Here is an update on The Ark, the online Orthodox music station.
I had mentioned sometime back that they had started airing an ad that targeted the Catholic Church. Some of you have asked me if I got a response to the complaint I sent. I did not get an email back but I think since I sent the letter, I've only heard the ad once. That shows you what kind of pull I have. (Just kidding. I'm sure it was coincidental.) Admittedly I haven't listened to the Ark a whole lot since then (but I finally got my notebook patched by radio into my stereo system and have been listening to it again) but I've listened enough to determine that they've mostly if not entirely withdrawn it.
While we're on the topic of The Ark, I have to maintain that I am impressed with the whole effort. They have started airing creative little evangelistic spots; one whimsical one on setting rules in relationships likens argument no-nos like generalizing ("You always ...") and holding grudges ("bringing up that time you forgot a dinner date ... four years ago") to penalties in football, narrated by a referee blowing a whistle. Another looks at how our parents told us to eat our vegetables while we were growing up "because it's GOOD FOR YOU!" to our attitudes toward going to church. They are very well done I think, and I am duly jealous: Why can't we do something like this?
As I said I am fully convinced the former Evangelical Orthodox Church (now part of the Antiochene diocese) is behind this. (As I write this they are airing a spot on Fr. Peter Gilquist, one of the members of that movement.)
There has got to be more Catholic music than Orthodox. :-) We do a Proud 2B Catholic concert here every year which is a good start. I wish we could do something like this!
