Surly's Soap Box

Look, I'm a Christian. A practicing in my daily life, church attending, born-again, God fearing (and loving) Christian.

But I can't stand Christian marketing. I can't stand that fact that the Church is so lame in how it tries to get the message out that it takes any fad, any "what's cool now" activity or trend, and tries to make it it's own. It tries to redeem the practice. It really annoys me.

Example:

World: Lance Armstrong Livestrong Wristbands.

Church: Live Jesus wristbands.

Another:

World: Lord of the Rings.

Church: 'Lord of the Rings' has ring of the Christian Lord.

See, there is an attempt to take something secular, like these really awesome books and movies, and read Christ into them, even though Tolkien made it clear in interviews that he wasn't trying to make the "Lord of the Rings" a Christian allegory.


Now, I want to predict that Pat Robertson is going in to the diet and exercise business. In the linked story, ol' Pat leg presses 2000 lbs.

One ton.

There has to be a way to cash in on this.

Not that there isn't Christian diet books and programs out there already, but with dieting being a multibillion dollar sector, why not Pat?

I'm sorry for getting down on Pat, but if people really looked at what an opportunist the guy has been over the years, well..you'd be cynical too. Maybe he's just working out to stomp the devil. Or Hugo Chavez.

But onto my point: Are we (Those of us who consider ourselves Christian) going to let the trends and fads of our culture dictate how we reach people? Can't we be...Original?

I'll be praying about it.