They’ll know us by the T-shirts that we wear

Heard this song on the radio the other day and thought I would share it. Please don’t respond about the singer/author/artist Derek Webb on a personal level…just the lyrics.

Lyrics:
They’ll know us by the T-shirts that we wear
They’ll know us by the way we point and stare
At anyone whose sin looks worse than ours
Who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare

They’ll know us by our picket lines and signs
They’ll know us by the pride we hide behind
Like anyone on earth is living right
And isn’t that why Jesus died
Not to make us think we’re right

[Chorus]
When love, love, love
Is what we should be known for
Love, love, love
It’s the how and it’s the why
We live and breathe and we die

They’ll know us by reasons we divide
And how we can’t seem to unify
Because we’ve gotta sing songs a certain style
Or we’ll walk right down that aisle
And just leave ‘em all behind

They’ll know us by the billboards that we make
Just turning God’s words to cheap clichés
Says “what part of murder don’t you understand?”
But we hate our fellow man
And point a finger at his grave

[Chorus]
They’ll know us by the T-shirts that we wear
They’ll know us by the way we point and stare
Telling ‘em their sins are worse than ours
Thinking we can hide our scars
Beneath these T-shirts that we wear

Hi TJ,

Just turning God’s words to cheap clichés

Cynicism has often been good material for song writing. (3 chords and the truth...) It is all too easy to paint the whole group with the various problems of individuals. We create an amalgamated straw man, a stitched together character that has all of the individual flaws of different people sewed into stereotype. Then we say this is the church.

In truth we may be commiserating, but we are not really communicating to anyone with these types of rants, because no single person fits all of this description very well. As a result, the audience usually thinks Derek is talking about someone else.

Perhaps I simply think he's too young and inexperienced to have earned the right to be cynical towards the whole church.

A friend of mine told me about his teenage son one afternoon, who was sighing and despairing over the church, making a cynical comment about how uncommitted everyone is. His father rightly scolded him, "Oh no you don't son. You don't get to make comments about other people's lack of commitment until you've tried yourself to sacrifice something."

As you can see, I'm not too moved by twenty-something pop-singer angst. :-(

MC

I'm not too moved by twenty-something pop-singer angst

:-)

Nor am I, but the sad part is that some folks, at least a few I spoken with, see the Church (Christians in general) exactly as Derek has portrayed them…as people who point out everyone else’s problems (sins) while turning a blind eye toward their own.

For what the world sees as the Church…this shoe often fits.

Just so you guys know, Derek Webb is not a twenty something singer. He was in the band Caedmon's Call, and if I remember rightly is around 33 years old.

Just so you have the facts before jumping to unfair conclusions in this.

roaringlamb wrote:
Just so you guys know, Derek Webb is not a twenty something singer. He was in the band Caedmon's Call, and if I remember rightly is around 33 years old.

Just so you have the facts before jumping to unfair conclusions in this.

Thanks for the information brother. I believe the song has the same message whether written by a 15 or 55 year old. The fact of the matter is that much of the time the world does not “know us by our love”.

I think the song provided some insight into the view from the other side. It’s how I viewed much of the Church and many of the Christians I knew before being saved. If they weren’t like this…then they did nothing at all. The Christians I grew up around were over the top…or nothing. Maybe the ones I knew were false converts or perhaps just immature and over zealous, but either way, this is how I viewed many of them.

Thought the lyrics would make us think a little about what we look like to the world. As I stated in the first post I didn’t want this to end up about Derek Webb…oh well.

tjservant wrote:
For what the world sees as the Church…this shoe often fits.

Another view of how the world views Christians (and other 'religions') is depicted on MSNBC.com. It a photo essay of the world's major religions. To me it is a very, very sad commentary, but it is probably true of how what the world's view of Christianity really is.

Here is the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5114929/

I wonder if he or someone could write a song to go with the photo essay?

Anyway...just thinking out loud...

Wayne

Just so you have the facts before jumping to unfair conclusions in this.

Thanks Roaringlamb, I appreciate the correction about his age. My apologies to Mr. Webb...I was more or less expressing the poor impression I took from the lyrics...I obviously don't know the man himself. And I'm sure this isn't the only song he's written...

but it is probably true of how what the world's view of Christianity really is.

I'm not so sure we can always put stock in what the world thinks of us. Some of their critiques are fair, other opinions are just outright prejudice. Maybe someone can explain to me, when has it ever been cool to be a Christian?

Well, in any case, I apologize for associating his lyrics with twenty-something angst. (To my credit, at least I didn't suggest that he get a haricut and a job...)

MC

Maybe someone can explain to me, when has it ever been cool to be a Christian?

According to the world? Never.

According to God? Always. ;-)

I do get what you are saying brother MC.

Just bummed by how some folks view Christianity and Christians...thats all.

(To my credit, at least I didn't suggest that he get a haricut...

That is funny. He has no hair! :-P

Just bummed by how some folks view Christianity and Christians...thats all.

I completely understand.

Yet, public perception is a funny thing. I've been learning that stereotypes are not all they are cracked up to be. For instance, I am thinking now of the many Native American Christians in this country. Whose stereotype do they belong to? How about the financially poor caucasian Christian...who has a stereotype for this person?

Even my twenty-something stereotype tripped me up.

Oh well...it's probably a song with some really good music too. Next week I'll try to give it a listen. :-) No big deal. My comment was just a off-hand opinion.

MC

I think the point of the song is a kind of tongue in cheek way of pointing out the consumer type of Christianity that seeks to sanitize the cross, and minimize what the Scriptures say in order to have a political platform.

If we look at what the news networks portray as Christianity, should we really wonder why people think Christians are "weird", or "judgmental"?

What is the best way to love my neighbor? Would it not be to pour oil on his wounds by telling him that for the sake of Jesus Christ God does not hold his sin against him any longer?

If my neighbor believes, then it is a work of the Spirit not me, and not him.

But if we would move away from moral reform, and into the work of soul reform through the declaration that God made Him to be sin for us, and that by believing we are made the righteousness of God in Him, I believe we would see a shift in morals.

But t-shirts are not the means, nor are pickets, and political lobbying, and I believe that is the point of the song.

Roaringlamb,

Your 'lyrics' came across a little more clear. You make some great points.

(edit: Forgive me, everyone. Lately I've had my fill of 'everything is wrong'. There wasn't anything especially disagreeable in Derek's song...except it's timing for me.)

Thanks

MC