Drink, Drank, Drunk?

The most widely celebrated saint on the planet or at least in an Irish Diaspora, those consisting of Canada, New Zealand, Australia, U.K, Argentina. EVERYONE is  Irish on Saint Patrick day. It is celebrate with  parades all over the major cities which light their most famous building with green, Dollorama are filled with green attire, big green plastic hats, shamrocks and beads,  people wear green. Good luck getting in to any pub or club on St Patrick day, having to wait in long lines and pay ridiculous cover or pay for over priced green beer, staggering home with your green broken heels or if your lucky your able to hail down a cab. And if you were in London – do you love riots?  Ah yes St Patrick Day! What is with the hype? Celebrating a Catholic saint with ridiculous amounts of drinking, Religion and popular culture grasping onto a green pint?  And in London with fire!?

St Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. At the age of 14 he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He turned to God, he escaped at the age of 20 to return to Britain, only to have a dream with the people of Ireland asking him to return. He began his priesthood and later became a Bishop, bringing the gospel to Ireland, converting many, using the Shamrock to explain the trinity. A humble pious man, that according to legend banished snakes from Ireland that attacked him on his 40 day fast. March 17 the date of his death came to be celebrated around the world. Blue not green was originally the colour associated with the Irish, until 18th century where emphasis on “wearing the green” a political rebellion that came with sympathy for Irish independence.  As well this day marked the day that Lenten restrictions were lifted on drinking alcohol and eating meat. There is also a legend that while visiting an inn, St Patrick was served a Patrick was served a glass of whiskey, less than full, and taught a lesson of generosity.  He told the innkeeper that the devil that dwelled in his cellar feed off his dishonesty and had to change his ways. Returning to the inn, the keeper was filling his patrons’ glasses to the brim. Patrick found the devil emaciated from his generosity and banished him.  Thereafter, St. Patrick proclaimed that everyone should have a drop of whiskey on his feast day. 

Today this religious festival is now mixed with wearing green, shamrock stickers, drinking Guinness beer and tapping a keg in the mid afternoon, (University of Toronto, Trinity College). It has become an excuse to just completely inebriated all day and night, and representing the Irish.  Would St Patrick agree with the way that his day is being celebrated, probably not.  However for me I really don’t see the hype. Is this an accurate description of the Irish, I don’t think so either. Popular makes the other seem that way, potato loving, and beer drinking Irish. A day for a humble Saint, that is part of Catholic imaginary is turned in to a complete mockery and a distorted misrepresentation of the Irish on every March 17th  in at least an Irish Diaspora. I’ve never been to Ireland so I cant say how it is celebrated, but from what I saw downtown Toronto to what I saw on the news on London, where there was much unnecessary violence and delinquency from overly intoxicated groups of student on a day that should be more respected, that has its roots in Catholic observance of lent. But hey it seems that everyone on this day has Irish in them, and I’m not saying that I’ve never participated in this celebration before either but I must be critical of where and why it came from. It seems that now St Patrick Day can be like any other day that requires excessive drinking like New Years, it has been overly commodified that for most  stepping in to a Church does not even enter ones mind, only stepping into a bar or starting riots

Christian Commodity

Response to http://zhzgsmc30512.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-about-playing-video-games-with-god.html

Until last week I had no idea that there existed video games explicitly designed for a Christian audience, as you mention in your blog, why now? Could it be because of the games like Call of Duty, that are first person shooter games that there seems to have an obligation to produce Christians games that instill Christian moral values. As you mention it is the commodification of Christianity and it stipulates the question of agency that was postulated by Douglas E Cowan. That one cannot have an avatar of Jesus because of the complex and personal relationship one feels toward their avatar, a feeling that is allows one to become that avatar while they play. This cannot happen. Going back to the question of the commodification of Christianity. Although a little unrelated to video games, is the comodification of Christianity in fashion, more particularly of the “Saint Bracelets” that came out a couple years ago.

 I had first seen these bracelets in El Salvador a few years before, but perhaps I was blind, but from one day to the next it felt that everyone on the Saint Michael’s Campus and Victoria campus, and outside of school started wearing them, men and women. They came in different shades of wood, with different saints on them. People I knew who were not Christian at all began wearing them, saying they were “trendy.”  I’m not sure how trendy they are today, but I assume they are still around. This emphasizes the question, since when did Saint become trendy? Do you have to be Christian to wear it, clearly you don't. The image of saints no longer resonate with the same efficacy as before. It no longer becomes a statement that your Christian, but that your in the know how of what is "in" and what is "not." I never would have thought that saints could be in or out, could this over commodification render certain iconic images like Jesus and Saints as obsolete?  I don't think so, they still have their inherent value that those of faith place upon them. The role of fashion has within Religion, has always been present, however today the role the of fashion has played a different role in the commodification of Religion, from T-Shirts, to run way high fashion couture that push the boundaries and experiment with the limits of those of faith and of society with the integration and religious symbolism in their designs.

Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture s/s 2007

For those of you who don’t follow the fashion world, on a more local level, Forever 21 also produced T-Shirts that had "believe"on them and even at the bottom of their bag there is  John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

A quote that has been used as we saw in Sports. This comodification of Christianity in fashion  ask the questions can one wear these clothes even if they do not believe just because it is popular and trendy and goes oh so cute with those red pumps?

 Response to http://beavertailsandrecordsales.blogspot.com/2012/03/bleiber.html

Justin Beiber compared to other young people in the media who are teen moms, is doing more very well and has been very influential, his records sales are through the roof, and his movie did very well as well. I also didn’t see it because personally I am not a fan, and in class was the first time I had ever seen the music video Pray. When I saw it, what I saw was a music video with a distorted perspective, of over self promotion and similar to the ads of the Coca Cola Commercial “Reason to Believe”  comparing really life political international issues to mother making cakes. In this sense Bieber and his team, do the same thing. Because lets not forget that Bieber is a commodity and there is a question of authenticity, and a question of how much input Bieber really gets in the first place.  I feel that the message in Pray  although on a superficial whole which can only expected from a commercial pop icon  can be good  however I feel it is an  over simplifies complex issues, and does it in an excellent marketing way, which can be dangerous for the target audience. Similarly to the Kony2012 phenomenon (but that’s another blog)

 Yes although Bieber is visiting kids in the hospital, and there can be aid at the local level, the video makes you think that Bieber is actually in Haiti, that the nurses (that are actually in Haiti, aiding)  are dancing ( which they are most likely not) to his tune and everything is alright, that his song will aid in all the international devastation, it seems it has this repeated narrative since colonial times of the “first” world saving the “third world.” I don’t think that by being critical of a pawn is by any means cynical, it is just another way of looking beyond what is presented.

Do you think about Jesus when you play?

Both my sister an I have always been involved in some kind of sport growing up, I took a more individualist approach in sports participating in swimming and rockclimbing where as she involved in more team centered sports like rugby and continues to play for Skule and Varsity. As discussed in class there is a sort of heroism that is involved when one works through the pain and overcomes it both for the team as well as an individual merit.  I have witnessed my sister countless of times play rugby injured only to come off the field with more pain, but she scored a try. Or all the times I have taken her to the hospital for concussion and having to continuously check up on her every 3 hours while she slept, but hey that’s rugby for you; no helmets. I completely understand why she does it because I do it to, there is nothing better than working through the pain and reaching the top of a 5.11 wall even if your finger cannot bend for a couple hours and legs are shaking. I do think there is some sort of ecstasy that comes about from pushing yourself harder but I don’t think it has to be necessarily equated with religion

As we saw in class that there is clear evidence between Christianity and sports, juxtaposed with pain and sacrifice, however I think its dangerous to think that one works through the pain only in reference to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. I’ve never played a sport and thought about Jesus, and I never saw it in that light, until last weeks lecture. Whenever I have participated in sports there was a notion however of challenging one self, growing stronger, building discipline and respect that can be seen as religious, but for someone who is not religious these notion can also just be product of the sport it self that do they not necessarily have to attributed to a specific religion or a religious connotation.  In my own case, sport was seen as a way “out,” not growing up in the best of neighborhoods sports became a way “keeping idle hands busy” as discussed as one of the apologetics of sports.  It was way to keep myself off the streets, keeping my mind and body healthy and instilling work ethic and discipline in school that allowed me be able to come to the University of Toronto . In this way sports for me is not so much a religious experience but an aid in overcoming soci-economic conditions.

 In Response to http://zhzgsmc30512.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-christian-or-less-christian.html

I think you make a valid point when you mention in the ways in which popular culture interprets an artist is a “good” Christian in the ways they understand the faith or more or less Christian.  It is a problematic situation if or how or can judge these artist in they way that they understand their own faith and in turn judge their work.

I have some Catholic friends who did not even know that Lady Gaga was Christian and were quick to condemn her, her music and especially against the song Judas.  She is not your typical “good” girl , but that does not make her any less of a good nor bad Christian, that should not be a question one should ponder, one can only look at the way her music speaks for itself on its own terms in a metaphorical way.
This in turn can also be said about  Lil Wayne ft Bruno Mars a video we will see tomorrow entailed Mirror. One can see that   Lil Wayne has tattoos on his eyes lids that say “Fear God” in the video he is covered in Christian symbolism and in the end there is a mural of what seems to be a red and black self portrait Jesus hanging on the cross. The lyrics are pay homage to Micheal Jackson, his past, his father, and reflection.  It is clear that this song is in turn depicting his faith, but what has is action depicted? He has been arrested and charged on more than on occasion for gun marijuana and narcotic possession and has served up to a year in prison. Knowing that would his music hold particularly this song hold less validity?  I don’t think so, as an artist he is showing his fans everything he has gone through his journey. To be Christian I think is not this quest in being  perfect, being "less or more"  it is recognizing your sin as well and examining it, dealing and repenting. As was quoted in class as Lady Gaga said "If you cant see your shadow your not standing in the light."  He has payed his dues and continuous to do so within himself, I think this is one of his most auto-biographical and more lyrically eloquent songs.

Faith is not a Genre

Last week in class there was a lecture on Christianity and music. When Professor Harris asked to name a Christian rock band that I was at a loss, except for Faith + 1. I am a big south park as some of you can tell from the title of my blog space, Jesus and Pals a direct reference to South Park.

Cartman bets Kyle that he can make a platinum C.D before he does,  and joins forces with Butters and Token forming a Christian Rock Band, replacing Baby with Jesus. All of Faith +1 songs become a hit among the Christian community, only to loss the bet with Kyle, never to receive a platinum album because the Christian record companies give out gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Although I may not be familiar with any Christian bands in the realm of tranfomanist artist I am better versed with Hip-Hop.  It is my go to genre, and there are many artist that are lyrically more raw poetic form in the ways they weave Jesus, pain, God in relation to social realities like Nas, Tupac, Common, Erykah Badu than comparatively to what we have seen coming from Bieber or Lady Gaga. One of my favorite hip hop / vocalist who I think is more appropriate for this Blog to share, began her singing in churches, the amazing Lauryn Hill. Many of her song have biblical undertones, this song for me has always stuck out the most.

In her song "To Zion" which is a song dedicated to her first born son, is a story of her contemplating what to do.

Unsure of what the balance held
I touched my belly overwhelmed
By what I had been chosen to perform
But then an angel came one day
Told me to kneel down and pray
For unto me a man child would be born
Woe this crazy circumstance
I knew his life deserved a chance
But everybody told me to be smart
Look at your career they said,
"Lauryn, baby use your head"
But instead I chose to use my heart

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

A metaphorical dynamic is at play here as theses couple of lines, are similar to the story of the Virgin Mary when Gabriel told her that she would be the mother of Christ. As something she had to perform, and with deep contemplation she choose her heart over her career.

How beautiful if nothing more
Than to wait at Zion's door
I've never been in love like this before
Now let me pray to keep you from
The perils that will surely come
See life for you my prince has just begun
And I thank you for choosing me
To come through unto life to be
A beautiful reflection of his grace
See I know that a gift so great
Is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face

Zion is not only her sons name but a reference to Jerusalem, and this is where her joy is.  In this we see that is was not Lauryn Hill that choose, but him, being God or possibly her son; wanting to be born, only God could have created such a creature.


In my opinion this poetic imagery speaks more to me than Judas by lady Gaga or Bieber and conveys a more powerful message, personally I feel it is very authentic contribution by Lauryn Hill, as she keeps in her faith within her musical career.  Knowing that faith has no genre, I think that the way faith is portrayed with social realities in hip hop is far complex and dense and intricately woven than the superficial attempts by Gaga an Bieber.