Running Diary: 28-Day Media Cleanse

Day 1: Thursday, July 19

I worked all day so it wasn’t too hard to stay away from the media. I usually listen to my Matthew West Pandora station anyway, so I just continued to do that, but it was Thursday, meaning that Jenna Marbles had posted a new video the da ybefore (if you don’t know who Jenna is, she is a hilarious video-blogger who also likes to swear and talk about sex A LOT). Instead of watching it while I cleaned out some files, I searched for Christian Youtube channels—and found some really good ones! Joy Eggerich, who runs Love and Respect (Now), gives wise, practical, and hilarious relationship advice through written articles and short videos. I highly recommend her. Also, Blimey Cow can be pretty funny (although sometimes his fake-voice can be a little much for my eardrums) and uses sarcasm to cut right through some of most illogical aspects of our culture.

When I got home from work, my first thought was “Yay, King of Queens is on.” And then I got sad and remembered there would be no Doug Heffernan for me for at least the next four weeks. It got me thinking, though: There are so many great Christian musicians out there—rap-lovers have Lecrae and Tedashii, rock-lovers have Skillet and Switchfoot—so why are there no Christian TV options? I feel like a sitcom about the struggles of a Christian family, or church, or school could potentially be hilarious. Why hasn’t anyone written one of these? Can somebody please do it? This is just another reason that we need Christians working in every arena, including Hollywood.

How can you not love him?

Because there weren’t any viable TV options, I had to find a way to curb my boredom, I looked for something to read and ended up with How to Stay Christian College, a book given to me by a friend while I was in high school, and one I probably should have read two years ago. It was written by a Christian-turned-Agnostic-turned-Christian and focuses a lot on the intellectual challenges that college brings Christian kids. It’s a necessity for Christian kids going off to school, both “Christian” and “secular.” 

Day 2: Friday, July 20

I really need to get some music on the old iPhone my dad just gave me (It can play music, but doesn’t work as a phone. THANKS METRO PCS. How did you know I didn’t want an iPhone? Who likes having the power to search the web, post to Instagram, and use a GPS right there in their hands, anyways? Obviously not me...). As much as I love Casting Crowns, there are only so many times that I can successively listen to their CD on a car ride. And why are there no Christian music stations in Boston? Or are there, and they are just always on commercial when I’m scrolling through? If you know of any, please let me know.

Excuse me guys, I'm gonna need a testimony.

After being in the car for an hour, I went to visit a basketball camp. I was horrified when I stepped into the gym and heard SECULAR music being blasted. Didn’t the camp leaders know that Selena Gomez and the members of One Direction aren’t signed to Essential or Sparrow record labels? Why weren’t they forced to give a statement of faith before their petty pop ballads were being amplified through the gymnasium? This was simply unacceptable. I mustered up the righteous anger of Jesus flipping tables in the synagogue, and I walked up to the woman in charge and demanded that she put on Chris Tomlin (I would have turned the table over a la Jesus, but I don’t have the money to replace a sound system. You gotta use common sense about these things).

Don’t worry, I’m kidding. The point of this media cleanse is not to make other people feel bad for watching Modern Family or listening to Katy Perry (although I did yell at my dad for watching the WWE); it’s to help me get rid of the garbage that is hindering my walk with Jesus, and if it really makes an evident difference in my life, then maybe people will follow. 

If you want to join the Cleanse, then don’t hesitate to take part! And if you want to blog about your own experience, I would be more than happy to post it.