The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum "Christian" art and "Christian" music?

Here is the post Don made:<br><br><blockquote><br><br>I started this thought in another thread, but I figured I'd move it back<br>here.<br><br><br>Someone could make the argument that their is no such thing as Christian<br>music, Christian radio, Christian schools, Christian peanut-butter, etc.<br>Only people are Christian. But we do use the adjective "Christian" to<br>describe just about anything these days. My posting of the 3 photographs was<br>to get people thinking about how they come to the conclusion of an object<br>being Christian or not. I have been really surprised by the answers.<br><br><br>I really was not looking for a "correct" answer, but I wanted to raise the<br>issue of what makes something "Christian." For many, its seems that if we<br>slap a Bible verse on something or mention the name of Jesus in a positive<br>light, then it is "Christian" no matter what the quality. It seems this view<br>is pervasive in our popular Christian culture. Walk into even our Lifeway<br>stores and you will find cheap trinkets, tooth-brushes, plastic combs, and<br>sometimes even cigarette lighters with "Jesus Saves" or a Bible verse<br>stamped into it. We gobble up sub-standard quality music just because the<br>lyrics say "Jesus-Jesus-Jesus." I agree with the title of Franky<br>Schaeffer's book when he says that modern christianity is "Addicted to<br>Mediocrity."<br><br><br>Out of the three pictures, I figured most of you would balk at the third<br>one. It is an intentional caricature of contemporary Christian views of what<br>makes art Christian, but so is the second. I'm not an artist or an expert in<br>typography, but I do know that the font and color choice for the text is<br>hideous and mars the esthetic of the picture. I snapped the picture of the<br>raccoon a couple of weeks ago. While I admit I'm not an artist, I liked the<br>picture and to me it gave me a sense of the majesty of God's creation. I<br>didn't need any text slapping me in the face telling me what I ought to<br>see.<br><br><br>"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his<br>handywork." (Psalms 19:1) Notice that the heaven's declare the glory of God<br>even though He chose not to write out the name J-E-S-U-S in a constellation.<br>If God can color the sky with blues, whites and subtle grays, sunsets with<br>brilliant reds and oranges without the need of hanging an evangelistic neon<br>sign in the middle; if He can cloth the parrot, the peacock and the lilies<br>of the field without tagging them with cheap slogans, if he can draw a mask<br>on a raccoon or the stripes on a Zebra, or the spots on a Giraffe without<br>tattooing their [img]https://the-highway.com/Smileys/censored.gif[/img] with "Jesus Saves" or "God was Here," why do we feel<br>compelled to do the same in order to legitimately call something<br>"Christian?" Don't forget, "The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness<br>thereof;" (Psalm 24:1) So why do we call all things secular unless they are<br>stamped with Christian jargon?<br><br><br>This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears<br>All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.<br>This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought<br>Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;<br>His hand the wonders wrought.<br><br><br>This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,<br>The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.<br>This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;<br>In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;<br>He speaks to me everywhere.<br><br><br>This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget<br>That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.<br>This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad?<br>The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!<br>God reigns; let the earth be glad!<br><br><br>This is my Father's world, dreaming, I see His face.<br>I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, "The Lord is in this place."<br>This is my Father's world, from the shining courts above,<br>The Beloved One, His Only Son,<br>Came-a pledge of deathless love.<br><br><br>This is my Father's world, should my heart be ever sad?<br>The lord is King-let the heavens ring. God reigns-let the earth be glad.<br>This is my Father's world. Now closer to Heaven bound,<br>For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.<br>No place but is holy ground.<br><br><br>This is my Father's world. I walk a desert lone.<br>In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.<br>This is my Father's world, a wanderer I may roam<br>Whate'er my lot, it matters not,<br>My heart is still at home.<br><br><br>Don't get me wrong. I'm not implying that we ought not be explicit in our<br>evangelism and vocal in our proclamation of the good news of the gospel, but<br>as St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary<br>use words."<br><br><br><br>by grace alone,<br><br><br>Don A. Elbourne Jr.<br>http://elbourne.org<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></blockquote><br><br>