This Week: We almost didn’t want to talk about Michael Jackson’s death this week. So many people have repeated one another’s thoughts over and over, and the news has over-reported the story to the point that I’m pretty sure most of you groaned at the subject for the week. In fact, I’m impressed you’re even reading this. We tried hard, though, to discuss the subject with a little bit of objectivity. We took a step back from the situation, saw what others were saying, and we spent most of our time discussing the way Christians should respond to a situation like this. We think you’ll find the conversation both maddening and refreshing. Would you want it any other way?
In addition to that, we discuss the recent trend of politicians cheating on their wives.
Every week, Richard Clark and Ben Bartlett sit back and discuss the posts of the previous week on Christ and Pop Culture, acknowledge and respond to the big issues in popular culture, and give a sneak peak at the week ahead. We love feedback! If you’d like to respond you can comment on the website, send an email to christandpopculture@gmail.com, or go to our contact page. We would love to respond to feedback on the show, so do it now! Subscribe to us in iTunes by clickinghere. While you’re at it, review us in iTunes! We’ll love you forever!
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Pop Culture is everywhere. We just acknowledge it. Christ and Pop Culture is an attempt to discuss and think rightly about the common knowledge of our age. 
MICHAEL THE NARC-ANGEL
Millions of little members of the worldwide F.F.A. (Future Followers of the Antichrist) have finally learned how to find a certain part of their lower anatomy and quickly touch it while dancing – thanks to Michael Jackson, the highest paid Lower Anatomy Toucher of all time! Special thanks also go to the Jesus-bashing, Hell-bound Hollywood moguls who were just as quick to see higher profits in lower anatomies! [Just saw this opinion on the web. Other grabby items on MSN, Google, etc. include "Separation of Raunch and State," "David Letterman's Hate, Etc.," "Tribulation Index becomes Rapture Index," and "Bible Verses Obama Avoids." - something for everyone!]
Wow!
Scotts last blog post..Summer Time
“…But couldn’t Christians say it better?”
Apparently not. Presuming Marty’s a Christian.
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The question of reaction to celebrity death is an interesting one. My own reaction, like I presume everyone else’s, depends largely upon a particular celebrity’s influence upon me (as well as a number of secondary issues, such as timeliness and potential). Michael Jackson’s death didn’t bring about any reaction in me other than, “Oh.”
I was never a fan of his music and so he never really had much effect on my life. It would be like hearing that the Vice Admiral of Turkmenistan had just died. I can reflect upon the trials and difficulties his life and circumstance presented, but I can’t really feel a whole lot more than when any stranger dies. There is of course, the possibility that even the death of a stranger can trigger thoughts about mortality generally and the brevity of the human condition. While I’m no fan of the comic, Achewood’s tribute to Michael Jackson hits a part of it.
I was, however, more moved by today’s news that Robert McNamara had passed away at 93. I know little of the guy, but his interview in Fog of War was moving when I saw it in a theater a few years back and helped me along the path of a theory of the humility of knowledge that I’ve been working out for the past few years. He was old and it wasn’t as if his death weren’t fair. As well, a lot of people died due to decisions he was at least culpable in (if not altogether responsible for). His isn’t the kind of death that a stranger would actively mourn, but it does cause me to reflect on a number of things.
I do get a little morose when luminaries die. People who were great contributors to the world culture (whether in music or in writing or in theory or in example). It’s sad when the world loses its better specimens just like its not so sad when the world loses its fiends.
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And yeah, I don’t think that I care about the moral values of my politicians. When we call them world leaders, we misname them. They are managers. And so long as they manage well, so long as they excel at the job they do, their sins are not related to their job. I don’t think a garbage man or an airline pilot or a telecommunications consultant or a manager of a five-star restaurant should be fired because he smokes weed or engages in marital infidelity. If his job performance meets or exceeds expectations, then obviously it’s not a job-problem. If his performance is effected, he should be fired for not being able to do the job he’s being paid to do.
The Danes last blog post..20090417.teaParty