Pop Empire & Empire Remixed

Hey, folks.  There's a link to our class blog from the official Empire Remixed blog within a post about a question I e-mailed to Sylvia Keesmaat a while back.  Check it out.

Extreme Makeover

Over the weekend I watched the TV show "Extreme Makeover," which I personally find incredibly boring and repetitive, but to some it's fairly polarizing and promotes self-improvement. This show, hosted originally by ABC, involves individuals who volunteer to receive a full body makeover. This includes major plastic surgery, workouts sessions, new hair and make-up, as well as a whole new wardrobe. Basically if chosen for this show, you come out a completely different person. People love this type of television because they see it as motivating and inspiring, and often overlook the negative and superficial values that it reinforces. At the end of the show their "new self" is presented to their spouses, families, and friends and the joy of the participants seems quite apparent. But what goes on off air is all of the negative side effects there so called makeovers have on not only the candidate, but their family and friends as well. I did some research after watching this show and a research group following similar television programs show that complete makeovers such as this result in 1 in 2 casual dating relationships end as well as 1 in 4 married couples get a divorce, because of jealousy issues of not feeling like an adequate spouse to their newly transformed partner. Not only do shows like this have negative effects on the candidate's family, but it can also affect anyone who takes part in watching these shows. This show may boost someone's self-esteem but it is a disgrace to the Kingdom of God by portraying that the appearance of the average American is not good enough, as well as it has devastating results for the families involved. If maybe shows like this started to show the after effects to such extreme transformations then maybe the amount of Americans getting plastic surgery would decrease. 

Swiss Family Robinson

This past weekend, some of my buddies and I watched the 1960 Disney classic, Swiss Family Robinson. We had all seen it in our childhoods but thought it was time to see it once again. The premise revolves around a family who is traveling to New Guinea with their captain and crew but is stranded on an island after being caught in a storm while being chased by pirates. The family settles on an island where they soon call home and create a beautiful tree house that I myself dream to build some day. After a girl and her grandfather are captured by the pirates near where the family is living, Fritz and Ernst, the two eldest sons grab the girl, Roberta, and bring her back to their home. After several days pass, the family decides to have a race with some of their captured animals. The mother fires a gun to signal the start of the race and the pirates hear the gunshot and encircle the family. The pirate’s attack, but being prepared, the family set up booby-traps to fend them off. Finally, a ship comes to the rescue captained by Roberta’s grandfather. Ernst decides to leave with him to pursue an education, and the rest of the family including Roberta stay on the island to call it home.

Now one might wonder how any of this could connect to our discussions in class. Well, we’ve recently been discussing how we can follow the path in the Kingdom of God. Things such as buying your produce from farmers markets, or subscribing to a farm where you support local farmers and receive fresher produce. Or perhaps shopping at thrift shops where you are in support for breaking down the vicious cycle of child labor. If we look at the story of Swiss Family Robinson, even though they lived in a time with much less innovation and technology, they still had to make a living on an island in the middle of nowhere. They received water through a mill, eliminating the need for electricity. They got their whole food supply directly from the Earth. They even wrapped their Christmas gifts in huge leaves rather than paper! And as you find out in the end, they are satisfied with these conditions and choose to stay on the island. In a way, I think the pirates symbolize the empire. They try and keep them from living this new life and try to kill the happiness they have found. This film also portrays a lot about human character and purpose. With everything they create like the tree house, booby traps, and coconut bombs, we can see how creative we are and the imagination that resides in us. With what the family did on this uncivilized island tells us the creativity and imagination we can use to worship the Kingdom of God and release ourselves from the wrath of the empire!

I personally grew up with this film, and have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like it. This of course means I recommend seeing it and urge you to give it a watch!

The Great American Past Time-Channel Surfing

On Sunday night, I decided to surf channels on TV and take notes on the many different advertisements and commercials that I saw.  I was amazed by what I found.  The sheer volume of commercials that viewers are exposed to is incredible, and this became clear to me when I sought out the commercials rather than just waiting for them to pass.  With my new knowledge and insight gained from The Persuaders, I was able to take the commercials at face value rather than remaining in my usual consumer mindset.  As wave upon wave of ads poured over me, I started to write down the slogans or techniques that commercials so often use.  A few different techniques began to emerge as commonplace and I saw many similar patterns for the advertisements.  Commercials will often try to personally try to appeal to their audiences with word or phrases like: “Your choice”, ”How you need it”, “freedom”, “discover for yourself” and many, many others.  This technique of personally appealing to potential consumers is a great method, as people want things that will help them, that are meant for them, rather than the general public.  When you step back, however, it becomes clear that these “personal ads” are just ploys to get people to buy products and are quite impersonal.  The next technique that I saw was the use of superlatives to compare a product to those from different companies.  Words like “better”, “faster”, “(superlative) than the next leading brand” and endless others.  This technique is very interesting to me because it does not necessarily give its viewers an accurate description of the product, but rather compares to another company.  If both companies are selling unadulterated crap,  what difference is there if one is slightly lighter, faster, sleeker etc.  Still another technique is to fool consumers into thinking that there is no risk at all to the consumer to buy the product/s.  This almost always is deceptive and there are often hidden costs or fees for returns or exchanges.   While this is disturbing, it is not that unexpected after viewing The Persuaders.  Companies will appeal to almost whatever they can to sell products and often delve into the nature of the empire to do so.  Empty promises, deceit, and embellishments are all obvious elements of an imperial society rather than one that follows the guidelines of a truly good life in the Kingdom.  I would strongly encourage anyone who reads this post to take a little time out of your day and simply view commercials as you flip through the channels on television.  In the right mindset, you will be amazed by the advertisements that you see.

Pink

I recently read an interview in the Seventeen Magazine with Pink discussing her relationship and divorce from her husband Carey as well as her music. After just two years of marriage, they mutually decided to end it. As the daughter of recently divorced parents, I immediately became interested in what Pink had to say about this topic. Following their separation, Pink started writing a new album about the breakup. Strangely enough, Pink’s first number one song came out of this situation. When asked how she feels about that, she said “It’s a testament to how often people break up, because everyone can relate to what I’m saying.” As I continued reading the article I was surprised at some of Pink’s comments although I suppose that it should be expected. It seems that her view of marriage is much different than that of the Kingdom. When asked if she thought they would be “together forever,” she replied “No. I don’t know if I ever really believed in the institution of marriage.” She went on to explain how their childhood homes were full of conflict and that neither of them had positive examples of marriage. Pink adds “Our idea of marriage…was more like, ‘We really like each other—we should just try, see what happens.’” Reading that last sentence was disappointing—just to see this widely shared empire view of marriage spelled out in one of the most popular teenage girl magazines. In a way, it degrades the sacred value of marriage as seen in the Kingdom. For me, it was really heartbreaking to read about yet another relationship broken and to read about the warped ideas that surround it. Pink goes on to say “I don’t regret a minute of it…I’ll do it a thousand more times, even though I don’t really think marriage is necessary.” This really illuminates the empire view that if things are not going as expected, it is okay to get out of the situation and resort to other options. It is more about happiness than holiness. It’s just overwhelming to think that in the empire today, people get married all the time, making vows till death do us part, even though they know that they do not plan on staying together forever. In the United States today, there is a 50% divorce rate and it is devastating to realize that it is becoming expected and not a big deal. It is particularly unfortunate to consider the lack of successful marriages for people to look to as examples, especially those of college age. It upsets me that this is now so common and being portrayed to young women, and our society as a whole, in this way.

Television Show "Lie To Me"

This past Wednesday Fox's season premiere of the new show "Lie to Me" was on. I had seen the previews to it and it seemed like it would be a kind of fun show to watch. The season premiere was about a teacher that was killed in a high school and the problem was that they didn't know who killed her. Throughout the episode the main character was interviewing people and trying to pick up hints on whether they were lying to him or not. As the show went on, he continued to pick up hints on who was lying to him and who was being straight and honest. Finally in the end they figured out who was guilty for the murder of the teacher.

The stories that I believe that this television series is trying to get across to its viewers is that many people lie to others and they don't even realize it. People like to lie if it is easier for them or if they know that they will benefit from it. I think that this show will show people a glimpse at how much people lie in their lifetime. I also think that it will stir up thoughts in peoples minds that will make them think twice about lying as much as they do. I think that this show is good because it will affect people in different ways and will get on people's conscious'. Obviously this show is pointing out how lying is causing evil and chaos in the world.

This artifact is showing us what the empire is doing to us and how it is influencing our decisions. The empire has caused us to want to lie more because lying allows us to feel more comfortable and lets us benefit out of what we are telling people. In order to live more for the Kingdom of God we have to stop telling lies and be straight up and honest with everyone we come in contact with. Hopefully this television show gets on peoples nerves and causes them to do what is right.

Posted by Brett Ellens

Seasons of Love from the musical Rent

Rent is a musical about a group of friends both artist and musicians who struggle to live and create in New York City’s Lower East side in the days of The Bohemian Alphabet City under the shadow of AIDS. The music and lyrics for Rent were written by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème. Rent is a Tony award winning musical and is the seventh longest running Broadway show.

I am going to focus on one of the songs the musical, Seasons of Love. This is one of my favorite songs from this musical because it is challenging the audience to think about how they measure a year. They offer suggestions of daylights, sunsets, midnights, cups of coffee, inches, miles, laughter or strife then they suggest, “How about love? Measure Your Life in Love.” They call us to measure in love, “Let's Celebrate, Remember a year in the life of friends; Oh you got to you got to remember the love, you know that love is a gift from up above, share love, give love, spread love; Measure, measure your life in love.” I think this song is crying out for the Kingdom. Calling us all to measure a year in our life not by the things we accomplished that year but by love. We need to remember the love; did we share love with those who need it, did we give love to those who needed it, did we spread love through our actions, did we even stop to remember that love is a gift from God. God’s first two commandments are about love; love the Lord your God with all your heart, body, and mind; and second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Seasons of Love is a simple song with only a piano, drums, guitar and an organ but I think is has a very powerful message to think about a year in terms of love not what the empire to tell you measure in.

Grand Torino

I saw the movie Grand Torino a few weeks ago and thought it was a great drama flick. Starring Clint Eastwood, the movie centers around Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) living in his Michigan suburb home. As a retired Korea War Veteran, he is a tough character often using racial slurs when speaking to his Vietnamese neighbors. In a brief encounter with a Hispanic gang, the teenage neighbor boy, Thao, is saved by his Vietnamese cousin’s gang and is expected to join them. As initiation, they ask that he prove himself by stealing Walt’s 1972 Grand Torino (a hot classic car). He is then caught in the act by Walt holding his M-1 Grande rifle and is ordered by the epic line “Get off my lawn.” Tensions rise between the gang and Thao, who decides he doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mess of gang fights. The relationship with Walt and his neighbors moves from uncomfortable to bearable to friendly interaction. Thao learns skills from Walt as he pays in restitution by doing yard work and other household chores. The climax of the movie is when Thao’s sister Sue is raped and beaten by the gang. The enraged Walt decides there’s nothing left to do but pay in blood.

I feel this movie cries out for the kingdom in a few ways. Walt acts as a good role model for Thao and teaches him to be a man. With more trust comes more responsibility; at one point, Walt even agrees to allowing Thao drive the Grand Torino on a date (of which Walt also played a crucial part in setting up). He also becomes less callous to his Vietnamese neighbors and increases the sense of community between the two households. Probably the most prominent Christian aspect in this movie is the ending. When Walt seeks to avenge Sue’s blood, you see him in his home cleaning his gun and preparing for a sort of battle. The viewer is led to believe he is loading up and packing heat. Tensions reach a maximum when Walt stands outside of the gang’s apartment with a dozen rifles and pistols being aimed at him. He reaches in his pocket to light a cigarette when the gang open fires on him—the picture then becomes clear: he played a Christ figure, paying with his own blood and not coming to kill them but to be killed.

This movie clearly shows there is evil present in our world. The gang fights, Walt’s history in the war, the horrendous rape—all evidence of our fallen world. In my opinion, the storyteller told the viewer that Walt’s death redeemed him of his brutal killings in the Korea War; that “there was peace in the world” after he died and had “made amend” with his enemies.

All in all, great movie, great acting…if you haven’t seen it yet, I certainly recommend it!

All the single ladies: A few words on being women in the empire

Wouldn’t it have been just like “the talk” in fifth grade if we had separated our interim class by gender to talk about boys’ and girls’ bodies? I only remember three things about that experience: I asked an astute question about what happens when you swim, we made jokes about “sticky side down” for months and the boys on the other side of the hall finished early, a dozen faces peering in the window of our sacred room.

[This seems like a good time to address the men whose faces are peering into the window of this blog post right now: read on. Don’t be embarrassed. Especially when it comes to sex and birth control, you and your partner should be collaborators in bodily faithfulness. But you should also consider what it means specifically to be a man in the empire, as there are plenty of messages being directed toward you as well. To learn more, check out this retreat, which will take place February 13-14.]

As goofy as they may seem, these rites of passage are important. Too often, however, discussion about bodies and what it means to be a faithful woman stop at that awkward fifth grade ritual—after that, we’re sort of left to infer who we should be and what we should look like from the women around us and from the powerful images presented to us in popular culture.

I suspect most of you who caught the footnote in Colossians Remixed on page 197 about menstrual pads were a little disgusted, especially if you’ve never considered anything beyond the usual ways of addressing the “monthly visitor.” Even such polite (or other more crass) euphemisms for menstruation speak to how stubbornly we separate ourselves from our bodies, especially this particular aspect of the female experience. We strive to gain as much sanitary, disposable distance as possible.

And yet, in our interim class we’ve emphasized over and over again, both through Engaging God’s World and Colossians Remixed, that God cares about ALL things, that there’s not a speck of human experience in which we’re not called to faithfulness. It may sound strange, but yes, this includes periods (another polite euphemism). For more of my thoughts on this and for information on another alternative besides washable pads, check out the article “On becoming a Diva for Jesus.”

Certainly our call to be radically Kingdom-oriented as women goes beyond menstruation:

1. Before you jump on the oral contraceptive bandwagon with birth control (or even if you have already), read a book like Taking Charge of your Fertility. Even if you’re not sexually active, it’s never too early to start learning about the amazing rhythms of your body. You may decide to go with oral contraceptives, but don’t let someone impose them on you like the consumer product they are without being informed about your options.
2. If you wear makeup, choose products that are healthy for your body, not just the least expensive or most readily available products, many of which contain harmful ingredients and perpetuate the same “linear model” problems as other consumer items. Better products may be more expensive, but if wearing makeup is important to you, consider it an investment in your health. Aveda, Arbonne, The Body Shop and Anti-Body (check out the related film) are all companies that seek to honor people and the earth with cosmetic products.
3. Choose products that are not tested on animals. Animal testing for cosmetics is not excusable for a people who recognize their God-given creational calling as stewards of the earth and all of its creatures. If we need to use shampoo, lotion, hairspray, eye shadow and other personal care products, we should be willing to test them on ourselves, especially if we know they don’t contain toxic ingredients to begin with. Not sure if something is tested on animals? Read labels. Do research (National Anti-Vivisection Society is a great resource.
4. Cultivate an approach to hair and makeup that is based on joyful creativity, not necessity. If “the language of inevitability is the language of the empire,” we should be asking critical questions when we feel we have to wear makeup or when we fall into a rut of putting it on the same way every day so that it becomes a part of who we are to those around us. Likewise, we should question our assumption that we need to shower and wash our hair every single day. We in the U.S. consume a larger portion of the world’s resources per capita than any other country in the world.
5. Care for your body by eating well and exercising—and take these things beyond the market solutions that are advertised to you. Research how good nutrition is tied into good earth keeping by eating locally-produced and organic foods. Discover how walking and riding your bike to get around can contribute to a healthy body and fewer resources being consumed in travel. Experience how yoga, running and other forms of exercise can be meditative practices. 

Those are just a few of my ideas. Anything to add? Objections? Questions? Comment or send me an e-mail.

Girl Talk

So, I'm a huge fan of Girl Talk.
No, not gossip or talking about shopping or shoes- the man, the myth, the somewhat notorious Gregg Gillis. He is Girl Talk, the genius behind mash-up that goes beyond the common term. Mash-up music is when a D.J. remixes elements of different songs and fuses them together to make another song. However, Girl Talk takes elements of songs from every decade, genre, and Billboard chart spot and forms an entirely unique original seamless track.

Well, the term "original" is being used abstractly here because Girl Talk has been getting into a little bit of legal trouble over his use of samples and copyright laws. After causing a stir via Myspace by letting his fans choose how much they'd like to pay for his latest album, "Feed The Animals", Girl Talk had to explain how he was barely crossing the line. The snippets he uses are the equivalent of sampling a track from iTunes or any online media player. Seriously, the amount of time the samples are used go from 15 seconds to less than one. The small samples are legal through the "Fair use" section of copyright law.

Girl Talk succeeds in distracting the media from copyright laws through his flawless skills and his back story to how he got his gig. Gregg Gillis, pre-Girl Talk was a biomedical engineer. After going through all the schooling required to get to his profession, he quit it all in May of 2007 to pursue his passion of creating music.

I see this as kind of fighting the Empire in a way. Pursuing your passion instead of continuing down the same path that's expected of you.
And it's kind of a kick in the face to the Empire as well. Just look what he can create without being penalized for his creativity. It might sound like a creative cop out- but just listen for yourself, you'll know what I mean.

I think that's what we're all called to do, it's part of our human purpose. Being part of the Kingdom calls for us to pursue what we can bring to the table, doing what we love. Girl Talk may not be specifically pursuing his passion for the glory of God, but I think he can be a good example of staying out of the Empire's "rut", if you will.

Girl Talk is one big lawsuit waiting to happen, but can throw one real good dance party.

Interview with Girl Talk a.k.a. Gregg Gillis