nominal Xian radio

The most dangerous thing on the radio may not be Ke$ha or Katie Perry, but nominal Xian radio commercials.

On the way to church yesterday my wife and I were listening to Xian radio when we heard a commercial for the station in between songs that went something like this:

“It seems like the grass is always greener on the other side. But remember while other places may seem better, we have Cyclone football and family here and that’s pretty good. Our station is pretty good and we are here to remind you that life is awesome”

On the way home from church we heard another one of these commercials that went something like this:

“You are at your son’s football game. You cheer when they score a touchdown! You are scared that your kid might get hurt. You are relieved at the end of the game when your kid has not been hurt. Our station is exciting like football, but safer.”

I HATE these. My wife got really frustrated and nearly invoked cursing. I love my wife for that.

Just a suggestion. If you are a Xian radio station, tell people about Jesus. Don’t tell me you are family friendly, tell me about Jesus. Don’t tell me about greener grass being right under my nose unless you are using it to tell me about Jesus.

The music the station plays is decent. Most of it is about Jesus. The commercials are horrendous however.

I realize I am a nitpicker and find it easier to tear things down than to build them up, but some things need to be torn down and this is one of them.

Family friendly is not a synonym for Xian. There is as much danger in listening to Mormon-radio (if there is such a thing) as radio that allows nominal cultural cuss words to slip by or questionable content. Do not get me wrong. I don’t want my ears, let alone my children’s, to be exposed to the ideologies and iniquities regularly heralded on regular radio, but this can’t be our end goal. I would equally be on guard against my children hearing family-friendly Jehovah’s Witness radio.

What makes Xian radio Xian? Is it the X? If you want to be a moral, family-friendly radio station, that’s cool. But that is not uniquely Christian in any way. I may take comfort in knowing I will not be hearing any lyrics suggesting I forego paying my rent or hooking up with some stranger, but is that all we aim for (or away from)?

Christian, please hear me out on this one: Not every book at the Christian book store honors and makes much of Jesus. Not every song on every CD in the Christian music section honors and makes much of Jesus. Please use discernment here. Do not be so ignorant as to be led into the place where Jesus is made some of, but not much of; a little of, but not ALL of. Be careful not to be wooed to a place where Jesus is an accessory and not your clothing. Be careful not to be seduced into thinking that everyone who says the name “Jesus” in a "worship" song in actuality worships Him as He is.

I HATE programming that masquerades as Christian and does not make much of Jesus. I drives me absolutely crazy. I HATE Christi-ain't-y.

It does give me pause to reflect on that which I boldly proclaim and defend that is possibly more seasoned with self and preference than Christ and His substance. It makes me more vigilant to root out these tendencies in myself. Where do I settle for worldly goodness and morality other than Jesus? Where do I judge myself clean because of societal standards rather than sinful in the sight of Christ? We have to be asking these questions of ourselves and of our ears and eyes. We live in a media culture unlike any other that has ever existed. Our eyes and ears have to be MORE sensitive and discerning, but the tendency is to be LESS so as a result of overexposure and numbness.

I love you all (even if you like nominal Xian radio commericals). Because I love you, I desire you to consider these things, but subject your conscience not to me, but to God and His Son’s glory alone.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

²¹ …test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.