No matter what you believe about evil, even if you believe the devil is a bogeyman used to control people, you will agree evil is an undeniable reality. You may choose a different word: corruption, conspiracy, catastrophe, or incompetence. Nonetheless, by your outrage or dismay you indirectly acknowledge that evil is a real force.

Horror movies have faithfully tended to these themes for as long as there have been horror movies. This genre has been so successful because the stories resonate deeply with us speaking of what we are fear most. These stories usually imagine a threat “out there” ready to overtake us when we least expect it. Devil has a more sound theology of evil, demonstrating that while there is an external threat we are not innocent bystanders. With every misdeed or act or malice, we welcome the evil presence.

Devil is about five strangers who meet in an elevator and get to know each other when the elevator gets stuck between floors. Their choices have lead them here and as the title suggests, the devil arrives to destroy them. The moral center of the film is Ramirez, a security guard, who recognizes the events he witnesses on the closed-circuit TV as the devil’s handiwork. He declares this to the embarrassment of his senior co-worker and to the scoffing of a skeptical detective.

Ramirez recalls a story his mother used to tell him about the devil. Detective Bowden plows ahead, insistent that he can solve the crime and apprehend the criminal. Ramirez comments that people like Bowden don’t believe in evil but Bowden corrects him. Despite his disavowal of the superstitious, he believes in evil. The origin of this conviction is a tragedy over which he is still angry.

In the end, repentance disarms the devil and that is biblically accurate.

For your edification and enjoyment, I have compiled this list of pop culture resolutions. These are based on my own reflections of how to use pop culture to my benefit this year. After reviewing the list, please print, sign, date, and post a copy at all your pop culture learning stations.

1. This year I will ask myself, “Why am I excited about this?”

I like to crack jokes about the movie trailers that come on before the feature. My secret though is that more often than I care to admit I get excited about movies that probably should never have been produced and have zero artistic merit. How does this happen to me? I’m a sucker for hype, I guess. Hey! That old TV show is a movie! Hey! That SNL skit is a movie! Check it out! A gathering of cut-rate actors! Hey! Talking Animals!

Most of the time, I come to my senses before paying up but that is not always the case. For example, Adam Sandler movies are an idiot tax. I am an idiot. He had a couple of movies I laughed at when I was younger and lacked discernment and multiple times since then I have been duped by the con game in the vain hope of recapturing my youth. So ask yourself this question and if your answer is anything like mine, run away.

2. This year I will ask myself, “Does this work for me?”

When any new technology enters the public consciousness there begins a hearty debate on that technology’s worth. Some say, “avoid at all costs” while others say, “embrace with both arms.” I try to find balance but that is not always possible. I had this problem with Twitter. I was open to it, believing that Twitter’s value would lie in how I used it. That was the right idea. What I had not realized was that Twitter fed these maniacally obsessive quirks I have. I wasted a lot of time, my own and others. I had to stop and rethink what I was trying to accomplish. Twitter wasn’t working for me but after going away I came back with renewed focus. Sometimes the solution might be as simple as changing how you use the technology. Other times you may need to throw it away like your old Blockbuster membership card.

3. This year I will ask myself, “Who or what influences my thoughts?”

“Taking every thought captive” is cited enough, but how often it is practiced is another matter. Usually, the concept is applied to those ideas that seem to spring forth in one’s own mind or at least those of unknown origins. We would also do well to consider those persons or products that effect our thinking. Even when the source has proven reliable, it is better if we check the data ourselves. To take someone’s word for it is to fall short of the intellectual rigor God requires of us.

There can be a number of motivating factors for permitting undue influence. One of these is personality. There have been writers and musicians in my life who, because of my great appreciation for them, have influenced me to sympathize with (and in some cases accept) positions that otherwise I would not have. This is very dangerous for the life of the mind and spirit. This threat is posed when we let these influences in unchecked. We’ve got to put those influences under the white light and let them sweat it out a bit.

4. This year I will ask myself, “Does this compel me toward fear or trust in God?”

A born escapist, I have been taught to face facts in the name of truth. However, I have learned that the act of facing facts is not the only consideration. A person ought to weigh not only the veracity of claims presented but also the nature of the presentation. The biblical commendation to “speak the truth in love” has a reverse application. There are a number of writers and thinkers whose words, however true, do not serve my spirit. They do not help me to be more charitable, humble, or gracious. They inspire fear instead of confidence in Christ. Because of this, I have concluded they are not for me. I don’t avoid bad news but I don’t obsess over it either. News programs, books, blogs, and tweets are but tools to equip. If any of these only tear down and rile us up, we should forsake them and seek out better options.

5. This year I will ask myself, “Is my love for Christ overshadowed by my distaste of these people?”

On that last note, I’ve got to confess. I have that list of people whose broadcasts and writings I avoid but I don’t practice compassion for them. While I am within my rights to state my case against them, I never leave it at that. I enjoy hating them. I bask in their ridiculousness as if it were the sun. I carry on about how awful they are, ignoring that fact about myself. It isn’t easy to love your neighbor as yourself when you have projected them to be monsters.

Public figures are like Facebook friends who never censor themselves. Imagine the horror of all your thoughts going LIVE! Be thankful that you have a filter. Of course, you can’t dialogue with public figures. While the job of the public is to call out these persons when they do not speak intelligently, we would be wise to remember calling out and seething with hatred are not the same.

You might also try applying this principle to fictional characters. Use film and books as a means to contemplate what compassion looks like in different situations and for different people.

6. This year I will ask myself, “How does my love of pop culture reflect the heart of God?”

I faced a major moral dilemma last year. I no longer knew how to enjoy things. Fun, I understood. What I didn’t understand was what amount of time and or money was appropriate to spend on entertainment. In light of eternity, it all seems kind of a waste right? The answer seemed clear: I should never spend another dollar on a movie, a book, an mp3, or a videogame. Obvious though it seemed, there was something wrong with that. I just couldn’t figure out what.

This dilemma arrived subsequent to larger questions about my identity and purpose that I was working through then. In a popular YouTube video, Paul Washer had made statements to which I knew no good answer. If he was right, it seemed my appreciation of literature, music, and film was self-serving. If he was right, it seemed the only proper response was to deny those parts of myself and become an old-time missionary. If he was right, that was the answer for every Christian but that is not the answer for every Christian. Some of us are preachers, others of us are artists. If art is a valid career, we are not wrong then to spend some of our money toward entertainment.

Very few of us forget to do that. By our nature, we seek to be entertained. We have to discipline ourselves to pursue substance, to promote quality, and to ponder the deeper truths of life. We should use pop culture to better understand the world and its inhabitants. Knowing that God desires to rescue just as He seeks to create, we should sacrifice out of our own money to give toward global missions and humanitarian relief projects.

My copy was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I enjoyed Hear No Evil but I expected I would. I will say I think my mom would like it and I’d even recommend it to my non-believing music snob friends. Will it change your life? Only The Secret can do that but this will make you laugh and think.

You can download the first chapter here then go here to purchase it.

I talked with Matthew recently about the book, as well as, his thoughts on honesty, humor, and a whole host of other hot and/or holy topics.

I understand that you’ve recently returned from Uganda. Would you say that your experience, meeting and talking with several Ugandans, enables you to better act as advocate for them?

MPT: Yes, of course. Anytime you experience firsthand a person’s story, you are much better equipped to speak on their behalf, and to encourage others to speak up, too.

What music did you hear while you were in Uganda?

MPT: Most of the music I heard was a mix of singing with various instruments of percussion. The music they sang and danced to was birthed out of their culture and rooted in their history. It was lively, expressive, sexy, and at the same time, very worshipful.

What role does music serve in the lives of people there?

MPT: From what I could tell, making music seemed to be their entertainment, a way to celebrate community, and of course, a way for them to worship God and proclaim his truth.

In Hear No Evil you tell the continuing story of your departure from fundamentalism, a theme first explored in Churched. Growing up, you learned to keep your preference for Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant hush-hush as CCM possession likely warranted excommunication.

When did you decide “enough is enough” and that for better or worse you had to be honest about yourself including your personal views and musical preferences?

MPT: Freedom has come in stages–through conversations, prayer, meditation, experiences. For most kids who grew up in Christian fundamentalism and took the processes seriously, the journey to freedom is slow and hard. Most times when I ran into a new idea or experience, a war broke out in my head. I tend to be an over thinker, and so anything new made my head spin with questions and fears, but also curiosity. Sometimes one lesson came in stages. Healing from spiritual abuse is a process, one that you begin over again many times.

How do you distinguish between that kind of honesty and having no shame?

MPT: Good question. I think balancing honesty and shame and grace is a journey. Most Christians are well-equipped for feeling a certain amount of shame–the honesty and grace is the hard part.

I often say, “Truth is absolute. Our understanding is tenuous.” You’ve expressed uncertainty about such doctrines as hell and inerrancy of scripture. What are you certain of?

MPT: I suppose I’m certain of the same things that each of us are certain of, the human and tangible stuff that all of us experience each and every day. Now, I believe that Jesus–his life, death, and resurrection–is the hope for the world. That’s what I center my faith around, that God through Jesus will make all things new. And that, as his follower, I’m supposed to be a part of that “new.” But I don’t think faith is about certainties. No matter how loud we proclaim what we believe “truth” to be, none of us fully know “truth.” Sure, I believe there are absolute truths. But as much as America’s Christian culture would love to put God and Jesus and faith into human equations or make them into science projects, you can’t. And to me, that’s not faith. A big part of faith in Jesus is about becoming okay with life’s uncertainties, spiritual or otherwise. It’s not about being right.

In what sense is being wrong a concern?
I’m not concerned, mostly because my faith isn’t built on “being right.”

What do you admire about fundamentalists? What advice do you have for them?

MPT: You know, this a difficult question, mostly because of the word “fundamentalist.” It’s one thing for me to describe the people who attended my childhood church as fundamentalists–we liked being called that and, too, I was one of them–but I’ve learned (and am still learning) that my labeling of people is often unfair. And I’m guilty of labeling people, and defining somebody based on MY definition of that label. My goal is to see an individual as a human being, first and foremost. I desire to admire people because of their stories, and furthermore, because God loves them. Is that difficult to do sometimes? Sure, because sometimes I’m convinced, based on the experiences of my past, that I already know and understand the person I deem a “fundamentalist.” That’s more often my issue and not theirs. More than any other group of people, the “Christian fundamentalist” has hurt me and hurt the people I love.

If I was to offer any advice, it would simply be this: Rules and conservative values are fine as long as they don’t cripple one’s ability to love God and love people. For me, that lifestyle did limit my ability to love God and people. But that’s my story… not everybody’s.

Understanding that it is a process, have you been able to forgive them?

MPT: I’m on a good path toward forgiving people, yes. Oddly, human forgiveness sometimes ebbs and flows. But for the most part, I really do believe I’ve made amends with the people in my past. But I do still deal with the effects.

Has your family experienced the same healing?

MPT: Yes, but each of us in a different way. One of my older sisters is still very much involved in a fundamentalist church. And she loves it. She and I get along great because we don’t talk about how we differ, we focus on what we share and what we have in common.

Read part 2 of this interview, in which Matthew discusses humor, the nature of writing memoir, and why he’s such a jerk on Twitter.

Get more of Matthew at his blog or follow him on Twitter @JesusNeedsNewPR

“Ask someone on the street to name a moral hero; if he isn’t at a loss, he’ll likely name someone like Jesus Christ or Mother Teresa. Why? Because they’re regarded as people of faith who shunned personal profit for the collective good. No one would dream of naming Galileo, Darwin, Thomas Edison or John D. Rockefeller. Yet we should. It is they, not the Mother Teresas of the world, that we should strive to be like and teach our kids the same.”

Atheist thinkers have long argued that we can be good without God meaning that morality does not rely on belief in God. Christians have responded that this is illogical, that principles of right and wrong point to our transcendent nature. Brook and Ghate are devising a rare moralty, that rare system that identifies Mother Theresa as immoral.

Christ and Pop Culture: You made public last year that you no longer believed in God. Where are you at now in relation to that?
David Bazan: That process had been 5 or 6 years in the making, the last 2 of which were writing and recording the album.

CaPC: Are you further from belief in God than you were last year?
DB: It’s similar. The more I study the Bible and the character of God in the Bible, the less likely it becomes that I believe that.

CaPC: You mentioned recently that the culture wars are mainly about Darwin. There is a movement of Christians who see their faith as incongruous with science. Many of them have embraced theistic evolution to reconcile the two. Would this approach have worked for you?
DB: I’m familiar with that. I know Francis Collins (geneticist, director NIH) takes that view. The creation account was not a deal breaker for me. I’m a line item guy.

CaPC: Were there any particular deal breakers for you?
DB: In Genesis 1, God’s reaction to the sin of the garden.

CaPC: Were you ever angry at God, as C.S. Lewis puts it, for not existing?
DB: Not really, no. Just disappointed in how it turned out to be. I still pray, but not to a personal God. I say prayers of gratitude. I believe in a cosmic consciousness or whatever. I would like to believe. I just can’t. I have to be truthful about how I understand things.

CaPC: Did Calvinism have any role in your loss of faith?
DB:I don’t think so. I never bought into that entirely. Of course, they have Romans 9 which is difficult to argue against.
See, it’s kind of funny to use the word faith. I have faith. I have faith that there’s no heaven, faith that there’s no hell but I don’t have any interest in being a spokesperson for atheism or agnosticism.

CaPC: Are you working on new material?
DB: Well, I’m in the studio, but not recording. Right now, we’re just working on some new songs.

CaPC: How soon can we expect a new album?
DB: I can’t really say. We’re just getting started. It’ll be awhile.

Bazan said that there had not been any particular books to encourage his disbelief. He emphasized the importance of study in his life. He expressed disinterest in Dawkins and Hitchens and conversely, distaste for Lee Strobel preferring more academic, less bias and less rehashing of old arguments. “I still read Christian books. But I’m not going to read Lee Strobel.” He stated “Tim Keller’s The Reason for God had some good points but was otherwise a flaccid entry.”

He gushed about Peter Enns Inspiration and Incarnation describing it as helpful to Christians trying to make sense of contemporary biblical criticism in light of their faith. He added, “I would like to see a growing movement among evangelicals to confront textual inconsistencies.”

CaPC: Having been on the inside, when do you think Christian culture is at its best?
DB: Anytime something is given a label like Christian the quality suffers. I like when anyone tells their story honestly. That’s always good.

After establishing “Christians in a band” as the preferred qualifier of good Christian music Bazan asked, “Do you want to know Christian bands I like? I dig Starflyer 59. They’re on Tooth & Nail. I guess that makes them a Christian band. And the Innocence Mission are rad.”

CaPC: Has this shift freed you up artistically?
DB: I don’t think so. I made a point before to not be restricted in my writing but it has freed me up personally. I feel a lot better about everything.

I could have gone to my room, put a record on, and held vigil. I could have but I just stayed at my desk, distracted for a while. I’m not an emotionally unstable person. There is very little that compels me to sadness. Why this? I’ve been a big fan of Paste since the beginning. For eight years, Paste has presented a perspective on music, film, and culture unlike anything served up by the likes of Rolling Stone, Spin, or Entertainment Weekly. Instead of falling in line with these established purveyors of flash fashion, Paste drew a new line instead, one that honored tradition and innovation, excellence, community and conscience.

Each new issue was an event. Donna and I had a longstanding ritual: we went to our local bookseller, grabbed the latest copy of Paste from the magazine rack, and sat together at a table in the cafe to review its contents. One of us read Paste while the other thumbed through a stack of other titles. We passed the copy back and forth. After an hour or more of thoughtful conversation we headed to the check-out, Paste in tow. And then, icing on the cake, we removed whatever disc had been running circles in our car stereo and replaced it with the magazine’s new sampler CD.

While writing this, I have given one question a great deal of thought. What is it that distinguishes Paste from so many others? Of course, I like it but by what standard do I declare that it is better than the rest? I have struggled with this answer because Paste is for me like a lot of good things, like live music, runner’s high, and dreams. Descriptions fail them. Words reduce their significance to so much overwrought poetry and fanciful language. With that I am reminded of an old Frank Zappa quote, “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” He was right and yet Paste defied that. Paste covered the topics of music, film, and culture in a way that was simultaneously graceful and human. In so doing, they inspired more careful consideration of meaning, value, and merit.

There are sadder things in the world than the closing of a magazine. There are tragedies much more horrific and yet this is its own tragedy. Nine people have lost their jobs, three others face the collapse of their business, and we all share in the loss of something less tangible: vision. We mourn the deaths of children to malaria and malnutrition, but something else is happening too. That something is the slow death of culture. I do not think of myself as a culture warrior but there is one thing that I understand. To benefit the culture, we must influence thought. Paste was successful at this, if nothing else.

This Week: As college football starts to ramp up, we share this meditation by Chase Livingston on what it means to be a fan.

I grew up at the tail end of an empire. That empire was known as the Crimson Tide. As far as I knew, every living soul loved Alabama Football with the exception of terrorists and baby killers. Their number one fan just happened to be my old man. Once he traded our bunk beds for a blanket which had been custom made for a former Tide player. We had the commemorative Bear Bryant Coca-Cola bottles, as did all of my extended family. I had a helmet lamp with a battered shade and framed pictures of “the Bear” as well as the newspaper which had announced his death in a display case. My room was white with red trim to match my genetically-inherited fandom and Dad completed it by painting an elephant on the wall.

When I was born, I was brought home in an oversized tee which boasted me as a “future player”. The red of that shirt effectively brought out the pink of my complexion. That was my father’s dream; that I would grow up to be a star athlete for the Crimson Tide. Dad was especially proud of book reports I did on Bear Bryant, Joe Namath, and similarly, Knute Rockne. I was excited to sign up for midget league football but as it turned out I was not as naturally, athletically gifted as we had hoped. It wasn’t all bad. I did have a few glorious moments as nose guard. Nonetheless, it was not the game for me. When it ceased to be fun, Dad assured me I didn’t have to play anymore. Still not wanting to be a “quitter” of any stripe I stuck it out for another miserable season before dropping the ball (pun intended).

In 6th grade, it suddenly was fashionable to fan other teams and to dis on Alabama. Dad explained to me that these kids were fickle and that anyone could pull for the current favorite. A true fan stood by his team through it all. No longer a Heisman candidate, I transitioned my ambition to being one of these true fans. I wore a sweatshirt, one we had bought for Dad, which listed state and national championships among other impressive stats. My knowledge of sports was very limited outside the contents of that sweater. Still, I debated those points with my wishy-washy classmates. After awhile, seeing it was futile, I bored of the discussion. I lost interest in watching the games too as I hardly understood them.

After Stallings’ resignation the university’s football program would appear dead in the water for the next decade. The critics were giddy to report the empire’s postmortem status. This was a rough patch, to say the least, a fact best evidenced by the record number of head coaches over the next several years. If ever there was a true fan, my Dad was it. He remained hopeful season after season that soon enough the empire would be reborn. He explained that this process was a rebuilding. Year after year, he’d assert that this would be their year. Every year when that didn’t happen, the sadder the story seemed. I wanted to believe him but it was so hard to. Once upon a time, I had loved them because he loved them. I had rooted for them because he did. I had taken his word for it but now I had questions. While his enthusiasm had inspired me along the way I hardly saw the point anymore.

Last year as the Titans blazed through ten straight wins, my interested piqued. I had come to call Nashville home and the spirit of the city was one of excitement. My co-workers wore jerseys on Fridays. We were even permitted a casual Tuesday if we wore blue. Any blue would do. Whether they won or lost mattered to me and this was troubling. Why did it matter? Why did anyone care at all? The idea that a team winning a game could unite a city seemed most ludicrous. And yet, it seemed to be exactly what was happening. I talked to my Dad about the Titans winning streak. He reminded me that he only cared about one thing: Alabama Football. And Mom, God bless her, gave me an earful about how Tennessee wasn’t really my home.

Amid the excitement, I hadn’t noticed that Alabama was having a winning streak of their own. That elusive perfect season had arrived. Unfortunately, it ended as Florida took away the SEC championship. This afternoon the two rivals meet again. I want the Tide to win for a very simple reason. I’ve seen glimpses of a once-great empire, an empire that my Dad and I share belief in, and I want that empire to reign supreme. Ridiculous, yes but isn’t that why we pull for our team? The rule of “kingdoms passing away” applies to football but we pull for teams not because they are necessarily the best but because they represent something of our ideology. I stopped caring about football when I stopped understanding it and when it seemed pointless. There are parallels between my early inherited fandom and an inherited faith. At some point, both have to become personal or else they die. There is an empire not of this world, unseen of this world, which one ought to have faith in. Faith being the substance of things unseen can be a lot like loving a perennially losing team.

5 Practical Ways for Keeping the Faith:

Learn everything you can so that you can adequately answer why you believe. This is important when others ask but also for when you question it yourself.

Understand that the institution is merely an instrument of the empire. That is, don’t expect perfection from the church. It is made of broken players just like yourself.

Remember, everyone can’t be QB. Teams need people in bleachers too.

Consider the unwaning enthusiasm of the die-hard fan. Be as excited about your church team in season and out. Your enthusiasm will serve to inspire others.

Remember where your home is. Winning seasons, like spiritual high points, come and go but even the best of times are merely a glimpse of future glories. Remember your home and do everything to see the dream realized.

I’ll leave you with the words of the immortal Mac Powell of Third Day who last night said, “Hope I get to meet Tim Tebow tomorrow and tell him “Roll Tide, God bless you.’”

This level of denial renders daily care, doctor-patient conversations, and treatment decisions much more difficult than they already are. Desperate patients cling to life-sustaining treatment even as it destroys their quality of life. Some doctors will continue to offer treatment as long as the patient is willing to endure it. The patient and their families exist in an emotionally painful and physically exhausting state between denial and acceptance with the long-shot hope of a cure always just out of reach like a mechanical rabbit on a dog track. And they run after it on and on into futility.

Extraordinary Measures is the story of John and Aileen Crowley, determined parents of two children who have a rare glycogen storage disorder called Pompe Disease. The Crowleys, faced with the dismal life expectancies of their children, partner with a research scientist to form a biotech corporation and develop a treatment. The film follows the family’s journey through many discouraging turns until a drug enzyme is developed and brought to market.

These questions: what lengths will parents go to for their children and at what costs? are considered in at least two other contemporary films. In the similarly titled 1998 action movie Desperate Measures, Frank Connor obtains the only matching bone marrow transplant for his son but in doing so destroys his career, endangers innocent civilians and police, risks a more violent death for his son, and nearly allows a convicted killer to escape. The child lives but at what cost?

In last year’s My Sister’s Keeper, the Fitzgeralds have a second daughter by in vitro for the express purpose of having a genetic match for their daughter who has a rare form of leukemia. The younger daughter later sues them for right to her own body but only does this for her sister who wishes to die peacefully. Her parents only understand and accept this wish after many traumatic months in court. All of this struggle and the child still dies. I get Ecclesiastical just thinking about it. Then I remember something else the writer of that book said, “There is a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, a time to die…a time to fight and a time to surrender (Ecc. 3:1-2,8).”

Extraordinary Measures ends on more of an up-note than these. The enzyme is available in time that the children can begin treatment. Their lives are saved. Thousands of other children are spared too as a result of the breakthrough. This would not have happened had the Crowleys not been so persistent. Indeed, there is a time to fight. I worry though that many people only know this single mode of operation. What happens when they need to let go but do not? Their suffering increases.

As a caregiver, I have watched the dying cling to their lives with weak hands. I have winced while they struggle and in those moments I want only that they can accept so that their pain would diminish. After seeing these events play out for months, all involved parties grow weary. In our weariness, we cry out for mercy. In our exhaustion, those cries may sound cold and unlike us but they are in fact measured. We have counted the cost. At that point, we can no longer fight. We are ready for surrender.

To watch the entire 6 seasons in as few days as possible.

I checked Hulu. To my surprise, every episode was available online. I calculated. 121 episodes at roughly 45 minutes each would take 3.78 days to complete. Factoring in the need for nutrition, naps, and other responsibilities it seemed 7 days was a reasonable goal.

Donna, never having seen it either, agreed that it would be a fun way to spend time together before my departure for San Diego in two weeks.

Two people. One series. Six seasons. Seven days.

This is day one. We are on episode 5. I will be updating via twitter.

P.S. My knowledge of Lost is extremely limited as I have never had reason to read up on it.

What?! Exactly.

There are those of you reading this who like Beck. I hope you will bear with me as I explain why this move is a horrible one on the part of Liberty. Then there are others of you who fail to see the big deal. After all, Liberty has aligned themselves with conservative politics figure heads for the length of their existence. However, this is especially bogus and I will tell you why.

First, let me offer a little background. Three years ago, I was in the market for a distance learning program with an M.A. in Religion. At that time, I was unable to move to a seminary (which would have been ideal) but pursued the M.A. with the goal of career advancement. After doing the appropriate research, I settled on Liberty. I was impressed with the academic rigor necessary to succeed. That the University was more politically conservative than me was inconsequential.

When I learned that Ben Stein was scheduled to speak at my commencement last year, I was amused. I looked forward to the event in hopes that should I nod off during his talk (as I did during his Expelled) that I might be stirred by the sound of him calling my name a la “Bueller, Bueller.” In the end, I didn’t make it out to Virginia. Stein’s Judaism was of no concern to me then, and neither is Beck’s Mormonism now.

No, the trouble I have is that the selection of Beck as commencement speaker looks, feels and smells like a big, stinky political statement. This announcement comes just after Beck’s ill-spoken rant on the topic of social justice last month in which he suggested that people “flee” their churches if the terminology was employed. SBTS President Al Mohler stated that Beck’s comments were “nonsense.” Evangelical consensus was that yes, a person should leave a church if that church promotes anything as of greater value than Jesus Christ. Despite Beck’s backpedaling, I am not convinced that this was his point.

Shortly after, Falwell came to Beck’s defense stating in like manner, [those pastors who preach economic and social justice] “are trying to twist the gospel to say the gospel supported socialism.” Certainly, there are churches who use these terms as code words for socialism (as both men suggested) but the problem with Beck’s and Falwell’s remarks is that they take what is true for the few and apply it to the many. A lot of noise is made and people become unduly suspicious of some legitimate Christian ministries.

We would expect little more from Beck, the self-professed “rodeo-clown” but for Falwell to join in like fashion was disheartening. We could reasonably extend to Falwell the benefit of the doubt, not wanting to argue over semantics. While it is haphazard to suggest that all churches talking about social justice bear an ulterior agenda, I could suppose that perhaps he had particular churches in mind, assuming also that Beck had such churches in mind. That seems to me a stretch not entirely inconceivable.

This announcement by Falwell, that Beck will deliver the May 15th commencement address, renders that argument even more implausible. The decision and its implications were undoubtedly considered prior to the announcement. Falwell stated, “Beck is one of the few courageous voices in the national media standing up for the principles upon which this nation was founded.”

The political statement is this: not only does Liberty University endorse Glenn Beck, Glenn Beck is deemed by Liberty to be an ideal representative of its identity and values. This is dangerous because his public persona inspires fear, prejudice, and unholy division within the church.

These are not what Jesus values.

I would hope that Liberty would choose, as representative for itself, someone who not only aligns ideologically with them but is also known for caution, clarity, and humility.

What are the limits of satire?

I don’t think there are clear cut black and white limits. I try to only write what is honest of my own life. So if it’s a situation I have not really experienced myself, that’s a limit. I’d also say that one of the limits is love. I care about love more than satire so if I think something is going to hurt someone, I don’t write it.

Have you used humor as an an evangelism tool? What might be the pitfalls of doing that?

I would say that the stuffchristianslike.net completely uses humor as an evangelism tool. Laughter is a universal language. When you go on a mission trip, even though you can’t speak the same language, you can laugh together. The pitfall is taking to too far. The pitfall is that you end up using mockery instead of satire. And God is not a fan of mockery.

Are Christians afraid to laugh? If so, why?

I don’t now that they are afraid to laugh. I’ve had over 1 million folks laugh with me on the site, so I feel like they are not afraid to laugh. I feel like we just don’t have a huge history of creating funny things. I am certainly not a pioneer in Christian humor. Folks like Matthew Paul Turner and Lark News have been doing this a lot longer than me but for the most part we don’t have a rich history of comedy in our faith.

What is it about your blog that appeals to non-Christians?

I think that it’s honest. I admit the things I’ve done incorrectly as a Christian. I write about our shortcomings.

How do you maintain a peaceable, welcoming environment?

I only point one finger and that’s at me. I attack issues, not individuals and that helps people trust I am not being mean or toxic in my humor.

Share with me, if you will, an example of healthy dialogue which has taken place on StuffChristiansLike.net

I wrote about the three most common types of pastor’s wives. A pastor’s wife commented that she didn’t fit any of them and was actually a horrible wife who was hurting her husband’s ministry. Without any input from me, a handful of other pastor’s wives stepped up and commented back to her, encouraging her and strengthening her.

If you could do away with one comment, one regularly repeated sentiment, what would it be?

That to do serious good you have to be serious. That’s the mentality that gets me most. That you have to be somber and serious to really change the world. Not true. We raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam with just the site Stuff Christians Like. We did that through humor.

Which is the greater battle? Christians against “the world” or Christians against each other?

I think I would say against the world. We’re surrounded by a world that subtly and deliberately wears away at the things we hold vital.

What have been the most interesting moments thus far in promoting the new book?

The other day I was asked to do a radio interview in the UK. I got on the phone and the producer said, “Jon, you’ll be on with the host and the Bishop of Buckingham.” That was just so perfectly random. I thought to myself, “Of course I am spending my lunch break at work talking with the Bishop of Buckingham about Twitter, that is exactly how I planned this day.” I’m just some random guy in his kitchen with a blog, all of this stuff has been fun and funny.

How did you concoct your particular brew of sincere sarcasm?

I really believe that mockery is a great short cut to easy laughs, but it removes your ability to speak in love later. As a Christian, the love matters more to me. I can’t reconcile being a jerk online and then being a compassionate Christian offline. I have failed at this. Please know that I have messed them up a lot, but I’ve had some really generous readers and friends who have helped me shape this voice. I don’t consider myself the “owner” of Stuff Christians Like because so many people have helped shape the place it’s arrived at.

My mother-in-law tunes into Joel Osteen each week for the joke and then promptly turns the channel. Do you have any advice for Joel on how he might keep her attention for longer?

That might be the most random question I have ever received. I would have to say this, if that spinning globe of metal behind Osteen is not holding her attention, I’m not sure anything, including white Siberian tigers that appear carved from fluffy clouds, could hold her attention.

What is the stuff that you like?

I like laughing. I like hearing my kids filter the world through their little heads. I like Seth Godin. I love my wife. I like being done with jogging but not jogging. I like techno music. I like salt & vinegar chips. I liked writing the book Stuff Christians Like. I like Joel McHale.

For more of Jon, follow him on Twitter @prodigaljohn
You can purchase Stuff Christians Like at Amazon.com.

Since “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18) a measure of our distance from God is how fearful we are. The church is in bed with fear and would spend most nights alone if not for her company. We would never sell our souls to the Devil, but then he would never be so forward. He invests in us as we nurse our worries and gradually he becomes our primary stockholder. His controlling stake allows that he move us in directions we would not otherwise go.

Fear is an issue at the personal and family levels within the church, however these are symptomatic of wide-scale problems at the institutional level. Our methodologies are often rooted in the septic soil of fear. We are known for our scare tactics to get people “in the door” and our use of shame to discourage discussion and dissent. Fear drives us not to love our enemies, but to neglect them. When afraid we fail to engage the world. Instead, we camp out in front of our TVs soaking up the bad news: unruly weather, criminal activity, political corruption, and impending doom. We listen to “My Redeemer Lives” on repeat but find the idea fantastical. And why not? All signs point to no. When fear is our only language, we can’t read any other signs.

“There are so many wonderful things in life to be afraid of, if you just learn how scary they are!” The Tale of Despereaux

I’ve not been above the frenzy. I’ve managed a slew of my own faith-based fears over the years. There was that distasteful notion that I might have to go to strange continents and love people and share the gospel. You could get killed doing that. A rigid interpretation of biblical prophecy cast world leaders as antichrists, false prophets, and Babylonian whores. That was enough to induce agoraphobia though thankfully it did not. For years, I wrestled with uncertainty about my salvation. This was not on any scriptural grounds, only as response to that eternal nag “What if you’re wrong?” Though these are not wholly illegitimate fears, they are illegitimate in that they do not account for God’s provision. They have robbed me of joy and effectiveness and because of them I have been anxious about the future. Why do I give fear so much power? Is it Lord of me?

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7)

In comic books, the distressed damsel stresses very little. When she’s been captured by the villain and her life is threatened, she remains calm and attests that her hero will arrive to rescue her. Without fail he shows up, detains the bad guys, unties her, cracks a lame joke, and disarms the explosives before it’s too late. Where is our faith that we do not react to adversity with a peace as assured? Faith is an informed optimism, not an ignorant one. Christians are not permitted to close their eyes tightly and hope it all goes away. If we do not keep up with world events it will seem that we are hopeful only because we do not know any better. When everything around us dies and we are next in line, our steady faith offers understated testimony of a God whose “perfect love drives out fear.”

The world is fearful without our help. Is the sky falling? Yes, but do we really need one more person to point out the obvious? The part of Chicken Little has been occupied. 6 billion frightened voices announce their anxieties. We need voices of reason. Cable news programs of left and right angles proliferate fear by affirming those anxieties. Why shouldn’t they? Fear sells as well as sex does. They even make fear sound sexy. They sell it as “justifiable concerns” under the guise of “taking action” and “being prepared.”

The gospel of Christ, however, is not a sales pitch. It is not an industry which relies on profit to continue its endeavors. It is no less than a free offer to be rid of worry.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”(1 Peter 5:6-7)

A college friend once explained that he and I both looked at the world through the lens of culture and arts and pointed out that the higher goal was of peering strictly through the lens of Christ. He and I enjoyed many of the same things: books, movies, records. What I understood as a healthy avenue of spiritual maturity, he believed a condition of our fallen nature-that were we more mature we would not place value in these temporary, fleeting things. I ardently defended the idea that these pop culture trash heaps of vanity were of heavenly worth inasmuch as God intended to use them for our benefit.

I realize now that this was a dangerously ill-defined concept, one which easily could be manipulated to suit or justify whatever whim, habit, or fancy I entertained. I could consume mass quantities of media in the name of being culturally-conscious. I needed to watch the Sopranos. I needed to listen to the Jay-Z/Linkin Park mash-up. I needed to play the Wii. I needed to Facebook. Depending on the week, this call to engage the culture-at-large can be a right holy bonus of good Christian living. More often though, it is a burden. It’s too much to keep up with and already I fail enough.

The other position is equally unhelpful. In a recent video, Paul Washer compelled his listeners to get off of Facebook and to stop sending “stupid little messages to each other like 13 year-old girls.” There is a gospel call to heed and no time to waste. To make his point, he told the story of two young men in recent times who sold themselves into slavery. They did this so that they could spend their lives sharing about the gospel with the slaves. What a beautifully chilling testament of the love of God, that these men were so convinced of it that they gave up their lives to benefit others. So, what’s wrong with that? Washer makes it seem as if theirs is the only appropriate response. He might have you believe that any person with a semblance of normality too tightly clings to the things of this world. That is not necessarily so.

There is a version of Christianity that is like capitalism with a cross. These people thank God that they are so fortunate, dismiss charity as a scam or welfare, and swear by the power of personal determination. They secretly believe that somehow they merited life on the right side of the tracks, in the right part of the world, and with all their rights intact. This is the American Delusion. They feel no urgency to do good for people.

As mentioned before, my problem is in not knowing how to enjoy things. If every good and perfect gift is from God, I believe it is our responsibility to appropriately appreciate good and perfect gifts. But that begs the question: What constitutes good and perfect? “The greatest of these is love.” The rich, young ruler comes to Jesus discouraged and asks how to have peace (or eternal life). Jesus tells him, “sell everything and give it all to the poor.” I have known Christians to run from this passage for fear that something might be expected of them. I’m not suggesting that every Christian should cash out their 401k and their investment portfolio, give it to the poor, and relocate to the street but if you have love the thought shouldn’t be offensive or unimaginable.

I tend toward extremes. Campaigning for Ride:Well Tour has presently gotten my brain and heart in knots. I am conflicted. At Wal-Mart, I’ll eye a $15 Wii game but then I hear this voice reminding me that with the same money I could provide 15 Africans with water for one year. I walk away frustrated. I haven’t been as motivated to rent a movie from Redbox either. My entire concept of a good deal is under direct assault. I’m not convinced that extremes are so terrible. Jesus’ life and ministry were the most extreme.

I only wish I knew how to enjoy things again.

We’ve got 5 copies of Matthew Paul Turner’s new book Hear No Evil to give away.

To enter to win all you have to do is one of the following:

Follow @ChristandPC on Twitter

Retweet the following: “RT @Christandpc Win 1 of 5 copies of #HearNoEvil by @JesusNeedsNewPR RT,Follow @Christandpc or comment: http://ow.ly/18dbg (ends Tues @ 5pm)”

Comment on Pt. 1 or Pt. 2 of the MPT Interview.

Comment on this post answering this question: If asked to communicate your faith via mix tape which songs would you use?

Contest ends Tuesday Feb. 23rd at 5pm eastern. Winners are selected at random. DO IT!

P.S.If you don’t win, you can always summon $10 from your wallet and buy it.

My copy was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

You can download the first chapter here then go here to purchase it.

Read Part 1 of this interview.

I talked with Matthew recently about the book, as well as, his thoughts on honesty, humor, and a whole host of other hot and/or holy topics.

I petitioned my followers for questions to ask you. One person wrote that I should, “ask why he’s a jerk to everyone on Twitter.” I realize that may be touchy but I will vouch for you and say that in our dealings you have been kind. Do you care to address that criticism?

MPT: You know, one person’s “He’s a jerk” is another person’s “He’s funny” or “He’s being truthful.” My tweets are only a small fragment of who I am. They don’t define me as a person. But if that’s somebody’s only interaction with me, then I can understand why they might think that.

Some of the controversy surrounding you is in regards to what you find funny or in what you deem open for ridicule. When is a joke not worth the trouble it causes?

MPT: When it takes too long to write or when you get somewhere in the middle and are bored with its intent. Believe it or not, I actually filter a lot of what I blog about or Tweet. :) It may not seem like it to some people, but I do. I just think that some people take me too seriously. When I’m picking on Lady Gaga’s clothing or Taylor Swift’s voice, I’m just having a little fun. Now, sometimes, my responses to John Piper’s tweets are more serious. But in the end, Lady Gaga’s fashion statement won’t keep a person from engaging the story of God. But there’s a chance that John Piper’s tweet* might limit somebody’s willingness to engage God’s story. When somebody uses his or her theology to define God rather than “study God” or “shed light on a spiritual topic,” it potentially limits somebody’s engagement with the story of the Gospel.

*Turner is referring to a comment Piper made in November about the nature of pornography addiction.

Is there a quote from a Calvinist writer which has proven beneficial to you?

MPT: Of course! The work of Oswald Chambers has had a huge impact on me. And I love some of the old Puritan prayers. Their words were full of passion and surrender. Listen, I think Calvinism is a fantastic and helpful way to study God, I just don’t believe it’s a good way to define him. And I believe that’s true of any theology.

What is the role of humor in a world besieged by tragedy?

MPT: I think humor used well sheds light on our need for hope. It’s an effective manner to give us a glimpse of ourselves. Humor changes people just as much as a good tear-jerker–perhaps more so.

Humor is usually considered synonymous with irreverence. Do you ever worry that you don’t take God seriously enough?

MPT: Sure. But most of the time those worries don’t have anything to do with my humor. It usually happens in regards to my ignoring poor people or when I’m too busy or when my mind is too busy that I struggle to worship. I think all of us should consider this question from time to time.

In Uganda, who made you laugh?

MPT: There was a reason to laugh and smile in almost every village and community we visited. Sometimes it was the funny antics of kids (like the child who kept doing spiderman poses for my camera) or the stories and perspectives on life of the World Vision drivers (their social commentary was hilarious!) or sometimes the group ended up laughing at our own Americanisms… The Ugandan people have a great sense of humor, even those who live amid great poverty find reasons to laugh and smile.

How well did your humor translate?

MPT: I don’t know, really. If I was being funny, it was usually around my group. I had a bad experience in Romania once when my “sense of humor” didn’t translate. Actually, it did translate and it was not good. So out of respect for the culture and people of Uganda, I kept my “funny” to myself.

The writing of memoirs can be sticky business. What considerations did you make: legal, ethical, or otherwise?

MPT: I take all those things very seriously. My goal in writing is to tell my experience, and be as truthful as possible. However, there’s certainly a creative thread to what I write, mostly in the consolidation of a time frame or the description of people.

Has anyone approached you with the notion that they were the basis for characters in your books? How has your family taken to your portrayal of them?

MPT: Nope. Not yet.

How did it affect you when your friend, James, retreated from Christianity?

MPT: I cried. It was one of those times when I realized that I wasn’t in control. Those lessons suck. But in the end, the journey James was brave enough to venture taught me a great deal about my faith.

There is a story you tell in Hear No Evil about a music business course in which the professor raves about Bob Dylan. After hearing “Like a Rolling Stone” you expressed your confusion of how he ever became famous at all. Have you ever learned to appreciate Dylan?

MPT: To some degree, yes. I think he’s an amazing poet and thinker. But I still don’t appreciate his voice or delivery the same way one of his mega-fans would. When you’re sheltered from most popular culture up until you’re 19, it’s difficult to go back and catch up. You pick and choose the art you want to consume. And unfortunately, I’ve only spent a little time with the music of Dylan.

You once believed the Holy Spirit called you to be the Christian King of Pop. Becoming Michael’s evangelical heir-apparent did not pan out, however. I wonder, at what point did you aspire to be the Nick Hornby of Christian writers?

MPT: Funny. :)

Were you miserable because you listened to Christian music?

MPT: Not at all. I owe a lot to some of the artists who make Christian music. In many instances, I found a lot of spiritual hope in their songs.

What are your all-time desert-island top 5 albums?

MPT: Wow. Such a hard question. But I’ll give it a shot.

Jonatha Brooke’s “Ten Cent Wings”
Amy Grant’s “Lead Me On”
R.E.M.’s “Automatic for the People”
David Gray’s “White Ladder”
Brooke Fraser’s “Albertine”

If “every life has a soundtrack” which 5 songs would your credo consist of? That is, if asked to communicate your faith via mix tape what songs would you use?

MPT:

“Faithless Heart” by Amy Grant
“One of Us” by Joan Osborne
“He is Not Silent” by Out of the Grey
“Yellow” by Coldplay
and the hymn, “In the Garden.”

One final question:

What is your present relationship with the Holy Spirit like?

MPT: He is my counselor.

Get more of Matthew at his blog or follow him on Twitter @JesusNeedsNewPR

My copy was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I enjoyed Hear No Evil but I expected I would. I will say I think my mom would like it and I’d even recommend it to my non-believing music snob friends. Will it change your life? Only The Secret can do that but this will make you laugh and think.

You can download the first chapter here then go here to purchase it.

I talked with Matthew recently about the book, as well as, his thoughts on honesty, humor, and a whole host of other hot and/or holy topics.

I understand that you’ve recently returned from Uganda. Would you say that your experience, meeting and talking with several Ugandans, enables you to better act as advocate for them?

MPT: Yes, of course. Anytime you experience firsthand a person’s story, you are much better equipped to speak on their behalf, and to encourage others to speak up, too.

What music did you hear while you were in Uganda?

MPT: Most of the music I heard was a mix of singing with various instruments of percussion. The music they sang and danced to was birthed out of their culture and rooted in their history. It was lively, expressive, sexy, and at the same time, very worshipful.

What role does music serve in the lives of people there?

MPT: From what I could tell, making music seemed to be their entertainment, a way to celebrate community, and of course, a way for them to worship God and proclaim his truth.

In Hear No Evil you tell the continuing story of your departure from fundamentalism, a theme first explored in Churched. Growing up, you learned to keep your preference for Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant hush-hush as CCM possession likely warranted excommunication.

When did you decide “enough is enough” and that for better or worse you had to be honest about yourself including your personal views and musical preferences?

MPT: Freedom has come in stages–through conversations, prayer, meditation, experiences. For most kids who grew up in Christian fundamentalism and took the processes seriously, the journey to freedom is slow and hard. Most times when I ran into a new idea or experience, a war broke out in my head. I tend to be an over thinker, and so anything new made my head spin with questions and fears, but also curiosity. Sometimes one lesson came in stages. Healing from spiritual abuse is a process, one that you begin over again many times.

How do you distinguish between that kind of honesty and having no shame?

MPT: Good question. I think balancing honesty and shame and grace is a journey. Most Christians are well-equipped for feeling a certain amount of shame–the honesty and grace is the hard part.

I often say, “Truth is absolute. Our understanding is tenuous.” You’ve expressed uncertainty about such doctrines as hell and inerrancy of scripture. What are you certain of?

MPT: I suppose I’m certain of the same things that each of us are certain of, the human and tangible stuff that all of us experience each and every day. Now, I believe that Jesus–his life, death, and resurrection–is the hope for the world. That’s what I center my faith around, that God through Jesus will make all things new. And that, as his follower, I’m supposed to be a part of that “new.” But I don’t think faith is about certainties. No matter how loud we proclaim what we believe “truth” to be, none of us fully know “truth.” Sure, I believe there are absolute truths. But as much as America’s Christian culture would love to put God and Jesus and faith into human equations or make them into science projects, you can’t. And to me, that’s not faith. A big part of faith in Jesus is about becoming okay with life’s uncertainties, spiritual or otherwise. It’s not about being right.

In what sense is being wrong a concern?
I’m not concerned, mostly because my faith isn’t built on “being right.”

What do you admire about fundamentalists? What advice do you have for them?

MPT: You know, this a difficult question, mostly because of the word “fundamentalist.” It’s one thing for me to describe the people who attended my childhood church as fundamentalists–we liked being called that and, too, I was one of them–but I’ve learned (and am still learning) that my labeling of people is often unfair. And I’m guilty of labeling people, and defining somebody based on MY definition of that label. My goal is to see an individual as a human being, first and foremost. I desire to admire people because of their stories, and furthermore, because God loves them. Is that difficult to do sometimes? Sure, because sometimes I’m convinced, based on the experiences of my past, that I already know and understand the person I deem a “fundamentalist.” That’s more often my issue and not theirs. More than any other group of people, the “Christian fundamentalist” has hurt me and hurt the people I love.

If I was to offer any advice, it would simply be this: Rules and conservative values are fine as long as they don’t cripple one’s ability to love God and love people. For me, that lifestyle did limit my ability to love God and people. But that’s my story… not everybody’s.

Understanding that it is a process, have you been able to forgive them?

MPT: I’m on a good path toward forgiving people, yes. Oddly, human forgiveness sometimes ebbs and flows. But for the most part, I really do believe I’ve made amends with the people in my past. But I do still deal with the effects.

Has your family experienced the same healing?

MPT: Yes, but each of us in a different way. One of my older sisters is still very much involved in a fundamentalist church. And she loves it. She and I get along great because we don’t talk about how we differ, we focus on what we share and what we have in common.

Read part 2 of this interview, in which Matthew discusses humor, the nature of writing memoir, and why he’s such a jerk on Twitter.

Get more of Matthew at his blog or follow him on Twitter @JesusNeedsNewPR

The raucous rock ‘n’ roller spoke out against U2′s philanthropist front man. Johnson said, “When I was a working man I didn’t want to go to a concert for [someone] to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa.” We’re all familiar with the argument. Seeing a friend throw a plate of food away I once channeled finger-wagging moms everywhere and chided him, “think of the poor, starving orphans.” His response? I’ll never forget. He said, “Name one.”

I couldn’t. I didn’t know any of them personally. The problem was an obscure one. The victims were faceless at best. When a crisis is either so large or so distant, to resolve it seems as likely as attaining world peace. Rarely is world peace talked about seriously by anyone who isn’t vying for a shiny, new tiara. It’s a joke in that respect but only a sick one and not even the cynics laugh.

When I first saw to what degree the world was devastated, it wrecked me. Feeling as if there was nothing I could do, I retreated to apathy. So, when Mr. Johnson expresses the sentiment of just wanting to go to a show and not be bothered I can relate. Mr. Johnson explains that he contributes but doesn’t publicize. He claims, “I do it myself. I don’t tell everybody they should give money — they can’t afford it.” Anyone who attends a U2 concert or is otherwise inundated with the band’s message to the point of annoyance is probably not so broke that they cannot afford to give.

Mr. Johnson adds, “I’m sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry. I become all tyrannical.” First, Bono does give out of his own money. Second, he “gets it done” better than anyone I know. Third, and most importantly, it’s true he is being somewhat tyrannical. A tyranny is defined as “oppressive power”. He would use the limited power he has as an aging member of a once-commercially successful band to fulfill his desire that singers stick to singing and not attempt to compel their audience to take any sort of action.

Therein lies the problem. Perhaps Mr. Johnson has forgotten that songs too are messages. The overarching vision of AC/DC is one of defiance, sexual escapades and unbridled aggression which exalts rock ‘n’ roll as the greatest good. I enjoy rock music; I defend it, but these guys give rock ‘n’ roll a bad name. Undoubtedly, legions of young men have in decades past embraced these unhealthy Type A attributes and grown into imbecilic, emotionally constipated cavemen. They suffer for it as do their wives and children. What a legacy.

Not everyone is keen on Bono. Some believe that he exploits the world’s poorest to feed his massive ego. How would they know that? Some take issue with the singer’s financial portfolio. Others are critical of his methods. John Selasie (African Aid Action) has suggested that Bono’s work has served only to “increase corruption and dependency.” I’m no expert on that but I can trace a lineage of good which has unfolded out of Bono’s efforts.

Obviously, he wasn’t the first to act but it may be true that he has the biggest microphone. He watched Amnesty’s Secret Policeman’s Ball in the early ’80s of which he has said, “It became a part of me. It sowed a seed.” Soon after, he visited Africa and was apparently so stricken by the experience that he emerged from it an advocate for victims of extreme poverty. Under his influence, activism and advocacy for Jesus’ least of these has become hip. Hip is a relative term but it’s preferable that advocacy be its accepted meaning.

The problems besieging Africa and other third-world countries were once obscure. Bono has helped to bring their crises into focus and make them more personal. Even still, some, such as Mr. Johnson, would suggest that he should just shut up and sing.

But I ask, how can an advocate be silent?