Band T-shirts with "statements"

[brent]

Would you buy your favorite Christian rock band's shirt if it said, "Christian Radio Sucks!" on the back?

Would you buy a new band's shirt with "Christian Radio Sucks!" on the back, just to make a statement of your dissatisfaction?

Is "Sucks" too crude?

Thanks

[circle of 1]

I would have to say yes..that is pretty crude. That's just my opinion.

[Shell]

You should probably ask yourself whether it would change anything. I've been known to say that word occasionally, although I usually substitute something else. I'm around small children so I watch what I say around them, you never know when they might decide to repeat it. I wouldn't wear a T shirt saying it.

[Jonathan]

Christian Music > Christian Radio

[brent]

What about shirts that use some secular theme, like "Jesus gotter' done", like Larry the Cable Guy. How do you feel about the secularization of Jesus for a good cause?

[seichu kaisho]

A friend of mine has a shirt that says "Awesome Powers - The God Who Saved Me" (as a parody of Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me of course.) I admire shirts like that.

About a "Christian Radio Sucks" T-shirt: Not a good idea. As true as that statement may be to our opinion, I think a shirt with that message would display a negative, unchristlike attitude for passers-by who read the shirt.

[charl]

"Christian Radio Sucks" would be preferable to campy pop-culturizing of Christ. Worst of both worlds, IMO.
Not only are you falling prey to the false assumption that christians must ape the secular culture but sanitize it by adding Jesus, one always seems to inevitably end up with scary borderline sacreligious products from it-products not dis-similar to what is being played on Christian radio. So it would defeat the purpose.
That reminds me; the blog Purgatorio highlights some of those 'products'. SCARY. (My mom actually used the word obscene!)

However, I think I would likely do neither-rather play the good stuff and fight for change! Yes, yes it would probably be a long uphill battle, but sooo worth it to rid ourselves of the hideous camp so prevelant in Christian sub-culture.

[Enosh]

Charl, I found my new avatar from there. thanks. Jesus on a dinosaur! You don't see that everyday!

[LexingtonPethead]

I can't imagine that a Christian band would use that statement. It sounds like something from someplace with an anti-Christian agenda if you ask me.

And, no, I definitely would NOT buy that shirt.

[brent]

The statement would have been a statement about the machine, rather the "Christian" part of it. Many people would say that radio sucks period. So, take out the Christian.

I did a Google search, and there are many websites and blogs that are headed with Christian ______ something sucks. Most people are calling the church, and the industries that cater to it, to be different than the world.

I would agree with some of this stuff. But there are some marketing and advertising trends that just work, no matter who uses them, or who they are trying to reach. Education techniques work no matter who uses them. But guys like Rick Warren get bashed, because Tony Robbins perfected it first. This makes the Swaggarts come out and say that if you aren't screaming at people, hurting feelings, and crying on cue, that you do not have a real church event.

The same was and is true for Christian music. The secular musicians perfected the chops and genres first, then Christians started using it. However, when it comes to marketing, and speech, or slang sayings, we haven't been able to crack that one.

That's my delima. My daughter came home from Mardel with some shirts that bothered me, and then they didn't. It was her intent to advertise Jesus Christ. She is not afraid to witness at school one bit. She is almost too bold at times. I try not to quench her fire and desire to reach the lost. I redirect. But this generation is a bit different. Something that is a bit harsh for my generation is a bit tame for hers.

I would not have a problem with a Satan sucks shirt. I even like the little guy that usually pees on Chevy, Ford or Dodge, peeing on the devil. But, I am an odd kind-a-guy with a wacky sense of humor. Is it proper? No. Do I believe it? Sure. Would I let my daughter wear it? Nope.

[LexingtonPethead]

I even like the little guy that usually pees on Chevy, Ford or Dodge, peeing on the devil.

That's hilarious. I like that little guy too.

[charl]

what happens when I go away...

When I was a teen, I used to do the whole "Satan bites the big one" and so on. Then I read Jude. It simply scared the crap out of me, and I have never done that kind of thing since. We do not understand all of the workings of the supernatural realm. For that reason, I think it more prudent to be quiet than speak out of ignorance-or at least be careful.

Charl, I found my new avatar from there. thanks. Jesus on a dinosaur! You don't see that everyday!

My favorite caption for that is "Darwin's house is that way, you fool!" Man did I laugh when I read that.

[brent]

Well, if what we say effects the "spirit world", which there is no biblical proof of, then I will gladly tell Satan and his followers to first kiss my rear, and then go to hell quickly. According to Kenneth Dopeland, they have to do what we say. So why not go for it all right now?

But, that cannot happen. Satan and his followers are diffused by one and only one thing. Resistance. That comes in demonstration and command from Jesus Christ himself.

Satan and his followers have no creative or destructive power themselves. They are powerless without us giving in to the temptation and lies. Since Satan is in heaven, accusing us of our sins, and he is not all knowing or all present, then we are the ones to watch out for. We give Satan and followers too much credit. I doubt that any of us on this planet have had direct interaction with any of them. We make it too easy for them to have to deal with us.

[Shell]

Satan is very sneaky and he doesn't deal with us directly. When he attacks, it will usually be through something you're dealing with in your everyday life, and we'll be faced with whether we're going to trust God or go our own way. His goal is to get us to take our eyes off God. He knows if he was obvious about what he was doing, God's children would resist him, so he wants to slip up on us without us even realizing it if possible. That's why the Bible tells us to be watchful and pray.

Of course, we humans have a way of messing up without any help from anyone, but that's a topic for another thread.

[Enosh]

Ok I'm in...


There isalot included in those "crude" comments that we could direct toward Satan. I personally would not wear a Satan Sucks t-shirt. Although I would find it personally amusing and laugh until milk came out my nose (Even though I rarely drink milk). It is inappropiate given the meaning behind it. And my being a Christian minister. (We all are) Ordained or just everday guy.

Jesus said "Behold I give you power to bind demons, tread on serpents lay hands on the sick, raise the dead ect...

I would say that we do effect the spirit worldmore than you think. I would also say that it is not scriptual to poke fun of ministers who even though we don't agree with doctrinally are winning souls for the Kingdom.

God really corrected me on this a few years ago. I was raised in a Pentacostal background by my grandmother. My grandmother came back to God after many years through the ministries of John Osteen and Kenneth Copeland. As I got older I saw some of the very phoney things that go on. On the other side I have seen and experienced first hand the power of God in my own life.

I had a real hard time with what considered "showmen preachers" and I stopped watching alot of the preachers on TV. I also started having a hard time with some things I saw from Benny Hinn. When people around me would talk about him, I would make negative comments and express some of my issues. Same thing with other things I saw on TBN as well as Jimmy Swaggart.

Then God corrected me and brough me to the story of how the diciples complained about the person who was preaching in Christ's name yet wasn't one of the group. Jesus said, if he's drawing people to me leave him alone. These men might have practices or beliefs that we disagree with, but I really believe they are leading people to Jesus. Comments like Ken (Dopeland) are not edifying. They are not corrective or rebuking. They are simply a put down to make someone look bad. We should rebuke and restore not cut down and make fun of.

Which brings me back to the whole Christian radio sucks thing. I don't listen to it anymore. While I might agree with the statement at some level it really doesn't move to change anything. It just says something derogative that is then dismissed or agreed upon by the reader. If we really feel strongly about radio or anything else we see happening, we cannot just curse the darkness, we must light a candle and turn on the light. Do like Mexican spud and Musica did. Start your own web station and play what you like. Write and produce quality music that people want to hear. Preach the gospel.

That's what brings about change. Not a t-shirt that says something negative. Not name calling, and not just complaining about how bad it is. Sometimes God's children should be seen and not heard. Just because we think something is true and it is true doesn't mean we should say or display it. If it's true then we must reveal the darkness with the light. A shirt that says something sucks is not going to change anything. Not buying, listening to, or supporting, as well as offering an alternative is what brings change.

You'll like this one Lex...

We have to offer an alternative to what we think (Sucks) Other wise we look stupid and ignorant. Just like the democrats who demand Bush should have handled things better and that we should get of this war, yet they have no plan of their own. It makes their complaint and fingerpointing nothing more than hot air. I want to be more than just hot air making myself feel better by making aninappropiate self serving non edifying, non solving statement.

BTW I'm not trying to single you out Brent. I know that some of the things I touched on are about comments you made. Let's make some real change. Love you man.