NOTES FROM OUR CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS

DEAR MR. LEVIN, Although I do agree that selling the notion of Christianity through tacky trinkets, logo T-shirts, and key chains is in very poor taste and completely contradicts the idea of the Christian religion, I thought your article was immensely ostentatious, patronizing, and insulting toward members of the Christian faith ["Christapalooza," Rick Levin, Aug 19]. Okay, you disliked the concert, but to write a four-page article almost entirely smashing a religion seems a little over the top to me! By referring to Christians as lacking "common sense, humility, and a spirit of inclusion," you offend a huge group of people -- many of whom don't fit this prejudiced title in any way. And who are you to say that God didn't show at Creation '99? Faith and religious experiences work in mysterious ways. Just because you were too high to notice this appearance does not mean it didn't happen at all.

Jay Magruder, via e-mail

TO RICK LEVIN, First, I am a Christian and I liked your article. At times it is painful to use the label "Christian" with the dumbed-down version of Christ's teachings that passes for doctrine in many places, but it has always been so. In a culture that lives on sappy television dramas, stupid sitcoms, insipid pop music, and advertising that appeals to our basest instincts, it probably shouldn't be surprising that there is a lack of thoughtfulness and depth in matters of faith.

As a Christian I need to hear about the hypocrisy of the church and its members, if only to be reminded that while we are often well-meaning, we are also blind to many of our own faults. The pastor of the church I attend sent e-mails to all the leaders of the congregation suggesting that we read your [article] -- because you said many things we Christians need to hear. However, I do disagree with your comments on rock and Christianity. The church I attend regularly plays songs by U2, Jars of Clay, Bruce Cockburn, the Who, Hendrix, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Toad the Wet Sprocket. I tossed out most of the Christian music I owned about the time I finished puberty, largely because it fails to communicate anything to me and has minimal musical value -- but the same could be said about Britney Spears.

Peter Prinos, via e-mail

DEAR STRANGER, I have never written a letter to any publication. However, I have just finished reading Rick Levin's "Christapalooza" for the third time, and I cannot go another minute without responding to the article. I'm sure that most of the letters you receive from other Christians will be critical and full of defenses of contemporary Christian culture (although I'm not sure if most Christians actually read The Stranger). Rest assured this is NOT one of those letters.

I believe that most of Mr. Levin's observations were right on the money. Many of his conclusions were profound, and showed insight as well as "common sense and humility." I'm just disappointed that such a dose of truth had to come from outside the Church. While it is not my desire or purpose to badmouth other Christians, I think it is important for someone to speak out for those Christians who do not buy into this twisted version of who Jesus is and what he is about. I have a feeling that if Jesus were walking the earth today and happened to be at Creation '99, you might have seen a re-enactment of Matthew 21:12, [when] Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem and overturns the tables of the money changers and drives out all who were buying and selling there (remember the scene from Jesus Christ Superstar?).

Jesus didn't waste his time with catchy slogans, product placement, or emotional manipulation. And neither should we. His life, death, and resurrection speak for themselves. The rest is a bunch of crap.

Erika Fox, via e-mail

DEAR EDITOR, If there was a snider, more condescending article in The Stranger this year than Rick Levin's "Christapalooza," I have failed to find it. Mr. Levin, nobody expects you to be Christian [in order to cover] that show. In fact, as a nondenominational believer, I was curious to see if you had any fresh -- or maybe even RELEVANT -- slams on the Faith, because I was certain before reading a single word that it would be inherently anti-Christian. Levin didn't disappoint expectations there, and in all fairness, was an exemplary spokesperson for our generation of hipper-than-thou, wiser-than-thou semi-Buddhists. His is the voice of cynicism that is so commonplace in this day and age. Nobody's trying to take away your inalienable right to your own beliefs, Mr. Levin, but it shouldn't take a Christian to recognize how bigoted you are.

Zach Pedersen, Portland, OR

HI FOLKS, Just have to say that I totally agree with [Rick Levin's] feature on the Creation '99 festival. I'm a Christian (and I suppose I would be classified as a Fundamentalist if I were in the U.S.), and by the sound of things that happened there, I'm sure it would have made me sick.

Seems like America has developed a kind of "kindergarten Christianity" which doesn't require you to actually think about anything. Also, how Cassie Bernall is worth so much more than all the other Christian martyrs (or Muslim martyrs for that matter) I'll never know. Maybe because she was white, middle-class, and American.

Thanks for writing the article. No doubt you'll get loads of flames from fellow Christians, but I'd just like you to know that you were absolutely spot on.

Darren Aitcheson, Belfast, Northern Ireland

TO RICK LEVIN: I don't have any defense for the blatant marketing techniques of [Creation '99]. I also have no defense for the people swayed by these techniques. I do, however, have a deep conviction that no matter what people do, my responsibility for what I do is between God and me. To that end, I would like to say that you should find a God-fearing church, start going, and look for people who have integrity. If, after knowing Christian people of high integrity, you can say that a relationship with Christ is not for you, I would be genuinely surprised.

I know that Jesus Christ lives. I don't know how, but He does. And He loves you and me, and He wants to spend eternity loving us.

Jeff, via e-mail

DEAR RICK LEVIN, I am sincerely sorry that you did not enjoy Creation '99. I am also sorry that you only saw Creation as a way for attendees to spend their money and entertainers to make money. If you knew any of the artists who performed, you would see that they weren't glory hogs, and they definitely weren't in it for the money. I think you went with your mind already made up. You had to take drugs with you to keep an open mind? Drugs don't help with open-mindedness.

The producers (ComeAlive Ministries, Inc.) are in this to give kids a chance to glorify God. Not all teenagers go because they're forced to. I'm a teenager (and I know plenty more) who went because I wanted to. You went to criticize. Matthew 7:1-2: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I'm praying for you.

In Him,

Joanna Taylor, via e-mail

DEAR RICK LEVIN, First of all, I'd like to applaud your courage for actually attending [Creation '99]. Most journalists would have been much more harsh on such an event. I won't say I enjoyed your article; I will say it gives me that sick feeling I get every time I hear "bad experience stories" about encounters people have with other Christians. I'm not even sure what to say, short of "please forgive us."

I agree with your conclusions in the article. Events like [Creation '99] are geared toward erecting kingdoms of wealth and mammon, not servants for Jesus.

In His name...

Joshua McClintock, Seattle Resident

MR. LEVIN, Let me get straight to the point.

1. There are MANY denominations of Christians. Referring to us as "a" group is erroneous.

2. If you were not already aware, America is a country with free enterprise. As a Christian, I sometimes wish this were not the case, but if it applies to non-believers, why not Christians?

3. Statistics show that if a person does not commit to a personal relationship with Christ by the time they are between 18-25 years old, they probably never will. Unfortunately for you, you appear to fall into this category.

If a bunch of Christians want to get together, have fellowship, love each other, Praise God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who are you to criticize?

Michelle A. Schaeller, Seattle

DEAR STRANGER, You send an atheist doper to visit Creation '99, and he proceeds to write a smug, condescending article about the event and attendees. Wow! What a huge surprise! If you ever write one positive thing about Christ or Christians, I will die of shock.

Laurie Langdon, Seattle

CUT 7 LINES PLEASE