Christianity Today

We had the same treatment from him in Santa Cruz, but instead of mocking religion, he mocked the perceived "hippie culture" of Santa Cruz. He was rude and offensive, thanked the crowd in a very impersonal and cursory manner once or twice, but played a fantastic set. I definitely have mixed feelings about him, but must admit: Fear Fun is no longer on frequent rotation, whereas I couldn't get enough of it before seeing him. We had seen the band Other Lives in the area about a month before, and their graciousness and true humility and pleasure in playing for us stands in start contrast to the cynical and egotistical Josh Tillman. I lost all respect for the man that night. Thanks for this excellent review.

"Wondering if they will feel weird and shivery in the New Jerusalem." Good point, Linda!

I saw Misty's Jan. 21 show in Denver with The Walkmen, and even though religion was scarcely mentioned, he managed to mock the audience through an excess of irony alone. And there's his real problem, not an abuse of Christianity per se, but trying for a persona that mixes Gram Parsons and Jim Morrison with such fervor, the irony gets pushed to 11. He was chiding everyone for texting during the show and "looking all scary and weird" - a legit complaint, to be sure, but not one to win over an audience. And his exaggerated moves seemed to say, "Aren't my Jagger aerobics extreme?" None of this soured his wonderful album for me, and I think Dodd expects too much from musicians. Misty/Tillman wasn't mocking religion, as much as mocking audiences and the rock-show aesthetic in general. That's all right to a point, but he needs to practice being irony-free.

Was the guy disrespectful? absolutely. How often are those that claim Jesus' name disrespectful of others they don't agree with? More often than can be counted without the aid of a computer and some serious software to track the mocking and disrespect. We should not be surprised when people mock Jesus, or followers of Jesus (of any political and/or cultural subset). We should expect better from those who claim to be indwelt by the Spirit - myself included.

Nonbelievers mocking and deriding believers is nothing new. I thougt it interesting that the author/believer Patton Dodd described an evangelical environment as "weird" and respondant/believer Andy Jackson "shivered during the Dobson era". Wondering if they will feel weird and shivery in the New Jerusalem.

Irony of ironies; you've made me want to go out and buy his new cd.

I say just "shut up and sing". People go to concerts to hear music and be entertained not lectured.

Colorado Springs is a mere shadow of what it used to be in terms of conservative Christianity. It's a more politically diverse city and far less weird than it used to be. Yeah, it's still a haven for churches and heads bowed at Starbucks, but those of us believers who shivered during the Dobson era know it's a different time. This indie rocker is out of touch.

People who rebel like this fellow, have usually been brought up in an environment with a lot of talking about, but very little "living" the Truth as an example. Hypocrisy is the major factor, in my experience, of people turning against the Christian faith. We need to be teaching people who are "young" in Christianity that living a Christian life is a GOAL and not an instantaneous transformation. It HAS happened that quickly, but is quite the exception and not the norm.

I was not privy to any sort of evangelical upbringing and suffered the consequences. While this fellow Tillman was being lovingly protected by parents who probably viewed his salvation as their primary goal in his upbringing, I was out doing the things that this young man now glorifies. He'll meet the same destructive ends, and he'll bemoan the world for not meeting his deepest needs. Tillman, the only one who will see the art in you in the way you need is the God you are rebelling against...talk about sad irony.

I thank God for my fundamental pentecostal heritage. Although I rebelled against it and no longer cling to many of its appendages, I am firmly anchored to these truths: It is trust in what Jesus has done in my behalf in his death, resurrection and ascension that provides eternal life; the power of the Holy Spirit is available to all believers for growth in Christian character and to provide divine 'manifestations of the imminent presence of God'. Chaplain Glenn Brown

After seeing the album cover... and reading the lyrics to one of the "popular" songs (Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings)... I guess the joke is on any "christian" that would support such an artist by attending his concert. I don't think you have to be a fundamentally conservative christian person to be at least slightly disturbed by those two things. BTW I fully agree with Jerry and Michael... always good to see people who can look back at life and find things to rejoice over rather than regret or reject. Too bad for Father John Misty... hope he grows up someday and can thank God for whatever his life has been.

Hear, hear, to Jerry's comment below. I enjoy thoughtful satire and good-natured teasing, even when aimed at my own fundamentalist up-bringing. I am tired of (and quite board with) the need to mock the people and practices which brought me to where I am. I may no longer have the same point of view in some areas as the people who influenced me as a child, but I have to assume that their motivation was for my personal benefit, and the continuation and expansion of the church as they understood it. Our culture's preoccupation with such destruction (not even deconstruction) of our historical roots suggests a regression to adolescence. "...Oooh, look, I can mock people who are either no longer here or too gracious to defend themselves. How hip can I be?" I thank God for the well-intentioned pastors, teachers and youth-workers who cared enough to prepare my for my life's journey (which isn't over yet).

This is one great piece of writing and reportage. And yeah, isn't it sad an artist had to endure Adventures in Odyssey and a lyric that compares spiritual transformation with a miracle of nature? No wonder he became a drunken narcissist. So tired of condescension from recovering fundamentalists who can't be grateful for what they could glean from perhaps overzealous but well-intentioned pastors, teachers, parents. You grow up, you sift out (and laugh at) some of the silliness, but you don't throw the truth out with the bathwater. Jerry B. Jenkins Colorado Springs CO