Jesus or My Girlfriend?

Several years ago, while listening to a soft-rock station (don't ask… long story) I realized that just about every monster ballad love song from the 80's could also serve as a "praise song" in many churches.

Then, on Fide-O yesterday I found this post, which is part of a new weekly feature called "Jesus or My Girlfriend?" in which the reader is supposed to guess whether or not the song is a modern "praise song" or a secular love song. Here's this week's installment, let's see how you do:

I needed the shelter of someone's arms, and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs,
and there you were with sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion

I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I want to stop and thank you Jesus
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would i be without you in my life
Everything i did was just a bore
Everywhere i went it seems I'd been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways

I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I just want to stop and thank you Jesus
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

You were better to me than i was to myself
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else

I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I just want to stop and thank you Jesus
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I hope you were able to recognize this classic James Taylor gem, but there's also a twist… the author of the post reveals that this exact song is actually in the regular rotation of at least two churches he's familiar with.

If you think the music during church is bad, turn on the local contemporary Christian station on your way home next Sunday morning and you'll find that it's not much better.

I found this article by Nathanael Blake on townhall.com, which makes some pretty interesting observations about the state of the Christian Music Industry, and the critical flaws at the very heart of it. Some excerpts:

Modern ?Christian music? is neither good music nor good Christianity. Musically it?s bland and derivative, lyrically it?s banal, and the general artistry is slightly below an intoxicated lemur clambering about a toy piano.

?the Gospel Music Association ? giver of Dove awards, the Christian industry?s weak answer to the Grammys ? at one point felt the need to make a standard with which they could judge whether or not a ?Christian artist? was Christian enough, that included how many times a band said ?Jesus? in their lyrics… So we find ourselves caught between songs where it?s impossible to tell if the subject is God or a girlfriend, and songs filled with juvenile lyrics dropping the name of Jesus in order to make quota. And in both, emoting wins out over anything of importance. The average lyrics run along the lines of ?I?m so happy/because you love me/my life is better/since I read your letter? (note the use of ?letter? as code for the Bible, so clever).?

The common defense of these [rock star practices] consists of the other proclaimed purpose of the CMI, evangelism. It?s not that they want to seek fame and fortune in the service of God; but they?re forced to it if they want to ?reach the lost? and ?minister.? This is ridiculous. Christian music is mostly sold to Christians; Christian concerts are mostly filled with bused in Christian youth groups. As far as evangelism goes, Christian music is the epitome of mediocrity.

If you want good music produced by Christians, I would suggest U2, Stavesacre, or Sommer Waite. You might not be able to tell that it's Christian because the lyrics aren't artificially sweetened with Jesus' name every other word, but it's excellent music by talented people who also happen to be Christians.