The great Andy Whitman has a few things to say about Calvin College’s decision to cancel the New Pornographers concert.
As usual… I’m with Andy. I need a t-shirt that says, “What Andy Whitman Said.”
If you’ve never read his blog, you can find it here.
I submitted this comment at Andy Whitman’s blog. I know it runs counter to his and your opinion, but I thought I’d share it here.
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I personally feel there’s a bit too much judging going on here. Sure, maybe once Calvin chose to invite The New Pornographers to come they should’ve stuck to that invitation. And sure, maybe it was as unwise of them to invite a group with that name as it would’ve been to invite a group called F**K YOU even if the group’s lyrics were tame. Lord knows, there are plenty of secular artists out there without names that could potentially offend, who also create beautiful music.
But I think that in spite of those missteps (my opinion), this is far from being a thing worthy of throwing stones at Calvin University. We may “serve a Lord who…was an abject failure,” but I don’t think He’d come down too harshly on a Christian university who decided it was a mistake to invite a group called The New Pornographers. There are more worthy things to focus on, than fellow Christians throwing stones at fellow Christians over this.
-Rick Ro.
“There are more worthy things to focus on, than fellow Christians throwing stones at fellow Christians over this.”
This is not about Christians throwing stones at Christians. It’s about sending an open invitation to the world to throw stones at Christians. Whomever made this call has contributed hugely to the public image of Christians as hypersensitive, culturally disconnected nutjobs who let fear of the unknown dictate their lives. We don’t need more people seeing Christians in that light. Christ himself was known to dine with actual prostitutes. It’s hardly Christlike to turn away perfectly decent people (and their seven zillion fans) simply because they jokingly named their band using a word which means someone who manufactures something objectionable. The word “Pornographer” isn’t even an objectionable word, in itself. Saying the word “Murderer” in jest is not the same thing as actually killing someone. The overreaction is huge and ridiculous.
The overreaction of the College, that is. Not you. You seem quite level-headed. Don’t want to be unclear or uncharitable, there.
Luke and others…
I recommend that anyone interested in further discussion of this go the Andy Whitman post to see some good arguments on both sides of the issue. I think you’ll find it’s not as easy as equating this with the fact that Christ dined with prostitutes.
Would have to disagree with you and Walt over this one. Names are important. Unfortunate to be sure that they invited them, then canceled, but I don’t think they need more people judging them for this.