Sunday
Aug242008
Who Said That?
Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 09:24PM 
"I like Christian rock . . . It's very positive. It's not like those real musicians who think they are so cool and hip."
Update on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at 10:48AM by
Kim Riddlebarger
Kim Riddlebarger
When Seinfeld's Elaine discovers that her current boyfriend "Puddy" has the presets on his car radio set to Christian rock stations (and is completed dismayed by this discovery), George makes the completely random and off the wall quote cited here.
Reader Comments (33)
The best show in regular American TV history is M*A*S*H, second is Seinfeld. These things are nothing if not shot through with subjectivity, Tim. It is only my opinion as a TV junkie. Ratings and longevity are certainly some criteria to use. But writing, I think, surpasses those. Some of the shortest lived stuff was better than shows that some might say overstayed their welcome (ahem, like ER): The Office (Britains's Ricky Gervais' version, which ran for only two seasons) and Arrested Development. If it's stats that do it for you, M*A*S*Hs final episode still stands unbeatable as finale's go.
But, hey, like I always say, Jack McCoy for president. There is someone I could vote for and feel good about it.
(And to any tempted to get a bit too worked up about what pop culture yields society, it's just TV. When the SBC boycotted Disney it revealed not only a form of legalism but the odd notion that pop culture/general society is supposed to do something it can't. True enough, I keep a tight monitor on what my kids watch because that's what parents do. But isn't it odd to assume that Telly Tubbies or Donald Duck can do only what a parent is ordained to do? For all the talk about family values some seem to actually have a real low view of it.)
I also joined the ranks of the Lutherans and Calvinists because I think they are right and the theology that comes from their writings and creeds are true. I do not know what theological perspective you are coming from Matt but it sounds to me you are coming very close to committing the same very dangerous errors the Pharisee's did. That is a road you do not want to take- Jesus had to knock Paul off of his horse and slap him up a bit before he woke him out of his Pharisaical thinking. It is possible to get out of that mode of thinking but it seems to me most of the time highly unlikely.
I hope it is a result of sanctifying grace, for I now view worldliness not as playing cards and going to movies, but as consumerism, factionalism, churches that are personality-driven, Christians that are always telling half truths, Christian men gutless to stand for absolute truths of Scripture, scared to death to speak up for Jesus...
But I am looking at our culture and also seeing some things we DON"T talk about as worldly in our reformed churches because we don't want to sound like we are archaic and out of touch w/ the younger crowd.
But are there not some serious issues of wanting so desperately to be accepted by the world in which we live that do in fact include our dress, our music, the way we spend the $ God has providentially provided us?
Israel wanted to be like the nations; aren't we the church still quite guilty in voluminous ways?
And even in how we define worldliness might reveal our wanting to fit in...
God is still sanctifying we worldly people...
Why would you attack me for saying Bono? Obviously you did not hear the interview Michael Horton did with him quite some time ago, and he said something about Christian music. So why you would attack me I do not know. I do not take it very well to get attack. If you wanted to know why I said something then ask it, do not be a smart aleck.
I am a reformed presbyterian who holds to the doctrines of grace, so before you assume I am something I m not, again please ask.
Yes you did offend me, but I should have dealt with you like a waker brother as the Bible says, so please forgive me for my outburst I was wrong.
You apologize in your message, do you know what an apology is? Basically it comes from a word that means to defend yourself. You would probably do well to read "From Forgiven to Forgiving" by Jay Adams. Please just take that as some brotherly advice.
I do not know how long you have been in the reformed camp, but please think before you type as I will in the future.
Matt
Thanks for the response. You are right, I do have a tendency to be a smart aleck. I am truly sorry for offending you and I knew when I said that about your one name answer that I should have inquired further before saying the things that I did. It was bothering my conscience and that is why I responded back to you again. Sometimes when I attack ideas I forget that there is a person behind those ideas so you always need to be careful about the way you go about the dialog. You also need to be careful that you get your facts straight and that you are measuring your response according to who exactly you are confronting. I did not have enough information to say what I did and I do not know you or how you think. So, I definitely was in the wrong in that regard. Again, I am truly sorry. Thanks for the suggestion to read Jay Adams book. I guess I will play the role of the "waker brother."
Zrim, I have been thinking about your inquiry of why many Reformed and Lutheran people are involved in rightist politics, are values-voters, etc. etc. etc. I also figured out why I still have many conflicting views going on in my head about Christians role in politics. I traced it back to my picking up ideas when I attended Calvin College between 1990 and 1995. I was in the Business and Economics program their and many of the professors came from a Kuyperian and Vantilian perspective and used the transforming culture model as a backdrop for how they taught their classes. I also have been reading a lot of B.B. Warfield lately and his Post-Millenialism I think has affected many of my political ideas too. Last night I read a few of those articles on the two-kingdom website which Kyle suggested and it helped me to clarify and sort through some of my confused ideas. Those all are excellent websites with some great information on them. That Alister Begg (I think I got his name right) tape was powerful.
That would be nice if KR would lead a discussion on being in the world but not of the world. I have a tendency to err in the way of trying to please and conform to the people who are of the world. I think this is the error that the emerging Church is making, among many others. Perhaps I am wrong about Bono being our prime example of how to go about doing this. Like I said before, this is a very confusing topic and one which is very difficult to live out. The answer has to come by making diligent use of the means of grace.
You are right; we won't have it all right this side of glory.
The question is not if we fight worldliness.
The question is How are we fighting worldliness?
But I must ask you, why do you go to church to get your sins forgiven?
What do you do while at church to get your sins forgiven?
Blessed is the man whose sins are covered
Whose sins the Lord will never count against him.
Good Day
My last answer was not adequate. I go to Church to be continually reminded of the doctrine by which the Church stands or falls. That I am saved from the wrath of God by grace alone through faith alone all the account of Christ alone. My confession that I am a "poor miserable sinner," the absolution of that sin, the hearing of the gospel over and over again and partaking of the Lord's Supper each Sunday reinforces the truth of the doctrine and increases my faith in the promises of the Gospel.