The Christian T-Shirt Hall of Shame

Monday, 29 June 2009

The Christian T-Shirt Hall of Shame
There are plenty of ways to spread the gospel: living it, speaking it, not speaking it (™ St. Francis). But at some point in Christendom (I'm going with the Great Schism), someone decided the coolest way to tell people you were a Christian would be to make up some punny design and put it across a t-shirt. The jury is out on whether Hanes evangelism has ever won any converts, but either way, some of these shirts are downright cheesy disasters. Let's take a look at the Christian T-Shirt Hall of Shame.

Hey there, Upper East Siders: Turn off that silly TV show and start handing out some tracts. The best part of this shirt is that is has taken Gossip Girl's traditional sign-off ("You know you love me. XOXO") and changed it into "You know Jesus loves you" and then the Greek word for fish, which kind of resembles the kissy sign-off. BRB, got 2 go 2 church, lol.
Don't worry, boys, you're not left out. Wait, "hi" saved you? "Hee?" Oh....like the video game system Wii! Get it? This one features a terrible pun and the ubiquitous John 3:16. But don't challenge Jesus to a game of Mario Kart. Hii will totally win.

The creators went with this design after rejecting "Jesus is my Friendster" and "Jesus: Is your Face in his Book?"
Hahahaha. Someone PLEASE send this to Sting.
This shirt is tacky enough, but I also think the theology of Jesus as an "easy button" is dubious. Are there any Christians who will vouch that God works like a "get it now" click on eBay? I hope not. I wish it were just that easy, shirt.
Ladies, ladies. These kind of "flirt to convert" shirts are NOT going to do you any favors. Can't you just hear the pervy comments in your head? Where do you plan on wearing this? Not church, because that's redundant. Not work, because that's just weird. That leaves, like, the mall. Where guys are going to walk up to you and say "Heyyyyyy, I'll join you for h--wait, what does that say? Oh.....uh.....oh." You will not end up flirting, nor will you end up converting. Just no.
Do you own any Christian t-shirts? What do they say?

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I have the MySpace in Heaven chirt, one that saysI am Loved by with a bible quote on the back, Who is your Hero? with a list of famous historical women who loved Jesus on the back, another that says Hope Rise, one that says Life is a maybe Death is a sure Sin is the Cause Christ is the Cure, and various retreat shirts that say Protect LIfe, Shake your Beauty, How do you Live?, All Access, Genesis (like the Hennesy label)...THese shirts are god ways to spark up conversations with non-believers about what the shirt means and what my testimony is. I know that by spreading His Gospel, I am doing my part discipling all nations. The MySpace in Heaven shirt gets the most attention I noticed because Jesus stands out on it. I think they're good lead ins and I wear them anywhere. I am not ashamed of letting my clothes act for the glory of God.
- 6/30/2009 1:13 PM
- AngelaPrrfecta (message)
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I don't know whether to vomit, burst out into a rage, or laugh until I cry. The worst part of it is I used to wear stuff like that. UGH!
- 6/30/2009 1:29 PM
- Godslittlegirlie@xanga (message)
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it's all about the money
- 6/30/2009 2:22 PM
- benjaminlin@xanga (message)
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haha, I have a "Modest is Hottest" one
but it's not really a knock-off of anything,
so I don't think it's bad or corny
- 6/30/2009 4:24 PM
- shoelesswonder@xanga (message)
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These are hilarious. Jesus. He's just that easy. ROFL.
- 6/30/2009 4:44 PM
- haloed@xanga (message)
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HAHA that's horrible.
- 6/30/2009 6:44 PM
- monicalorr@xanga (message)
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I kind of like some of them. I guess it could kill the message on the t-shirt with they way it looks...Haha...

But since they also look the way they do, you can have someone that isn't a believer ask you "Where did you get that?", "What does it mean?", or even... "What in the world is that??" And you could easily start up a conversation.....And it could lead to amazing things...like shining a Light on Christ. =]]
- 6/30/2009 7:53 PM
- CrystalWatersAndClearBlueSkyes@xanga (message)
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Lol, I love the button one
- 6/30/2009 8:11 PM
- Forestcat (message)
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yes, i have ONE. but it is fully awesome!
don't believe me, take a look: my BEawesome shirt.
it totally gets noticed by those who wouldn't necessarily look at a "Christian" tee. and i like the irony of the fact that i LOATHE Twilight.
- 6/30/2009 8:22 PM
- bentbrokenandtorn@xanga (message)
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i knew a girl that wore these all the time...so cheesy....so tacky. hate them.
- 6/30/2009 8:35 PM
- lesslikemath@xanga (message)
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Hahaha, that Wii one is really awesome. I would totally wear it.
- 6/30/2009 8:43 PM
- umweirdithink@xanga (message)
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:)
- 6/30/2009 11:37 PM
- juliebeanss@xanga (message)
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Eh, they're just corny. If I was like twelve I might wear one.
- 7/1/2009 12:52 AM
- Lil_Firefly_25@xanga (message)
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Hey, I actually have the "Hii saved me" shirt. THANKYOUVERYMUCH.
- 7/1/2009 12:58 AM
- discoxapples@xanga (message)
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My mom has one thats based on starbucks and is just as rediculous as these ones haha. The Chrisitan book store near me has posters like this too like a "faithbook" poster.
- 7/1/2009 1:12 AM
- K_9999@xanga (message)
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These are a bit over the top.....creative but I would not wear them. I ran accross a website recently where the shirts have a christain message and I these I would wear in public. The shirts have images only no words. wwww.imagosolo.com
- 7/1/2009 8:38 AM
- Alohapeaceman@xanga (message)
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I actually like the happy hour one.
- 7/1/2009 9:00 AM
- Umnenga@xanga (message)
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these are horrible
- 7/1/2009 10:20 AM
- MCTCanadian@xanga (message)
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all my shirts say something sarcastic, but my favorite, i got it at creationfest. it says "fart on the devil". love it!
- 7/3/2009 2:00 PM
- JRJust@xanga (message)
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These are awesome, and I think I want them all :D

Actually, no, not really. I only want the "Hii Saved Me" one. :-]

And of course they're tacky. There comes a point when the humor is in the tackiness itself. That's the only reason I still chuckle at "that's what she said" and "your mom" jokes; it's not that they're genuinely funny, but that their unwarranted popularity and facetiously delivery is often quite amusing.

If a genuine Christian, known for being solid and Christ-like wears one of these shirts, it's an amusing and self-evident joke at the expense of contemporary Christianity. On the other hand, if a nominal church-attending adolescent wears one of these shirts thinking that it's an evengelism tool, it's just sad.
- 7/6/2009 5:09 PM
- ElijahDH@xanga (message)
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You know...I did find this one kind of funny:

www.christiantshirtshop.com/gf8352.html

It says, "GOD RECYCLES: HE MADE YOU OUT OF DUST"...hehehe
- 7/8/2009 8:08 PM
- ltl_rvr@xanga (message)
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these are very cheesy and they do cheapen the glory of God. alot of really conservative Christians wear them and young teenagers who feel the need to evangelize in such a manner. well, this is what i have learned.
i wear shirts made by Christian clothing companies like faveur and enthos. all of their shirts are original designs and do not necessarily say anything about God or Jesus but have a Christian meaning behind them.
- 7/9/2009 1:13 PM
- Britney
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I think they're funny. I wouldn't wear any of them, but they're funny. Where is the money from the shirt sales going?
- 7/13/2009 10:08 PM
- skiwithme@xanga (message)
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Never was a fan of the cheesy. But check out the t-shirt at www.askmemystory.org Unique for each person that wears it and engages people in conversation not talking down to them.
- 8/18/2009 12:10 PM
- T Mac
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