As a Christian, it makes me a bit angry when my fellow Christians contort Jesus' message. It's inevitable I know--original sin and all--but still disappointing. One of my least favorite contortions is when people try to make religion "cool".
The NBC network, eager for new hits to reverse a ratings slump, said on Friday it has given a mid-season 2005-06 commitment to a new drama titled "The Book of Daniel," depicting Christ as a contemporary confidant to a pill-popping priest.
I sense trouble and not just because the ratings whores over at the networks are involved.
"Daniel," however, is a far cry from "Passion" or the conventional Easter-season TV specials that portray Christ in a biblical context. According to NBC promotional materials, the Jesus character on "Daniel" is depicted as a "contemporary, cool" figure who appears only to the minister.
I may be mistaken, but I thought Jesus was already "cool". According to Christian belief, He died for our sins giving us eternal life with Him in heaven. Seems pretty cool to me.
There are a couple of reasons I dislike the marketing of religion. First, it's a cowardly and weak maneuver. Products are marketed if they cannot sell on their own. A good product does not need to be marketed. Christianity is a "good product", or so I thought. Those who try to make Jesus "hip" either do not understand this simple principle or feel that Jesus is not "cool" enough to sell Himself as He is. In other words, He was good enough to be the Saviour of the world, but without human modification He will be resigned to the dustbin of history. The absurdity is self-evident.
Secondly, as previously mentioned, Jesus is intrinsically "cool". Even more than that, Christianity is practical and, in my humble estimation, true. We should not adopt a religion just because it offers us neat things. We should cling to a religion if we believe it to be true. Truth is something that should not need marketing as discussed above.
Lastly, I believe that marketing Jesus results in watering down Christianity, which is clearly bad policy, if not heretical. Jesus is not simply a great moral teacher--although that He was. He was also the Son of God. Further, He said some things that were hard to swallow. By His own admission, He came to cause division. "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." (Luke 12:51)
If one is looking for a neat guy who can get the whole world to live at peace, Jesus is not the answer. Sorry. If one is looking for truth that is cooler than any contemporary on the television, I suggest giving Christianity a shot. As a Christian, I think I'm qualified to speak. No I'm not happy all the time, and sometimes I'm downright depressed. Still, I wouldn't trade my faith for anything in the world.
Even if it Christianity isn't cool, I'm keeping it.
3 comments:
This is your precious capitalism at work. Jesus didn't toss out the money-changers for nothing.
That's a very strange way of agreeing with me to an extent. I suppose it would be better in a social democracy wouldn't it? Or would religion be deemed a represive force to be tossed aside?
Further, capitalism is a necessary evil. If you are aware of a better economic system please explain yourself. Unfortunately, capitalism does bring with it consumerism. Still, getting rid of the capitalism that makes Jesus marketable is not the answer. Finding a way for people to be rid of the chains of consumerism in a capitalistic system, is, ironically, part of Jesus' message.
Seems we've forgotten that, too.
Indeed High and Dry. It is unfortunate, though isn't it. I think I could get out to the theaters more often for some decent religious films. I won't hold my breath though.
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