I was just watching a show about the new version of the bible, which has some worries in many people's eyes. I am really struggling, like for years over this feeling like the Christian movement is an attempt to be like society in order to relate with it. The music is copied, filled with lyrics that mean something new, all in attempting to relate to those in society. Or is it like that because us geeky Christians wanna be cool, like hard rap and vulgure thoughts contained in what we are copying. So really why does it feel like Christian music and art and life is just this a trailing Kmart rippoff of what's in fashion, or a knockoff of somekind.
Is it trying to be cool, when all that is cool now and ever is barking up the wrong tree. If you have a thought, something like light, even imitation light, that you could shed on my not understanding this - do it - tell me... now...
Is it something like the fact that we as Christians are supposed to be in the world but not of the world? Well why are we copying the world, isn't that being of the world? HELP ME WITH THESE QUESTIONS
thanks bmw
I don't know about Christian trends...you know I'm not one. But, I do know that we are still human and not separated from this world and should not try to be...Christian or not. All you should be obligated to do, as a human (whether Christian, Buddhist, athiest, etc.), is to try add good to this world. Whatever you think that it means. It's a very personal thing, a human's connection to the spirit. Not one person has the same dogma. Just look at all the interpretations of the Bible, Jesus, Buddha, Koran. You see, everyone's spiritual responsibility is personal, and that is what makes it special.
Sorry, you just got me on a roll.
Posted by: Missy at February 20, 2005 01:15 PMI was talking to Steve Babb yesterday about his ideas for Reclaim the Music (a revolution in the making) and Eric Parker chimed in with how the problem is not really in the art or the music, it's in Christians themselves. The VAST majority of Christians are not interested or willing to pursue a deeper understanding of what their own faith in God means or should be about and that's reflected in their expressions in art and music. They have shallow, cheesy, cliche faiths and it's expressed as such in their art. It goes along alot with the sermons on Wednesday nights at our church--Christians are afraid of going deeper. They want to be saved and know they're alright and that's about as far as it goes. When the Christian faith is real and true and deeply rooted in someone's heart and life, it will NOT look like the crap that we're getting in Christian music stores. It will be a personal expression full of the depth of creativity reflecting that of God. He is the giver of beauty, truth and life and if we're going to create anything like that, it's gotta be rooted in an all out celebration of who HE is, not a pandering to the need for entertainment by millions of shallow Christians.
Posted by: Susan at February 20, 2005 02:43 PMSusan, I agree. So much of what I say & do that is cheesey comes from a heart of fear. Like the fact that I want to look up how to spell "cheesey" cuz what if isn't spelled right... The things I most admire in others (or myself for that matter) are the things that are done in defiance of fear, or a total unawareness of it. Maybe the only way to not be afraid of one thing is to be passionate about something else that is bigger & better. The greatest act of courage for me can be just letting people see me. Or letting someone else be seen. Without trying to explain away or mask the reality of our unbelief and irrational thought. Isn't that refreshing when you spend a moment in time with a person who is not afraid of what you might be hiding? It's like they're calling out to the dirty messy child within you to come out and play. As far as Christian artists go - I have a pretty bad attitude myself, and I can't figure it out. I spent this last weekend on a Jr. High retreat, and the girls in my car wanted to listen to Christian radio (LOUDLY) the entire way to/from camp. (I can't handle Christian radio - at all). One of the other drivers wanted to drive UNDER the speed limit THROUGH FRESNO and insisted that we stay with her... I was pleasant enough on the outside, but it was fake. I was having a FIT inside. Cars were swerving around our crawling caravan of Christian cars and probably overhearing horrid Christain music coming from the open windows.... What would it have looked like for me to live passionately at that moment? Without fear? And what does my short fuse with the fearful Christian community expose in me? Sorry Brian, were you looking for answers... I don't have any, but I like your questions.
Posted by: Jules at February 28, 2005 04:55 PM