Good to know that if I ever need attention, all I have to do is die
Thank you everyone for all the comments on my last post. I agree with all of you.
The original purpose of my last post was to explain why I had posted on political topics twice in a row. If you know me, you know I generally steer clear of political discussion. I felt I should explain the issues that motivated me to talk politics. It was never meant to be a treatise on my "disillusionment."
The bigger purpose of the post was to discuss my own hypocrisy. The fact that I love philosophy and apologetics but I know that I will never have the answers. The way I claim not to care about what anybody thinks, but there I am in the corner--rocking back and forth, waiting for your validation. I love the way that I think I am pretty unique in the way I view music and art and life in general, but I spend all my time trying to convince everyone to think like me. And then there was my last post--a post responding to comments by saying that I don't write in reaction to comments. So, like Kanye West, I want to condemn the problem, but admit that I am part of the problem, as well.
So let me address a small portion of what was said in the comments.
Anon: I agree that my disillusionment was caused by a lack of real knowledge about God. But getting rid of my "disillusionment" didn't help my view of God. I needed to address why I had those issues before I could get past them. Confessing or repenting of my "rebellion" did nothing for my relationship with God. Trust me, I tried.
Ryan: Thanks. I couldn't have said any of that better. It is so much more meaningful in that it is real. You cut to the core of what everyone was trying to say without any of the pretentious "spirituality."
Josh: I never really claimed to be the only one to see hypocrisy in the church, or to go to a war zone, or to prefer green M&Ms over brown. But I do think the sum of my experiences are most likely different then yours. Remember kindergarten? They talked about snowflakes and how each individual snowflake is different. Well, gravity is constant, isn't it? So individuality shouldn't matter. Gravity is true. We all believe it, and I would be the last person to doubt that it exists. But some snowflakes come straight down and land in your eye, while others float down slowly and dance away when you try to catch them on your tongue. See, gravity is the same, but it affects snowflakes all differently when combined with all the other factors. So I don't think I am the only one to do anything, but I think I can occasionally offer a unique viewpoint on some particular subject.
Also, I am interested about what you say is a "pattern of worldliness" in my life. I talked about that topic a little in a previous post called GodCon06. I would be interested to see what you thought.
And I have no clue how you can say that religion and a relationship with God is totally intergrated. I'm sorry, I just think that is ignorant. Do you know anything about history?
Jess:I think you really hit on the crux of this whole issue when you talked about when manufactured Christianity. For me, the manufactured Christianity I had in my mind collapsed completely in Iraq because I was no longer in an environment where it was easy for me to be a nominal Christian. For some people, it is a failed relationship. For others, it could just be an unsettling conversation. But at some point, everyone hits a crisis point. A point where the actions they have been taking in the name of Christianity don't cut it, and they realize they need to cry out to God and find a real relationship.
So I guess this is where I tell you how I am right and people who disagree with me are wrong. But I'm not going to. And it's not just because I am trying to promote some "postmodern" ethic of acceptance. It's because I'm sick of trying to defend myself. I think that what I believe is right. If I didn't believe it was right, I would find something else to believe in. And I think there are things going on in fundamentalism and politics today that need to be spoken out against. And if one of those issues comes up, I will speak out. But I don't want to sit here and spend all me time defending myself and attacking others. That isn't the purpose of this blog. This isn't Sharper Iron. So don't act like it. But if you want to be part of this conversation, I would love for you to contribute. No matter who you are or what you believe.
Besides, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I shouldn't shouldn't listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd and read Karl Marx. Maybe I should listen to Tsaichovsky and read Thomas Jefferson. A pedophile and a man who raped his slaves are far more Christian than hillbilly rock and a communist. Maybe I should qoute from Mozart's Don Giovanni instead of Kayne West's College Dropout. Maybe I should innoculate myself from the culture I am supposed to be reaching. Maybe I should convince myself that Jesus loved capitalism. I'll just find interpretive meanings for all those verses about helping the poor. Maybe I could even change my hairstyle and clothes to make myself more conspicuous. Maybe I should spend all my time justifying my own veiwpoints over the beliefs of others.
But wait--I am already doing that.
The original purpose of my last post was to explain why I had posted on political topics twice in a row. If you know me, you know I generally steer clear of political discussion. I felt I should explain the issues that motivated me to talk politics. It was never meant to be a treatise on my "disillusionment."
The bigger purpose of the post was to discuss my own hypocrisy. The fact that I love philosophy and apologetics but I know that I will never have the answers. The way I claim not to care about what anybody thinks, but there I am in the corner--rocking back and forth, waiting for your validation. I love the way that I think I am pretty unique in the way I view music and art and life in general, but I spend all my time trying to convince everyone to think like me. And then there was my last post--a post responding to comments by saying that I don't write in reaction to comments. So, like Kanye West, I want to condemn the problem, but admit that I am part of the problem, as well.
So let me address a small portion of what was said in the comments.
Anon: I agree that my disillusionment was caused by a lack of real knowledge about God. But getting rid of my "disillusionment" didn't help my view of God. I needed to address why I had those issues before I could get past them. Confessing or repenting of my "rebellion" did nothing for my relationship with God. Trust me, I tried.
Ryan: Thanks. I couldn't have said any of that better. It is so much more meaningful in that it is real. You cut to the core of what everyone was trying to say without any of the pretentious "spirituality."
Josh: I never really claimed to be the only one to see hypocrisy in the church, or to go to a war zone, or to prefer green M&Ms over brown. But I do think the sum of my experiences are most likely different then yours. Remember kindergarten? They talked about snowflakes and how each individual snowflake is different. Well, gravity is constant, isn't it? So individuality shouldn't matter. Gravity is true. We all believe it, and I would be the last person to doubt that it exists. But some snowflakes come straight down and land in your eye, while others float down slowly and dance away when you try to catch them on your tongue. See, gravity is the same, but it affects snowflakes all differently when combined with all the other factors. So I don't think I am the only one to do anything, but I think I can occasionally offer a unique viewpoint on some particular subject.
Also, I am interested about what you say is a "pattern of worldliness" in my life. I talked about that topic a little in a previous post called GodCon06. I would be interested to see what you thought.
And I have no clue how you can say that religion and a relationship with God is totally intergrated. I'm sorry, I just think that is ignorant. Do you know anything about history?
Jess:I think you really hit on the crux of this whole issue when you talked about when manufactured Christianity. For me, the manufactured Christianity I had in my mind collapsed completely in Iraq because I was no longer in an environment where it was easy for me to be a nominal Christian. For some people, it is a failed relationship. For others, it could just be an unsettling conversation. But at some point, everyone hits a crisis point. A point where the actions they have been taking in the name of Christianity don't cut it, and they realize they need to cry out to God and find a real relationship.
So I guess this is where I tell you how I am right and people who disagree with me are wrong. But I'm not going to. And it's not just because I am trying to promote some "postmodern" ethic of acceptance. It's because I'm sick of trying to defend myself. I think that what I believe is right. If I didn't believe it was right, I would find something else to believe in. And I think there are things going on in fundamentalism and politics today that need to be spoken out against. And if one of those issues comes up, I will speak out. But I don't want to sit here and spend all me time defending myself and attacking others. That isn't the purpose of this blog. This isn't Sharper Iron. So don't act like it. But if you want to be part of this conversation, I would love for you to contribute. No matter who you are or what you believe.
Besides, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I shouldn't shouldn't listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd and read Karl Marx. Maybe I should listen to Tsaichovsky and read Thomas Jefferson. A pedophile and a man who raped his slaves are far more Christian than hillbilly rock and a communist. Maybe I should qoute from Mozart's Don Giovanni instead of Kayne West's College Dropout. Maybe I should innoculate myself from the culture I am supposed to be reaching. Maybe I should convince myself that Jesus loved capitalism. I'll just find interpretive meanings for all those verses about helping the poor. Maybe I could even change my hairstyle and clothes to make myself more conspicuous. Maybe I should spend all my time justifying my own veiwpoints over the beliefs of others.
But wait--I am already doing that.
posted by oneweekend at 12:52 PM
6 Comments:
Tsaichovsky was a pedophile? I thought he was just gay. I'll never listen to the 1812 overture in the same way.
Also Thomas Jefferson didn't rape slaves, it was consenting intercourse between 2 adults--well 1 and 3/5's adults.
I know you are enjoying the attention that your posts are getting, but I can't resist leaving a comment.
You said, "Besides, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I shouldn't shouldn't listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd and read Karl Marx. Maybe I should listen to Tsaichovsky and read Thomas Jefferson. A pedophile and a man who raped his slaves are far more Christian than hillbilly rock and a communist. Maybe I should qoute from Mozart's Don Giovanni instead of Kayne West's College Dropout. Maybe I should innoculate myself from the culture I am supposed to be reaching. Maybe I should convince myself that Jesus loved capitalism. I'll just find interpretive meanings for all those verses about helping the poor. Maybe I could even change my hairstyle and clothes to make myself more conspicuous. Maybe I should spend all my time justifying my own veiwpoints over the beliefs of others."
Tsaichovsky, Jefferson and Mozart do not hold the answers to man's problems any more than K West, Marx and Skinner. I don't need to listen to much of West before I know that his music will not keep me "undefiled by the world." It is possible to be aware of culture without being a participant. You may be right that some knowledge of the world is necessary for the believer. . .however, that argument is a little like saying that you need to view some pornography in order to have a better relationship with your wife. I am certain that your walk with God would not be hindered one bit if you never listened to rap or hip hop again in your life.
On another note, I don't think that Christ endorsed any form of government or economic system. To think that he did is to miss the entire point of Christ's ministry. He certainly did not endorse governmental help for the poor. That being said, capitalism has helped more poor people than any other economic system.
Josh,
I completely agree. I don't think Jesus endorsed any form of governmental or economic system. And I agree that trying to turn Christ's ministry or teaching into a treatise on economics or government is to miss the entire point. I totally agree.
But then why did you say that God wouldn't bless a search for truth that included reading Karl Marx? If you say that God and the Bible isn't about government or economics, why is Marx off limits? Have you ever read any of his writing? I'm sure you have heard a couple quotes from his book, but besides the "Opiate" quote, do you even know what he was talking about?
I never claimed that Tsaichovsky, Jefferson, or Mozart had the answers to man's problems. All I was saying was that these men were not ideal, upstanding, Christian men. Yet we value their accomplishments in music, literature, and government. So no matter what Karl Marx or Kanye West believe about God, I am willing to study their work to find out whether they are worthy of my appreciation. This isn't searching for answers. This is appreciation of beauty.
I don't know where you got the idea that I am enjoying all the "attention," though. What I enjoy is intelligent people, respectfully discussing the issues involved with the topic of the post. So far, your comments have been divisive, contradictory, and disrespectful. If you want to condemn me and make snide comments, I would much prefer that you use email and not ruin this forum for the rest of us. My email is oneweekend@gmail.com, or if you prefer, let me know and we can set up lunch sometime.
"That being said, capitalism has helped more poor people than any other economic system."
Though I am a capitalist, this simply isn't true. Just on the surface, socialism or communism provides services to poor that they would not otherwise be able to afford.
In terms of just dollars and cents, socialist countries have fewer citizens living in poverty then the US.
I would direct you to an UNICEF study on child poverty. http://www.unicef.org.uk/press/pdf/ReportCard6.pdf
The US ranks only ahead of Mexico in this study of "rich" countries. The most socialist countries of the world (Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, France) have the fewest children living in poverty.
Ryan,
First, I would question your source of UNICEF.
Second, how do they define poverty in these studies? The vast majority of people living below the "poverty line" in the US would be considered very wealthy in most countries dominated by communist/socialist principles. We are one of the few countries where our poor are dying of heart disease and obesity instead of starvation and disease.
A fascinating discussion overall. I will say Dale that if you had not pointed out the faults of those who you sarcastically said you should listen/ read to instead, I would have been all too happy to do so for you (cause I still don't understand why it is that music from Don Giovanni has to be performed at almost every single vocal recital; can I just go to one recital that doesn't have Mozart in it? Sadly, I'll have to be a hypocrite for my recital given the best bassoon concerto written was by him....). Dale, I know that you are wrestling with a lot of things. I'm glad to see you at least being honest in your attempt to deal with those things. Sometimes, in order to see what is best, I have found it is best to just back away from what you're examining for a time (music fast, for example, if you're concerned about what you should be listening to musically; I know Dr. Ledge recommends it and I was doing this long before I heard him say it from the pulpit at school whenever I felt the need to reevaluate where I stand musically). Know this Dale: no matter what choices you make, no matter what standards you hold or church you decide to go to, etc., that won't change the fact that you have friends who love and care for you as a brother in Christ. Trust me when I tell you that last sentence is true and born from recent experience for me. God is forcing me to learn to love that way, because I claim to have God's love and that is how He loves.
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