I just finished watching "Shut Up And Sing", the documentary of the Dixie Chicks and the effects that politics, free speech, and creative expression had on them.
You know, I don't hate George Bush. I actually think he is a pretty funny guy. I don't think the Dixie Chicks hate George Bush either. Nevertheless, they became the central focus of hate by many people who were once devoted fans. People who screamed at them for their favorite song to be played on stage were now screaming death threats.
I couldn't help but think about Christ. We are now in the Easter season. This Sunday we will remember the day that Jesus was greeted by people waving palm branches who would beg for his death only a week later. How quick we are to serve ourselves.
I actually admire the Dixie Chicks for not trying so hard to preserve any type of image except for the one they felt was real. They could have fallen at the foot of the White House, and just maybe the Country Music fans would invite them back into their homes. But they didn't.
I have heard my entire life how I am supposed to look different as a follower of Christ. And I think that there is some truth to that. However, Christianity can become so image driven so easily. You can be associated with a certain "type" of Christianity by the sort of media you keep on your shelf. It could even be the way you dress, or owning a Mac vs a PC. Have we become so comfortable with dressing up the Gospel to fit our own flavors that we forgotten what it's like to "taste and see" God. I think maybe we have.
What if congregations began to chant, "Shut Up And Preach" to the pastors in the pulpit? (that could be a good thing, but that's a different subject matter all together). What if certain tithers threatened to pull back funds because "The Word" wasn't being preached the way they thought it should. Would we quickly form the "spin" that would settle the scuffle. The Dixie Chicks had to make a very hard decision. They had to shake the dust off of their sandles and move on to the next town because no one was listening to them anymore.
