Because I'm such a huge football fan and this is one of the most ridiculous plays I have ever seen...
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
My sister's music video
My sister Janna is very interested in photography and film. She tried her hand at making a music video, and I thought it turned out pretty well, so I'm posting it here.
The song is "Merry Go Round" by PFR.
The song is "Merry Go Round" by PFR.
Friday, October 12, 2007
The state of modern "Christian" music
Christian artists that have been heavily promoted by the Christian music industry since the early 90s have been, in my opinion, mediocre at best. Sure, most of the artists that came out of the 70s and 80s could be a little cheesy at times, but at least they had, in general, a strong Biblical foundation on which to base their lyrics.
Most of the musicians who have been promoted in the Christian market since the explosion of alternative bands in the early 90s were not only trying to emulate the musical trends of the times (although they always seemed to be a bit behind the curve), but the lyrics started to become watered down as well. The problem was two fold: many of the upcoming young artists did not have a strong Biblical foundation, and there was also a shift in focus to become pallatable enough to attempt to crack the mainstream market.
While there were probably good intentions involved, this has caused the Christian music industry to become shallow and weak. Many of the major Christian labels either folded, leaving the artists they had signed suddenly unemployed, or sold out to larger mainstream labels who realized that they could make a decent profit off of Christian music. However, the focus of the mainstream labels snuffed out the Christian artists who wrote with a strong, Biblical intent. It would take several years before these artists could carve out enough of a niche to have any kind of impact again.
The mainstream labels intended to turn the Christian market into a smaller version of what they already had in the mainstream market, except they would be able to package many of these artists in such a way that they would be able to make money off of Christians who opposed listening to mainstream music. Viola! These labels now had a very sizable consumer sector in their back pocket and could make even more money than before.
Thus we have come to the sad state of Christian music today. The majority of the promoted Christian artists now don't look any different or sound any different than mainstream artists, but they throw that vague spiritual reference in every now and then, which allows them to separate themselves just enough to make them seem different. Thus, we are left with a Christian market that promotes mini-mainstream artists with watered down lyrics.
One band that I have a love/hate relationship with is Skillet. I love the energy of this band; they are quite an enjoyable live band, and they really do mean well. However, they tend to take their enthusiasm a bit far at times to a point where it rubs me the wrong way. Three songs in particular, "Obsession," "Better Than Drugs" and "Comatose," really irritate me.
"Obsession" is a song about being obsessed with God, and although in a sense this is how we want to be, the choice of words really irks me. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"You're my only infatuation
Don't leave me stranded
In my obsession"
First of all, the word "obsess" has a bit of negative connotation, i.e. you are overly interested in something to the point of it being unhealthy. I'd never want to describe my relationship with God as being too interested in it. Secondly, the fact that the lyricist is actually asking God not to leave him stranded is Biblically flawed. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), so pleading not to be left stranded in one's obsession with God is quite a bit of a theological faux pas.
"Better Than Drugs" and "Comatose" both compare a relationship with God to being addicted to drugs, but better. Here are lyrics from "Better Than Drugs":
"You're better than drugs
Your love is like wine
Feel you comin' on so fast
Feel you comin' to get me high"
And lyrics from "Comatose":
"Comatose
I will never wake up without
An overdose of you"
Putting aside the fact that comparing God to a drug addiction (which is another negative connotation) is bordering on sacrelige, do we really want to be promoting a relationship with God like this to Christian teens and young adults? Maybe it's even worse that non-Christians are hearing this and then looking for that "God high." A relationship with God should not be comparable to a drug high. It shouldn't be a high at all. Granted we have highs and lows in our faith, but pursuing a "high on God" to get us through a tough time should not be our intent.
While no one expects the Christian industry to break new ground musically, their blatant ripoffs of popular trends in the mainstream sector is appalling and well behind the curve of popularity. Christian music's first grunge band, Grammatrain, came on the scene in 1995, just in time to completely miss the grunge movement, as it began to fade in 1994 with the dowfall of Kurt Cobain. The mainstream market has teen pop idols Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore? The Christian market responds three years later with Rachel Lampa and Stacie Orrico. The Christian Music industry even tried to jump on the boy band train with Plus One, but was still even later to react to that musical trend.
A modern example of a blatant mainstream ripoff is Krystal Meyers. Take her song "Anticonformity": it has a great message for teens about not conforming to the ways of the world. While nothing new, this is one of those ideas that constantly needs to be reinforced. But then came the music video accompanying her single. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought it was Avril Lavigne's new video. It was shot very similar to an Avril video, and Miss Meyers was sporting the new faux punk look that is oh so popular these days, just like Avril does. Wait a minute, doesn't that contradict the message of her song? I thought we weren't conforming, but apparently pretending to be Avril Lavigne and sporting the most popular "look" of today's teen culture isn't conforming.
We need to stop letting the Christian music industry feed us this trash they call art, and demand they focus on providing us with artists that have substance, both musically and lyrically. Stop buying music from the Christian bookstores and start looking for the independent artists that are willing to sacrifice making money to provide those who will listen with quality music and a quality message.
Most of the musicians who have been promoted in the Christian market since the explosion of alternative bands in the early 90s were not only trying to emulate the musical trends of the times (although they always seemed to be a bit behind the curve), but the lyrics started to become watered down as well. The problem was two fold: many of the upcoming young artists did not have a strong Biblical foundation, and there was also a shift in focus to become pallatable enough to attempt to crack the mainstream market.
While there were probably good intentions involved, this has caused the Christian music industry to become shallow and weak. Many of the major Christian labels either folded, leaving the artists they had signed suddenly unemployed, or sold out to larger mainstream labels who realized that they could make a decent profit off of Christian music. However, the focus of the mainstream labels snuffed out the Christian artists who wrote with a strong, Biblical intent. It would take several years before these artists could carve out enough of a niche to have any kind of impact again.
The mainstream labels intended to turn the Christian market into a smaller version of what they already had in the mainstream market, except they would be able to package many of these artists in such a way that they would be able to make money off of Christians who opposed listening to mainstream music. Viola! These labels now had a very sizable consumer sector in their back pocket and could make even more money than before.
Thus we have come to the sad state of Christian music today. The majority of the promoted Christian artists now don't look any different or sound any different than mainstream artists, but they throw that vague spiritual reference in every now and then, which allows them to separate themselves just enough to make them seem different. Thus, we are left with a Christian market that promotes mini-mainstream artists with watered down lyrics.
One band that I have a love/hate relationship with is Skillet. I love the energy of this band; they are quite an enjoyable live band, and they really do mean well. However, they tend to take their enthusiasm a bit far at times to a point where it rubs me the wrong way. Three songs in particular, "Obsession," "Better Than Drugs" and "Comatose," really irritate me.
"Obsession" is a song about being obsessed with God, and although in a sense this is how we want to be, the choice of words really irks me. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"You're my only infatuation
Don't leave me stranded
In my obsession"
First of all, the word "obsess" has a bit of negative connotation, i.e. you are overly interested in something to the point of it being unhealthy. I'd never want to describe my relationship with God as being too interested in it. Secondly, the fact that the lyricist is actually asking God not to leave him stranded is Biblically flawed. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), so pleading not to be left stranded in one's obsession with God is quite a bit of a theological faux pas.
"Better Than Drugs" and "Comatose" both compare a relationship with God to being addicted to drugs, but better. Here are lyrics from "Better Than Drugs":
"You're better than drugs
Your love is like wine
Feel you comin' on so fast
Feel you comin' to get me high"
And lyrics from "Comatose":
"Comatose
I will never wake up without
An overdose of you"
Putting aside the fact that comparing God to a drug addiction (which is another negative connotation) is bordering on sacrelige, do we really want to be promoting a relationship with God like this to Christian teens and young adults? Maybe it's even worse that non-Christians are hearing this and then looking for that "God high." A relationship with God should not be comparable to a drug high. It shouldn't be a high at all. Granted we have highs and lows in our faith, but pursuing a "high on God" to get us through a tough time should not be our intent.
While no one expects the Christian industry to break new ground musically, their blatant ripoffs of popular trends in the mainstream sector is appalling and well behind the curve of popularity. Christian music's first grunge band, Grammatrain, came on the scene in 1995, just in time to completely miss the grunge movement, as it began to fade in 1994 with the dowfall of Kurt Cobain. The mainstream market has teen pop idols Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore? The Christian market responds three years later with Rachel Lampa and Stacie Orrico. The Christian Music industry even tried to jump on the boy band train with Plus One, but was still even later to react to that musical trend.
A modern example of a blatant mainstream ripoff is Krystal Meyers. Take her song "Anticonformity": it has a great message for teens about not conforming to the ways of the world. While nothing new, this is one of those ideas that constantly needs to be reinforced. But then came the music video accompanying her single. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought it was Avril Lavigne's new video. It was shot very similar to an Avril video, and Miss Meyers was sporting the new faux punk look that is oh so popular these days, just like Avril does. Wait a minute, doesn't that contradict the message of her song? I thought we weren't conforming, but apparently pretending to be Avril Lavigne and sporting the most popular "look" of today's teen culture isn't conforming.
We need to stop letting the Christian music industry feed us this trash they call art, and demand they focus on providing us with artists that have substance, both musically and lyrically. Stop buying music from the Christian bookstores and start looking for the independent artists that are willing to sacrifice making money to provide those who will listen with quality music and a quality message.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
What's More Inhumane?
Ever since the Michael Vick scandal broke, I have been reading sports sites (mostly thesportingnews.com) to see what other people's thoughts were. For those of you who don't know, Michael Vick, the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and one of the league's biggest icons, was indicted last month on a host of charges including dogfighting, gambling, and animal abuse. Some of these inhumane acts included eloctrocuting, drowning, hanging, and shooting dogs (mostly pitbulls) that lost fights or couldn't make the cut. Michael Vick has just pleaded guilty to these charges and is facing up to three years in prison as well as fines of up to $250,000.
Now, I have never been a fan of Michael Vick. I have always thought he was a bad role model for kids who went out and bought his jerseys and athletic wear. He wasn't a team player, he was a locker room cancer, and he got coaches firerd because of his attitude and unwillingness to do what he was asked. Yet, because of his phenomenal athletic ability and his status of "cash cow" for both his team and the NFL, everyone has bent over backwards to cater to his needs and wants. If you know me then you know that I have a problem with all of these things. However, that does not mean that I am willing to blast him the way I've seen about 97% of the comments and blogs I've read about him have done.
In all my life, I have never seen more vicious attacks on a person. Dog lovers and PETA members are coming out of the woodwork to protest Vick's actions, as well they should. However, calling for him to be treated the same way the dogs he tortured and killed is, in my opinion, uncalled for. What Vick did was inexcusable and he is being punished for his crimes. Even the NFL is taking a firm stance, as Vick will likely see a lifetime ban from the league. I think, though, that my biggest issue with these comments lies in the fact that people are more willing to viciously defend dogs than they are human being.
Where are the people clammering for abortionist doctors to be vacuumed through a hose using the same procedure they perform on a unborn babies? I am in no way condoning this, and I doubt even those who are calling for Vick to be drowned wouldn't be able to bring themselves to do it if they were put in a room with him and a tub filled with water. What I am saying is that I am saddened that we have come to a point in society where when a dog is treated poorly, it is considered more inhumane than when a baby is disturbingly murdered. It's times like these that make me so glad we are under the rule of a righteous God and not held accountable by an unruly mob of our peers who have no basis for deciding what is right and wrong.
Now, I have never been a fan of Michael Vick. I have always thought he was a bad role model for kids who went out and bought his jerseys and athletic wear. He wasn't a team player, he was a locker room cancer, and he got coaches firerd because of his attitude and unwillingness to do what he was asked. Yet, because of his phenomenal athletic ability and his status of "cash cow" for both his team and the NFL, everyone has bent over backwards to cater to his needs and wants. If you know me then you know that I have a problem with all of these things. However, that does not mean that I am willing to blast him the way I've seen about 97% of the comments and blogs I've read about him have done.
In all my life, I have never seen more vicious attacks on a person. Dog lovers and PETA members are coming out of the woodwork to protest Vick's actions, as well they should. However, calling for him to be treated the same way the dogs he tortured and killed is, in my opinion, uncalled for. What Vick did was inexcusable and he is being punished for his crimes. Even the NFL is taking a firm stance, as Vick will likely see a lifetime ban from the league. I think, though, that my biggest issue with these comments lies in the fact that people are more willing to viciously defend dogs than they are human being.
Where are the people clammering for abortionist doctors to be vacuumed through a hose using the same procedure they perform on a unborn babies? I am in no way condoning this, and I doubt even those who are calling for Vick to be drowned wouldn't be able to bring themselves to do it if they were put in a room with him and a tub filled with water. What I am saying is that I am saddened that we have come to a point in society where when a dog is treated poorly, it is considered more inhumane than when a baby is disturbingly murdered. It's times like these that make me so glad we are under the rule of a righteous God and not held accountable by an unruly mob of our peers who have no basis for deciding what is right and wrong.
New Blog
I decided to move my bible study notes to a different blog. If you would like to read them, I have listed the blog in my list of other blogs.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Where did he go?
Uh, yeah, so I've gotten kinda side-tracked with my job which has been really frustrating and stressful lately, so I've had some troubles keeping myself organized. Fret not! I will return with more posts soon. Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Proverbs 13
Focus verse : Prover 13:18
"Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored."
Meaning: The whole of this book hinges on Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowldege; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Provers 13:18 echoes this verse, but also provides an understanding of the consequences attached to the outcome of those who fear the Lord and the fools who reject Him. Similar to the theme throughout most of the Proverbs, these consequences are not just phyiscal or things that will happen in this world, but can also be consequences of a spiritual nature. You may amass a wealth in this life, but you will be spiritually poor for eternity if you have ignored the knowledge and advice of those who walk in the ways of the Lord. However, the Lord admonishes those who diligently seek and listen to the counsel of those who are wise in the law of the Lord.
Application: My age is an especially tough time because I am trying to find my own spiritual identity, yet I also still must rely on the spiritual nurturing my parents provided me. Now, my parents aren't perfect, and they're not right about everything, but not only have do they have far more spiritual maturity than me, but they also have much more life experience. In the short time I have been away from home, ignoring their advice has actually landed me in very disgraceful and poor financial situations. Perhaps now that I am doing my best to listen to their counsel, I will find some honor in my life.
"Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored."
Meaning: The whole of this book hinges on Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowldege; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Provers 13:18 echoes this verse, but also provides an understanding of the consequences attached to the outcome of those who fear the Lord and the fools who reject Him. Similar to the theme throughout most of the Proverbs, these consequences are not just phyiscal or things that will happen in this world, but can also be consequences of a spiritual nature. You may amass a wealth in this life, but you will be spiritually poor for eternity if you have ignored the knowledge and advice of those who walk in the ways of the Lord. However, the Lord admonishes those who diligently seek and listen to the counsel of those who are wise in the law of the Lord.
Application: My age is an especially tough time because I am trying to find my own spiritual identity, yet I also still must rely on the spiritual nurturing my parents provided me. Now, my parents aren't perfect, and they're not right about everything, but not only have do they have far more spiritual maturity than me, but they also have much more life experience. In the short time I have been away from home, ignoring their advice has actually landed me in very disgraceful and poor financial situations. Perhaps now that I am doing my best to listen to their counsel, I will find some honor in my life.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
A New Direction Already?
So, here's the deal. With a lack of things to write about (I do have a subject or two brewing in the pot, but that's about it) I have decided to start recording thoughts on the Bible study I am doing for the next month on Proverbs. Thirty-one chapters means (hopefully) thirty-one straight days of posts. We shall see how it goes...
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Is God A Masochist?
I went for my weekly run today (I know, it needs to be a little more often than once a week) and I was reminded of a conversation I had with someone a few months ago. This person posed a question to me: is God a learning God? To which, of course, I replied emphatically no! If God did not know everything then God could not be all knowing, and if God is not all knowing, why serve and worship Him? I mean, He could be completely wrong about everything!
This very confused Christian then pointed me toward Genesis 6:5-6, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him to his heart." His point? God had no idea that man would choose sin and wickedness, and man had gotten so out of hand, that God needed to lay the smack down. Therefore, God learned that His creation was a mistake.
Obviously the vast errancy in this statement is blatantly clear. However, I will attempt to break down my defense in brief form. First, I responded that God knew that mankind would choose sin and because of this, He could not have "learned from this mistake." His response? Well then, God must be masochistic because he knew his creation would bring him pain. Yes, apparently, God is a masochist.
From here, I made two points:
1) Why can't God be masochistic? Who are we to judge God based on our finite experiences? What is that compared to His infinite wisdom? Continuing on from this thought, how can we even begin to fathom how God works anyways? God is outside of time and space. How can we try to define in our limited human words? Calling Him masochistic is awfully presumptuous!
2) More importantly, is it necessarily masochistic to do something that causes one pain? After all, running causes me quite a bit of physical pain and I know it will before I even begin to do it. I guess I must be a masochist for partaking in it, then! Or maybe my driving force of getting in shape overrides the fact that I will incur some physical pain. Maybe God's ultimate plan is more importnat than the temporary "pain" it may cause Him along the way.
So, no, God is not a masochist.
This very confused Christian then pointed me toward Genesis 6:5-6, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him to his heart." His point? God had no idea that man would choose sin and wickedness, and man had gotten so out of hand, that God needed to lay the smack down. Therefore, God learned that His creation was a mistake.
Obviously the vast errancy in this statement is blatantly clear. However, I will attempt to break down my defense in brief form. First, I responded that God knew that mankind would choose sin and because of this, He could not have "learned from this mistake." His response? Well then, God must be masochistic because he knew his creation would bring him pain. Yes, apparently, God is a masochist.
From here, I made two points:
1) Why can't God be masochistic? Who are we to judge God based on our finite experiences? What is that compared to His infinite wisdom? Continuing on from this thought, how can we even begin to fathom how God works anyways? God is outside of time and space. How can we try to define in our limited human words? Calling Him masochistic is awfully presumptuous!
2) More importantly, is it necessarily masochistic to do something that causes one pain? After all, running causes me quite a bit of physical pain and I know it will before I even begin to do it. I guess I must be a masochist for partaking in it, then! Or maybe my driving force of getting in shape overrides the fact that I will incur some physical pain. Maybe God's ultimate plan is more importnat than the temporary "pain" it may cause Him along the way.
So, no, God is not a masochist.
Us Darn Christians Are So Closed Minded
I was thinking about going and finding an old editorial I wrote for the school newspaper several years back so I could be lazy and not post anything new, but this issue has been gnawing at my brain for awhile, so I will attempt to briefly disect it.
In today's culture it is very apparent that one of the worst "burns" out there is to be called closed minded. Want to win an argument? Beat your opponent over the head by calling them close minded. Every single onlooker will gasp in awe at how dumb your opponent is for being so ignorant to your point of view.
But honestly, if you call someone closed minded because he refuses to see things the way do, aren't you doing the same thing? Are you trying to see his view, or are you just trying to get your shots in while you can because you're upset at being "offended"? See, the thing is, if you weren't being ignorant in the first place, you'd have no reason to call someone else closed minded. So, what we have here is a fine and dandy example of the pot calling the kettle black.
Let's extend this into the land of Christendom. Christians are some of the biggest goats out there for receiving the "closed minded" label. We are considered closed minded and ignorant because we stand for truth. Not just a truth, but THE Truth. And this truth is offensive to some. Christ told us to expect to be rebuked (Luke 6:22) for His sake. So while we shouldn't be suprised when those who disagree with us resort to labeling us closed minded, the irony is that it is those who disagree with the truth of The Bible that are closed minded and ignorant.
While the humanist may claim to be objective, how can one really be objective when they are relying on false truth to "objectively" observe the world? The honest truth is, there is no objectivity outside of God's truth; none whatsoever. So, we should never fear that oh so scary (not really) label of being ignorant or closed minded because we can be assured in our knowledge that the truth of Christ gives us the only true objectivity that exists.
"Objectivity's the myth of plenty who doubt His truth within their soul" - Five Iron Frenzy
In today's culture it is very apparent that one of the worst "burns" out there is to be called closed minded. Want to win an argument? Beat your opponent over the head by calling them close minded. Every single onlooker will gasp in awe at how dumb your opponent is for being so ignorant to your point of view.
But honestly, if you call someone closed minded because he refuses to see things the way do, aren't you doing the same thing? Are you trying to see his view, or are you just trying to get your shots in while you can because you're upset at being "offended"? See, the thing is, if you weren't being ignorant in the first place, you'd have no reason to call someone else closed minded. So, what we have here is a fine and dandy example of the pot calling the kettle black.
Let's extend this into the land of Christendom. Christians are some of the biggest goats out there for receiving the "closed minded" label. We are considered closed minded and ignorant because we stand for truth. Not just a truth, but THE Truth. And this truth is offensive to some. Christ told us to expect to be rebuked (Luke 6:22) for His sake. So while we shouldn't be suprised when those who disagree with us resort to labeling us closed minded, the irony is that it is those who disagree with the truth of The Bible that are closed minded and ignorant.
While the humanist may claim to be objective, how can one really be objective when they are relying on false truth to "objectively" observe the world? The honest truth is, there is no objectivity outside of God's truth; none whatsoever. So, we should never fear that oh so scary (not really) label of being ignorant or closed minded because we can be assured in our knowledge that the truth of Christ gives us the only true objectivity that exists.
"Objectivity's the myth of plenty who doubt His truth within their soul" - Five Iron Frenzy
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
An Introduction
I have always been fascinated by the story of Gideon, a man whose "clan [was] the weakest in Manasseh, and [who was] the least in [his] father's house." (Judges 6:15) Yet God used this seemingly meaningless man in the grand scheme of things and a rag tag group of just 300 men to defeat one of the greatest armies the world had known at that time. To me, this story is not only one of the greatest examples of God's power to do as He wills with whatever tool he chooses, but it also shows that just a few righteous men who seek to follow the will of God can have a far greater impact on their world than they could ever see themselves having..
How does this relate to the title of my blog? I am a recently Reformed Christian who is still wet behind the ears. I don't consider myself in any way a masterful theologian. Yet, however small and incompetent I may feel in this vast universe, even I can be used by God to do His will, and just like Gideon and his 300 men, have a far reaching impact on the course of human history. Please don't misunderstand me, I don't have such lofty expectations. I just want to do what I can to be a glimmer of hope in this dark world.
So please, read, comment, discuss, and even correct me if you feel I'm wrong. I don't claim to know everything and still have a lot to learn. I hope what I have to say will positively effect the lives of those who read this blog.
How does this relate to the title of my blog? I am a recently Reformed Christian who is still wet behind the ears. I don't consider myself in any way a masterful theologian. Yet, however small and incompetent I may feel in this vast universe, even I can be used by God to do His will, and just like Gideon and his 300 men, have a far reaching impact on the course of human history. Please don't misunderstand me, I don't have such lofty expectations. I just want to do what I can to be a glimmer of hope in this dark world.
So please, read, comment, discuss, and even correct me if you feel I'm wrong. I don't claim to know everything and still have a lot to learn. I hope what I have to say will positively effect the lives of those who read this blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)