Christianpost.com reports, “College student Carli Marino won this year’s “American Idol” style “Gospel Dream” talent contest with her debut album slated for 2007.

“Youngest of 10 finalists, 19-year-old Marino launched her new gospel music recording career with millions of viewers watching her sing “I Surrender All” in the final sing-off Wednesday night.”

I’ll have to take their word that milions of people were watching the Gospel Music Channel show and I have no doubt that Carli Marino is wonderful and that she deserves the win. But more and more I wonder why it is that the Christian music/book/entertainment world tends to echo and duplicate what the “mainstream” entertainment world creates. Why a “Christian” American Idol? Why Christian Survivor (outlive, outpray, outlast)? It almost seems like some of the “Christian” entertainment is an excuse for mediocrity.