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View Full Version : Did anyone else see ABC Nightline on 12-23-04?


reverbbb
12-25-2004, 12:12 PM
ABC Nightline did a story on the Christian Music industry. The story was attempting to reveal the largeness of the CCM industry. They mentioned something like $43 billion in annual sales (I can't remember the exact number, but it was in the $XX billions. Amazing!).

Ted Kopel was very gracious and gentle with the story. He stated the facts for the most part. But then the story began to take on the twist is that the music was selling the religion. But they offered no rational for why the music was geared to selling the youth to Christianity - other than to build a stronger foundation for the church's future. That is the part that seemed to contradict my reasoning.

My mission for 'selling' the youth is for them to have an alternative life-style in the arms of Christ. The music is just an attention getter for the youth to hear a message and focus in on the message. This point was never brought up in the story. Instead, the story seemed to lean towards the 'money-changing' aspect of CCM. But then, they interviewed Amy Grant. Ted asked her questions that sort of related to the money-changing aspect. She re-enforced that she was not comfortable with the whole concept of people writing books for the sake of just writting a book about Christianity and making money. But then, she told of a specific book (I forget the one), that she read the preface and understood the intention of the author for that book. The intent was to provide a leasiurely partly fictional story with a Christian compatible mindset. Amy stated that the book "changed her life". I don't know how a fictional story can change ones life, but I think what she meant the the author's up-front declaration of the purpose of the book, changed her view point of Christian based books.

Any way the story was great. Ted admittedly was unable to slam the whole concept of the modern efforts of CCM. He was very tender with his questions to Amy. (BTW, this was the fist time I had seen Amy in an interview. It was also the first time I have seen an interviewee on Nightline with her casual demeanor. It was both refreshing and curious).

Anyone else see the story or care to add comentary to what I described? (corrections of my interpretations are welcome as well).

kewlpack
12-25-2004, 01:59 PM
Welcome home brother Rev! :D

Hey - I missed the show, but your post made me remember Paul's words:

Philippians 1:15-18
15) Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;
16) the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
17) the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
18.) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.

and...


Isaiah 55:11
11) So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.


If God is working through anything, who are we (or anyone else) to resist him? :D

What a mighty God we serve!

Merry Christmas beloved!
~A~

Teleguy
12-25-2004, 04:09 PM
...I don't know how a fictional story can change ones life...

The Brothers Karamozoff, by Dostoyevsky, changed MY life, and I've heard of others changed by Tolstoy's, War And Peace.

I missed the Ted Koppel one, but did see another similiar program lately. Seemed like neutral reportage to me, though I've come to expect a wry smile from interviewers during their wrap-up of a Christian content piece.

MrMike
01-07-2005, 03:31 AM
I watched it online. Reading between the lines a bit, I think that Amy Grant was saying that it was the application of Christian principles and ideas that changed her life.

I do think that there was a subtle undertone of the piece that suggested that Christianity is the latest marketing flavor of the month. There was an implication that having pastors support "The Passion" from the pulpit was a calculated business decision. It would have been great to see a reference to the Great Commission. On the whole, though, I really enjoyed the piece. It wasn't the usual "look what those goofy/sleazy Christians are up to now" junk that we've come to expect from the mainstream media.

Old Believer
01-10-2005, 06:35 PM
I missed that Nightline. I can't stay up that late anymore.

We talked about it at a home Bible study my wife, and I attend. It's like a lot of things, we have to watch out for the wolves in sheep's clothing. It is not for me to judge the motives of other musicians, but sometimes I wonder.