Reel to Real: Discussing Christian Media

Image by Baylen Whitfield

Written and Media by Baylen Whitfield.


Image by Baylen Whitfield
Image by Baylen Whitfield

Genres and categories of media are defined and specified for important and understandable reasons. Creating guidelines to define and separate genres helps to understand aspects of art forms, allows them to be identifiable, and limits confusion amongst viewers. For example, jazz has reasons it’s not considered heavy metal, and romantic comedies include specifics that separate them from action films. But when discussing music, movies, or just forms of media in general, it seems we live in a world where Christian media isn’t viewed simply as media. Whenever discussing media and Christian media, it almost seems as though you have to specify when talking about one rather than the other, and that you can’t discuss one within the vicinity of the other without causing conflict. In other words, no overlapping or combining of the two. Could it be that the rest of the world doesn’t want to involve themselves in Christian media, or has Christian media pushed, and is continuing to push, itself from the rest of the world until it’s a completely secluded form of art and worship?

Image by Baylen Whitfield
Image by Baylen Whitfield

Everyone enjoys music, but when it comes to Christian music it seems nobody likes it except Christians, and even Christians don’t like it all the time. The transition from analog to digital, or reels to computers and devices, has allowed for some artificial, cheap, and plastic sounding music to be created but has also allowed for some positive changes such as increased creativity with digital sounds and overall faster and more efficient music production. This is the case with both mainstream music and Christian music. One thing that Christian music, and Christian media in general, lacks compared to mainstream media is its ability to transition from reel to real. In other words, it’s difficult for Christian media to be real, face certain truths, and be open and bold. Not to try to discredit the fact that Christian media can include those things or take away from the fact that those things have occurred in Christian media’s past. But I do feel like it’s often forgotten that Christianity is a religion and many religions were formed by men to bring people together and colonize, to communicate and serve a common purpose, and to even benefit men rather than everyone. Religion is nothing more than man’s rules to give to God, a list of Do’s and Don’ts. Too often Christian’s fall victim to simply following a set of guidelines created by man to try to be perfect rather than strengthening their faith and spirituality, and developing a real relationship with God. Only focusing on following a list of Do’s and Don’ts of a religion disregards the fact that we are human before we are religious, creates a very narrow and boring path to follow that a real God most likely never intended for its people, and is directly reflected in religious media, especially Christian media.

For example, traditionally, churches have been known as places that are intended each Sunday to sit on hard pews and pray for several hours, Christian films are often very similar to each other with their drama filled plots that are watered down, clean cut, and eventually resolved by prayer to please the majority of the Christian community, and Christian music many of times is soft and boring, and often seems as though Gods name must be said every other three words of the song or that the song must feel like you’re praying over and instrumental or choir. I feel that, just like mainstream media, Christian media does not have to be boring. There are ways to be exciting, enjoyable, and real in Christian media while still being true to God.

Here’s a video example to show that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYzJ3xB7Z5M&t=1s

 

For more information on the artists check out the links below.

 

Dee-1 and his song I’m A Christian

 

Da T.R.U.T.H and his song Religion

 

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