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Re: 19 personal notes on the 'christian v. secular' debate


--- JLuvzMusyk at aol_com wrote:
> mark denis the thread killer wrote:


> the therapist used 2pac's
> song 
> *mother* in one of the sessions, and we worked through feelings of anger
> and 
> what the triggers were that caused anger...something incredibly
> important for 
> those who are trying to live with their addictions.

In a threraputic vein, I totally agree with reaching people where they
are.  There is good there.  And as Chris stated, I can only speak for
myself and my worldview, so that's not to say that I can fit a lot of what
2Pac wrote into that worldview.  I can appreciate the human side of what
he went through, but in some cases, not the vehicle of expression he
uses--, both due to my socio-economic differences, as well as my ingrained
preferences--ie. what kinds of music is appealing to me.

> so, sometimes what is *bad* for some people is *good* for someone else,
> and 
> vice versa.  

This is where I was going in my post-- I wanted to respond to Dan on this,
but he didn't respond to me on it, so Jess gets the interaction :)

When I said "intelletually mature adults" this is where I was going--I
didn't think of it at the time, but the music therapy is a good
corelation.  

There are people out there who are very susceptible to the things in their
environment.  Some people are not strong enough to resist the things they
know are wrong--I think we're all weak in some ways--I, for instance, am
not good at putting my fork down when I'm full.  A very good freind of
mine is the same way, but she has different body chemistry than I do, and
no matter what she eats, she stays at approximately 110lbs all the time.  
I have to realize that going out to eat with her all the time is not a
good thing for me, because we can both put away over $100 in sushi by
ourselves--I don't even need to get into less healthy food for you guys to
see where I'm headed here.  Anyway, the comparison is this--I'm weak when
it comes to gluttony and so is she, but she doesn't feel any physical side
effects from over-eating.  That's not to say that the mental trap isn't
there.  She does overindulge in other areas too, and that's where her
adverse reactions come in.  I have to conciously decide not to eat out
with her a lot--sometimes I fail, because that's my weakness.  I'm not
willing to give up my freindship, so I know that I will always have the
propensity of indulging my bad habit with her, and I have to police
myself.  I draw the comparison to music here.  

For some people, they may realize that their weakness is Marshal Mathers,
and they really do like to sing along with those racial/sexually oriented
epithets, because it makes them feel popular, or young, or powerful--they
may never react with another human being on that level, but it's still
there feeding their addiction, and that changes people.  It affects how
you see yourself, how you make decisions for yourself--on and on.  You
don't have to effect one single person to effect yourself.  This is why I
think there are universal absolutes.  It is universally irresponsible of
Eminem, because there are people out there who will be affected--he may
not be aware of this on a conscious level, but it still exists.  This is
the very same reason, I would never own or work in a liquor store. I don't
feel that alcohol consumption is inherently wrong in and of itself, but
there are a lot of people today who have an addiction to it.  If I sell
the subject of someone's addiction to them I may not even be able to
recognize I'm doing it, but it doesn't change the fact that I did it and I
did it for my own gain--this is where I'm talking about self-censorship. 
I happen to feel this way and I see it as me being morally responsible for
my fellow human race.  I won't condescend on someone else for going
against it, but I will bring it up because it's a part of who I am and I
think it's important enough to do that.  It's the same reason I recommend
OtR to the uninitiated; I feel that if they could benefit from something I
introduce them to, then I have improved their life for a while.  I don't
have a personal vendetta againg Eminem, I just see what he's doing as
potentially damaging to a lot of people.  I'm not going to enact laws to
stop him, because that's lunatic fringe, but if I meet him, I may express
my views.  I could even send him a letter if it clears my conscience.  The
difference is that I *see* the potential damage and go on.  

I will not infringe on someone's ability to express their equal but
different views, because who's to say that I'm not the one who's wrong?  I
have strong views, but I'm not arrogant.  And if I do decide to go on a
moral crusade, then that's where someone else's worldview will collide
with mine, and the stronger will win--for whatever good or bad outcome.  I
can admit defeat, but at least I've tried and didn't just let someone
cover up my views with their own.  At least I did what I thought was right
and not what I thought would benefit me the most, or what would give me
the most favour with God or the world--it's when people start to act out
of their own selfishness that abortion clinic bombers, and the like are
bred.  There is a universal truth in all things, and we tend to lose sight
of that for all kinds of reasons.  I hope I'm not sounding preachy here,
because what I've just written was in the tradition of good debate--it
also helps me visualize more clearly how *I* feel on the subject.  In
other words, I write to learn.  Can you tell I re-read UNSUNG last night? 
:)  BTW, I liked it much better the second time around.

> also, dan, i agree with you regarding the whole eminem thing.  just
> because i 
> might listen to someone who uses deragatory terms doesn't mean that i
> will 
> use them.  

I think I covered the other ways this is damaging in my previous paragraph
#4 above.


> i listen to crystal lewis
> and 
> love the song, "people get ready, jesus is coming" doesn't mean i'm 
> christian, either.


Jess, I had no idea you listened to Crystal.  Have you heard her *amazing*
live version of Amazing Grace?  I think it would send chills down the
spine of an atheist--if they were a music lover...




=====
"...I don't give a shit about pop stars"--Linford Detweiler at Greenbelt '95

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