And in fairness, it might have been true then, but it's certainly not true any more. A number of instances make the anti-Christian argument difficult to defend, including, but not limited to:
- The ongoing success of U2, one of the most prolific and resilient bands in the rock and post-rock eras. U2 has been charting singles since 1980, and the themes of their songs, and sometimes the content itself, is blatantly Christian. Many of its biggest hits, including In the Name of Love, One, and Vertigo have Christian references. Another well-known U2 song, 40, is based on Psalm 40. The bands members, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr., have all publicly opined on their religious beliefs.
- Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter is about a hard-living female cop in Oklahoma City who's been given one last chance to avoid hell: assistance from an angel named Earl. Grace is a gritty character whose life is dominated by sex, drugs, booze, and more sex. But she's also a very good cop and a caring person who can't quite accept the grace to leave behind the emotional scars of her past.
- In the late 1980s, a band called Depeche Mode charged a hit called Personal Jesus. Included in the lyrics: Your own personal Jesus, someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares. The song has been covered by Johnny Cash and--irony of ironies--Marilyn Manson.
- The Passion of the Christ, in spite of its graphically blood climax, is one of the top-grossing movies of all time.
- The Chronicles of Narnia have been released in a series of mainstream movies with good actors and advanced special effects.
In short, while there is resistance to Jesus and Christianity in current American culture, there's also a set of contemporary efforts to treat religious--often Christian questions with honor and care. It's my intent to investigate some of those efforts, expound on their meaning, and let you decide.
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