Comments for Pop Theology http://www.poptheology.com Where religion meets pop culture. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:59:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Is God a Gamer? by Creative Gaming : Pop Theology http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/halos-and-avatars/comment-page-1/#comment-10593 Creative Gaming : Pop Theology Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:59:13 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1246#comment-10593 [...] in the recent publication, Halos and Avatars:  Playing Video Games With God, editor Craig Detweiler and his contributors forego the well-worn arguments of whether or not video [...] [...] in the recent publication, Halos and Avatars:  Playing Video Games With God, editor Craig Detweiler and his contributors forego the well-worn arguments of whether or not video [...]

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Steve http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10559 Steve Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:33:56 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10559 We walk a fine line when we criticize other Christians for how the Lord speaks to them. Let us be careful not to emulate the world in this. Other believers are rightly anxious about living in a culture that in many ways wars against holiness, however it is expressed. Lets us acknowledge their anxiety, for if we are honest, we all feel it to some extent. But you are quite right to identify the greater evil, materialism, and its motor, the capitalist system, which is far more pervasive and corrosive of Christianity that all other social evils combined. It is materialism that eats at the heart of the church of Christ. It is this evil that Christ preached against more than any other. How we are going to stand with the poor of Africa and Asia in eternity I don't know. We have a lot to be ashamed of. As for Avatar, I have never been so entranced by a movie since my childhood wonder at The Wizard of Oz - which incidentally is director James Cameron's favourite movie. Like Oz, Pandora is a world of wonders, sparkling with creative beauty; a cinematic jewel, as aesthetically appealing as a painting by VanGogh. Should we not praise the God of Wonders for bestowing such creative fire is these His creatures, and appreciate the beauty they bring to this world? Or should we, like that Muslim fanatic in Amsterdam, murder their relatives, stabbing them forty times and leaving curses pinned to their dying bodies? Is this level of hatred the kind of God that we want to present to the world? Lord forgive us our excesses. If Christ is no longer the God of compassion and understanding, then we as Christian have lost our way and have nothing further to say to this world. We walk a fine line when we criticize other Christians for how the Lord speaks to them. Let us be careful not to emulate the world in this. Other believers are rightly anxious about living in a culture that in many ways wars against holiness, however it is expressed. Lets us acknowledge their anxiety, for if we are honest, we all feel it to some extent.

But you are quite right to identify the greater evil, materialism, and its motor, the capitalist system, which is far more pervasive and corrosive of Christianity that all other social evils combined. It is materialism that eats at the heart of the church of Christ. It is this evil that Christ preached against more than any other. How we are going to stand with the poor of Africa and Asia in eternity I don’t know. We have a lot to be ashamed of.

As for Avatar, I have never been so entranced by a movie since my childhood wonder at The Wizard of Oz – which incidentally is director James Cameron’s favourite movie. Like Oz, Pandora is a world of wonders, sparkling with creative beauty; a cinematic jewel, as aesthetically appealing as a painting by VanGogh. Should we not praise the God of Wonders for bestowing such creative fire is these His creatures, and appreciate the beauty they bring to this world? Or should we, like that Muslim fanatic in Amsterdam, murder their relatives, stabbing them forty times and leaving curses pinned to their dying bodies? Is this level of hatred the kind of God that we want to present to the world? Lord forgive us our excesses. If Christ is no longer the God of compassion and understanding, then we as Christian have lost our way and have nothing further to say to this world.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Richard Lindsay http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10449 Richard Lindsay Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:48:20 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10449 Oh wait, and did you notice the subtle dig at gay people? Romans 1:25, a prime "clobber passage": "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." Which is followed by the old classic: "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." So there you have it kids, Avatar will make you gay. Oh wait, and did you notice the subtle dig at gay people? Romans 1:25, a prime “clobber passage”: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Which is followed by the old classic: “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

So there you have it kids, Avatar will make you gay.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Richard Lindsay http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10445 Richard Lindsay Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:05:29 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10445 In my class, I use Mars Hill Church in Seattle as a prime example of people who don't get it when it comes to pop culture. They exploit pop culture (if that's possible) basically as an inducement to come in and hear their (sexist, homophobic) version of the gospel. There is no exchange of ideas, no concept that one's theology or relationship with God might actually be affected by interaction with popular culture. Unfortunately, it works. They're growing like a weed. It's a fundamentalist church posing as a "hip church." You should hear their views on women. I'll give you a hint: they're here to reproduce and generate more fundamentalist Christians. Paleolithic stuff. This is why more moderate to liberal, even conservative but not fundamentalist Christians need to learn how to speak to culture. In my class, I use Mars Hill Church in Seattle as a prime example of people who don’t get it when it comes to pop culture. They exploit pop culture (if that’s possible) basically as an inducement to come in and hear their (sexist, homophobic) version of the gospel. There is no exchange of ideas, no concept that one’s theology or relationship with God might actually be affected by interaction with popular culture. Unfortunately, it works. They’re growing like a weed. It’s a fundamentalist church posing as a “hip church.” You should hear their views on women. I’ll give you a hint: they’re here to reproduce and generate more fundamentalist Christians. Paleolithic stuff.

This is why more moderate to liberal, even conservative but not fundamentalist Christians need to learn how to speak to culture.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by John Morehead http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10402 John Morehead Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:24:30 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10402 One more thought on this related to your mention of The Exorcist. I know what you were trying to say, but even the popularity of The Exorcist can be viewed as an argument for Christianity, at least in terms of its folk piety in response to secularization. See http://www.theofantastique.com/2009/10/27/joseph-laycock-the-exorcist-secularization-and-folk-piety/. One more thought on this related to your mention of The Exorcist. I know what you were trying to say, but even the popularity of The Exorcist can be viewed as an argument for Christianity, at least in terms of its folk piety in response to secularization. See http://www.theofantastique.com/2009/10/27/joseph-laycock-the-exorcist-secularization-and-folk-piety/.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by John Morehead http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10398 John Morehead Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:30:05 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10398 I am stunned that Mark Driscoll would say such things when I understand his ministry to be presenting itself as cutting-edge in presenting the gospel to culture in a postmodern context. His comments read more like a fundamentalist rant against all things cultic than a thoughtful and reflective piece of theology and cultural analysis. Surely there are things evangelicals will disagree with in Avatar, but the film also brings much-needed critique to western culture, and the church in the West as well. I've touched on some of this in my writing on the topic at these locations: http://www.theofantastique.com/2009/12/26/avatar-probing-beyond-visuals-to-culture-and-identity/ http://www.theofantastique.com/2010/01/13/avatars-pandora-depresses-some-viewers-utopia-escape-and-the-realized-ideal/ http://www.theofantastique.com/2010/01/27/avatars-success-romantic-narratives-and-dark-green-religion/ If evangelicals want to be taken seriously in the late modern West we've simply got to do better in terms of bringing theology, culture, and the imagination together. Here's to hoping that Driscoll becomes a regular reader of TheoFantastique. I am stunned that Mark Driscoll would say such things when I understand his ministry to be presenting itself as cutting-edge in presenting the gospel to culture in a postmodern context. His comments read more like a fundamentalist rant against all things cultic than a thoughtful and reflective piece of theology and cultural analysis.

Surely there are things evangelicals will disagree with in Avatar, but the film also brings much-needed critique to western culture, and the church in the West as well. I’ve touched on some of this in my writing on the topic at these locations:

http://www.theofantastique.com/2009/12/26/avatar-probing-beyond-visuals-to-culture-and-identity/

http://www.theofantastique.com/2010/01/13/avatars-pandora-depresses-some-viewers-utopia-escape-and-the-realized-ideal/

http://www.theofantastique.com/2010/01/27/avatars-success-romantic-narratives-and-dark-green-religion/

If evangelicals want to be taken seriously in the late modern West we’ve simply got to do better in terms of bringing theology, culture, and the imagination together. Here’s to hoping that Driscoll becomes a regular reader of TheoFantastique.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Bob http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10397 Bob Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:34:22 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10397 Well played Craig... well played. Someone needs to step up and correct this dude on a number of issues. Thanks for doing so here. Well played Craig… well played.

Someone needs to step up and correct this dude on a number of issues. Thanks for doing so here.

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Esteban http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10388 Esteban Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:47:14 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10388 That would be Mars Hill Seattle rather than Mars Hill Grand Rapids... That would be Mars Hill Seattle rather than Mars Hill Grand Rapids…

]]> Comment on Shut Out the Past by The Hockey News: Headlines: Pogge stops 24, San Antonio Rampage … | Manitoba Moose AHL Announcer http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/shutter-island/comment-page-1/#comment-10363 The Hockey News: Headlines: Pogge stops 24, San Antonio Rampage … | Manitoba Moose AHL Announcer Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:52:36 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1269#comment-10363 [...] Shut Out the Past : Pop Theology [...] [...] Shut Out the Past : Pop Theology [...]

]]> Comment on In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It by Billy Kangas http://www.poptheology.com/2010/02/in-defense-of-avatar/comment-page-1/#comment-10327 Billy Kangas Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:29:21 +0000 http://www.poptheology.com/?p=1276#comment-10327 from http://orant.blogspot.com After watching the video I think it's very odd that Mark Driscoll is the pastor of a church called Mars Hill. For those of you who don't know Mars Hill is the place where the book of Acts records the Apostle Paul's sermon to the Athenians. In it the apostle Paul introduces the Gospel to the Greeks by proclaiming one of the God's they serve is really the God of Israel. He then uses a pagan work Phenomena by the poet Aratus to communicate how we are related to God. The lesson I take away from this encounter is that something completely pagan can be used to proclaim the truth of God. One might think a Church called Mars Hill would be about claiming truth for God. After watching the video I got the distinct impression that Mark is more interested in claiming art for the devil. In it he claims the movie is demonic, the visuals are a tool of Satan, and calls the Christianity of those who don't agree with him "disappointing." Although I firmly belive that spiritual warfare is a reality that Christians deal with on a daily basis, the passages that talk about our spiritual struggle have nothing to do with what world views we are exposed to, but the realities of our lifestyle. For example let's look at Romans 13:12b-14, So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (13) Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Early Christians were surrounded by Paganism, but their response was not to give the stories and poems over to Satan, on the contrary they used them to communicate the Gospel to new cultures and peoples, and there are few places that illustrate this tendency better then then Paul's sermon at Mars Hill. If Jesus Christ is truth what are we afraid of? from http://orant.blogspot.com

After watching the video I think it’s very odd that Mark Driscoll is the pastor of a church called Mars Hill. For those of you who don’t know Mars Hill is the place where the book of Acts records the Apostle Paul’s sermon to the Athenians. In it the apostle Paul introduces the Gospel to the Greeks by proclaiming one of the God’s they serve is really the God of Israel. He then uses a pagan work Phenomena by the poet Aratus to communicate how we are related to God. The lesson I take away from this encounter is that something completely pagan can be used to proclaim the truth of God.

One might think a Church called Mars Hill would be about claiming truth for God.

After watching the video I got the distinct impression that Mark is more interested in claiming art for the devil. In it he claims the movie is demonic, the visuals are a tool of Satan, and calls the Christianity of those who don’t agree with him “disappointing.”

Although I firmly belive that spiritual warfare is a reality that Christians deal with on a daily basis, the passages that talk about our spiritual struggle have nothing to do with what world views we are exposed to, but the realities of our lifestyle. For example let’s look at Romans 13:12b-14,
So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (13) Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Early Christians were surrounded by Paganism, but their response was not to give the stories and poems over to Satan, on the contrary they used them to communicate the Gospel to new cultures and peoples, and there are few places that illustrate this tendency better then then Paul’s sermon at Mars Hill.

If Jesus Christ is truth what are we afraid of?

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