Jesus is a Punk Rocker

The genre and lifestyle of punk rock has been given a bad rap through the years and rightfully so. As a onetime high school punk poser I can tell you that it had its ups and downs, the good and the bad, and (like everything) its dark sides. By definition it is a form of rock music marked by extreme and often deliberately offensive expressions of alienation and social discontent (Webster’s Online). I’m not going to touch the offensive or alienation aspects, but those could definitely apply towards my points later on. But with the little experience I have being a onetime self-proclaimed ‘punk rocker’ and my affection for the musical genre I believe there is nothing more punk rock than Jesus.

When The Clash asked if they should stay or should they go now, Christ decided to come (Incarnation), go (Passion) and then come back (Resurrection) only to go again (Ascension). As the Sex Pistols sarcastically asked God to save the Queen, God saved us all by the death of His only son.

It’s been known that punk rockers tend to be anarchists following a movement to ‘up the establishment’ and to ‘stick it to the man’ for their self-righteous cause. Common punk ideologies and beliefs are progressive to say the least and include anti-authoritarianism, a DIY ethic, non-conformity, direct action and all the while not selling out.

 

Christ created a progressive movement for salvation that challenged the establish order of the day, it encouraged the participation of women when no one else did and it reached out to the sick, adulters and everyone else society turned their backs on. He gave the big middle finger towards conforming to societal sickness and individual ideologies that were causing a moral decline, while refusing to sellout. His cause was noble and it called for a DIY approach through preaching to the disciples and sending them forth on a mission as we are called to do so two thousand some years later. The message was a clear call for authentic action.

It was about the 1960’s when punk took shape and was seen as an innovative and exciting new genre of music. The music was pure, stripped down, no BS rock 'n' roll. In hindsight isn’t that the basic message JC and the boys set out to preach? Sure a lot of it has been lost in translation through the years and tweaked by the old gray hairs down town and even watered down by evangelists and capitalists, but was the original message not pure and clear cut? The fat trimmed and the BS pulled. That’s what has made it so authentic and inspiring for billions to go into action, while challenged the established order of the day.

It’s fair to say by now you’re thinking I’m off my rocker or maybe you’re completely outraged by what I’ve tossed out. Comparing the Big Guy and punk rock is a bit of a stretch let alone calling God's only son a punk rocker. Maybe my image is a bit too progressive or polarizing and it is. But I got you thinking and challenged the norm and that’s punk rock!


Until next time...