It’s hard to miss the responses to Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ performance of, “Unholy” at the 2023 Grammy’s. I watched the performance and thought, “Wow, that was a lot.”

But what I think is more, is the conservative Christian outrage over it.

The morning after the Grammy’s, I scrolled my social media feeds to the fury of Christians slamming the performance, The Grammy’s, and all of Hollywood.

“Hollywood is satanic.”
“The satanic worship at the Grammys, the local drag shows…it’s all just so much.”
“This is evil.”
“A pathetic last stich effort to claw their way back into the limelight.”
“Who cares about Sam Smith’s music career anyway?”
“Leftism is satanism.”
“Ah, yet another ‘entertainment’ industry self-congratulatory festival of debauchery. It’s no surprise they dial up the hedonism.”
“Turned it when the transgender agenda start the show. Jesus have mercy on our world!”

As a Christ-follower, I do not agree in my heart with what was portrayed Sunday night. And I don’t have to agree to remain relevant. But when we throw out our judgment, we place ourselves OVER them as a moral scrutinizer and authority, lauding our shaking, crooked finger, when those we accuse have not asked for our opinion.

Imagine an Islamic believer, for example, who didn’t celebrate Christmas, comes into my home and tells me how horrible I am for putting up a Christmas tree. “How dare you do that?! This is disgusting! And absolute offense to Allah! I’m so insulted!” And they storm out the door. My response would be, “Who are THEY to judge ME? I can do whatever I want in my home and celebrate how I choose.” And I would realize their reaction probably means they are no longer interested in building any kind of long-term friendship with me. And if I wasn’t a Christian, I DEFINITELY wouldn’t want to have anything to do with the Allah they represent, who sounds like he already hates me.

We can’t expect non-Christians to act like Christians. We can’t expect them to be something they are not. That’s like asking a dog to be a cat, or sushi to be pizza. We can’t expect them to be convicted by the Holy Spirit who doesn’t reside within them.

Newsweek did an interview with Kim Petras. And when asked about the devilish performance backstage at the Grammys, Petras said it was inspired by not feeling accepted by religion. “I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it but slowly realizing it didn’t want me to be a part of it,” she said.

Our consistent Christian response to the non-godly things we see non-godly people doing, is what is pushing them away from those of us who desire to build relationships with them and away from the Jesus they so desperately need.

We are losing the battle Christians. And the answer is not to gather in a corner with others who think like us, but to see the pain in our world and enter into relationships with those who embody it. Where might Jesus be if He were here today in the flesh? Complaining on social media about Smith and Petras’ performance, or waiting in the wings with open arms as they walked off-stage?

I think the later.

#makeGodfamous