Embracing Pop Culture

"Only the morally courageous are worthy of speaking to their fellow men for two hours in the dark. And only the artistically incorrupt will earn and keep the people's trust." — Frank Capra

For a long time now, conservative Christians have split on how to approach media. There is the traditional response — that comes from the kind of Christians that home school their children — that there is nothing redeemable in media, so it must be avoided. There are other Christians — the kind that see the Word of God as evolving to meet our cultural understanding — that believe that media allows people to express their faith in real ways.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Not all media is edifying and Godly, but not all media should be banned and avoided. The key is in knowing how to approach it.

One of my favorite quotes from the movie "Gettysburg" deals with the stupidity of judging people by their social or ethnic group. A feisty Irishman named Kilrain says, "Any man who judges by the group is a pea-wit. You take men one at a time." The same is true of media. If you dismiss it as a group, you miss some beautiful expressions of faith and Theological thought. You have to evaluate media — be it movies, TV shows, or songs — on their own merit.

In this space last year I looked at different rap artists and the ideas and conflict within their music. Traditionally you wouldn't think of that as a medium to express Theological ideas, yet some exist. If you were to shun that group entirely, think of what you might miss.

What we need today is better education and a better approach. If Christians knew what they believed and why, then they wouldn't have to be afraid to study, analyze, and consider the messages offered in mainstream media. After all, how can you reach someone if you don't know what they believe and why? Media, like all art, offers a window into the heart, mind, and soul of its creator. And that's never a bad thing.