Sunday, September 12, 2010

Epic Fail, Church Signage


Why it's a good idea to have someone on parish council that has a clue about current culture.

20 comments:

Matushka Anna said...

Oh man! You've got us laughing hysterically over here!

Athanasia said...

Though it is doubtful, one never knows...this may be exactly what they wanted to convey. It does grab your...um...attention, doesn't it?!

Fr. Christian Mathis said...

The only response I have is....WTF?

Clint said...

As my wife said, when I showed this to her: "oh, that's not good..."

bob said...

Home run.

abuian said...

They claim, at least, that it was intentional. And since it's a college ministry, I guess I can believe it.

Anonymous said...

OK, so here's my question... with all the W, T, and F going on inside.. why is that guy outside on his phone?

mamajuliana said...

TOO GOOD!!!! Emailing this link to Junior at school...they will get a kick outta this one!

Benedict Seraphim said...

I just about blew my beverage out my nose! That is too dadgum funny.

Anonymous said...

I actually know the community that posted these signs. Several of years ago, I attended one of their services.

Steve Robinson said...

I suppose the Orthodox version could be "What" "The" "Filioque"....

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

The mind boggles.......

Just Another Jim said...

My son saw this and figured it was a Unitarian campus ministry.

Huw Richardson said...

Google will fix this. http://www.wakewtf.com/

And I wish we'd stop making fun of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The WTF outreach is *exactly* because it's WTF. It's a college campus.

Y'all have fun poking at the prots today: but i'll be they get more visitors than you.

Steve Robinson said...

Hi Huw, If I didn't spend 98% of the blog making fun of Orthodox goofiness, I'd say "mea culpa", I'm not even really an EOS (Equal Opportunity Satirist). However you have a point. An earlier commenter posted the link to their website and I've unwittingly joined the "viral promotion" of their ministry like hundred of other bloggers and sites. So the WTF sign has moved from an unfortunate funny gaffe to a legitimate question (which they pose on their website), "Does Jesus need a new PR guy?" It kind of reminds me of the George Carlin bit in "Dogma" (which I think I might post next). So either way, depending on what one thinks about how to "promote Jesus to the culture", it is an "epic fail".

Huw Richardson said...

S-P you are equal opportunity, but I wanna hold you to that:

Things like this still need to come with a disclaimer: so many in the Convert Community will miss no opportunity to make fun of the places they've left; I'm certainly guilty of it as well.

But poking fun at *ourselves* as silly, uberpious and pharisaical is different than a) claiming to be "the true church" with "the whole, undiluted faith"; and, then, poking fun at the weaker brethren. If we are what we say we are, let our good deeds shine...

Even without such a disclaimer the truth remains: the silly prots with their hospitality ministry will get a lot more visitors this Sunday while we stand around shaking our heads and feeling righteous in our "unchanged" and unbending stance, our foreign languages and music styles and our awkward attitude towards the Ur of the Chaldees where God found each of us.

Then, yes... there is the issue of participating in their viral campaign :)

Steve Robinson said...

Huw, I used to be a huge fan of "The Wittenburg Door". I remember when they were basically a mimeographed "church bulletin" before going to a full slick magazine format. I loved their satirical and sharp critique of the evangelical culture, but I can admit I loved it from a "high place" fueled by condescending arrogance. I completely agree that "convert triumphalism" is a far greater offense than putting WTF on the front of a Church. One is at least an attempt to engage the culture for Christ, the other is just being an arrogant a-hole in the name of the Church. In the end both might attract certain people but I think one has more potential to make Christians out of people than the other.

justjamey said...

I made fun of Protestantism more when I was a Protestant than when I became Orthodox. I've toned it down so much now, that I need to make fun of this. Not for convert triumphalism, but just to be sure I'm still alive.

Thanks for sharing.

Apophatically Speaking said...

It is all about numbers so the more exposure the better, no matter what the technique, message or medium. Bring in the crowds!

We should never ever critique the methods and values of others, especially not other Christians. We are all working on the same goal of saving souls, so we must work together.

I do think that converts deserve to be grilled for their hypocrisy, intolerance and ignorance.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahaahahhahah................. Hilarious! Soooo true! I'm going to get this tattooed on my right butt cheek.