The objective was to try to get religion to appeal to youth. I knew some young 20's guys in a band who were into it circa 1998.

When I was a preacher I did a sermon based on that episode. It's such an accurate picture of a teenager finding a social group that happened to be at church. And Hank accurately calls out how shallow that kind of social faith is.

At the end of the episode, Hank pulls out a box of crap from fads Bobby had been into and talked about how he didn't want Bobby's spirituality to end up in that box.

For millions of people, church is basically a club where they meet with their friends, and since the church is still the most racially segregated place in America, that's a problem.

The "Christian Club" mentality is what allowed the rise of the religious right, when churches should be vocal about justice for the the sick, the poor, and the foreigners.

well so Jars of Clay was weirdly popular for a christian rock group. like i didn't even think about them as a christian rock group until their second, maybe third album? but they got radio play on mainstream stations.

Despite we having our share of weirdos, most Europeans have no clue as to how mind bogglingly insane religion has become in the US (and how normal most US people think it is).

I like those guys. Our existence is too short to waste it worrying about how cool people will think we are, and they're ironically making the most of theirs. They're out there having fun playing music.

Or you think it's divorced dad rock and it's actually about the devil

Flyleaf All around me

I also like some religious music, I think the key is that the music needs to be interesting with zero pandering.
At the risk of turning this into a "not religious, but..." music recommendation thread: I've enjoyed mewithoutYou for a long time now. They have a subdued art-rock sound, and I even enjoy a lot of their more overtly religious songs like "In a Sweater Poorly Knit" and "The King Beetle On A Coconut Estate."
Mewithoutyou - "Cattail Down"

Creepy though.

When I die and they lay me to rest,
I'm going to go to the place that's the best.

it’s horrid, empty, fake,…

Just like Christianity itself 🙂

It's like if an Multi level marker made pop music.

I'm also a little irritated that pop music is so formulaic that ai kinda nails the imitation.

Catchy but stupid.

...And not the fun kind of stupid either.

Taste is a real talent. Whether it comes to decor, music, apparel, etc it fucking matters. When people have really horrible highlights or facial filler, it matters. Beauty matters. Try living in a beautiful environment and then an ugly one and the ugly one hurts.

I judge people harshly on this matter and I'd be a much happier person if I didn't. I feel something close to physical pain when something is ugly.

One of the extremely few exceptions is Extol.

That chorus riff is unreal. Killer riffs and drumming all around.

Christian mosher: *hits incense burner / spills ritual wine*

That's one of those where they became so mainstream that they don't want to name it, but they definitely make Christian rock.

Apparently, Higher is about lucid dreaming, but he's also dreaming of biblical Heaven:

Can you take me higher
To a place where blind men see
(Isaiah 29:18-19)
Can you take me higher
To a place with golden streets
(Revelations 21:21)

"My Sacrifice" is about Scott's struggle with alcoholism, but speaks of a person who gave him love and who he implies he repeatedly reunites with "in their mind." That's Jesus bro.

"One Last Breath" drops a capital-H "His grace" referring to God, "With Arms Wide Open" mentions praying, "What If" references Matthew 7:16-17, etc.

It seems quite a few of their songs are "actually" about something else, but totally allegorical to Christian belief. And idk what that makes you other than a Christian rock band.

Alter Bridge is better

They are.

Scott Stapp the vocalist and lyricist is a Christian and his solo albums are outrightly spiritual in theme.

Something you would have to grow up in the church to understand is how controversial a lot of "Christian bands" actually were in Christian circles. Like the pushback against music with scream vocals was real.

It was a genuine wedge issue because churches used professional audio/lights to attract members with polished modern rock worship music. Music became so intertwined that it led to all non christian music being labeled "secular".

Bands like Creed didn't fit either label but generally was considered acceptable listening material in the church circles I grew up in. Most objections were genre based.

cries in Fireflight

What about that one Skillet song that's good? And I want to say switchfoot?

Collective Soul had some good stuff.

God damnit. You just ruined the one song of their's that I liked.

As someone that grew up in a Christian household and wasn't allowed to listen to non-Christian music, I listened to a LOT of Skillet as a teenager. It was one of the few bands I could listen to that I actually liked. I also liked DC Talk as a kid.

One of the more tolerable experiences. I didn't even know that they were a Christian rock band until i was well into my 20's

the key ingredient is they don't only sing about Jesus. See also: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Mainstream audiences don't generally mind christian themes so long as that band is being true to themselves rather than making common denominator slop.

i mean… look at all the music that came from Motown records before 1985. not all of those musicians and acts were devoutly christian, but a lot of them were

You misspelled fire.

Skillet is trash, and the front man is a tool.

I kinda hate how well their best single aged 🫤

You're missing out on some crazy vicar riffs bruv

For what it's worth, MxPx used to be a Christian band, but they fully renounced that a long time ago. They are as secular a punk band as you can get these days. I must admit it was a little hilarious hearing Mike drop f-bombs to the audience in between songs lol