For one night only, the U of A's own Christmas Fuller Project is co-headlining with Famous In May. The show begins at 8:00pm at the Music Hall in Fayetteville (off College Avenue, right behind Hunan Manor). The cost is $8. There's a strong to quite strong chance that it will be a fun time, so please feel free to come on out and listen to your friends play some music. Siloam Springs' Welling Skydive will also be playing.
CFP is...
...Brandon George (vocals, guitar)
...Cameron Heger (drums, percussion)
...Aaron Hopwood (bass, vocals)
...Nick Roland (guitar, keys, vocals)
www.myspace.com/christmasfullerproject
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Jesus, don't cry.
If I can share with you for a moment how much of a nerd I truly am, I would like to let you know something about me. Something a little embarassing. I (and Nick Roland was the first person to realize it) have a tendency sometimes to imagine myself in a movie scene at random times throughout the day. It usually only happens when I have music on (whether in my car or in my headphones makes no difference), mostly around sundown or when it is raining. You know, the moments when the mood is thick. What mood that is, I don't know. Anyway, I will suddenly forget that I'm a regular person doing a common, every day task, and suddenly I am in the middle of a magnificently-crafted feature with the perfect soundtrack to match the visuals. I know, I'm an idot.
All of that to say that I had one such moment today. I turned in a paper to my Anthropology teacher's mailbox, and walked out of Old Main. I stood there, took out my iPod, turned to my favorite album by one of my favorite bands (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco), and began to walk. My plan was to walk to the bus station near the Student Union and catch a ride down to Pomfret, so I set my iPod to the song "War On War" and picked up my pace.
Then, for the first time, God arranged one of the above-stated moments. The song ended in 3 minutes 49 seconds, and then, expectedly, went to the next song on the album, which happens to be one of the best songs Wilco has ever written, "Jesus, Etc." The smooth guitar and keyboard started and, alas, a "movie moment" was triggered. The scene was mournful, although not completely depressing--much like the song. 20 seconds into the song, Jeff Tweedy's words kicked in, opening the song with the line "Jesus, don't cry." 3 words that speak thousands (although probably not, to me, in the way Mr. Tweedy intended). At this exact moment, I turned the corner of Mullins Library and saw something that always hits me right deep in the left side of my chest: a campus street-evangelist. "Jesus, don't cry," I repeated. Only in a movie... only in a movie.
My heart ached at the thought, for surely this one was going to be just like all of the rest I had seen--loud, obnoxious, confrontational, judgemental, self-righteous, etc. I turned my iPod off, and decided to take a seat by the lawn where he was "preaching."
Sure enough, he was everything I expected and more. "Jesus, don't cry," I prayed.
I don't remember any of the exact arguments he was trying to push, but I remember all of his applications of them being nearly 100% wrong, based on my (admittedly poor) understanding of the person of Jesus. It broke my heart. It usually does. I should have known better than to stay and listen, because I always end up with an unbelievable amount of personal guilt and responsibility for what the person says. Although, maybe that's a good thing?
There is a reason why Christianity has been pushed to the margins of our culture. And I don't mean popular culture, because Jesus never had a chance of reigning there in this world. I mean to say that Christianity has been largely rejected as a legitimate lifestyle/worldview by our society in general. And most of it is because of people like 'Moses,' as people call the genteleman I saw today. When robbed of its authenticity and used as nothing more than a way to assert one's superiority over another, Christianity has no purpose in this world other than to, excuse my French, piss off all of those who don't fall under its banner.
I must admit, the effect that "Moses" had on everyone in the crowd was quite disgusting. It caused everyone to begin to throw out hatred like confetti, yelling equally horrible things back at him. And one of the scarriest parts of it was the fact that a few Christian guys I was standing by got caught up in all of the hatred, as well. They started saying things like "someone needs to just go up there and punch him in the mouth," "he needs to die," etc., etc., etc. Even in myself (not surprisingly), I could feel the smallest bit of self-righteousness brewing. Luckily, I noticed what was going on in my heart and in the hearts of those around me before I let it get out of hand, but I was still shocked at myself. Here I am, furious, hurt, saddened, and disgusted with things I am hearing, and then I turn around and nearly let do the exact same thing to "Moses."
I guess I'm just deeply saddened, more than anything else, by the fact that this is what Jesus looks like to so many people out there. If this is who Jesus is, then all of the cynics and skeptics are right--we don't need him. But, luckily, the Jesus that I know and love isn't anything like that Jesus. He is so many things and he isn't so many things, and I don't know where to begin listing so I won't, but he is absolutely beautiful in every way and the people need to know him. They need to know the real him.
I think that that is the problem. Jesus hasn't become marginalized in society, but imposters have. If we were actively showing (not telling, showing) the world Jesus day in and day out, I really believe that multitudes would be changed. His lifestyle is too revolutionary, too simple, even too progressive (who'da thunk it?) to be dismissed. (Note: This is not to say that I don't feel that proclaiming the name of Jesus is important, it most certainly is. But I would argue that showing him is much, much more impactful than nearly any word that can be spoken--to the cold-hearted, especially)
Jesus has recently, in the last year or so, smashed much of my old "American Christian" worldview to pieces and built something back up that is much more beautiful than I could have imagined before. He's smashed my old thoughts of who he is and what he did. He's smashed my idea of who I am. And he's still doing it (because I am stupid and I am stubborn), smashing and rebuilding things every day, keeping the elements that are good and throwing away the ones that aren't. And sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it makes you feel stupid, and sometimes it confuses you, and sometimes its the most wonderful feeling in the world. But, it is happening, both during the times I like it and the times I don't. Its an odd thing to go through, as most of you probably know, but I want everyone to experience it.
I know I'm kind of jumping around a lot now, and, I'll be honest, I have no intention (and probably not the creative ability) of tying everything up. I guess, if I can end this post with anything, the thing that best sums up my last 2 or 3 paragraphs, it would be these lyrics:
These are from the last song on David Crowder*Band's latest album, "A Collision." The song is called "The Lark Ascending (Or, Perhaps More Accurately, I Am Trying To Make You Sing)." Its probably one of the most uplifting and inspirational pieces of music I've ever heard (which simultaneously shows my disgusting lack of culture and my unrelenting love for Crowder). Its simply an honest plea to the listener to consider everything that the album had discussed before. Not just to think about it or even to intellecuatlly adhere to it, but to fully, in your heart of hearts, come to realize that this life is what its all about--that it means everything. The incarnation and the resurrection really happened. And it means everything.
It means everything.
--Heger
P.S. Oh and I just kind of feel like mentioning, since I haven't as of yet on this blog, that I currently have a girlfriend, and she is pretty much the most amazing girl I have ever met (besides my mom, but thats a given). Now, I might get in trouble for writing that, as it very well could embarass her, but thats just a chance I'm willing to take. Her name is Ellen, by the way.
All of that to say that I had one such moment today. I turned in a paper to my Anthropology teacher's mailbox, and walked out of Old Main. I stood there, took out my iPod, turned to my favorite album by one of my favorite bands (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco), and began to walk. My plan was to walk to the bus station near the Student Union and catch a ride down to Pomfret, so I set my iPod to the song "War On War" and picked up my pace.
Then, for the first time, God arranged one of the above-stated moments. The song ended in 3 minutes 49 seconds, and then, expectedly, went to the next song on the album, which happens to be one of the best songs Wilco has ever written, "Jesus, Etc." The smooth guitar and keyboard started and, alas, a "movie moment" was triggered. The scene was mournful, although not completely depressing--much like the song. 20 seconds into the song, Jeff Tweedy's words kicked in, opening the song with the line "Jesus, don't cry." 3 words that speak thousands (although probably not, to me, in the way Mr. Tweedy intended). At this exact moment, I turned the corner of Mullins Library and saw something that always hits me right deep in the left side of my chest: a campus street-evangelist. "Jesus, don't cry," I repeated. Only in a movie... only in a movie.
My heart ached at the thought, for surely this one was going to be just like all of the rest I had seen--loud, obnoxious, confrontational, judgemental, self-righteous, etc. I turned my iPod off, and decided to take a seat by the lawn where he was "preaching."
Sure enough, he was everything I expected and more. "Jesus, don't cry," I prayed.
I don't remember any of the exact arguments he was trying to push, but I remember all of his applications of them being nearly 100% wrong, based on my (admittedly poor) understanding of the person of Jesus. It broke my heart. It usually does. I should have known better than to stay and listen, because I always end up with an unbelievable amount of personal guilt and responsibility for what the person says. Although, maybe that's a good thing?
There is a reason why Christianity has been pushed to the margins of our culture. And I don't mean popular culture, because Jesus never had a chance of reigning there in this world. I mean to say that Christianity has been largely rejected as a legitimate lifestyle/worldview by our society in general. And most of it is because of people like 'Moses,' as people call the genteleman I saw today. When robbed of its authenticity and used as nothing more than a way to assert one's superiority over another, Christianity has no purpose in this world other than to, excuse my French, piss off all of those who don't fall under its banner.
I must admit, the effect that "Moses" had on everyone in the crowd was quite disgusting. It caused everyone to begin to throw out hatred like confetti, yelling equally horrible things back at him. And one of the scarriest parts of it was the fact that a few Christian guys I was standing by got caught up in all of the hatred, as well. They started saying things like "someone needs to just go up there and punch him in the mouth," "he needs to die," etc., etc., etc. Even in myself (not surprisingly), I could feel the smallest bit of self-righteousness brewing. Luckily, I noticed what was going on in my heart and in the hearts of those around me before I let it get out of hand, but I was still shocked at myself. Here I am, furious, hurt, saddened, and disgusted with things I am hearing, and then I turn around and nearly let do the exact same thing to "Moses."
I guess I'm just deeply saddened, more than anything else, by the fact that this is what Jesus looks like to so many people out there. If this is who Jesus is, then all of the cynics and skeptics are right--we don't need him. But, luckily, the Jesus that I know and love isn't anything like that Jesus. He is so many things and he isn't so many things, and I don't know where to begin listing so I won't, but he is absolutely beautiful in every way and the people need to know him. They need to know the real him.
I think that that is the problem. Jesus hasn't become marginalized in society, but imposters have. If we were actively showing (not telling, showing) the world Jesus day in and day out, I really believe that multitudes would be changed. His lifestyle is too revolutionary, too simple, even too progressive (who'da thunk it?) to be dismissed. (Note: This is not to say that I don't feel that proclaiming the name of Jesus is important, it most certainly is. But I would argue that showing him is much, much more impactful than nearly any word that can be spoken--to the cold-hearted, especially)
Jesus has recently, in the last year or so, smashed much of my old "American Christian" worldview to pieces and built something back up that is much more beautiful than I could have imagined before. He's smashed my old thoughts of who he is and what he did. He's smashed my idea of who I am. And he's still doing it (because I am stupid and I am stubborn), smashing and rebuilding things every day, keeping the elements that are good and throwing away the ones that aren't. And sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it makes you feel stupid, and sometimes it confuses you, and sometimes its the most wonderful feeling in the world. But, it is happening, both during the times I like it and the times I don't. Its an odd thing to go through, as most of you probably know, but I want everyone to experience it.
I know I'm kind of jumping around a lot now, and, I'll be honest, I have no intention (and probably not the creative ability) of tying everything up. I guess, if I can end this post with anything, the thing that best sums up my last 2 or 3 paragraphs, it would be these lyrics:
And I'm trying to make you sing
from inside where you believe,
like its something that you need,
like it means everything.
And I'm trying to make you feel
that this is for real,
that life is happening,
that it means everything.
I'm just trying to make you sing.
These are from the last song on David Crowder*Band's latest album, "A Collision." The song is called "The Lark Ascending (Or, Perhaps More Accurately, I Am Trying To Make You Sing)." Its probably one of the most uplifting and inspirational pieces of music I've ever heard (which simultaneously shows my disgusting lack of culture and my unrelenting love for Crowder). Its simply an honest plea to the listener to consider everything that the album had discussed before. Not just to think about it or even to intellecuatlly adhere to it, but to fully, in your heart of hearts, come to realize that this life is what its all about--that it means everything. The incarnation and the resurrection really happened. And it means everything.
It means everything.
--Heger
P.S. Oh and I just kind of feel like mentioning, since I haven't as of yet on this blog, that I currently have a girlfriend, and she is pretty much the most amazing girl I have ever met (besides my mom, but thats a given). Now, I might get in trouble for writing that, as it very well could embarass her, but thats just a chance I'm willing to take. Her name is Ellen, by the way.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
A shameless plug...
Well, its that time again, folks. Its time for Christmas Fuller Project to play another show.
Oh, you don't know who Christmas Fuller Project is? Well it is a band composed of none other than Brandon George (vocals/guitar), Cameron Heger (drums), Aaron Hopwood (bass/vocals), and Nick Roland (guitar/vocals/keys). They play music. Sometimes, good music. You should come give them a listen.
Here are the details:
We are the opening act for a local band showcase aptly titled "Spring Fling 2" this coming Friday night. It is at the Music Hall in Fayetteville. In case you don't know, its on College behind Hunan Manor. We go up at 7:15 (give or take a few minutes), so if you're planning on coming, you may want to get there around 7ish.
We only get to play for 25 minutes, I believe, so it won't take up too much of your precious Friday night. The door charge is $8. If we can draw a decent crowd, then we will get a chance to headline at the music hall in the next month or two, so while you're under no obligaton what-so-ever to come, we would really appreciate any and everyone who shows up.
The other bands playing are "Jarris", "Brighter Later", "Johnny Unite Us", "Six Hung Sprung", and "Stars Trapted in Ebony." They'll be playing all night.
We love you.
Oh, you don't know who Christmas Fuller Project is? Well it is a band composed of none other than Brandon George (vocals/guitar), Cameron Heger (drums), Aaron Hopwood (bass/vocals), and Nick Roland (guitar/vocals/keys). They play music. Sometimes, good music. You should come give them a listen.
Here are the details:
We are the opening act for a local band showcase aptly titled "Spring Fling 2" this coming Friday night. It is at the Music Hall in Fayetteville. In case you don't know, its on College behind Hunan Manor. We go up at 7:15 (give or take a few minutes), so if you're planning on coming, you may want to get there around 7ish.
We only get to play for 25 minutes, I believe, so it won't take up too much of your precious Friday night. The door charge is $8. If we can draw a decent crowd, then we will get a chance to headline at the music hall in the next month or two, so while you're under no obligaton what-so-ever to come, we would really appreciate any and everyone who shows up.
The other bands playing are "Jarris", "Brighter Later", "Johnny Unite Us", "Six Hung Sprung", and "Stars Trapted in Ebony." They'll be playing all night.
We love you.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
A Recap
So our band (Christmas Fuller Project) just played its first show this past Friday night. I posted about it on the band's blog. Check it out here.
P.S. I really do plan to get back on some consistent blogging here pretty soon, so my apologies to anyone who might actually like to read this little thing, I'll be back soon.
P.S. I really do plan to get back on some consistent blogging here pretty soon, so my apologies to anyone who might actually like to read this little thing, I'll be back soon.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Top albums of '05 and why I am an idiot
Well, the year of 2005 officially ended 7 days ago, so I thought it would be appropriate for me to do a list of my favorite albums of the year. It was tough, but I think I narrowed it down to my 12 favorites... and I think I have a pretty good order. Oh, and by the way, I do not claim in any way to be any kind of music expert or critic. I siimply know what I like and what I don't. Oh well, here goes:
1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
2. The Decemberists - Picaresque
3. Coldplay - X&Y
4. David Crowder*Band - A Collision
5. Wilco - Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
7. Sigur Ros - Takk...
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
9. Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman
10. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
11. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
12. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
---------------
Whew, that took a while.
I guess, in other news, I am an idiot. I'm an idiot because I have started too many books at one time. Before Christmas, I was in the mididle of both C.S. Lewis's "Surprised by Joy," and his Narnia book "Voyage of the Dawn Treader." For Christmas I got Donald Miller's "Through Painted Deserts" and St. Augustine's "Confessions." I immediately had to start the Miller book, as his first book, "Blue Like Jazz," I consider to be a key part of my spiritual formation. Then I was browsing through Barnes and Noble a few days after Christmas, and I decided I had to pick up Lewis's "Miracles," and "Reflections on the Psalms." I also bought a book called "Emerging Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger and thought it too interesting to wait to read. So here I am, with 4 books going in addition to daily scripture reading, and several more staring me in the face begging me to read them. I'm never going to finish any of these. I'm an idiot.
Adios.
1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
In my opinion, Sufjan Stevens is one of the freshest voices in music today. With his signature densely layered folk/pop instrumentation mixed with his surprisingly straight-forward and honest lyrics, Illinois is easily his most accessible and catchy album to date (and, in my opinion, his best). If you haven't heard Sufjan Stevens, Illinois is a great place to start.
Highlight: "Casmir Pulaski Day"
2. The Decemberists - Picaresque
I discovered the Decemberists last Christmas when I got their first CD, Castaways and Cutouts, from my parents. Their latest album, Picaresque, finds main songwriter Colin Meloy at his best, matching his beautiful melodies with even more ridiculous yet heart-warming/wrenching fictional stories.
Highlight: "The Engine Driver"
3. Coldplay - X&Y
"The New U2's" third CD shows that while they haven't nececarily broken any new ground, they don't have to. Solid songwriting and instrumentation make the whole album great from start to finish. And while their core sound remains mostly unchanged, a shift to a more technological sound with more delayed guitars, synthesizers, loops, and all kinds of bells and whistles keeps things from getting stale.
Hightlight: "Fix You"
4. David Crowder*Band - A Collision
In my opinion, David Crowder is the most original voice in worship music today. "A Collision," essentially a concept album, is one of the most creative works in the genre that I have heard in a long, long time. Crowder, with this album, not only made worship music "cool," but he made it challenging and thought-provoking.
Highlight: "Rescue Is Coming"
5. Wilco - Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
Wilco is easily my 2nd favorite band in the world (behind Radiohead, of course), and their latest album, a 2-cd live album, showcases the band with pretty much their most cohesive and talented line-up yet. Hearing them play old songs from their 2nd album "Being There" with a newfound burst of energy is easily my favorite aspect of the album.
Highlight: "Misunderstood"
6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Simply fun, danceable music. While their lead singer's voice takes a little getting used to, you can't help but tap your foot to this stuff. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this album, however, is that it was recorded, mixed, produced, and distributed by the band themselves without any help from any record label of any kind. Impressive.
Highlight: "The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth"
7. Sigur Ros - Takk...
The Icelandic group that sounds like a half-man/half-elf/half awesome-creature-I-don't-even-know-about-yet, has put out simply a record containg a great, emotional ride (even though I can't understand the words at all). I haven't heard any of their other albums, so I can't compare Takk... to any of their past albums, but I do know that I like this one a whole lot. Ubben is going to see them live in February, and I am extremely jealous.
Highlight: "Hoppípolla"
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
Death Cab's Ben Gibbard is a great songwriter, and his backing band is very good, as well. We have always known this. And while their new album is very good, it doesn't show us anything new about the band. I'm not complaining, though, because what we get is still a great collection of pop songs, some sad, some happy, that add up to one of the better albums of the year.
Hightlight: "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"
9. Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman
This is the first Ben Folds CD I have heard, but it makes me want to check out his back catalog. His beautiful melodies and impressive piano playing mixed with his always clever lyrics make for a fun, if forgettable album. My favorite song on the album is probably his tribute to the late singer/songwriter Elliott Smith called "Late."
Highlight: "Late"
10. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock produced this album, which sounds quite a bit like an album Modest Mouse could have made. The thing is, I would take these guys over Modest Mouse any day of the week.
Highlight: "Shine A Light"
11. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
Jack Johnson... the guy will probably never make a "great" album, but he will most likely never make a bad one. He has been essentially playing the same song for 5 years, but it is a good one. His choppy strum patterns with his smooth vocals and surfer-dude mentality make "In Between Dreams," and every one of his albums for that matter, great stuff to put on in the background and swing in a hammock to.
Hightlight: "Better Together"
12. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
Somewhere, a long time ago, pretty pop music and elemental rock n' roll met and had a love child known as the band Spoon. They have always had a stripped down sound, using usually just a guitar, a piano, drums, and sometimes a bass--but with Gimme Fiction, the minimalist approach sounds more exciting than ever.
Highlight: "I Turn My Camera On"
---------------
Whew, that took a while.
I guess, in other news, I am an idiot. I'm an idiot because I have started too many books at one time. Before Christmas, I was in the mididle of both C.S. Lewis's "Surprised by Joy," and his Narnia book "Voyage of the Dawn Treader." For Christmas I got Donald Miller's "Through Painted Deserts" and St. Augustine's "Confessions." I immediately had to start the Miller book, as his first book, "Blue Like Jazz," I consider to be a key part of my spiritual formation. Then I was browsing through Barnes and Noble a few days after Christmas, and I decided I had to pick up Lewis's "Miracles," and "Reflections on the Psalms." I also bought a book called "Emerging Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger and thought it too interesting to wait to read. So here I am, with 4 books going in addition to daily scripture reading, and several more staring me in the face begging me to read them. I'm never going to finish any of these. I'm an idiot.
Adios.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
It's Christmas time!
So this first first semester of college just flew by. I mean, it really got out of hand fast. It literally feels like I just moved into the dorm a few weeks ago.
I started telling myself right before school started that whenever I finished my first semester I would post a huge blog about college and how it has affected me. But, to be honest, I really don't feel that different at all. Sure, class was a little bit harder than High School and finals were definately a pretty stressful period, but, other than that, everything was pretty standard.
I think it's great that I am still hanging out with my cell group guys and that I have met a bunch of new solid Christian friends. There are so many pitfalls that you hear about people falling into once they get into college and experience "life on their own," but with these guys and girls, its been just like the old days. I am truly thankful for these people and our friendships--God is, indeed, good. At the same time, while I have met quite a few new people, I feel a little bit like I could do a better job of branching out. Its easy to stay in your own little comfort zone when you have so many people that you're so close to around you all the time. Hopefully I'll figure out how to balance these things.
So, no, I don't have any Earth-shatteringly insightful observations after my first semester. It sure was fun, though--I'll tell you that. And I'm definately looking forward to the next couple of years. Maybe I'll get a huge revelation later... if I do, I'll keep you posted.
Moving on, Christmas time is here. Before I say anything else about it, I feel like I need to plug some music. Sufjan Stevens, one of my favorite singer/songwriters has a, as far as I can tell, completely legal and completely free collection of 3 Christmas EPs called "Hark! Songs for Christmas." Download them here. He plays a great mix of traditional Christmas songs and new ones written by Sufjan himself. My two favorite are probably "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!" Do yourself a favor and check it out.
My Birthday is about a week before Christmas, and my parents got me my birthday present early, and it is an awesome, awesome gift. They got me a Latin Percussion Conga and Bongo set with stands and everything. I've been banging around on them for a couple of days now, and while I have absolutely no skill on them right now, I can't wait to put some serious practice time into them.
One thing I'm kind of bummed about, however, is the fact that we don't have a Christmas tree at the Lake House (where we're staying until our new house gets built). Its not a big deal at all, but I just like the tree as a big visual reminder of the Holiday.
I really don't have much else to say (and I know I haven't said much up until now, either). I guess I just felt like blogging, even though I really had nothing new to add. Oh well. If there is anyone that reads this that I don't see on a regular basis, do me a favor and have a Merry Christmas for me. I would really appreciate it.
I started telling myself right before school started that whenever I finished my first semester I would post a huge blog about college and how it has affected me. But, to be honest, I really don't feel that different at all. Sure, class was a little bit harder than High School and finals were definately a pretty stressful period, but, other than that, everything was pretty standard.
I think it's great that I am still hanging out with my cell group guys and that I have met a bunch of new solid Christian friends. There are so many pitfalls that you hear about people falling into once they get into college and experience "life on their own," but with these guys and girls, its been just like the old days. I am truly thankful for these people and our friendships--God is, indeed, good. At the same time, while I have met quite a few new people, I feel a little bit like I could do a better job of branching out. Its easy to stay in your own little comfort zone when you have so many people that you're so close to around you all the time. Hopefully I'll figure out how to balance these things.
So, no, I don't have any Earth-shatteringly insightful observations after my first semester. It sure was fun, though--I'll tell you that. And I'm definately looking forward to the next couple of years. Maybe I'll get a huge revelation later... if I do, I'll keep you posted.
Moving on, Christmas time is here. Before I say anything else about it, I feel like I need to plug some music. Sufjan Stevens, one of my favorite singer/songwriters has a, as far as I can tell, completely legal and completely free collection of 3 Christmas EPs called "Hark! Songs for Christmas." Download them here. He plays a great mix of traditional Christmas songs and new ones written by Sufjan himself. My two favorite are probably "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!" Do yourself a favor and check it out.
My Birthday is about a week before Christmas, and my parents got me my birthday present early, and it is an awesome, awesome gift. They got me a Latin Percussion Conga and Bongo set with stands and everything. I've been banging around on them for a couple of days now, and while I have absolutely no skill on them right now, I can't wait to put some serious practice time into them.
One thing I'm kind of bummed about, however, is the fact that we don't have a Christmas tree at the Lake House (where we're staying until our new house gets built). Its not a big deal at all, but I just like the tree as a big visual reminder of the Holiday.
I really don't have much else to say (and I know I haven't said much up until now, either). I guess I just felt like blogging, even though I really had nothing new to add. Oh well. If there is anyone that reads this that I don't see on a regular basis, do me a favor and have a Merry Christmas for me. I would really appreciate it.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
A Question of Conviction?
I've been thinking on and off for a while now about the kinds of movies, tv shows, and music I expose myself to--or for that matter, the kinds of movies, tv shows, and music that all believers in Christ expose themselves to.
I know some believers that say they listen to only Christian music because they only want to hear things that are spiritually edifying. They feel that if a song doesn't discuss or directly point to God, it is a waste of their time.
Others I know pretty much refuse to listen to any Christian music because they feel that the music itself, in 99% of the cases, is derivative and uninspired. They sometimes even feel that some (although certainly not all) aspects of spirituality, nature, the human condition, etc. are better expressed by some of today's secular bands than by most Christian artists.
In my opinion, both sides are valid. I fall somewhere in between, typically.
Movies are a little more of an intense subject. I know many believers that if an 'R' rating is mentioned at all, consider the movie to be unboubtedly a tool of Satan. If a movie has a bad word, a hint of sexuality, or extreme violence anyone who watches it is simply exposing themselves to filth and is separating themself further form God.
On the flip side, many believers have (or so they claim) no convictions at all about what they watch. They can watch 100 children be decapitated, 3 explicit sex scenes with gratuitous nudity (although, when is nudity not gratuitous?), and a hailstorm of F-bombs and S-words and have no convictions about it. And if convictions are there, they simply ignore them.
Again, I fall somewhere in between.
But I know why I fall where I fall.
My opinion is generally something like this: We are given pretty clear instructions in the bible on how we are supposed to act in most situations. But, seeing as how there were not movies back in biblical times, Jesus did not say anything specifically about what kinds of movies we, as faithful believers, can watch (although some would insist Jesus recommends a PG cutoff :-)). But here is what we do know:
I know that this verse is literally talking about food and how many Jews were upset with other believers eating foods declared by the law to be unclean. But, I think, for the most part, the underlying principle applies to what we're currently talking about.
If I watch a movie that does not cause me to sin in any way (although, they definately can and have--but I'll talk about that later), I see really no reason in scripture that I should not be able to watch it. That is, unless me watching that particular movie causes a brother in Christ to stumble and struggle. In that case, I believe it is my responsibility to not watch that movie around him, discuss it around him, etc. I do not take that series of verses to mean that if any believer anywhere has a problem with a movie then the whole body of believers must refrain from watching it. I don't think that Paul was suggesting that every believer stop eating certain meats because it made certain Jews uncomfortable. No, I take it to mean that the loving thing to do was to refrain from eating those foods in the presence of those who were offended, to refrain from talking about them, etc. So, it follows that even if a number of believers disagree with a certain film, and as long as it does not cause you to personally sin, it is scripturally ok to watch it.
So the next issue is this: what kind of content can I honestly say does not cause me to sin? Well, obviously it is going to be different for every person, as well all have different sin struggles that affect us more than others. This is a personal conviction call. I can say this, personally--excessive/extended/graphic sex scenes are a no-no for me. Outside of that... I don't know. Violence typically does not make me feel the urge to commit a violent act, watching drug abuse does not make me in any way want to try drugs, and hearing crude language typically does not make me want to start using those words. Maybe it is becasue most of the movies I watch do not glorify these things, but show the evils of them.
But how can I watch a movie with repeated drug use, unbelievable acts of violence, and crude language and still walk away saying that I "enjoyed" or even "loved" said movie with a clear conscience? Well I can tell you that if the movie glamourized or promoted drug abuse, I would have a very hard time enjoying it. But nearly every film I have seen dealing indepthly with drug abuse has portrayed it as the evil it most certainly is. And to the filmmakers of those types of films I say "Bravo."
I think there is a difference between a movie with "bad" content and a "bad movie." That many movies would contain detestable behavior is nearly a given--it happens all around us. If a movie is trying to show us a truth about the real world, its probably going to have to deal with the real world as it is--bad guys and all. Even scripture makes surprising references to things that could earn a boycotting by hardcore Fundamentalist Christian moms. Let us not forget the stories of Rahab the prostitute, Abram, Sarai and Hagar, aspects of Ruth's story, the countless old-testament wars, the Song of Solomon, etc. I am no expert on the Old Testament by any means, but that list right there is a pretty good start. Its some pretty head-turning stuff. The reason they are not viewed as "bad," however, is because they are used to illustrate greater points from the real world. We don't focus on the fact that Rahab was prostitute, we focus on her great faith that she developed even after years in a job like that. And nowhere in scripture are things like adultery, prostitution, and killing glorified. They are shown as elements of the world we live in that we cannot ignore.
Now I'll give you this: many filmmakers, well, most filmmakers push it too far. They show more of these types of activities for one reason or another than is necessary to establish their point. That is where it comes back to conviction. Has the filmmaker crossed the line from thought stimulation to personal sin temptation? Has the filmmaker crossed the line from presenting a bad situation as it is to celebrating said situation? These are the things we need to consider. And for the most part it comes down to the individual. Do YOU feel like the movie crossed the line? Do I feel like the movie crossed the line?
These are really my thoughts on this issue right now. I concede that I am just an 18 year old kid, and I still have a lot that God has to teach me. Any and all input on this subject will be greatly appreciated.
--Cameron
P.S. I love you.
I know some believers that say they listen to only Christian music because they only want to hear things that are spiritually edifying. They feel that if a song doesn't discuss or directly point to God, it is a waste of their time.
Others I know pretty much refuse to listen to any Christian music because they feel that the music itself, in 99% of the cases, is derivative and uninspired. They sometimes even feel that some (although certainly not all) aspects of spirituality, nature, the human condition, etc. are better expressed by some of today's secular bands than by most Christian artists.
In my opinion, both sides are valid. I fall somewhere in between, typically.
Movies are a little more of an intense subject. I know many believers that if an 'R' rating is mentioned at all, consider the movie to be unboubtedly a tool of Satan. If a movie has a bad word, a hint of sexuality, or extreme violence anyone who watches it is simply exposing themselves to filth and is separating themself further form God.
On the flip side, many believers have (or so they claim) no convictions at all about what they watch. They can watch 100 children be decapitated, 3 explicit sex scenes with gratuitous nudity (although, when is nudity not gratuitous?), and a hailstorm of F-bombs and S-words and have no convictions about it. And if convictions are there, they simply ignore them.
Again, I fall somewhere in between.
But I know why I fall where I fall.
My opinion is generally something like this: We are given pretty clear instructions in the bible on how we are supposed to act in most situations. But, seeing as how there were not movies back in biblical times, Jesus did not say anything specifically about what kinds of movies we, as faithful believers, can watch (although some would insist Jesus recommends a PG cutoff :-)). But here is what we do know:
Obviously if there is anything in our life that causes us to sin, we must flee from it. This is cut and dried. But there is also this:
Matthew 5:30 "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."
Romans 14:13-16 "Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed becasuse of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what ou consider good to be spoken of as evil."
Romans 14:20-21 "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but is is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall."
I know that this verse is literally talking about food and how many Jews were upset with other believers eating foods declared by the law to be unclean. But, I think, for the most part, the underlying principle applies to what we're currently talking about.
If I watch a movie that does not cause me to sin in any way (although, they definately can and have--but I'll talk about that later), I see really no reason in scripture that I should not be able to watch it. That is, unless me watching that particular movie causes a brother in Christ to stumble and struggle. In that case, I believe it is my responsibility to not watch that movie around him, discuss it around him, etc. I do not take that series of verses to mean that if any believer anywhere has a problem with a movie then the whole body of believers must refrain from watching it. I don't think that Paul was suggesting that every believer stop eating certain meats because it made certain Jews uncomfortable. No, I take it to mean that the loving thing to do was to refrain from eating those foods in the presence of those who were offended, to refrain from talking about them, etc. So, it follows that even if a number of believers disagree with a certain film, and as long as it does not cause you to personally sin, it is scripturally ok to watch it.
So the next issue is this: what kind of content can I honestly say does not cause me to sin? Well, obviously it is going to be different for every person, as well all have different sin struggles that affect us more than others. This is a personal conviction call. I can say this, personally--excessive/extended/graphic sex scenes are a no-no for me. Outside of that... I don't know. Violence typically does not make me feel the urge to commit a violent act, watching drug abuse does not make me in any way want to try drugs, and hearing crude language typically does not make me want to start using those words. Maybe it is becasue most of the movies I watch do not glorify these things, but show the evils of them.
But how can I watch a movie with repeated drug use, unbelievable acts of violence, and crude language and still walk away saying that I "enjoyed" or even "loved" said movie with a clear conscience? Well I can tell you that if the movie glamourized or promoted drug abuse, I would have a very hard time enjoying it. But nearly every film I have seen dealing indepthly with drug abuse has portrayed it as the evil it most certainly is. And to the filmmakers of those types of films I say "Bravo."
I think there is a difference between a movie with "bad" content and a "bad movie." That many movies would contain detestable behavior is nearly a given--it happens all around us. If a movie is trying to show us a truth about the real world, its probably going to have to deal with the real world as it is--bad guys and all. Even scripture makes surprising references to things that could earn a boycotting by hardcore Fundamentalist Christian moms. Let us not forget the stories of Rahab the prostitute, Abram, Sarai and Hagar, aspects of Ruth's story, the countless old-testament wars, the Song of Solomon, etc. I am no expert on the Old Testament by any means, but that list right there is a pretty good start. Its some pretty head-turning stuff. The reason they are not viewed as "bad," however, is because they are used to illustrate greater points from the real world. We don't focus on the fact that Rahab was prostitute, we focus on her great faith that she developed even after years in a job like that. And nowhere in scripture are things like adultery, prostitution, and killing glorified. They are shown as elements of the world we live in that we cannot ignore.
Now I'll give you this: many filmmakers, well, most filmmakers push it too far. They show more of these types of activities for one reason or another than is necessary to establish their point. That is where it comes back to conviction. Has the filmmaker crossed the line from thought stimulation to personal sin temptation? Has the filmmaker crossed the line from presenting a bad situation as it is to celebrating said situation? These are the things we need to consider. And for the most part it comes down to the individual. Do YOU feel like the movie crossed the line? Do I feel like the movie crossed the line?
These are really my thoughts on this issue right now. I concede that I am just an 18 year old kid, and I still have a lot that God has to teach me. Any and all input on this subject will be greatly appreciated.
--Cameron
P.S. I love you.
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