Christmas Music & Church Culture

I was waiting in line at a post office outlet that is at the back of our drug store. The line-ups are already getting long. I mail almost every day… sending out art that people have purchased from me online HERE and HERE. I began to notice that I was feeling irritated. Then I realized why: they are already playing Christmas music! I was starting to feel anxious about Christmas gifts: choosing them, wrapping them, and mailing them out with cards before the Canada Post deadline where they sort of assure us they get there on time. It’s not even half way through November and I’m forced to listen to Christmas music. And BAD Christmas music.

Which got me thinking about how controlled our society is by consumerism. That’s what it’s all about. The stores aren’t playing Christmas music because they want to spread Christmas cheer, but because they want you to spread your Christmas cash! It gets earlier and earlier every year.

Which got me thinking about how the dominant religious culture, even the dominant expression of Christianity and church that we are exposed to, attempts to set the rule. The biggest and richest Christian cultures and churches spread their brand of Christianity and church to everyone they can because they can afford to. The smaller and poorer Christian cultures and churches are being commercialized to buy into that whole paradigm of bigger and richer. They are unwillingly exposed, in a sense, to the constant drone of those who set the agenda of what gets heard on the air-waves and read in print. Indeed, I believe much of religion is consumerism with robes on.

The fine art photograph is the creative work of my friend Mark Hemmings. I have to ask, “What is she thinking?” Brilliant work Mark!