Did God invent Flamin' Hot Cheetos?

Thanks to everyone who joined the Modern Relics Discord so far. It’s been really great! I’ve enjoyed the conversation  and I invite you to join in.

Things have been extremely busy for me at work and post-lockdown the last few weeks. I’m hoping in November I might be able to set aside one night a week to play some video games on Twitch, which is something I really enjoy but rarely get a chance to do! I know I played Captain Bible during lockdown, but this time I’m thinking maybe something more engaging like Minecraft or Stardew Valley? Or maybe Dream Daddy?? I’m open to suggestions!

No pooping in the afterlife

Paul Sloan tweets, “gotta train em young”.

What (and who?) are non-Protestant evangelicals?

Here’s one for you: When is an evangelical not an ‘evangelical’?

This piece by Ryan Burge in the New York Times proposes that the term ‘evangelical’ is radically changing its meaning. Basically, there’s been a trend in politically conservative Catholic, Orthodox and Latter-day Saint voters identifying as ‘evangelical’, even though it has traditionally been in the exclusive domain of Protestants.

More surprising: Republican-aligned folks who are non-religious, as well as conservative Hindus and Muslims, are beginning to identify as evangelicals as well.

“For instance, half of Muslims who attend services at a mosque more than once a week and align with the G.O.P. self-identify as evangelical. … In essence, many Americans are coming to the understanding that to be very religiously engaged and very politically conservative means that they are evangelical, even if they don’t believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ.”

This article by the same researcher in Religion Unplugged breaks down the data in a more granular way. It’s just the findings from this one guy, so I’m not going to declare ‘evangelicalism’ dead quite yet, but it’s still interesting for heaps of reasons.

“What exactly is an evangelical?” is a question often asked in academia and religion media, but if this is in fact a trend, that’s a question no longer worth answering. It would mean evangelicalism has been so hollowed out by the Moral Majority/Religious Right that it contains practically no religious meaning at all - it only indicates a set of moral convictions that align with American conservative politics, whatever they may happen to be at the time!

It’s ironic, because “going with the spirit of the age” or “being identical to culture” is an accusation aimed by evangelicals at more liberal/mainline Christians.

It also raises tricky questions for people who used to be evangelical but aren’t anymore. If the word used to describe what you used to be is now used for something different, how do you talk about your past experience? Blake Chastain’s article in The Exvangelical Post refuting the possibility that evangelicalism can be reformed seems relevant here.

See also: Jack Jenkins’ article about how Gab founder Andrew Torba is trying to create a parallel Christian nationalist internet - something that feels very familiar if you grew up with the parallel Christian media industry since the 70s.

The sixth Dalai Lama was a party boy

Fun Wikipedia fact: Did you know the sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso forsook the life of a monk and became a “crazy wisdom yogi” instead? He “visited the parks and spent nights in the streets of Lhasa, drinking wine, singing songs and having amorous relations with girls.” He was kidnapped and probably murdered by Mongols, but his songs and poems remain popular today.

This one was posted in the Discord memes channel

Join the Modern Relics Discord I’m serious!

Semler did it again

My fav Grace Semler Baldridge topped the Christian iTunes charts yet again with their second EP this year. Late Bloomer explores the confusion, relief and excitement of coming to terms with queer sexuality while also being Christian. Here’s all the lyrics.

It’s very good! And like I said last time, it’s pretty wild that an out, queer artist could trend in the usually closed shop of iTunes’ Contemporary Christian Music charts.

Check out the Bishop-elect of Hong Kong’s coat of arms

According to Catholic News Agency, Bishop-elect Stephen Chow Sau-yan included a giraffe to represent having a big-picture perspective and a big heart.

The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos movie

Desperate Housewives actor Eva Longoria is directing an inspirational film about the invention of Flaimin’ Hot Cheetos.

The film’s production team is thoroughly Christian: Rev Samuel Rodriguez, an evangelical preacher and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, is an Executive Producer. Hollywood producer and “spiritual success coach” DeVon Franklin is also on the project. Franklin has worked on plenty of mainstream films, but was also behind the movies Heaven is for Real and Miracles from Heaven.

The movie is about Richard Montañez, a janitor at Frito-Lay, who was inspired by his Mexican culture and a literal vision from God to invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. He’s a real man who has since become an executive at PepsiCo and a successful motivational speaker.

Problem is, the LA Times claims his story may not be true. But the movie is already in post-production and will almost certainly be made anyway! I have no idea if it will cover the vision from God part but I hope it does!

Oh so that’s how it happened

Some final links:

• Some cringe for you, if you’re into that sort of thing
• “christians if you die and anubis is waiting for you instead of jesus what would you say”
• Religion News Service has been doing some Halloween-themed reporting including this piece on Jewish witches and this one on “Halaloween”
• “what about a Church that was octocephalous?”