Let the Shunnings Begin...or Continue whatever.

Other day I was driving around with the radio in the car playing when on come the ole local Christian Radio Station (which shall remain nameless). And, it hits me. Some of the lyrics to these songs are actually pretty good...too bad 98% of the music backing them up just sucks.

Pretty open minded is this half of The Barbed Wire (the other half is pretty open-minded too, but he's vocal, which is why 67.4% of fellow students and alumni surveyed at his alma mater at one point considered putting him on a one way ship to Russia (the not fun part), 12.5% considered cutting his break-lines, 79.6% surveyed noticed I can't do math, and exactly 1.3% !). So, this half says to himself, "Now, hold on, it doesn't necessarily suck (most of it does), its just that it isn't presented in your style." Now, this is a valid point. Thus, I set about to resolve to accept the solution.

I turned my car radio to the local Texas Country/Red Dirt Christian Radio Station. Buuut, there was none.

This has bothered me forever, but for most of my life I've been too intimidated by the machine to really come out and say it. Christian music is a genre. Period. It has its sound and its confined there. Now, do me a favor and check your pulse. I know that's a generalization. There are bands and acts out there that are Christian that are in different styles that you would normally here on your usual Christian Radio station. But, its also a generalization to say that everyone in Texas loves to eat steak. That's not true, not everyone in Texas loves to eat steak. Those who don't should get the hell out. (my point is that there is a good amount of truth in generalizations)

Steak and Christian music aside, this half of The Barbed Wire's mind went yet another step. What about Christian Worship Music? Particularly the modern/contemporary/I'm really not a geek enough about these things to know the accurate terminology. It is the same stuff in the same style in the same key for the same audience. Worship music reflects the rhetorical, feminized, safe place the church is.

Cut to the chase will I. It bothers me that unless you ascetically enjoy worship (that would be the stuff that comes on the radio Sunday morning on the ole family friendly unlike the Bible Christian Radio station, or in your hip cutting edge church) you're kinda screwed. There is, moreover, a cultural reflection that goes along with the music. I speak for The Barbed Wire, but a lot of other folks I believe, when I say: we're not all that culturally similar to what it means to "look, sound, and dress like a sold-out for Jesus Christian." Yet, you won't find two guys who are more dedicated to allowing the Gospel of Christ dictate the course of their lives...or more aware of their (MASSIVE) short-comings in fulfilling their desires to glorify Jesus...out there. But, we've both been the subject of judgment and whispers because of various behaviors that people far holier than us don't (publicly?) partake in (this half of the Barbed Wire made out with too many girls in College and the other half...well, apparently the other half's greatest moral failing in College was being himself).

If you are holding your cold Shiner reading this, and this resonates, let The Barbed Wire say your not alone. Except we're out of Shiner tonight so we're drinking some Texas Micro-Brew we've never heard of. Oh, and the whole feeling a little bit like a gas can in a firework factory in reference to your faith. The Christian Music/Worship Music Industry doesn't dictate what is appropriate, or even good, music...though they spend lots of money and time trying to convince us what "good" is (holy crap...that sounds a lot like....wait for it....that's right....the rest of the music/entertainment industry). Jesus never had a problem with being relevant for the culture He finds himself in. And, try as the folks on the coasts (and Nashville) might, America (TEXAS ESPECIALLY) is culturally diverse and blessedly so. The Barbed Wire thinks the Texas/Red Dirt Culture is a pretty good one. Maybe we'll even get our own type of Christian Radio Station someday (one that is, hopefully, a whole lot more manly that the wussy ones on now)

If your reading this and you thinking what moral failures we are...let the shunning begin...or continue. Whatever.

So, for those of you who'd rather wear Ariat, Justin, or Chippewas over Toms, rather go to Gruene Hall, or Luckenbach instead of a Passion Conference, for those of you who are not intimidated by...want to be like...or influenced by hipsters, for those of you who say New York might as well be Malaysia...for those of you who maybe live a bit more dangerous faith than what they tell us we should...I give you the following offering from our dear friend, Cory Morrow.