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Thread: Can I Be Cool Too?

  1. #1
    devil13's Avatar Senior Diablo
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    Default Can I Be Cool Too?

    Slogans on Edgy Religious T-Shirts Gain Notice, Sales
    'Got Jesus?' and 'Satan Sucks' Are Among Items Available at Kansas Store
    By CARL MANNING, AP

    LAWRENCE, Kansas (April 17) - Walk into Lori Devins' downtown shop and it's clear this isn't a typical Christian retail store. First of all, Extreme Christian Clothing features T-shirts. Then, there are the shirts' in-your-face messages.



    AP
    Lori Devins' Extreme Christian Clothing store offers t-shirts with slogans like "My God can kick your god's butt."


    Along with ones saying "Got Jesus?" and "Fear God" are shirts declaring, "Satan Sucks," "My God can kick your god's butt," and "To Hell with the Devil."

    "Our shirts are a little extreme, but I think God is spreading the word and having the youngsters shout out their faith," Devins said. "I think teenagers want to evoke a response."

    For the most part, religious retailers focus on books and Bibles; apparel is a small part of sales. Devins turned around that concept with edgy T-shirts and is finding a niche market here and at a similar store she owns in Topeka.

    "There aren't too many stores that are breaking out like hers that are focusing on clothing and apparel with the shock value," said Pete Wagg, owner of Never Say Die in Fernley, Nevada, which designs religious T-shirts, including one with a skull and "Never Say Die."

    "A store like Lori's is unique in that it's geared for youth and geared with such a strong message," said Wagg, who sells to Devins.

    Overall, religious retailing is a growth business in the United States. CBA International, the trade association for Christian bookstores and retailers, reported sales by member suppliers at $4.2 billion in 2002. A CBA sampling of retail Christian stores showed 57 percent of sales in 2002 were Bibles and books, while apparel accounted for about 2 percent of sales.

    Strongly worded religious apparel is a growing trend, said Catherine Stellin, vice president of The Intelligence Group in Los Angeles, which forecasts trends. She said Devins "is ahead of the curve" with her stores.

    Teens and those in their early 20s see consumerism as a way to express convictions, she said.

    "There is a little bit of shock value to this because this is a generation that feels very strong in their convictions," Stellin said. "So if they believe in something, they are going to shout it out. Subtlety is not their strong point."

    Noting trends typically start on the coasts, Stellin said, "I wouldn't be surprised if it worked its way to the Midwest because the core values of religion are much stronger in the Midwest and South."

    Chris Rainey, director of marketing for Kerusso, Inc., of Berryville, Arkansas, said his company's sales of various religious apparel, including T-shirts, increased by 70 percent in the fourth quarter of 2004 over the same period a year before.

    "There has been such a rise in spiritual interest across the country, especially the youth looking for ways to express their faith and values," he said. "They are wearing T-shirts both as a fashion statement and a faith statement."

    For Devins, a wife and mother of four, selling religious items is about more than just making a quick buck.

    "I couldn't feel any other way than doing this is doing the work of the Lord. He filled us with this purpose to do this," she said.

    In January, she opened her first store in a Topeka strip mall, and by March, her second store was operating in Lawrence.

    Aside from T-shirts, there are ball caps with slogans such as "G.A.P. God Answers Prayers," plus hoodies, jewelry, bumper stickers, skateboards and even fortune cookies with Bible verses.

    Not every young person prefers the provocative proverbs.

    University of Kansas senior Chad Miller and girlfriend Jenny Shoemaker eyed T-shirts hanging from racks as they looked around the store. Seeing the "Satan Sucks" shirt, Miller said, "That's a little extreme for me."

    Asked his preference, Miller selected one with the word "Jesus" enclosed in thorns shaped like a fish.

    Some people worry about extreme epigrams, including Craig Detweiler, a Biola University professor in La Mirada, California, who wrote a book about finding God in pop culture.

    "My concern with the T-shirts is that may be good for rallying the faithful, but offensive to those outside that circle," Detweiler said. "Did Jesus build bridges or burn them? Did Jesus ever say they shall know us by our T-shirts?"

    But extreme clothing has appeal, said Abe Hernandez, a founder of a chain of five C28 stores in southern California and a line of wholesale clothing that includes T-shirts sporting "King Kong Wasn't My Grandpa."

    "Kids want to be bold about who Jesus is in their life and that is why we are here. Edgy sells well," Hernandez said.

    Wearers often want to make a point, said Kelton Cobb, professor of theology and ethics at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut.

    "If I wear it, I'm not only saying that I'm a religious believer but that I'm also a cool and clever religious believer," Cobb said. "Being cool and clever is what young people want to do."


    04/17/05 20:09 EDT

  2. #2
    Kidthorazine's Avatar hippiepotsmoker
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    and next week stryper will announce their comeback tour...

  3. #3
    devil13's Avatar Senior Diablo
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kidthorazine
    and next week stryper will announce their comeback tour...
    thats funny when I was about 13-14 my mom took me and my brothers to the church that the lead singer from stryper preached at for this satanic music thing. they would play music and show us all the satanic lirycs and the meanings behind everything. it was so funny cuz we allready new about most of it

  4. #4
    ForrestBlack's Avatar Administrator
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    I have a dream that one day we as a nation will rise up to a maturity level where we no longer hear about dumb controversy every time some bozo puts a stupid slogan on a t-shirt.

  5. #5
    KilLAtomiK's Avatar Ceci n'est pas une pirate
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    i remember the "Jesus Is My Homeboy " Shirts lol

  6. #6
    Ellis's Avatar Kuwabara Kuwabara
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    My friend Pat made a shirt that said "what would jesus do for a Klondike bar?"

  7. #7
    devil13's Avatar Senior Diablo
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by ForrestBlack
    I have a dream that one day we as a nation will rise up to a maturity level where we no longer hear about dumb controversy every time some bozo puts a stupid slogan on a t-shirt.
    that of course excludes the gothic slut shirts right

  8. #8
    ForrestBlack's Avatar Administrator
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by devil13
    that of course excludes the gothic slut shirts right
    I have yet to send out a press release about the "controversy" our shirt may have caused so I can secure some knee jerk article in order to stir up interest. So, yes, it would exclude the Gothic Slut t-shirt. Besides, those aren't even available for sale. I have been sent too many "Oh my god the Miami Dingleberry Tribune is OUTRAGED about our t-shirt because we offended so-and-so with it, run the story, be sure to tell them where our store is!" press releases.

  9. #9
    killerkat's Avatar Malice?
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by ForrestBlack
    I have yet to send out a press release about the "controversy" our shirt may have caused so I can secure some knee jerk article in order to stir up interest. So, yes, it would exclude the Gothic Slut t-shirt. Besides, those aren't even available for sale. I have been sent too many "Oh my god the Miami Dingleberry Tribune is OUTRAGED about our t-shirt because we offended so-and-so with it, run the story, be sure to tell them where our store is!" press releases.
    hey ,sorry to be off topic but that reminded me, i never got a BB shirt,i would understnad if i wasn't wanted,haha,but it just dawned on me a bit ago......

  10. #10
    devil13's Avatar Senior Diablo
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by ForrestBlack
    I have yet to send out a press release about the "controversy" our shirt may have caused so I can secure some knee jerk article in order to stir up interest. So, yes, it would exclude the Gothic Slut t-shirt. Besides, those aren't even available for sale. I have been sent too many "Oh my god the Miami Dingleberry Tribune is OUTRAGED about our t-shirt because we offended so-and-so with it, run the story, be sure to tell them where our store is!" press releases.
    LOL

  11. #11
    Hula Hoop Supervisor
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    In all truth...those kinda shirts are funny once...they they are doomed to only be worn on laundry day and as reminders to ones own stupidity. No matter the "side" they are lame.

  12. #12
    ForrestBlack's Avatar Administrator
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by killerkat
    hey ,sorry to be off topic but that reminded me, i never got a BB shirt,i would understnad if i wasn't wanted,haha,but it just dawned on me a bit ago......

    I'll check on that.

  13. #13
    ForrestBlack's Avatar Administrator
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tequila Zaire
    In all truth...those kinda shirts are funny once...they they are doomed to only be worn on laundry day and as reminders to ones own stupidity. No matter the "side" they are lame.

    Kinda like my "Black by Popular Demand" shirt. It's not always a crowd pleaser, but it tickles my gothic sense of humor.

  14. #14
    Hula Hoop Supervisor
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by ForrestBlack
    Kinda like my "Black by Popular Demand" shirt. It's not always a crowd pleaser, but it tickles my gothic sense of humor.
    Haha...like I said...funny once...then lame

    I'll admit though I've seen many I've been tempted to buy. More so nowadays than ever.

  15. #15
    One Eyed Cat's Avatar Senior Member
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    I like my Commies aren't Cool t-shirt. Has Che Guevara crossed out. Great for college campuses.





    OEC

  16. #16

    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ellis
    My friend Pat made a shirt that said "what would jesus do for a Klondike bar?"
    LOL Ha Ha Ha! That's fucking great!


  17. #17
    hewhoisagod's Avatar Captain Obvious
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    hmmmm Lawrence....... that's like half an hour from me...................... anything that happens there always causes controversy, well then again it's the third most liberal city in the US and obviously the most liberal in Kansas

  18. #18

    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    those T-shirts... that's just sick.... fucking sick.... I wish to place them just couple of days somewhere where is religious war going on.... that should give them litlle bit more overview over thing that they are promoting... violence

    religion is social virus....

  19. #19
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by killerkat
    hey ,sorry to be off topic but that reminded me, i never got a BB shirt,i would understnad if i wasn't wanted,haha,but it just dawned on me a bit ago......

    I never got a shirt from that either.




    **

  20. #20

    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    um.. Jesus built my hotrod and i never seen it race yet! :P

  21. #21
    Evilbink's Avatar Sanctimonious Satyr
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    Default Re: Can I Be Cool Too?

    Quote Originally Posted by ForrestBlack
    I have a dream that one day we as a nation will rise up to a maturity level where we no longer hear about dumb controversy every time some bozo puts a stupid slogan on a t-shirt.
    Thank you for that refreshing glass of reality. Good to see I'm not the only one sick of t-shirt drama.

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