Christian Art = Oxymoron?

So I was cruising around Relevant’s website this morning and came across an article entitled Relevance, Faith, & Art by a singer/songwriter out of Chicago.

In it, she breaks down the major positions that Christians take on art, and critiques the problems that such positions create.

From the article:

Many contemporary Christians tend to make one of three errors when dealing with art: One, we declare anything that doesn’t explicitly proselytize, anything that depicts brokenness without redemption to be depraved or unworthy of Christian notice. Or two, we decide that the secular world really does have better art, so we copy it, boldly and without apology or thought into our own creativity. Or three, we try so hard to be relevant that we adopt the attitude and worldview of the culture that surrounds us—instead of being the proverbial salt and light, we end up as dust with nothing to offer in the way of hope, because there is only a perfunctory difference between those of us who claim to follow Christ and those who don’t.

She couldn’t be more right (righter? immersed in rightness?). In fact, I don’t even have anything to add (a first, right?) — the article speaks for itself.

Read it and let it speak to you.

President of the World?

Today on BBC America’s BBC World News America there was segment entitled “Why Democracy?” in which several persons were asked who they thought should be President of the World, if such a position did, in fact, exist.

Those interviewed were from a variety of counties and backgrounds, and as such, gave a variety of answers. Here’s a few that were named (in no particular order):

• Mahatma Ghandi
• Jesus
• God
• Buddha
• Winnie the Pooh
• Bob Dylan
• Thelonius Monk
• George W. Bush (seriously)
• Bill Clinton
• Jimmy Carter
• Mother Theresa
• Al Gore (an inconvenient truth)
• Paul Kagame
• Jacob Bland (OK, I added this one)

What was interesting about the responses is that those who took the question seriously really had to think about who they considered to be a great (living) leader. One man shared a story about a CEO who was asked to name five great world leaders. He couldn’t think of one.

I’m not sure that I could think of five current world leaders period, let alone to distinguish any as great.

I can name five great actors though. And five great records. Five great films. Five great bands.

So what does it say when I know more about what’s going on in Hollywood than I do about what’s going on in the world? Would I have the same problem if I weren’t American? I’d like not to think so, but I can’t be sure — I’ve never been anything other than American.

One thing I can say, is that the very concept of there being a President of the World is difficult to wrap my head around. I’m not sure that I would want to vote for one, let alone know who I would vote for.

Nevertheless, it is an interesting question.

So, who would you vote for in the World Presidential Election, and why?

Love Is Not Against the Law

My friend Josh informed me of a quite interesting story developing in Orlando, FL. A 22-year old guy named Eric Montanez has been arrested for feeding homeless people. What’s interesting is that Eric didn’t simply hand out an apple or a bottle of water here and there. Montanez, along with the group Food Not Bombs, basically set up shop in a park and provided a cafeteria-style meal for anyone who wanted it.

This story has been developing since the city of Orlando passed an ordinance that bans feeding en-mass in one area back in ’06. Now the ACLU is getting involved and Orlando’s homeless and Montanez’s lawyer are calling the law itself illegal, a violation of Montanez’s civil rights. You can read the full story here.

As city ordinance’s go, I believe that generally, they must be passed by the popular vote of the city’s residents. So my question is, who heads on down the voting booth, and upon arrival, reads about the proposed ordinance banning giving food to the homeless on the ballot and thinks to themselves, “yeah, that sounds pretty good.”? Would those same people prefer Salvation Army’s and soup kitchens to be closed as well? Why stop with the homeless and food, why not stop the distribution of clothing en-mass as well — might as well close the Good Will’s while you are at it.

Whoa, OK, let me step down of my soap box here. I don’t mean to get carried away, but I really have to wonder what people were thinking? Assuming that most laws are in somebody’s best interest, or are protecting someone, who’s best interest was this law in; who exactly was this law protecting? Are there health concerns? Worry over possible lawsuits?

As I read this article again today, a song on Derek Webb’s record Mockingbird started playing in my head:

Are we defending life
when we just pick and choose
lives acceptable to lose,
and which ones to defend?

‘Cause you cannot choose your friends,
but you choose your enemies.
And what if they were one
one and the same?

Could you find a way
to love them both the same,
to give them your name?

Love is not against the law.

Let’s Get Physical: Week 4

On 06/09, I wrote about my decision to get in shape in a post entitled “Let’s Get Physical.” My decision was based, in part, on the fact that I was out of shape to the point that walking up multiple flights of stairs winded me.I’ll be using a combination of diet and exercise to accomplish my get-in-shape-semi-quickly goal, and I’ll be following the Couch-to-5K Running Plan (starting with week 4), and “Nutrition and Hydration for Runners.”

This is a continuation of Let’s Get Physical tracking my progress after week four of my program.

…

Well, it’s the end of week four and I feel exhausted. The last workout — 2.25 mile, no walking — really pushed me. My legs are dead, and will most likely feel worse tomorrow. But, you know what they say: “No pain, no gain.” Last week’s slacking threw off my routine for this week, really making me realize the importance of setting a schedule, and sticking to it.

Stats

Weight: 190 lbs.

Still holding at 190, but feeling a lit better

Active Heart Rate: 152/60

Well, my active heart rate is steadily decreasing – so that’s good.

At-rest hear rate: 72/60

And now it’s back down again.

Run

Since I’ve been running my route the reverse direction, it has been much better. I’ve really been feeling good, even to the point of running past my last turn without realizing it. I attribute this change to sticking to my schedule.

My legs are definitely burning by the time I hit the last stretch, but generally I feel good.

Eat

I have definitely learned the value of eating regularly throughout the day. When I haven’t, I get really hungry after I am finished running. I guess my body is craving food because I need the energy.

I had heard from some of my friends that while training for a marathon, they craved chicken (for the protein) after running, but never gave it much stock. Now I find that it’s true. So, apparently I need more protein.

 

Only two weeks left in the program, and I am definitely closer the 5K than the couch. I even walked up some stairs without didn’t get winded.

 

Life is good.

Hello World!

Testing 1, 2, 3… is this thing on?

OK, so this is my first blog ever, and it comes at a time in my life when I am experiencing several firsts. I find myself unexpectedly unemployed for the first time (I’ve never been expectedly unemployed either). However, I am at completely peace with this first, which, ironically, is another first (Is that actually ironic though? Could be… could also just be a coincidence. Also, too many commas? Sometimes I get a little comma happy).

I am also thinking beyond simply “getting a job” or “going to college” to what I really want to do for the first time.

You should try it. It’s very refreshing.

On a completely unrelated note, my brother in-law informed me today that I made his unpublished list or people who should be blogging (Update: now its published). Interestingly enough, I had already decided to break into the blogging business, so this information had no bearing on me actually creating the blog you are currently reading.