I recently read Rapture Ready, a new book by Daniel Radosh. The book is subtitled “Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture” which probably tells you most of what you need to know about it. The author, a secular liberal, immerses himself in Christian pop culture and uses this book to write about his experiences. It is at times exasperating, cringe-inducing and just plain embarrassing. Here is a brief excerpt to give you a taste of both the subject matter and the author’s perspective on it. Radosh decided to take in a live performance of the Christian kids’ superhero Bibleman, a production which I have never seen and am quite certain I never will see willingly.
The show opens with the backstory of our hero, Miles Peterson, “a man who had it all: wealth, status, success. Still, something was missing.” I don’t know about you, but when I feel that something is missing I usually mope around the house or browse YouTube for videos of cats falling off stuff. Miles, however, goes tearing out into a rainstorm and collapses in a sobbing heap. “Then, in his darkest hour,” Miles finds something half buried in the mud: a Bible. Not Just any Bible—a radioactive Bible. No, actually, it is just any Bible. But apparently that’s enough to turn him into Bibleman.
In this episode, Bibleman and his sidekicks, Cypher (the black guy) and Biblegirl (the girl), go up against a villain called Primordius Drool, a mincing green-skinned fop with a lisp and a fondness for show tunes. Subtlety is not Bibleman’s strong suit. The same actor also plays a talk show host named Sammy Davey, who is a classic stereotype of a New York Jew, complete with nerdy glasses and a giant Jew-fro. Slouching and cringing, Sammy Davey needles and browbeats poor Bibleman in an accept so thick that he pronounces Bibleman with the same inflection as names like Silverman or Lieberman.
The heart of the show is the fight sequences, typically involving a darkened warehouse (all the better to obscure the lackluster choreography) and Bibleman swatting away CGI fireballs with his lightsaber while announcing, “Isaiah 54:17 says ‘no weapon forged against me will prosper!’” Every now and then, Bibleman shares a lesson with his sidekicks, as when he laments that people “allow their minds to cover up what God has placed on their hearts”—a near perfect pitch for the common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment, a belief that many nonevangelicals would be distressed to hear is being passed on to eight year-olds.
Comments (26) »
1. GUNNY HARTMAN
April 22, 2008
4:40 PM
I’ve seen more than a few episodes. My wife scored a bundle of these DVDs on the cheap from the local “Christian” “book” store. (Okay, it’s not THAT bad.)
The show’s a bit hokey for me, but it motivated my 3 year old boy to run around reciting Bible verses as he had sword fights in the backyard with his older sister.
For me as well, it’s hard to get past the “Eight Is Enough” & “Charles in Charge” main character, Willie Ames.
2. William
April 22, 2008
4:56 PM
bibleman is one of the reasons my conscience would let me keep working at the Christian bookstore.
3. Tim B
April 22, 2008
5:13 PM
“a near perfect pitch for the common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment”
This comment is somewhat humorous when you juxapose it with the critique that is common from emerging-type circles that evangelicalism is nothing but awash in enlightenment rationalism with little or no place for emotions, feelings and anything that isn’t rigidly left-brained and analytical.
Funny how one critiques us as lost in nothing but subjectivism while the other says we are drowning in our objectivism.
4. Val
April 22, 2008
5:37 PM
I first have to say thanks for this blog. I wasn’t really a blog person (thinking it a huge waste of time and a bit narcissistic) but I did some Googling on The Shack (because of some concern about content that I thought might just be me since everyone else seemed to love it) and came across your blog in my research. Very helpful and put into words what I was stretching to grasp. And now I have a blog of my own for my own little sphere of influence and a little practice writing. And I check your blog regularly for valuable info. So thanks.
And second, as a person who formerly worked for the company who produced and sold Bibleman in the 90s, and as a former music buyer for a Christian bookstore I have to agree that the Christian pop culture is, unfortunately, strange and a bit shallow. I found in my years selling Christian products that we as a group are very unimaginative and a bit lame. I have to say that Christian fiction in general, with a few exceptions, is sadly uncreative and reflects very little that is real about life, Christian or otherwise. And the same can be said of many of the other products sold under the “Christian” heading. However, conversely as a parent now who is faced with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and the Wiggles (all equally lame Chinese water torture in my opinion) I find myself more willing to put the safer option in front of my kids vs the alternative. And Bibleman is it. Veggie Tales are great and clever but for an active 7 year old boy who wants to be a superhero, and who feels he has outgrown Larryboy, Bibleman provides an alternative to Power Rangers, Avatar and the mysticism that those shows promote. I have yet to actually buy a Bibleman video (thanks to friends who own some and my stockpile from the old days) but my son keeps asking for more (which can be a good thing) and while I never happily sit down to watch one at least he is being taught, in some fashion, from God’s word rather than the world’s New Age mysticism. For Christian parents, sadly, this is one of the few things we have right now in this class of action type videos, but it will hopefully soften my children’s heart to scripture and its true power. And hopefully a talking relationship with my children will overcome the Eldredge-type messages that pop up.
5. ken
April 22, 2008
6:53 PM
I haven’t listened to They Might Be Giants since grad school. Particleman was definitely one of the best.
6. Yogi Taylor
April 22, 2008
6:58 PM
It seems to me that we (evangelicals) have brought a lot of negative attention on ourselves! We have for the most part made Christianity somewhat of an entertainment of sorts. I have no problem with “Bibleman”, but it is just one of many examples of how shallow and trendy Christians are continuing to be! I think that people ought to be offended by the Gospel and not the cheap way we try to sell it!
Yogi
(Ken… that was funny!)
7. radosh
April 22, 2008
7:30 PM
Thanks for reading the book. Can you clear something up for me, though? Which was “exasperating, cringe-inducing and just plain embarrassing” — the Christian pop culture or my perspective on it (or both)?
And while I’m here, I might point out that I do write pretty positively about SOME stuff!
8. carissa
April 22, 2008
7:53 PM
“a near perfect pitch for the common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment.” that’s really how he interprets it? ouch, that hurts.
i do wonder why as a whole Christians not only love their merchandise, but are willing to pay for really lame stuff. maybe it’s because we try to force the entire gospel into a one-square-foot or twelve-word or thirty-second package and aesthetics are compromised. or maybe we don’t have much better business ethics than the world (sell the cheapest possible product at the highest possible price). whatever it is, i hope we change it.
in the meantime, though, i guess there are worse things than low production values if kids enjoy it and get something out of it.
9. Shane Eckert
April 22, 2008
10:11 PM
When is the review going to show up on DR?
10. Larry Gross
April 23, 2008
12:04 AM
I have a concern that I’m not sure how to put into words… but here’s my attempt. Does Bibleman and his ilk fulfill a real need in our culture, create a perceived need, or (please hear my heart) give us parents another excuse to not be the primary teachers of the Gospel to our children?
Our children do need heroes and I know it won’t do to bring in some example from our ancestors and how they didn’t need these fanciful creations sanitized for our evangelical sensibilities. But isn’t the machine of Christian pop culture simply responding to the perceived need?
I want Gospel-saturated children. But isn’t it me who has to saturate them? We have some Veggie Tales videos and my 4-year old daughter loves them… but while watching them with her, I get the nagging feeling that although they have some truth… they aren’t the Truth. The Bible stories are so sanitized as to be almost unrecognizable… what am I really teaching her through this? Is it just wholesome entertainment with some good lessons that I somehow hope will stick?
I’m not pointing any fingers (except at myself) but I’ve been wrestling through these questions (and others) as I try to raise Gospel-saturated culturally aware children. I was a youth pastor for 7 years and that experience did great (and necessary) violence to my view of child-rearing. The simply sanitary and politely pretty were children who could assent to the series of propositions taught to them, but few of them actually had a real understanding of the Gospel. Those children grew up watching Veggie Tales and Bibleman too… many of them aren’t even in church now. Most of the kids who still are… some of them watched those programs, many of them watched (shudder) “secular” programming - the common denominator in almost every case were parents who actively and consistently brought the Gospel to bear on the lives of their children. (There are always exceptions… but this is a generality borne out through experience.)
I am not saying you should throw away your Bibleman videos or your Veggie Tales videos. I’m just saying that the absolute most important thing we should be doing is bring the Gospel to bear in every part of life. They should see us in the Word and in prayer. They should see us set aside devoted time for Him. It is so critical that our love for God is echoed in every part of our lives. Children do need a hero… be that hero.
11. Susanna
April 23, 2008
2:14 AM
Daniel Radosh is from Brooklyn and was at the local Barnes and Nobles last week speaking about this book…unfortunately I wasn’t able to go listen BUT I did look through his book pretty thoroughly last weekend.
My thoughts on his book are basically this…here is a guy who in order to prove his already formed theories about Evangelicalism/Christianity in general let’s not forget, looked to the most embarrassing facets of it in order to further his slick notions. Yes Bible Man is embarrassing and many of the other characters he speaks about but hey, are these people at the forefront of Evangelicalism? I don’t think so but they make better food for fodder no doubt.
He even goes as far in one chapter as to “interview” some Evangelical preacher with out actually interviewing him. He couldn’t get a hold of the guy so he decides to ask questions and than pull the preacher’s answers out of a book the guy had once written. This seemed a rather unfair, unprofessional move to me and his whole “interview” was also laced with childish profanity which he I guess though would be fun to include. The whole thing was so juvenile
All this to say, yes this exert makes much of the Evangelical subculture or whatever seem totally pathetic but as I say, Radash came at his book with a totally biased, seemingly arrogant opinion and went to all the “fools” but none of the quality Evangelical people/groups of which there are still. Like so many authors, he picked a cheap ,easy route to make a few extra bucks…attack a group by stereo-typing and generalizing it to the max figuring no one knows the community any better than he does.
12. Seth Spearman
April 23, 2008
9:21 AM
Tim,
Thanks for your blog. I personally DO find Christian Pop Culture to be “exasperating, cringe-inducing and just plain embarrassing.” Bibleman is one example of many. Although Bibleman may communicate a good message my EXCELLENCE meter drops to 0 whenever I have seen it which means my INTEREST meter also drops to 0.
Kudos to some of the comments. First, evangelical pop culture seeks to replace the parents or church for training up our children in the way they should go (or at the very least provides many props for lazy parenting). Second, Radosh has, in fact, chosen some of the baser aspects of evangelical culture to critique. I wonder if he has the courage to interview some “real” pastors like John Piper or Ligon Duncan or CJ Mahaney. (You can tell I was at T4G last week.) The truth be told a book like this is profoundly cowardly. Anyone can write a book that confirms our deepest prejudices and that is what Mr. Radosh has done. I dare him to find outlets of Christian worldview and expression that demonstrate the beauty and wonder all that is good in Gospel circles.
I take comfort that the WIDER evangelical circle is not the Christian circle that matters because it is not the circle that is changing the world. (I say that in all due respect to those of you that are IN that circle. My advice…flee.)
Seth
13. radosh
April 23, 2008
10:24 AM
Well, since I’m here, I’d like to offer my own perspective, from having written the book and not just looked through it, that any claim that I simply went in to confirm my pre-existing stereotypes is 180 degrees wrong. In fact, I came out of my experiences with a very different opinion than I had going in, and while there is no question that many Christians will disagree with some of my judgments (as I would with theirs), they are judgments formed after an honest, open-minded investigation. This is probably why several Christian bloggers and magazines have already given the book positive reviews.
This is a book about pop culture as it relates to faith, not about religion itself, so I quite consciously didn’t interview any pastors or attend any church services. The constructed interview Susannah refers to is with Stephen Baldwin. Sure it was a little juvenile — but he started it! :)
I certainly did not shy away from covering the ridiculous aspects of the culture — that would be bias of another kind — but I also devote long sections to people and ideas that I found impressive: Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou, techno musician Dan Bartow, the owner of the world’s largest Christian bookstore, an author of Christian sex advice books. Even Frank Peretti, whose novels I can’t stand (as I say clearly), comes off quite well, I think. I can guarantee that before I started this project, I never in my life would have dreamed that I’d be creating lists of ten great Christian rock songs for the New York Times!
More importantly, while my book serves as an introduction to the Christian subculture for people like myself who don’t know or understand it, it’s not merely an attempt to catalog “good” versus “bad” stuff. Rather, it wrestles with all the questions people here are raising, about what the meaning of this culture is, how it relates to genuine faith, and what impact it has on society as a whole. I don’t presume to answer those questions definitively, but I do give space to many people with widely varying opinions on them.
Again, I don’t imagine that we’re all going to see eye-to-eye on everything, but I hope you’ll give me a fair shake, as I tried to do with the people I met. If you want to read some of the book for yourself, there are several excerpts here.
Best wishes,
Daniel
14. Suzanne
April 23, 2008
10:38 AM
Unfortunately, this proves what I have been telling friends and family for years—we Christians don’t need the media to make us look bad, we do a pretty darn good job of it ourselves. Thankfully, my children are well past the Bibleman age. Reading about it makes me cringe, as does going into most Christian bookstores. Instead of Christians finding fulfillment in Christ, so many have bought into the consumerist culture and the need to be “cool”, simply put a Christian label on it, and went on their merry way. Rather than allowing Christ to be relevant because of who He is, we’ve tried so hard to market Him, make Him “the coolest dude ever!” that we’ve simply succeeded in making Him appear about as appealing as the big glasses, shoulder pads, and mall hair of the 1980’s. We immerse our children in evangelical pop culture, often forgetting that it is still pop culture, and often neglecting to instill in them the knowledge that Christ transcends pop culture.
15. chris
April 23, 2008
11:29 AM
Our Sr. Pastor (former “youth pastor”) brought this character to our church for a Sunday morning service. Bibleman came out of the back smoke machine and all. So embarrasing.
16. James Vander Woude
April 23, 2008
12:06 PM
Daniel Radosh:
I haven’t read your book, but I really enjoyed the top-ten list. I haven’t listened to any of those artists except for Sixpence, but now I think I’ll check out Larry Norman and Overtherhine. Thanks for broadening my horizons. I’ll read your book, too, if I can find it at the library (sorry). Tell you what: if they don’t have it, I’ll ask them to order it.
take care,
James Vander Woude
17. Diane
April 23, 2008
12:40 PM
Daniel Radosh—
Thank you so much for posting. I have wanted to read your book since I first heard it mentioned, yes, on some reformed blogs I “frequent.” Just checked out your NYTimes christian rock song “best of” list…awesome. Really! For too, too long I have been utterly disillusioned with what passes as music on the Christian radio station. I have not been one to shy away from the (gasp) secular just because I belong to Christ, but, goodness…are their no Christian artists with ANY talent and depth? Point is, I was happy to see Over the Rhine (particularly) in the mix. My husband and I love them and everytime I hear “Born,” I remember our wedding. awww, I know. So, thanks for refreshing this stay-at-home-christian-mommy’s day…
And thanks to Challies for being faithful to the gospel of truth. Love your blog, especially the family stories! I prayed for your little girl. :o)
18. Scott
April 23, 2008
1:24 PM
This sounds like it might be an interesting book.
Like it or not Seth I would put good money on most Christian adults and children being more familiar with Veggie Tales and Bibleman than Piper. Also calling the writing of this sort of book cowardice shows a lack of Christian charity.
Personlly our kids watch secular kids TV when they watch TV at all. I don’t think popular culture is trying to replace anything. The fault lies not with the culture, but with the parents that make it popular. I’m trying to do something about it. I concur with Radosh that Peretti is pretty awful awful and sure I could point to one or two Christian authors that aren’t, but that’s not reallt the point. The fact that Peretti is successful speaks to the need we have to tell tales and hear stories that resonate with us. Because there aren’t many we take what we can get. And unfortunately we don’t think that the secular workd contains any of those stories.
19. Seth Spearman
April 23, 2008
4:36 PM
Scott,
Thanks for your admonition. Perhaps the word “cowardly” puts too strong (or wrong) a point on it.
But I DO think that books like this amount to “cheap shots.” On the one hand something like this doesn’t address”real” Christianity. On the other hand, people WILL use books like this to form opinions about REAL Christianity and in the end we are the worse for it. It just feeds ignorance of the truth rather than enlightens.
Radosh — thanks for your clarification. Tim Challies is not even necessarily giving your book a bad review and I haven’t even protested that your book is untrue. I am just saying that ultimately a book like this isn’t helpful because it is about a caricature of the truth rather than the truth itself.
Seth
Seth
20. James Vander Woude
April 23, 2008
5:14 PM
Seth,
Deep thought: perhaps it’s not that the book is a caricature of the truth, as much as the book is an accurate reflection of a sub-culture… and it is the sub-culture that all to often is a caricature of the truth?
Then again, I haven’t read the book, yet, have I? No I have not. But it strikes me that we North American Christians have to ‘wear’ stuff like Bible Man, whether we think it’s any good or not. We certainly don’t have to pretend to like it, but in some sense, it’s ‘our team’ putting stuff like that out there, and buying it.
If we’re going to take credit for Narnia and Lord of the Rings, we’d better be ready to face up to Bible Man and Left Behind (not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
James, feeling giddy after having finished his last exam.
21. ReformedMommy
April 23, 2008
5:49 PM
As a mom of three young ones at various stages of spiritual and intellectual development, it is a constant struggle to find books, music, fun activities that are both theologically rich (teaching both law and gospel) and fun and well put together! (And that goes for us grownups too!!!) (Sally Lloyd-Jones “Jesus Storybook” Bible is a rare exception, and I pray she does more things like it!) I actually had a minor epiphany yesterday when trying yet again to come up with a “system” of rewards and discipline for various moral and non infractions that most likely the reason for this is that all of these books, movies, Resurrection eggs, Advent calendars, etc.are made by thoroughly uninspired, sinful humans. The only truly perfect “system” is the one created by God in the first place! Now I am taking more of my training tips straight from Scripture and have been doing things like gardening and baking bread with my kids. As someone else comented - this means more time and effort on my part, but the blessings seem to be a lot greater. And no requests for Bible Answerman underwear when we’re out at the store…..
22. Suzanne
April 23, 2008
5:54 PM
Scott said, “The fact that Peretti is successful speaks to the need we have to tell tales and hear stories that resonate with us. Because there aren’t many we take what we can get. And unfortunately we don’t think that the secular workd contains any of those stories.” There are plenty of stories that should resonate. “Les Miserables” is one of the best books I’ve ever read that addresses forgiveness and redemption. I’m now reading “Crime and Punishment” which also delves into guilt and forgiveness. My 18 yr. old daughter assures me that “The Brothers Karamazov” is life changing. There are many more. Unfortunately, in our hyper, fast driven culture, many people would never pick up these books because they are complex, require some thought, and some are old!
23. Diane
April 24, 2008
6:21 AM
The really funny thing is, my four year old just likes the solar system and dinosaurs and his daddy making Japan island pieces out of toast in the mornings AND would only know what Veggie Tales (not that we have a problem with it) because his grandma loves Lifeway. He has never seen Bibleman and would handily recognize John Piper in picture or by voice because mommy listens to them. I think it has a lot to do with the parental focus. We, very early on, decided against junk toys and a lot of pop culture KNOWING it would come in time. We have a neutral position on it more than anything and have tried to, very, very early on, teach him a love of books (which he does) and the world around him which God created, a high view of scripture, and non-name brand kids toys which children throughout the generations have been content having without the need for mechanized, frenetic, high-pop, high-noise gunk which passes for toys/media, etc. The desire will come in time, we know. We, as his parents, listen to secular and praise music placing value on artistic merit (minus the obvious immoral content) and praising God for His glorious common grace! We figure that just because it is “christian” and sold in lifeway, doesn’t always a christian make, anyway.
24. Job King
April 26, 2008
11:41 AM
All right, clearly you Bibleman bashers are merely criticizing what you have not had time to thoroughly investigate. First off, the reason why the Bibleman shows were done so cheaply was because of a lack of financial support. As a matter of fact, the founder of the project sold the rights to the video series Thomas Nelson because IT NEVER MADE A PROFIT. And the company that sponsored the live show WENT BANKRUPT.
Second, Bibleman, especially the first group of shows done before Thomas Nelson took full control (all of which featured Aames save one) had a strong Christian message. Regular topics were salvation, theodicy, the problem of evil, evil spirits, temptation, eternal damnation, etc.
And as for your cute little statement “Every now and then, Bibleman shares a lesson with his sidekicks, as when he laments that people “allow their minds to cover up what God has placed on their hearts”—a near perfect pitch for the common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment, a belief that many nonevangelicals would be distressed to hear is being passed on to eight year-olds …” do you realize that you are guilty of false accusing? SEVERAL Bibleman episodes heavily stress the theme that Christians are not to put their trust in their feelings, but in the Word of God. They actually had one entire episode dedicated to precisely that theme. So the line that you are speaking of was contending against an intellectually based false Christianity i.e. theological liberalism.
My goodness, one of the better episodes of the series was about a young black male that was turning to a life of violent crime because of repressed anger over his parents being killed in an automobile accident. The plotline of the show depicted an evil spirit magnifying the boy’s anger and causing him to lash out violently because of it. Aames stated that he wrote the show as a way of dealing with the problems with young black males in the inner city, a population that is more likely to wind up in prison than graduate high school.
Seriously, the original Bibleman is more theological, has a stronger Christian message, and deals with more dark topics than you will find in most CHURCHES geared towards ADULTS. The new Tommy Nelson series is less dark and heavy, but they have actually increased the focus on salvation, scripture, and Jesus Christ.
I think that a lot of Christians are too quick to reject things out of pride. It is easy to puff your chest up with pride and talk about how you have rejected Bibleman (and the equally excellent God Rocks) because it represents shallow evangelicalism culture. Not everything is “VeggieTales”, people, and as long as you have that attitude you are going to miss out on a lot of good things not only for your children but for yourselves. It is a classic example of how one of the main needs for Christians is HUMILITY.
25. James Parker
April 30, 2008
12:25 PM
I strongly disagree with Susanna and Seth. A trip to your local “Christian” (?) bookstore confirms Radosh. A large majority of what passes for Christianity in our day is a cheap, laughable imitation of the fallen world around us (see James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17): 1. The “Sex…” book by Matthew Paul Turner (Nav/Press) chock-full of locker-room “advice”; filthy, unbiblical and gross. 2. Mark Driscoll, the “cussing pastor”, celebrated and hailed by many who ought to know better. 3. The “Christian Rock/Rap” “artists” (??), fully loaded with worldly face metal (i.e. ear/nose/throat rings, studs), sneers, frowns and torn clothing, lousy “music” and bad (or no) theolgy. 4. A “Christian” band (???) “Sixpence…” covering ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”, a filthy teen sex song. 5. Unsaved wordlings like Robin McGraw (Mrs. Dr. Phil), sharing “from my heart to yours”, with no gospel, PERIOD, yet, her book is #1 in sales! 6. Wanton, unrepentant adulterers like Amy Grant, shamelessly boasting of her sins to Larry King. 7. The “Biblezines”, aimed at loading young people with self-indulgent fluff, “papered over” with scripture-ette. 8. Zondervan, currently owned by mass-pornographer (and Rick Warren buddy) Rupert Murdoch. 8. Campolo and Yancey, pushing their pro-homosexual agenda, and who bats an eye? And, where are the “watchman” (Exekiel 33; Acts 20:28-30), warning the flock? Asleep, doped up, indifferent, uncaring, AWOL! God have mercy on us, that Radosh should be so “dead-on” in his criticisms!
26. April Jackson
October 8, 2008
8:57 AM
Hey Ive learned alot from the Bibleman shows. He has helped scripture stay in mind and makes memorizing fun. Plus my dad lets me watch it. How cool is a show that praises the lord while on television.