by Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like 
Dear Christian Radio,
I owe you an apology.
You too Carman. You need to get in on this as well. I don't really know where to start so I guess I'll just come right out with it …
My name is Jon Acuff and I'm a recovering Christian culture snob.
What's that you say? What's a Christian culture snob? You were always so inquisitive Carmen, that's one of the things I love about you.
A Christian culture snob is a Christian that makes fun of people and things that are deemed "Christian." I believe am cooler than you and able to edit "Love your neighbors" to actually say, "Love your neighbors unless you deem them cheesy and then instead feel free to kick them like a hacky sack woven of burlap and sarcasm." Basically, I am prone to turn my nose up at some of the things you do.
Although I've reduced my degree of Christian culture snobbery in the last few years, during high school it was at an all time high, which is when I ran into you Carman. I think you were doing that Champion song with the devil cameo and maybe the whole God's Army thing with the dog tags at the time. And Christian radio, you were just so bright and chipper all the time. I had a field day with both of you. But looking back on it, and fearing that I'll fall prey to Christian culture snobs when my book comes out, I realize that I was wrong and really unloving. And even though I wish I could eradicate Christian culture snobbery, I am but a meager blogger, one man who wears a retainer at night, a unibrowed writer with only a small voice. But the least I can do is to help other people know if they've fallen into the same trap as me. The least I can do is create the ...
Christian Culture Snob Scorecard1. You'll give incredibly cheesy, secular TV shows, like the Bachelorette, the free pass of being a "guilty pleasure," but would crucify a Christian program that was equally cheesy. = +5 points
2. You've ever used the phrase "Jesus Junk" to describe the knick knackery that Christian bookstores often sell at the front. = +3 points
3. You've ever used Chris Tomlin's music as a piñata when it comes to busting on Christian culture. = +1 point
4. You publicly make fun of the song "I can only imagine" but secretly love it and get goosebumps when it comes on in the car when you are alone. = +3 points
5. You've ever liked a song until someone told you it was Christian and then you immediately stopped liking it. = +5 points
6. You make fun of the typical fundamentalist Christian uniform, "Blue long sleeve shirt, pleated khaki's, loafers, Republican haircut." = +2 points
7. You did so while wearing a graphic tee. = +3 points
8. And oranately embellished jeans. = +4 points
9. And metrosexual worship leader hair. = +5 points
10. You convinced yourself that wasn't every bit as much a uniform. = +6 points
11. You tell friends that the lyrics to Christian music are "too overt" or "not layered enough" and you like to hear faith expressed in a way that's not so blunt. = +3 points
12. You've ever said that you found
Man on Fire or any other non Jesus movie to be a better story about Christ than the Passion of the Christ. = +3 points
13. You would like Switchfoot 17% less if they said "Jesus" all the time in their songs. = +1 point
14. Ditto "The Fray." = +1 point
15. You lie about the first concert you went to when people ask that question because you don't want them to know it was that Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith tour. = +2 points
16. You have an abnormal amount of disdain for the movies "Facing the Giants" or "Fireproof." = +2 points
17. You've never seen them, but still feel compelled to offer up a critique. = +8 points
18. Seven of your top 10 favorite Christian songs are actually by non-Christians. You just like the way they express the sense of longing we all feel without getting all Jesus in your face. = +2 points
19. You regularly criticize the cheesy nature of Christian culture but don't do anything to change it. Like volunteering to rewrite a billboard for your church so they don't have to run the same "Got Jesus?" billboard this year at Easter. = +2 points
20. You’ve ever used Stephen Baldwin's name as an adjective to describe what you're not like. E.G. "I'm a Christian but not a
Stephen Baldwin kind of Christian." = +3 points
21. You make broad blanket statements like, "I don't like Christian music," even though that should be impossible on some level because it's not a type of music. There's Christian jazz, techno, country and a million other genres underneath that umbrella phrase. Really? You hate all those types all at once? = +10 points
22. Kirk Cameron is your go to, "weird Christian guy" example when you want to make fun of weird Christian guys. = +2 points
23. You wrote a critique of Christian radio for being so shiny happy but completely missed the point that you might not be the intended target audience. Of course you don't like it, it’s not designed for someone your age in your stage of life. = +3 points
24. You're friend had to convince you to check out the Stuff Christians Like blog because your first thought was, "Oh jeez, another
Christian rip off of a popular secular idea." = +8 points
25. You were right to think that way, I ripped off the Stuff White People Like idea, but upon reading the site sent me an email I get often, "I wanted to hate this site for being a dumb Christian rip off, but …" = +16 points
26. If you see any of the Left Behind books on a friend's bookshelf you admittedly discount that friend's ability to make wise decisions about anything in life. = +4 points
27. You've abused the popular church mantra "doing things with excellence" to actually mean, "doing things according to my personal definition of excellence." = +3 points
28. You have a go to joke in your back pocket at all times in case someone ever mentions the name "
Thomas Kinkade." = +3 points
29. You complain about the quality of Christian fiction books that feature women being rescued on the cover by a strong, Godly man with a mysterious past, but secretly wish you could be rescued by a strong, Godly man with a mysterious past. = + 4 points.
Let’s add it up
0-10 points = Look at you. You don't get caught up in nonsense discussions about how cheesy Christian culture is? What are you spending your time on instead? Reading the Bible? Loving people? Focusing on stuff that matters? How weird.
11-25 points = You're in the closet, the Christian culture closet. Come out, it's OK to like music that other people might deem cheesy or think is silly. Who cares about what other people think?
26+ points = You are deep into snobland my friend. You spend more time critiquing than creating. The only kind of sweaters you should wear are mock. Upon reading that cheesy joke you immediately started making fun of it.
How did you score? To be honest, I fluctuate a little but on most days, I am on off the charts. But what this site is teaching me is that mocking doesn't really do awesome things for Christianity. I've definitely blown that sometimes with what I write and am probably the guiltiest of all of us, but I realized something the other day. I've never once had a non-Christian say to me, "You know, this faith you're making fun, this Christian culture you're mocking sounds really intriguing. I think I do want to start an everlasting personal relationship with Jesus. Thank you for being so willing to make fun of Carman for me."
What did I miss on this list though?
Certainly there are other Christian culture snob items I forget?
What’s missing?
Recommend
Comments (19)
I read all of it but I can't say I'm a christan culture snob. Not one bit.
Hey, it isn't my fault Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Switchfoot and many other popular Christian forms of entertainment suck.
There's nothing loving about lying and saying something is good when it isn't. Love is truthful.
BTW I got 8 points...for #6, #16 & #26. Oddly, I do get caught up in plenty of discussions about how cheesy Christian Culture is. ("0-10 points = Look at you. You don't get caught up in nonsense discussions about how cheesy Christian culture is?")
The quiz is a little skewed because most questions are only intended to prove hypocrisy or inconsistency... what about those of us who honestly just don't enjoy Christian "culture"?
You forgot,
is reluctant to tell co-workers why you can't cover their Sunday morning shift because you'll sound too churchy. +3
Looks down your nose at anyone who refuses to read or watch Harry Potter because you feel they are being too religious. +7
It's ok to make fun of Christian media because it's dorky.
And kind of terrible.
As is the Christian uniform. Ah well.
This blog definitely isn't on the "Stuff Christians Like" list.
In fact, this blog is actually snobbery against those who are "Christian culture snobs." You're better than the people that think they're better than everyone else. Oh the irony.
...What is a Republican haircut?
The irony here is that I'm not a Christian culture snob, even though I find myself scoring pretty highly. I'm a Christian culture critic. There's a difference. I believe bad taste is not morally benign, and that Christians have a responsibility to develop their taste in accordance with the good and beautiful and valuable. And a great deal of bad Christian art floating around which is often accepted merely because it's "Christian." (Think 'Precious Moments' figurines). Although, I will also say that I don't think that bad taste is a sin. I think taste is something we should strive to arrive at, not something we are necessarily expected to (or can) achieve (perfectly).
Also, there is no such thing as 'Christian music.' There is only music by Christians. Schnittke and Bach are just as much 'Christian music' as Pillar, although I think that Schnittke and Bach are more worth my while.
If good taste is snobbery, Beauty is meaningless.
@SWAurora@xanga - You should so read "Finding God in Harry Potter" :)
I think I fluctuate between category 1 and 2 most days.
Umm. I scored 5 points. The worship leader's hair got me. LOL
@silver_puddles_of_light@xanga - I completely agree with you.
Heh...I would be a snob, but, I mean...I've gone to church with my face powdered white. Everyone likes what they like, and I doubt they're going to see things my way, either, so no point in being snobby unless it's an issue (and it isn't).
Christian TV bugs me a lot more than radio. I can tolerate the occasional song about a violin or a dead lady's shoes, but my stomach just can't handle TBN, especially not the Crouches.
I have an instinctive aversion to preachers with Southern accents, regardless of medium. I only have one Christian T-shirt (although I have a couple that are under conviction, to coin an old joke). Generally I stay away from Christian fiction except for the Inklings, but Ted Dekker, Terri Blackstock, Walt Wangerin, and several others can be pretty good. I've never read Left Behind, mostly because I'm post-trib and don't buy the premise.
What I do like: R.C. Sproul, Jack Hayford, Vineyard worship music, Matt Redman, Darrell Evans, Paul Wilbur, Marcos Witt, Fernando Ortega. My particular snobbery prefers Sproul to harsher Calvinists like MacArthur or Piper, and Hayford to word-of-faith type Charismatics. Generally I prefer worship music to Christian entertainment music.
Rich Mullins is by far my favorite Christian musician. Musically creative, and one of the most honest people of his generation.
I love this because its so true. And the comments from the people that sound like they fall into this category and try desperately to say they don't or defend why they do....ah, the irony there. Great post. :)
I defy you to name 1 cheezy thing about Carman.
I have got to admit this is pretty funny.
I got a 7....lol Though I do think that some christian music is really crappy
I don't want to see fireproof because it's just not my sort movie and it looks stupid plus a lot of christian movies aren't made very well.
Sorry I'm a feminist and I don't like how christian literature makes women out to be so weak. Though I do still like a lot of christian literature. Question 29 - And no I don't want to be rescued because I can take care of myself. Yes I am married :)
This was pretty good!
lol
sweet post!