NOTES ON THE HYPOCRISY OF CHRISTIAN CELEBRITY: FUN CHURCH IS A STENCH IN THE NOSTRILS OF A HOLY GOD (WITH VIDEO)

THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “I HATE, I DESPISE your feasts, and I will not smell a savor or take delight in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I look upon the peace or thank offerings of your fatted beasts. Take away from Me the NOISE of your songs, for I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let JUSTICE run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream.” – AMOS 5:21-24, AMPC

KEY TERMS:

“HATE.” ‘Sane’ [שָׂנֵ֥אתִי]: “A primitive root, ‘To consider as an enemy or foe; utterly odious; God hates those who love cruelty and wickedness.’” NOTE: “שָׂנֵא depicts personal hostility, aversion, or rejection, but it may also convey Covenantal Disfavor or Preference (‘loved … hated,’ Deuteronomy 21:15). The participial form often functions as a noun as: ‘One who hates an enemy!’”

“DESPISE.” ‘Ma’ac’ [מָאַ֖סְתִּי]: “A primitive root, ‘To spurn, to [cause] to disappear; to utterly abhor, cast away, contemn, disdain, loathe, reject, as with a vile person.’” NOTE: “The verb describes a deliberate, often covenantal, act of rejection or spurning. It is not an emotional whim but a ‘Volitional Repudiation’ of something recognised and then set aside. The object rejected may be the Lord Himself, His Word, His Statutes, His Prophets, Wisdom, or (in fewer cases) particular individuals whom the Lord has chosen to set aside. The term therefore exposes the Moral Posture of the human heart and, conversely, the Righteousness of God when He rejects the Unrepentant.”

NOISE.” ‘Hamon’ [הֲמ֣וֹן]: “From a primitive root [Hamah, הָמָה], meaning: “To murmur, make a loud roar or growl; to be boisterous, clamorous, turbulent in a great commotion; to rage or be troubled.’ Therefore: ‘Disquietude.’” NOTE: “הָמוֹן depicts an overwhelming mass expressed either as people, goods, or sound. It can signify a Throng gathered for blessing, an Army poised for battle, the Din of celebration, or the crashing Uproar of Divine Judgment. The Root Idea of ‘Vastness’ runs through every occurrence, whether in Covenant Promise, military narrative, liturgical poetry, or Prophetic Oracle.”

“JUSTICE.” ‘Mishpat’ [מִשְׁפָט]: “A judgment or verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially; a principle right or privilege.” NOTE: “מִשְׁפָט spans the whole range of ‘Judgment,’ (‘justice,’ ‘ordinance,’ and ‘legal right’) It is the word most often used when Scripture speaks of the LORD’s own Just Character and of the Standards by which human society is to be ordered. From the first Books of Moses to the closing lines of Malachi, the word underscores that ‘Right Order’ is rooted in the very Being of God: ‘All His ways are justice’ (Deuteronomy 32:4).”

QUOTATION. “‘Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other.’ They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials … When a population becomes ‘Distracted by Trivia’ – when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience, and their public business a Vaudeville Act, then a Nation finds itself at risk; ‘Culture-Death is a clear possibility.’”― NEIL POSTMAN, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, 1985; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘God hates False Worship’ (‘feast days’ and ‘sacred assemblies’) – By people who go through the motions out of pretense or for show. If we are living sinful [disobedient] lives and using Religious Activities [i.e., concerts, conferences, potlucks and parties, maniacal Church attendance, and etc.] and [Denominational] Traditions to make ourselves look good. God will despise our worship and will not accept what we offer.

He wants ‘SINCERE HEARTS,’ not words of praise, where all people are treated fairly without regard to social standing [e.g., immigrants, minorities, the poor, the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, the broken].” – RONALD A. BEERS, General Editor, Life Application Study Bible, 2022, p. 1934; edited

THE POINT: “Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to OBEY is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.’” – 1 SAMUEL 15:22, AMPC

I am taking to task most of the White Evangelical (Pentecostal and Charismatic) Community for their Idolatrous obsession with ‘Praise and Worship as Entertainment’ as Replacement of Christian Duty to Obey the Commands of Christ. And the concomitant Celebration of Christian Music Artists as spiritual leaders.

TEACHING

“As ALDOUS HUXLEY remarked in Brave New World Revisited[1958], the Civil Libertarians and Rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose Tyranny ‘failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for Distractions!’ In 1984, GEORGE ORWELL added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World [1932], they are controlled by inflicting Pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we ‘Fear’ will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we ‘DESIRE’ will ruin us. ‘This book is about the possibility that Huxley, not Orwell, was right.’” – POSTMAN, 1985; edited

MUSIC MAN. Had I not become a university professor, I think I would have either become a ‘nature photographer’ (many sunset pics on the North California Coast), or ‘a musician.’

I recall a formative experience the year Elvis Presley came out with “Hound Dog” in 1956 at the age of 12. My parents had purchased a large speaker “HiFi” record player. Inside the console were their entire collection of 76-rpm World War II music collection, and I spent the next full year hour after hour listening to such musical geniuses as: Nat King Cole, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Cole Porter, the drums of Gene Krupa and the like.

And I was hooked on music to this very day.

As a Christian beginning in the 1980s I began to listen to such early musical artists as Keith Green, the Second Chapter of Acts, then later the endless list of Christian Contemporary singers such as Micheal W. Smith, Amy Grant, Lauren Daigle, and on and on. Until around 2020, when I hit a wall and could no longer stomach most of it as mega-money musical tours formed and the songs were virtually devoid of substantial Biblical messages or true musicality.

‘All of it began to sound the same, what I finally regarded it as “Clap-Trap” stuff’ churned out by the tens of thousands that could not inspire a toddler, let alone a mature follower of Jesus Christ.

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC. Here I shall simply cull from Three Critical Reviews of this genre that is so vastly popular today. ‘I will argue the present condition of today’s Christian Music is helping to Kill the Faith or our young people on a daily basis.’ Stay with me here as I connect the dots of Christian Music to the treachery of DONALD TRUMP’S Christian Nationalism Movement.

BILL MUEHLENBERG. “That so many churches today are absolutely addicted to Entertainment, razzamatazz productions, and keeping the masses amused and happy is fairly obvious. I have spoken to this often before. So many folks seem to think that Entertainment is the missing ingredient to a successful church, so they spare no expense to be the most entertaining outfit around … This woeful mentality goes as follows: ‘In order to reach people in the world, we must become just like the world. We have to be hip and cool and relevant, and above all else, entertaining. That will bring in the crowds (and the offerings).’ So, churches compete with one another to be the coolest and most entertaining joint in town.” – “Today’s Churches: Entertainment Heavy, Holiness Light,” Blog, Dec. 18, 2015; edited

JARON ALEXANDER. “Sunday mornings in some churches have a vibe that mixes a Social Country Club with an Entertainment Spectacle. The preeminent focus and goal are to fill the seats and awe the audience with the grandeur of the performance and programs of the specific church’s brand, rather than focusing on the glory of God through the proclamation of the Gospel through praise, preaching, and partaking in the Lord’s Supper … Church services resemble a Concert Vibe rather than the congregation of believers humbly coming together to worship and adore God and His Gospel; the preaching is more of a ‘Christian Ted Talk’ rather than the exposition and expounding of God’s written Word; the Eucharist is placed on the sidewalls and rarely mentioned rather than being the home base, a central point of focus of the service.” – “Entertainment Evangelism and Why It Sucks,” Blog, Aug. 24, 2021; edited

DWIGHT LONGENECKER. “‘Why is it that so often Christian music is so awful?’ I think there are a couple of reasons. The First [Issue] is that the musicians and their audience mistake a worthy message for talent. Then they get a martyr complex if they’re criticized. ‘You’re obviously not very spiritual if you can’t enjoy my music!’ The Second Problem is that the audience are often either totally uncritical or they haven’t the ability to criticize intelligently. Too often the audience actually like the junk that is being dished up. The Third Factor is that market forces are usually not in play. Market forces often have a surprisingly sharp and salutary critical effect. Market forces weed out the junk, but in the Christian market they’re doing it for love, not money, so no one is telling them to get off the stage ’cause it won’t sell … These are all the Practical Problems. There is, however, a Deeper Problem. ‘Christian popular music is almost always pretty bad, but the Problem with most “Christian” music is that it is Secular Music with Christian words. In any decent art style and substance are supposed to match up. The meaning and the media are supposed to harmonize.’” – “Why Is ‘Christian’ Music So Awful?” The Imaginative Conservative, Aug. 10, 2025; edited

Now if that were not enough, beloved, what I found next was tantamount for a Doctrinal Kill Shot for me. It still shakes the foundations of my love for music that is truly “Sacred” – Pertaining to God or to His worship; separated from common Secular uses and consecrated to God and His service.

CELEBRITY

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make MISMATED ALLIANCES with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. So, COME OUT from among [unbelievers], and SEPARATE (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and TOUCH NOT [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor, and I will be a Father to you, and [THEN] you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” – 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18, AMPC

I intend here to review FOUR MAJOR POINTS that highlight the stunning Betrayals of many if not most of Christian Celebrities that impact all of us very powerfully. For those who follow such “Role Models” as with many of our Young Christians, the Consequences are both Grave and potentially Eternal.

So here we go. Buckle up.

ONE: CELEBRITY AMERICA. When the popular American weekly, People Magazinelaunched its first issue on March 4, 1974, it was to become Cultural Harbinger for the Nation’s obsession with famous folks. So what better place to start our Final Discourse than with one of its Founders, LANDON JONES.

He opens our reflections in a piece titled, “Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers” (Next Big Idea Club, Aug. 15, 2023; edited). He wisely issues FIVE WARNINGS about this obsession.

Celebrities at War with Heroes. “Like many of you, I used to think that celebrity culture was an amusing diversion, superficial, intriguing, sometimes silly, but not harmful. But that was before it morphed into a profit-generating enterprise in what is the Celebrity-Industrial Complex. Celebrity has become a ‘Weapon of Mass Distraction’ that affects all of us. The sideshow was moved into the center room. The ‘A-ha’ Moment for me was at a focus group when the participants of the focus group were asked who their Heroes were. They couldn’t think of any. ‘They had no heroes!’ … Societies need heroes and have sought them out. Heroes are our Founders and Builders” (Psalm 11:3).

Celebrity Culture Depends on Evolving New Technologies. “Scholars agree that the first famous person was Alexander the Great. Why? Because he was the first mortal to have his face placed upon a coin, and the coin was a new technology. This continued with illustrated books. Suddenly, when a person’s face was in a book, we had leaders like Napoleon. Then radio and teletype gave us Lindbergh and Einstein. The Golden Age of movies gave us Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and then came the stars of television. Since then, more than a hundred reality shows have been created. Following, of course, has been SMART MEDIA: ‘Smart media [smart phones, social platforms viz. the Internet etc.] have become the Dominant Technology behind Celebrities today, particularly for Celebrities who have no real accomplishments’” (Exodus 20:3).

People Who Worship Celebrities Are at Risk. “Research shows that people who worship Celebrities have a problematic relationship with them, especially with social media Influencers. These risks include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and spending well beyond one’s means. ‘The biggest worry is in regard to CHILDREN.’ When children are surveyed, especially in the U.S. and Britain, and asked to reveal their Christmas wish list, the desire to be famous or to be a celebrity is at the top of the list.! The worst part is that Celebrity removes them from their communities. Studies have shown a similar rise in the value assigned to Fame and a Decline in the value of community. ‘The hunger for fame is not about We—it’s about Me’” (Matthew 18:6).

Celebrities Themselves Are At Risk. “Today’s celebrities may suffer from the very real diagnosis of what is known as ‘Acquired Situational Narcissism.’ There is no pill for that. Acquired Situational Narcissism is a condition that besets those that have positions of power, such as movie stars, politicians and professional athletes [‘and Pastors!’]. It self-selects for males with a ravenous need for public attention. For them, life becomes a Performance. How do they escape from the pressure? Many use drugs. The list of celebrity deaths from suicide and drugs is long. Perhaps surprisingly, given their relative wealth, the life expectancy of celebrities is 13 years shorter than that of people who do not have to cope with the slings and arrows of fame. Even more disturbing is that female celebrities fare worse, dying 21 years earlier than the average American woman. Also, celebrities could take refuge in ‘Defiance.’ People who Defy the Normal Standards can get [further] ahead” (James 4:6).

Communities Themselves Are At Risk. “What have we learned through all of this? First, that celebrity politicians have replaced community organizations. They can go right from zero public service to high office. ‘The prime example is … PRESIDENT TRUMP.’ We’ve also seen it with Celebrity Politicians who emerge from the woodwork come election time. The voters, people who used to be bowling or working for their voting leagues are now at home watching TV or hunched over their smartphones or on social media. Celebrities have stepped into the space vacated by Civic Engagement. To put it in one sentence: ‘Celebrity worship promotes Individualism and Narcissism at the cost of Community and Democracy.’ These days, some could be largely unassailable because of all the organizations and businesses that have a stake in them. ‘Certain Celebrities, it seems, are Too Big to Fail! (Matthew 24:12).

TWO: CELEBRITY AND CHLDHOOD. As I have reiterated many times in these Commentaries, Jesus held out harshest warnings for those who would dare to hurt a child in any way (cf. Matt. 18:6; 19:14; 25:40). ‘I will further argue here quite forcefully that the Church is guilty of helping to destroy the lives of our young people by encouraging the Worship of Celebrity.’

I refer next to an excellent piece by the STAFF EDITORS of The Novak Foundation, a global organization founded on 2007 by tennis player Novak Djokovic to support the health and education of children. The title of their article, “The Influence of Celebrities on Children’s Upbringing” (The Early Years Blog, Aug. 2, 2016; edited).

CELEBRITY-DRIVEN WORLD. “TV series and social media have created a Celebrity-Driven Environment in which children start to fixate on famous athletes or music stars from an early age. Children are attracted to series and commercials that present a life that seems to be much more colourful and interesting than their own. ‘Unsurprisingly, youngsters Mimic and Absorb the Images on the screen interpreting them as Reality.’ For instance, if a child’s favourite singer advertises an accessory or clothes, children will value their opinion much more than that of a parent or relative and see the product as a necessity in order to bound with their idol. It may become difficult to change their mind about the particular product and trying persistently may even just lead to the child to dig deeper into wanting the item.”

NEGATIVE INFLUENCES “‘Changing children’s opinions about celebrities becomes even more difficult when children already have an obsessive fixation on their Idol and see them as their Primary Role Model. This is a particular problem when Celebrities are engaging in poor behaviour in public.’ Some actors who play roles in teen TV show may dress inappropriately in their free time or on the red carpet contributing to a wrong body image or outward appearance for youngsters. Picking up an unhealthy diet from a celebrity who is seen in public eating fast food all the time is another example of bad celebrity influence and there are many more disrespectful and even dangerous behaviours children can pick up from them.” DK: Or perhaps following a Christian Artist’s selection of a grotesque political leader!

GOOD ROLE MODELS. “It is important to understand what kind of impact Celebrities have on children’s life in order to help them not to copy poor behaviour just because someone famous they like engages in such behavior. Children may not understand that their favourite Actor is only playing a role in a TV series and has an entirely different personality when he or she is off-camera. Therefore, Parents [and Pastors!] need to help children to realise that their Idol only portrays a character in a series and engage in a conversation with them to help them determining what makes a Good Role Model. ‘There is nothing wrong enjoying a singer’s music or an actor’s series even if they are involved in bad behaviour outside their career, but it is crucial to discuss the Consequences of their bad choices that lead to fines or bad publicity.’”

And now for the FINAL EVIDENCE that frankly turns me from Grief to Anger over what I see in the primarily White Christian Church today. As I was working on this Conclusion, I rather clearly heard the Lord whisper:

“You will receive reprisal for this.” Roger that, Sir, so let’s get on with it then.

THREE: CHARLIE KIRK’S FUNERAL. I realize it has become both impolitic and even dangerous to say anything untoward about the Charle Kirk Mega-Funeral, but I simply have to raise a flag here that as best told by one of his stronger supporters, REV. SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ. He is a well-known Pastor of New Season Church in Sacramento, California and Founder and President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He also figured prominently among the 1,000 Christian Leaders who met with Donald Trump in New York’s Times Square to strike that ‘Fateful Deal with the Devil’ to support him on June 21, 2016.

He speaks here for many if not most White Evangelicals today in this article titled, “Is Charlie Kirk the First Evangelical Saint?” (Christian Post, Sep. 25, 2025; edited).

“Evangelicals do not believe in Canonizing saints. We hold firmly that Salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone. No one can be elevated ‘above’ another based on works accomplished in this world. ‘And yet, every so often, history reveals a figure whose life seems to rise above the ordinary.’ Someone who speaks with bold conviction to further the advancement of the Gospel. If there were ever an exception to the rule, if ever a man or woman of faith lived in such a way that their life echoed the very cadence of the Kingdom, it would be Charlie Kirk.”

To add unmistakable historic Gravitas to this claim, here are the CHRISTIAN CELEBS that attended the Kirk Funeral Event, several of whom performed there. Chris Tomlin led the open of worship with this statement: “So honored to lead a moment of worship at Charlie Kirk’s Memorial Service…Jesus was proclaimed so boldly.”

THE PARTIAL LIST. Brandon Lake, Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe Carnes, Lee Greenwood, Steve Amerson, Bethel Music, Kutlass, Elevation Worship, Hillsong, Charity Gayle, Casting Crowns, Gateway Worship, Shane and Shane, Christ for the Nations Worship, Selah, The Tabernacle Choir, Anthem Lights, All Sons & Daughters, Leeland, Matthew West, Micheal W. Smith.

FOUR: DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION. Much more broadly, upcoming is another Partial List of those leading Christian Celebs who after ten years still remain faithful to the President, some clearly worshipful based on their effervescent public praise of him.

But this time it was on the occasion of President Trump’s Second Inauguration on January 20, 2025, that Christian musical mega-star CARRIE UNDERWOOD led the charge on fervent endorsement of Trump.

“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event. ‘I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the Spirit of Unity and looking to the future.’” – I. KAPLAN, J. JORDAN, + People, Jan. 13, 2025; edited

NOTE. Underwood’s performance of “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s Monday Inauguration was awkwardly interrupted by an ‘Audio Error’ [full mic failure], prompting the Grammy winner and accompanying chorus to sing the patriotic tune a cappella.” – JACK DUNN, “You Know the Words,” Variety, Jan. 20, 2025; edited

Christian Stars who likewise remain faithful to both Kirk and Trump and Company include the following, again, PARTIAL LIST.

Jon Voight: The Oscar-winning actor is a vocal conservative who has frequently endorsed Trump, often in explicitly religious terms.
Jim Caviezel: Best known for playing Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, Caviezel has described Trump as being “selected by God” and compared him to the biblical figure King David.
Kevin Sorbo: The Hercules star is an outspoken conservative who has publicly endorsed Trump and encouraged Christians to unite in support of conservative values.
Dennis Quaid: The actor has wholeheartedly endorsed Trump for the 2024 election and beyond.
Kelsey Grammer: The Frasier star is a prominent, long-time Republican supporter.
Scott Baio: The actor has been an outspoken supporter and spoke at the Republican National Convention.
Dean Cain: The former Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman actor is a known Trump supporter.
Stephen Baldwin: He was among the first celebrities to endorse Trump in the 2016 election and has continued his support in subsequent elections.
Dr. Phil McGraw: The talk show host backed Trump for the 2024 election, describing him as “a man of deep faith, a man of deep conviction.”

So to Conclude my Unapologetic Polemic against so much of White Church Culture in America today, I drive to the Fundamental Failure of the Christian (and larger) Community.

LAST THOUGHTS

I am reminded here at the close of all this Tumult of Church Reality of the brilliant, summa cum laude Harvard-Princeton sociologist., DR. ROBERT BELLAH. In his landmark book, Habits of the Heart (1985), he diagnosed the American Crisis as one of a staggering “SENSE OF LOSS.”

An AI Overview put it this way: “Bellah discussed the modern feeling of ‘Placelessness’ or the ‘Loss of Place’ extensively, particularly in his work Habits of the Heart. He described it as a ‘Cultural and Spiritual Impoverishment’ of human experience resulting from contemporary American Individualism and Mobility” that led us to become “A Nation of Strangers.”

Which in turn brings us to the Fundamental Definition of how we got to this “Placelessness.” ALEKSANDR ISAYEVICH SOLZHENITSYN once recounted this story from his childhood. It is from his acceptance speech of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion on May 10, 1983 in London.

“Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’ Since then I have spent well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our Revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the Main Cause of the ruinous Revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’”

‘When such Immense Tragedy takes place, beloved, we may conclude that a Nation of People has lost its very Soul.’ And that, my friends, is why America is Dying right before our eyes. Yet the vast majority of the White Church remains Silent even now.

Therefore, our only Hopeful Recourse against this ‘Vacuousness of Celebrity-Worship’ is to dive headlong into the Mind and Words and Spirit of JESUS CHRIST WHO SHOUTS: “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life!” – JOHN 8:12, NKJV

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/LWmfbivOC1c