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| Thursday, March 15, 2007 |
| Religious Right America's "American" Idol |
Yet another post about American Idol --- [see my update re: Chris Sligh's exit interview here.]
Has anyone heard about votefortheworst.com? Some say it's the reason Brandon went home last night instead of Sunjaya.
Well, I'm about to start my own version ... voteforthenonchristians.com. Or, perhaps, dontletthebornagainsttakeoveridol.com. Or something.
I have made it quite public on this blog that I attended an extremely conservative university (None other than Jerry Falwell's Liberty University) and that I had been a sort-of member of the religious right, and that I had at least identified myself as a "born again Christian" when I was younger.
I have also made it quite clear that once I left the cult (i mean, community), I was able to see just how much hate, judgment and closed-mindedness had been put upon me. In a 3 year period, I went from looking for the 'balance' of religion and secularism that was right for me, to becoming an outright UNbeliever. I could not stomach teaching my children the "lessons" of the bible, and I could not tolerate -- even in the most watered down of congregations -- the conversations about sin and hell and being "godly" (you know, refusing to befriend homosexuals, teaching your children that their body parts are evil and sinful, lobbying your politicians to ensure that abortion and stem cell research and gay marriage are banned .... stuff like that).
Wait, isn't this a post about American Idol?
Yes, it is.
I have really liked Chris Sligh from the start. I like his sense of humor, I like his voice, I like his style. Perhaps I once or twice though, "oh, he's married? he seems young." I also remember during the early weeks of the boy and girl nights that he sang one song that I didn't recognize. What the heck is that song? I asked Beloved, "do you know this song?" He said no. I don't remember for certain, but I think the judges said they didn't know it either.
I found out why I don't know it.
It's by DC Talk.
Who the hell is that, some may wonder?
DC Talk is a band that is considered "crossover Christian" and whose members graduated from Liberty University a few years before I did.
How did I discover that?
Last night, after I posted about the results (and the bye-bye to Brandon despite Sunjaya's suckiness), my hits spiked, as is typical whenever I blog about television (which I find funny). I clicked through from Sitemeter to one of the blogger search results pages, and saw that the first result on the page was a post titled 'Christians on American Idol." According to this post, Melinda, Chris Sligh, and Jordin are all "born again Christians." Chris Sligh is even a "worship leader" at his church.
And now, while researching this post, I found out that Phil Stacey is currently getting a master's degree from Liberty. Yeah, my alma mater.
What the hell? What is going on?
One of the linked sites claim that these Christian idol folks are hoping to win so they can "spread the word" from a national stage.
Oh, joy and rapture.
I was thinking I would stop voting for Chris. Just because my bitterness about the stupid religious nonsense makes it so that I don't want a born-again winning American Idol. What if he does as some of these bloggers hope, and takes his recording contract, and records love songs to Jesus with it? Ick. (although it looks like he's already done that.)
But then I went and checked out some info on his band, and I didn't see them as overtly proselytizing. Really, I do have a bias against born again Christianity, and I have a hard time preventing it from leaking into my opinion of born-again Christians as people. But the people aren't really where my problem lies - my problem lies with the judgment and the proselytizing and the idea that everyone's going to Hell because they don't hate as many people as they do.
I'm not sure, though. Because then I find things like this blog (read the comments for the real fun), and I get worried all over again.
Update: I found Chris Sligh's blog, and although things written by him don't ever claim this, the comments make clear that he went to Bob Jones University(which caught its biggest heat for its rules against inter-racial dating - which I think they stopped while I was at Liberty, but I'm not sure, and don't care to look it up right now), AND Pensacola Christian College. They both make Liberty University seem like it's advocating orgies, with how strict and .... extreme they are.Labels: religion, television |
posted by Zuska @ 12:52 PM   |
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| 13 Comments: |
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Coming from a family where one of my cousins actually went to Bob Jones University (do they really not get the 'BJU' joke??) I hear you... I'm disappointed to learn that about Chris because I've liked him from the start... and Melinda because I think she's the best singer on the show.
I can't say I'm surprised about Bat Boy (aka Phil). I've known something wasn't right with the boy from the beginning.
Now what do I do? I wanted to vote for the people I thought were the best... but I do find the idea of a proselytizing American Idol really frightening.
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This should lighten your mood!
Sligh got kicked out of Bob Jones for listening to banned music.
Read his Theologicaldigressions blog
http://theologicaldigressions.blogspot.com/
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I did pick up on the "I'm a Christian who doesn't like all the rules!" flavor of both Chris Sligh's band and his blog. Yet, that doesn't mean that he isn't looking to "spread the word" through the mainstream airwaves.
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You should call your site VoteForTheHeathens.com or NoIdolWorship.com (both of which are available by the way :)
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first...i am praying for you and your children who you refuse to teach godly principles because somewhere down the line you got your panties in a wad!
second...only one guy from dc talk graduated from liberty, toby and kevin were asked to leave instead of getting kicked out!
this might further proove your point that liberty is a strict school, but if you can't get straight the almost meaningless truth of past liberty alumni why should anyone listen to your ridiculous jabber about "born again christians" teaching their children that their body parts are evil! join the 20th century and read your bible! thanks!
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Well, that's just ridiculous. One point is meaningless (whether these silly boys got kicked out or whether they graduated) and the other is quite important. I don't have the time or the inclination to do research on the DC Talk boys' educational history - who cares? That does not in any way take away from my thoughts and statements on the poison of the lessons taught to me and scores of others while part of the born-again community.
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For the record, Chris Sligh never performed a DC Talk song on American Idol. The song "Typical" which was his first song for the top 24 is by the band Mute Math. Try looking on Google before you rant next time.
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Actually, Google was where I found the (okay, incorrect) information that it was DC Talk - it's all over the place as such, still. I sure as hell didn't recognize the song.
This is a blog, not a biography.
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Turns out "Phil" up there was wrong. Chris Sligh did, in fact, sing a DC Talk song, as WELL AS a "mute math" song - at least according to this song list - he sang "Wanna Be Loved" by DC Talk on March 6.
http://television.aol.com/americanidol/music
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I go to Liberty and randomly came across your blog. I was very interested to learn about all the connections the current American Idol finalists have to Christian circles... i didn't know.
But... I was saddened too. I don't know you, but I hurt for you. You are going to regret turning your back on Christ... it's not worth it. Christianity has it's fault, but Christ doesn't so look back to Him. Please.
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The sad and yet unfortunate truth of the matter is that the very "things" the Christo-phobics accuse Christians of are the very "things" they themselves are guilty of.......the underlying current of malice against Christians stems from a malice against Jesus Christ and the principles He employs that they themselves have rejected.....We hear terms like Atheist, Agnostic, etc.....ever heard the term APOSTATE????
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Nice try. Obviously, you ain't reading too closely (which I personally see as a common failing of your religious followers as a whole) - my bitterness and anger is actually at the behaviors of christians which 100% diverts from the teachings of jesus christ.
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Another thing that amazes me is the often heard mantra emanating from the mouths of Christo-phobics, "Christians are so judgmental, mean, bigoted, etc." and yet, these same individuals that make these assertions are themselves mean, judgmental and bigoted.......We have a term for that type of behavior in the Christian community, it's called HYPOCRISY!!!
One final thought. One day when the unbeliever along w/ the believer stands before Jesus Christ to be judged (and, after all He is the only true Judge anyway!) the only person that will be accounting for your life will be YOU...and, the excuse rendered, "well, what about all those mean, judgemental, hypocrites, etc." won't be sufficient to excuse your own behavior, especially if one that offers such a defence is ALSO guilty of these same atrocities.....We have another saying in the Christian community, "Pluck out the log in your own eye, before you try to pluck out the splinter in your neighbor's eye"
Hence, the unbeliever is just as mean, judgmental, hypocritical and bigoted as the believer that he/ she is attempting to judge and condemn, and sadly enough are oft times even more so.
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Coming from a family where one of my cousins actually went to Bob Jones University (do they really not get the 'BJU' joke??) I hear you... I'm disappointed to learn that about Chris because I've liked him from the start... and Melinda because I think she's the best singer on the show.
I can't say I'm surprised about Bat Boy (aka Phil). I've known something wasn't right with the boy from the beginning.
Now what do I do? I wanted to vote for the people I thought were the best... but I do find the idea of a proselytizing American Idol really frightening.