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As I work through "what gets me" . . .
I am fascinated by this discussion . . . I still have not gotten through all
the emails about it but I am noticing something about it. We have a lot of
perspectives and stuff on "plain jane" 's email. I will say that as a
Christian artist (aha, a good time to give my own definition of Christian
artist: an artist who is a Christian and who strives to glorify God with my
"art" . . . does not mean I imbed the four spiritual laws into everything I
write or act or sing or whatever . . .but it does mean that I weigh my words
and deeds against truth and that I don't take the way I talk about God
lightly). Anyway, as a Christian artist, I think there is a very valid
question floating around in Plain jane's brain. Know what that was a very
nice use of rhyme, but i am going to stop calling Lurker Plain Jane. Just
lurker. Anyway lurker has a valid question and that is "What does it mean,
not just to live as a Christian artist, but to live as a Christian?" I think
everyone who comes out of the Christian tradition, especially an
evangelical,conservative Christian tradition, struggles with questions like:
1) is the only legitimate goal for my life to evangelize?
2) what does it mean to incorporate Christian values into my life?
3) what does it mean to incorporate Christian values into my profession?
4) what is the difference between being discerning, being moral, and being
judgemental?
5) what does it mean to be "in the world and not of the world"?
I want to bring this up because I think it is important to remember in
considering what our dear but controversial lurker has to say, that they are
a person. Not perfect. We all have our hangups. We all have our areas of
closed-mindedness. But we all have something to contribute. What lurker has
contributed to me is a QUESTION, not an answer. Not the answer "OtR is not a
Christian band," but the question "How do I balance real art . . . true
self-expression and expression of the world as I know it . . . with a desire
to show people the love of a God who I believe in and hold dearer than my own
life. This is a big question guys. And bravo to the lurker for not taking
it lightly.
On the other hand, (and I will add this quickly and then I am done), there is
a problem in some Christian circles. We want to make everything black and
white. From the creation story to what constitutes a Christian band, we want
everything to have a pat answer. Of course, very few things have pat
answers. This doesnt mean they dont have answers or that there is not
absolute truth to be found, but it does mean we may have to change the way we
think . . . otherwise the result is not moral behavior and thinking but
judgement and closed-mindedness. So be careful, dear lurker.
this is long so I will stop and go back to reading. . . if you got this far,
thanks.
Debbie
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