There is a Christian music subculture. However, there are also believers who are in the mainstream market making great music, i.e. - Nickel Creek, Mindy Smith, David Wilcox, U2, the Fray, Los Lonely Boys, Matt Kearney, and others. Some in the evangelical subculture may doubt how orthodox these artist are, but they are out there making great music.

The 77's [Michael Roe] had a deal w/Island in the late 80's that collapsed once U2 became the labels main band. However, they made and continue to make great music that can stand up to anything on the radio. I think Daniel Amos, The Choir, Steve Taylor/Chagall Guevara all fit into the same mold. They tried to make it in the mainstream - but couldn't get traction. Most of them make livings producing, writing, or running labels.

There are also folks competing in print media, in record labels, and on the web who are putting out content into the mainstream, shunning the Christian ghetto.

None of these people can do anything to rid the world of "religious nick-nacks" [vis a vis the Swirling Eddies], other than by generating material of superior quality so that Christians [and others] can compare it to "Living on Prayer" t-shirts and CCM magazine - and choose what is better.

As a Christian who is frequently frustrated with Christianity, I'd like to make my list.

1. Christians are strangely defensive of discriminatory behavior, despite claiming their faith brings equality. I am thinking, for instance, of the pastor in Jena, LA, who confronted protesters and argued that the nooses on trees were typical children's games and carried no racist message. Why the hell aren't Christians being leaders in anti-racist movements? Why do they repeatedly defend racism?

2. Christians have dug themselves into a sexist hole and they can't get out. I don't care how many wedding pastors try to focus on the importance of the man loving his wife, and obscure the passage about the wife submitting. Just mentioning the passage serves as a reminder that wives are expected to submit. That passage is a stumbling block for Christians and it undermines the incredible ways that women are leading the church and leading the world. It undermines the tremendous diversity of women and men and inclines the church to treat us as gender categories first, and only as individuals later.

3. Christians are terrified of sexuality. The footage of Ted Haggard leading documentary cameras around his church asking married members how often they had sex was meant to convince us that Christians in general love sexuality and that they alone have the "right" sexuality. The aftermath told us otherwise. From censoring sexuality in art and entertainment to blocking access to adequate sexual health education to tearing churches apart over gay and lesbian sexuality, the church repeatedly demonstrates that it just cannot handle sex.

4. Christians should be known for Jesus. Most people I know who despise and ridicule Christianity, often for good reason, rarely say a negative word about Jesus. The most criticized passages of the Bible are rarely out of the gospels (we have Paul and the Old Testament to thank instead). The story of Jesus is a beautiful, passionate story that can be transformative.

Dustin Kidd