Addicted to Mediocrity, Chapter 2: Bitter Fruit

The second chapter talks about the faux-spiritualism that is injected into every instance of Christian media. Whether it be music, books, or decor, it all exudes a sense of kitch, as if it were labeled "Christian" makes it okay.

This is all evidence to show how Christians have given up their right to be effective. According to Schaeffer, "Any group that willingly or unconsciously sidesteps creativity and human expression gives up their effective role in the society in which they live." (p.24) I know that the "human expression" is talking in relation to art, but what Schaeffer fails to identify is the power of politics as an "effective role in the society". The arts aren't the only way to convey a message or to play an "effective role".

There are tons of partisan groups such as PETA and the ACLU who are effectively making change to society through protests and political pressure.

All the areas that Schaeffer targets: music, books, video, are all in the realm of the media. But media's reach has limitted scope. People tend to watch what they're interested in. Very few people will watch content that they do not agree with. Take the news, for example. The people who read the New York Times tend to be more liberal because that is the sort of information that they are taking in. Conversely, those that read the Wall Street Journal tend to be more conservative. Not that either of these are good or bad, but it shows the lean of those who read these publications. Of course, there are exceptions and the truly informed will read both sides of the gate.

This is not to deny the power of the media and "human expression", but to say that without "creativity and human expression" a "group" cannot play an "effective role in the society" is absurd.