "salvation"; each of those images can reach a different kind of situation. Feeling guilty over your actions? Jesus provides "justification". Feeling lost, like you don't belong? Salvation is "adoption"-you now belong to Jesus. You get the picture.
I do not operate under any sort of delusion that Bono is some sort of "closet Christian"; to Jesus, that was an oxymoronic phrase (see Mark 8:38). And just to settle the score on another point, Creed is not a "Christian" band either. Both Bono and Scott Stapp have Christian roots and influences, but if you, as a Holy-Ghost filled person, are looking to them for spiritual nourishment, you've got other issues well beyond the scope of this blog. I don't expect to be spiritually fed or uplifted (in the Apostolic sense of those words) when I hear a U2 song; I expect my faith to be challenged-I expect to be pushed to answer the hard questions of life that don't conform to easy Christian formulae. How do you proclaim the wonderful love of Christ when so many of His "children" are, well, snobbish, self-absorbed jerks playing endless political games with people's lives? Be honest, there's one or two in every church.
For me, as well, David, Bono does not have any "answers". But sometimes he can really frame a question for me, putting it in such a way that I go, "Oh, now I see what people are missing!" It's the same "aha!" moment I had reading Doestoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, perusing that Marilyn Manson interview I mentioned earlier, and listening to my non-Christian friends tell my why their favorite movie was a vampire flick. It's moments where, I believe, the Spirit gives me insight into another person or group and allows me to understand their particular struggles and, perhaps, gives me a way to make the Gospel appear real to their need.
So, (cue sounds of coffee-slurping and a little Coltrane smogging the aural atmosphere . . .) would anyone else like to "weigh in" for this cyber-coffee klatch?
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
I was pleased and a little surprised that my U2 blog scored a response from a fellow 90&9 blogger, David (check out "Dismantling Bono"); I appreciate his considered response. So, in the same spirit, let me reply and attempt to clarify some of the "issues". At the end of the day, if you compare our answers, it seems to me that we end up on the same page: a certain fascination with all things Bono, and a certain nagging hesitancy about his all-too-purposeful ambiguity.
Looking for Questions
David nails the essence of U2 with this statement: "To me, the bottom line on Bono is this. Yes, he asks some probing spiritual questions in his lyrics. Yes, he sings about the spiritual quest we are all on. Without a doubt his songs have spiritual overtones and even when the do not they are usually about some worthwhile cause. But Bono never offers an answer! And that is the key . . . Bono asks the right questions but doesn't offer any answers." (italics mine)
I've grown up Apostolic my whole life; my parents would lean toward the more conservative end of the spectrum. As an example, I wasn't allowed to play video games (I'm not sure it was exactly a religious conviction; all I know is I never had a Nintendo or Sega or anything like that-this might explain my techno-Neanderthal ways in part). So, like all good Apostolic youth, I played them at my friends' houses. I am in no way remorseful about my raising; I have great parents, so this isn't going to turn into some sort of histrionic catharsis.
But David states exactly why I pay attention to what Bono and Rob Thomas and other secular artists say when they begin to speak on religious themes. I don't go to them looking for "answers", I go to them looking for questions.
I think it was Marilyn Manson, in a long-forgotten interview, who hit me with this reality. He said (I paraphrase), "For two thousand years, Chrsitianity has controlled our image of death and sexuality with their image of the cross. Is it a symbol of hope or hopelessness?" Two things I realized: 1) Marilyn Manson is one of the most, well, "theologically-aware" artists of the present generation (plus Satanically-influenced, a not all-too-minor detail); he is extremely intelligent and purposeful in his frankly diabolical work. 2) He simply gave voice to the question that this generation was asking: "What does the Cross really mean?"; that's why he appeals to so many alienated young people-not so much that his music gives them answers but that his music identifies their questions.
The Wisdom of Abraham Maslow
"If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."-Dr. Abraham Maslow
If there's any "problem" or "crisis" in the contemporary Apostolic movement, it's that we only have one tool (Acts 2:38). We keep hammering people with the "salvation message", but we never pay attention to what kind of questions they are asking. We're trying to convince our generation that there is only one God, not three; they're asking, "Is there even a 'god' to begin with?"
That's why we're looked at as a little bit loony. Not that those distinctive doctrines aren't important (please don't be so obtuse as to accuse me of saying that); they are vital to a truly Apostolic identity but they are not initial. All too often, when we meet new, unchurched peopole, we "run up the colors" so to speak; we feel somehow that God or our peers will be disappointed if they don't know I'm a "one God-tongue talkin'-Apostolic-holy rollin'-born again-heavenbound-believer" in 3.2 seconds flat. We almost literally, "blow them away".
Let me try this another way: remember the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. God uses Star Trek's transporter beam and takes Philip from the middle of a great revival (hope he was done preaching) and plants him in the desert. Along comes this Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah. Phil says, "What'cha readin'?"
"I dunno," replies the eunuch. "This Isaiah dude is radical, mon." (Jamaican accent for some reason). "Who's he talking about? Himself or some other?"
So Philip (I'll be a little less paraphrastic here) starts "from that Scripture and preaches to him Jesus." He started where the eunuch was, then worked up to where he needed to be.
Where is Our World?
Can we answer that question anywhere near accurately? Do we know what's foremost on people's minds? We can't begin with our "pet doctrines" as it were; we must begin with people's needs. Paul uses multiple images to convey the whole idea of "salvation"; each of those images can reach a different kind of situation. Feeling guilty over your actions? Jesus provides "justification". Feeling lost, like you don't belong? Salvation is "adoption"-you now belong to Jesus. You get the picture.
I do not operate under any sort of delusion that Bono is some sort of "closet Christian"; to Jesus, that was an oxymoronic phrase (see Mark 8:38). And just to settle the score on another point, Creed is not a "Christian" band either. Both Bono and Scott Stapp have Christian roots and influences, but if you, as a Holy-Ghost filled person, are looking to them for spiritual nourishment, you've got other issues well beyond the scope of this blog. I don't expect to be spiritually fed or uplifted (in the Apostolic sense of those words) when I hear a U2 song; I expect my faith to be challenged-I expect to be pushed to answer the hard questions of life that don't conform to easy Christian formulae. How do you proclaim the wonderful love of Christ when so many of His "children" are, well, snobbish, self-absorbed jerks playing endless political games with people's lives? Be honest, there's one or two in every church.
For me, as well, David, Bono does not have any "answers". But sometimes he can really frame a question for me, putting it in such a way that I go, "Oh, now I see what people are missing!" It's the same "aha!" moment I had reading Doestoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, perusing that Marilyn Manson interview I mentioned earlier, and listening to my non-Christian friends tell my why their favorite movie was a vampire flick. It's moments where, I believe, the Spirit gives me insight into another person or group and allows me to understand their particular struggles and, perhaps, gives me a way to make the Gospel appear real to their need.
So, (cue sounds of coffee-slurping and a little Coltrane smogging the aural atmosphere . . .) would anyone else like to "weigh in" for this cyber-coffee klatch?
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The "Mitchell Hults" Phenom?
Speaking of Superheroes
OK, just a forewarning: this blog is going to sound absolutely Scroogey. Probably most of you are going to wish the Ghost of Christmas Future will not only point out my grave but put me in it before you finish reading this entry. But that's all right; I'm willing to face my fate.
A short while back, I blogged about the Shawn Hornbeck/Ben Ownby kidnapping cases. You know, Ben had been missing for 4 days and Shawn had been missing for 4 years (only 50 miles from home)? Well, key to their recovery was a tip from 15-year old Mitchell Hults; he spied a white Nissan pickup speeding away from Ben's bus stop right after Ben had been dropped off. Two STL metro officers spotted the truck Mitchell described, "and the rest", as they say, "is history!"
And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have it: the "Mitchell Hults Phenomenon"! Just yesterday, Mitchell was presented with a brand-new Dodge pickup (white, of course) and is being touted as a true American hero. BTW, he's too young to drive or even own his own vehicle. Yesterday, as well, a local homebuilder announced that they are going to build Shawn's family a brand-new home for free.
No, this isn't about my 1985 twice-totaled by hail and car wreck Chevy Celebrity coupe that doesn't have driver's side door trim, a working right turn-signal, or a functional windshield washer fluid pump. Ok, maybe that's it a little.
If I Were Shawn . . .
No, really I don't begrudge Mitchell Hults or Shawn Hornbeck anything, but I've got this niggling at the back of my neck that this isn't about heroism anymore-it's about publicity stunts. And you've gotta admit it's a pretty smooth move-the Hornbecks were on Oprah (alongwith Shawn); their names are being splashed across the national news. I wish I could calculate the time the building company gets on the news reports and convert that into advertising dollars; I'll bet you the free airtime is worth a lot more than one measly house. Sorry I'm so jaded, but I don't think this is being done out of the "goodness of their hearts".
Now, I've never been kidnapped, though perhaps my mom and/or wife have wished at points that I would be, but I would think that after 4 years of being forcefully kept from my home, the last thing I would want to do would be to move into a new home. I mean (again sounding Scroogey), Shawn is going to be facing some serious problems-why add the stress of a new environment?
Now, if I were Mitch, would I really want to pick up girls in my new ride, look slyly across the seat at them and say: "You know, this pickup is an exact replica of the one a pervert used to kidnap a 13-year old boy?" (I know, I know; Mitch's truck is a Dodge; the kidnapper's was a Nissan, but you get my point). Who would want a constant reminder like that?
Kind of Sounds Like "Lou Gehrig's Disease"
This is probably the unkindest cut of all: when I read this blog entry on the STL Post-Dispatch website, the only thing I could think of is that this sounds like some sort of CDC public service announcement: "There are now 18 reported cases of he 'Mitchell Hults Phenomenon': a strange syndrome where people suddenly hallucinate, seeing alien beings sliding slimy tentacles into the ear canals of passersby and extracting ear wax, which they then melt down to make much-sought-after candles on their home planet of Zarthex (did I ever tell you one of my favorite all-time books is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?). If you see anyone suddenly run down the road screaming: 'The Zarthexian Candle Company is here!', please call your local CDC office right away."
Mr. Greenbaum asks: "Has the Mitchell Hults phenomenon gone over the top?" Yes, a thousand times yes! It went over the top the very minute it was named the "Mitchell Hults Phenomenon"! Because, and especially in light of yesterday's entry (my mind is still stuck on superheroes), a hero by definition is someone who does extraordinary things. Mitchell was just doing what anyone who had seen a white pickup speeding away from a bus-stop and then found out a child was missing would do-tell the boy's parents. Duhhhh!
You're a Good Man, Mitchell Hults
But that's all. He's not even "courageous", according to the definition of the word. He did what was right NOT what was heroic! Does he deserve recognition? Of course; he did his job as a responsible citizen. Does he deserve a new truck? Well, he can't really use it right now; anybody offering free driving lessons? Hey! I'm a good driver; hmm . . .that'd really put Gateway on the map! Maybe I could score an Oprah interview: "He's an OT scholar, pop culture critic, and father of a newborn daughter. Next, meet the man who taught the boy who won the truck because he tipped off the cops to catch the man who kidnapped the other boy and another boy who had been missing a lot longer how to drive!" That has a ring to it, kind of, don't you think?
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
OK, just a forewarning: this blog is going to sound absolutely Scroogey. Probably most of you are going to wish the Ghost of Christmas Future will not only point out my grave but put me in it before you finish reading this entry. But that's all right; I'm willing to face my fate.
A short while back, I blogged about the Shawn Hornbeck/Ben Ownby kidnapping cases. You know, Ben had been missing for 4 days and Shawn had been missing for 4 years (only 50 miles from home)? Well, key to their recovery was a tip from 15-year old Mitchell Hults; he spied a white Nissan pickup speeding away from Ben's bus stop right after Ben had been dropped off. Two STL metro officers spotted the truck Mitchell described, "and the rest", as they say, "is history!"
And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have it: the "Mitchell Hults Phenomenon"! Just yesterday, Mitchell was presented with a brand-new Dodge pickup (white, of course) and is being touted as a true American hero. BTW, he's too young to drive or even own his own vehicle. Yesterday, as well, a local homebuilder announced that they are going to build Shawn's family a brand-new home for free.
No, this isn't about my 1985 twice-totaled by hail and car wreck Chevy Celebrity coupe that doesn't have driver's side door trim, a working right turn-signal, or a functional windshield washer fluid pump. Ok, maybe that's it a little.
If I Were Shawn . . .
No, really I don't begrudge Mitchell Hults or Shawn Hornbeck anything, but I've got this niggling at the back of my neck that this isn't about heroism anymore-it's about publicity stunts. And you've gotta admit it's a pretty smooth move-the Hornbecks were on Oprah (alongwith Shawn); their names are being splashed across the national news. I wish I could calculate the time the building company gets on the news reports and convert that into advertising dollars; I'll bet you the free airtime is worth a lot more than one measly house. Sorry I'm so jaded, but I don't think this is being done out of the "goodness of their hearts".
Now, I've never been kidnapped, though perhaps my mom and/or wife have wished at points that I would be, but I would think that after 4 years of being forcefully kept from my home, the last thing I would want to do would be to move into a new home. I mean (again sounding Scroogey), Shawn is going to be facing some serious problems-why add the stress of a new environment?
Now, if I were Mitch, would I really want to pick up girls in my new ride, look slyly across the seat at them and say: "You know, this pickup is an exact replica of the one a pervert used to kidnap a 13-year old boy?" (I know, I know; Mitch's truck is a Dodge; the kidnapper's was a Nissan, but you get my point). Who would want a constant reminder like that?
Kind of Sounds Like "Lou Gehrig's Disease"
This is probably the unkindest cut of all: when I read this blog entry on the STL Post-Dispatch website, the only thing I could think of is that this sounds like some sort of CDC public service announcement: "There are now 18 reported cases of he 'Mitchell Hults Phenomenon': a strange syndrome where people suddenly hallucinate, seeing alien beings sliding slimy tentacles into the ear canals of passersby and extracting ear wax, which they then melt down to make much-sought-after candles on their home planet of Zarthex (did I ever tell you one of my favorite all-time books is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?). If you see anyone suddenly run down the road screaming: 'The Zarthexian Candle Company is here!', please call your local CDC office right away."
Mr. Greenbaum asks: "Has the Mitchell Hults phenomenon gone over the top?" Yes, a thousand times yes! It went over the top the very minute it was named the "Mitchell Hults Phenomenon"! Because, and especially in light of yesterday's entry (my mind is still stuck on superheroes), a hero by definition is someone who does extraordinary things. Mitchell was just doing what anyone who had seen a white pickup speeding away from a bus-stop and then found out a child was missing would do-tell the boy's parents. Duhhhh!
You're a Good Man, Mitchell Hults
But that's all. He's not even "courageous", according to the definition of the word. He did what was right NOT what was heroic! Does he deserve recognition? Of course; he did his job as a responsible citizen. Does he deserve a new truck? Well, he can't really use it right now; anybody offering free driving lessons? Hey! I'm a good driver; hmm . . .that'd really put Gateway on the map! Maybe I could score an Oprah interview: "He's an OT scholar, pop culture critic, and father of a newborn daughter. Next, meet the man who taught the boy who won the truck because he tipped off the cops to catch the man who kidnapped the other boy and another boy who had been missing a lot longer how to drive!" That has a ring to it, kind of, don't you think?
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Get a REAL Job, Superman!
Comic Books Finally Grow Up
I saw this weird, very short article yesterday on Slate about the "new" breed of superheroes gracing comic book stores everywhere (be sure to view slide show accompanying said article). They are entirely, well, normal. Not that they don't have superpowers! But their superpowers don't have much effect on, say, the archnemesis "Unfolded Laundry" or "Unclean Bathroom Sink". You should see the damage laser vision can wreak on bathroom tile!
For us 90/9ers who strive to stay abreast of culture currents, we shouldn't miss this one. Superheroes are being forced to grow up and take on "real" responsibilities. (I really wouldn't be surprised if the next Batman movie features Wayne Enterprises going belly-up and Brucey Playboy Batman Wayne ending up homeless. It's reality TV for fantasy fiction!) The themes are becoming (dare I say it?) more "mature". By that, I don't mean that superheroines are showing more skin, though that is pretty much the case, but the new supers have very "ordinary" problems: they struggle with addictions, their alter-ego lives are in shambles, etc, etc, etc.
And It's All Disney's Fault!
As with all pop culture shifts, it is virtually impossible to put a single date on any phenomenon. Shifts are so gradual (or sudden, as the case may be) that they often escape notice. But let me be adventurous here (this is a reflection on superheroes, after all) and make a "date-claim". It happened with The Incredibles, one of the best spoofs ever! It's all about a superhero family hilariously attempting to live "normal" lives. I never thought about this until recently: the hero's alter ego name is Bob Parr. Par is Latin for "average". Coincidence? I think not! Nothing happens at Disney by accident!
Think about the implications of that detail. Historically, we Americans push ourselves to excel, to supercede expectations; here's a comedy about the struggle to be "average". Basic message: "It's easy being great; it's tough to be average!" Hmmm . . .
Part of it is about the postmodern search for authenticity; Superman just isn't authentic. If you or I missed work as much as Superman did, we couldn't keep our job. The new comic book philosophy seems to be, "Fire Superman! Then see how he squirms! Is he still bulletproof on an empty stomach?"
The Basic Human Need
Part of what made this story "stick out" is this book I've been reading, The Myth of the American Superhero by Robert Jewett & John Shelton Lawrence. Parts of it are, for lack of a better word, "technical", but the overall point is the oddity that a democratic nation creates a mythology (that's really what comic books are-American mythology) where certain specially endowed individuals are key to the fate of the nation. Democracy is supposed to be about the cooperation of common people; leadership by a few specially qualified persons is an aristocracy or a monarchy.
Jewett and Lawrence's analysis is thorough, almost skull-numbingly thorough at points, but at the end of the day, I think they miss something very important. Yeah, "all-American superhero" may be at odds with the "democratic ideal", but it is right in line with the basic cry of humanity. We know in a way past expression, that no amount of human effort can save us from ourselves.
I mean, it's not hard to see the Christological format of the Superman story: Jor-El sends his one and only son to earth to rescue us and help humanity reach their full potential. He is our guardian from evil and our guide into the truth. In fact, in the newest installment, Superman "returns".
But there's a new push for supermen and women to "get a life", to become "normal"; you may not agree, but this marks a cultural death-the death of belief that One from Beyond is the key to our salvation. And that worries me.
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
I saw this weird, very short article yesterday on Slate about the "new" breed of superheroes gracing comic book stores everywhere (be sure to view slide show accompanying said article). They are entirely, well, normal. Not that they don't have superpowers! But their superpowers don't have much effect on, say, the archnemesis "Unfolded Laundry" or "Unclean Bathroom Sink". You should see the damage laser vision can wreak on bathroom tile!
For us 90/9ers who strive to stay abreast of culture currents, we shouldn't miss this one. Superheroes are being forced to grow up and take on "real" responsibilities. (I really wouldn't be surprised if the next Batman movie features Wayne Enterprises going belly-up and Brucey Playboy Batman Wayne ending up homeless. It's reality TV for fantasy fiction!) The themes are becoming (dare I say it?) more "mature". By that, I don't mean that superheroines are showing more skin, though that is pretty much the case, but the new supers have very "ordinary" problems: they struggle with addictions, their alter-ego lives are in shambles, etc, etc, etc.
And It's All Disney's Fault!
As with all pop culture shifts, it is virtually impossible to put a single date on any phenomenon. Shifts are so gradual (or sudden, as the case may be) that they often escape notice. But let me be adventurous here (this is a reflection on superheroes, after all) and make a "date-claim". It happened with The Incredibles, one of the best spoofs ever! It's all about a superhero family hilariously attempting to live "normal" lives. I never thought about this until recently: the hero's alter ego name is Bob Parr. Par is Latin for "average". Coincidence? I think not! Nothing happens at Disney by accident!
Think about the implications of that detail. Historically, we Americans push ourselves to excel, to supercede expectations; here's a comedy about the struggle to be "average". Basic message: "It's easy being great; it's tough to be average!" Hmmm . . .
Part of it is about the postmodern search for authenticity; Superman just isn't authentic. If you or I missed work as much as Superman did, we couldn't keep our job. The new comic book philosophy seems to be, "Fire Superman! Then see how he squirms! Is he still bulletproof on an empty stomach?"
The Basic Human Need
Part of what made this story "stick out" is this book I've been reading, The Myth of the American Superhero by Robert Jewett & John Shelton Lawrence. Parts of it are, for lack of a better word, "technical", but the overall point is the oddity that a democratic nation creates a mythology (that's really what comic books are-American mythology) where certain specially endowed individuals are key to the fate of the nation. Democracy is supposed to be about the cooperation of common people; leadership by a few specially qualified persons is an aristocracy or a monarchy.
Jewett and Lawrence's analysis is thorough, almost skull-numbingly thorough at points, but at the end of the day, I think they miss something very important. Yeah, "all-American superhero" may be at odds with the "democratic ideal", but it is right in line with the basic cry of humanity. We know in a way past expression, that no amount of human effort can save us from ourselves.
I mean, it's not hard to see the Christological format of the Superman story: Jor-El sends his one and only son to earth to rescue us and help humanity reach their full potential. He is our guardian from evil and our guide into the truth. In fact, in the newest installment, Superman "returns".
But there's a new push for supermen and women to "get a life", to become "normal"; you may not agree, but this marks a cultural death-the death of belief that One from Beyond is the key to our salvation. And that worries me.
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
It's Gotta Be the Sunglasses!
I Think it Was the Praise and Worship Craze. . .
I was formally introduced to this august audience as an "OT scholar and U2 fan"; while some may consider that an ignominious epithet-yea, verily, an insult, I take an adverse pride in the wonderfully puzzled looks generated by quoting Bono in class! Heeheehee! What wicked glee!
I've really been thinking hard over the last week or so about when my "U2 craze" started. Let me be honest; "craze" is too strong a word. I'm very intrigued by their music, but it's not become some sort of "I had Bono autograph my newborn's forehead with indelible ink" thing.
But what started me down the road was the whole worship album craze that, I think, has reduced the CCM world to "Chorus 1, Chorus 2, Bridge, Chorus 1, Bridge 2, Tag Line, Tag Line 2, Bridge Tag Line" or something all-too-close to that formula. Now, some if not most of the praise and worship music is great: PC&D, Smitty, Chris Tomlin-I really do enjoy it. But, c'mon, how many acoustic remixes of "Heart of Worship" does one religion need?
Part of it might be my raising; I grew up where if it ain't country, it ain't cool, So, I like songs that tell stories, not songs that repeat the same lines a bajillion times. The other thing is: so, our God is "awesome"-what does that mean exactly? God's like this video game you played the other day, which you described as "awesome"? In the attempt to write worship music in the common vernacular, are we actually reducing the glory of God to being comparable to that "awesome cheeseburger and fries" we ate yesterday?
I Heard it First in Seminary; Guess Where I Heard it Next?
Ok, so my seminary is strange. I took a class from a professor who's one of the top Psalms scholars in the United States (flat out brilliant!). His little hobby is theology in pop music; every chance he got, he had us listen to Rob Thomas or Supersprout or Bruce Cockburn or David Wilcox or U2 and ask what sort of theological themes were being developed. Very interesting exercise. Well, he had us listen to Bono's song 40, which is actually taken from Psalms 40.
Fast forward a few days. I'm at home watching Smitty's Worship Live video; the last song is . . . did you guess? 40! So, I frighten my wife by bolting out of my seat, shouting, "That's a U2 song!"
How to Dismantle a Nuclear Bomb Equals "How to Hook an OT Scholar"
Fast forward a few months; I'm passing through Target and spy U2's newest album. I pick it up and glance at the track list. The very last song is entitled "Yahweh". Well, as the say back home, that's like "sick 'em to a dog", so I bought it. Just for that song.
Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
[Last verse]
Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart . . .
And make it break
Those lyrics still move me. I love that song, that pure cry for salvation to come and touch our hearts with compassion for others. If this were that Psalms class, I'd discuss the various biblical allusions present, but they're pretty obvious-I'll leave that to curious readers. I totally encourage you to at least (legally) download this song, if not buy the album. By the way, PluggedInOnline's review said there was no "objectionable content". Read the review here, if you are curious (the reviewers aren't big fans of U2's later work).
For me, the jury's still out on Bono; that's kind of what keeps me interested. He has this "I love Jesus but I hate what the Church has made Him look like" attitude; I am sadly forced to admit he does have a point. Whatever his status, he is searching for the right path and his music, if heard rightly and carefully (read "prayerfully"), can provoke thought about what it really means to be a "Christian" today.
But one thing is certain! Without Bono, we wouldn't know cool sunglasses.
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Thought You Might Want to Know What I Looked Like
Ok, ok; it's a bad joke. It is said, "A picture is worth a thousand words," but this picture actually begs for explanation! I think he called this "urban Amish" (isn't that a contradiction of terms?); I think his mama called it something else. No, I'm not hatin' on the Amish. I think it's the hat. Gives it a "Matisyahu-meets-Weird-Al" vibe, or something.New Blog Feature: Something Late Last Year in the News I Just Remembered
I was just browsing my Internet favorites and came across this article from the November, 7, 2006 NYTimes someone sent me months ago. I'm not what you could call an "Internet junkie", by a long shot. It's a report of a neuroscientific study of the phenomenon of speaking in tongues. The coolest discovery is that a person who is speaking in tongues is not in a trance-like state; in fact, the centers of consciousness remain active during the whole experience! So, no, we're not "crazy"; in fact, tongues-speakers are perfectly in control of themselves and aware of their surroundings!
It's pretty cool that the NYTimes is defending Pentecostal sanity, but catch this hilarious correction four days later: "An article in Science Times on Tuesday about brain images of people speaking in tongues misstated the origins of the practice in America. It is thought to have begun in Pentecostal churches established in the early 1900s, not in charismatic churches. The charismatic movement began decades later." What kind of retraction is that?! "Sorry, readers, but we got the date wrong by DECADES"?! Oh, come on!
Anyway, nothing serious today; I hope I cheered you up. Tonight, thank God you're not "metropolitan Mennonite" or "disco Disciple", and you're not "crazy" when you speak in tongues, and you actually have a better sense of history and timeframe than the snobby, truly narrow-minded liberal hacks who work at the Times! You can assuredly rest with a smile on your lips tonight!
Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!
