dietsch

Guilty by Association

You know, I don't think I'll ever "get over" being a former born-again; my experiences during that period shaped me in ways that I probably don't fully understand yet. So imagine my delight and fascination with the blog They Will Know Us By Our T-Shirts [thanks to The Morning News for the link], a blog about working in a Christian bookstore. I'd like to read every entry and add it to my RSS reader, since his comments about Passion of the Christ merchandise and Jay Jay the Jet Plane videos are insightful, honest, and funny. But beyond the humor, there's a deep look at Christian consumerism and the evangelical subculture, touching on many issues I considered when deciding whether to leave born-againism. This blog reminds me, in part, of a song by Steve Taylor: So you need a new car? let your fingers take a walk through the business guide for the "born again" flock you'll be keeping all your money in the kingdom now and you'll only drink milk from a Christian cow don't you go casting your bread to keep the heathen well-fed line Christian pockets instead--avoid temptation guilty by association Turn the radio on to a down-home drawl hear a brylcream prophet with a message for y'all "I have found a new utensil in the devil's toolbox and the heads are gonna roll if Jesus rocks it's a worldly design! God's music should be divine! try buying records like mine--avoid temptation" guilty by association So you say it's of the devil and we've got no choice because you heard a revelation from the "still small voice?" if the Bible doesn't back it then it seems quite clear perhaps it was the devil who whispered in your ear It's a Telethon Tuesday for "The Gospel Club" "send your money in now or they're gonna pull the plug!" just remember this fact when they plead and beg When The Chicken Squawks Loudest Gonna Lay A Big Egg you could be smelling a crook you should be checking The Book but you'd rather listen thank look--the implication guilty by association