Tonight was dope. Our chapel director shared a video entitled "Mercants of Cool" about how the culture of cool is marketed to people, teens in particular. It was saddening. Really. Seeing 13 year olds bump and grind and talk about fame and fortune. And you can catch her (the 13 year old) say "I want to be noticed." How marketers rob people of identity and make them into numbers and dollar signs. Seeing how the media controls what is cool and how they are out to be your friend while taking your money. These marketers were out there asking the questions to the teens that perhaps the Church should be asking, with far more pure motives. Hearing people talk about the standards churches set for people and the judgment they cast upon people who need so much love. As someone who wants to work in the Church, it was overwhelming. I cannot combat the culture of cool by myself. I cannot battle judgment, when I am part of the problem, and for that I am sorry. But thank God for the hope we have in Jesus, that He will be at our side for all of time, defending us and fighting along side of us. Let the Word of God be our sword, and let the righteousness of Jesus be our shield. With Jesus we, the Church, can defeat the culture of cool.