i agree... we shouldn't by any means shy away from the arts...
Then in a nutshell, we're really on the same side here.
as far as it being only creating... i'll just include my previous statement...
and trust that you understand that i wasn't saying creating is the only way to engage in the arts...
I missed that. Sorry.
we could point to the parables, song of solomon, psalms and many other passages of the Bible to show that art is part of life... but my point is that wasn't the focus of the earthly ministry of Jesus... it was at times a byproduct of it, but his focus was teaching, helping, and saving...
It wasn't the focus, but it is an essential component. The object is not to create art just for art's sake, or just to analyze art for sake of becoming good at analysis (though these aren't bad things). When Christians use a creative medium like music (as opposed to a more functional medium like preaching a sermon, though that can involve creativity as well) to express their experience/feelings/thoughts/whatever that have to do with God, it is important that they
not give the impression that God is this static, uninventive being who desires to make thoughtless robots of His followers. When Christian music shows a lack of thought and creativity, I think it is guilty of giving this impression, which defeats the purpose of the message that the artist honestly does want to convey.
That's really a separate issue from CCM vs. "secular" music, but the issues often overlap because creativity tends to equal career suicide in CCM (well, in the mainstream music business too, but an artist forced into the underground due to not being conventional will have more of a potential audience if not limited to CCM). There are a few noteworthy exceptions that have managed to balance enough radio-friendly sensibility with genuine creativity that they get acclaim on both sides (or they started more radio-friendly and moved into more creative areas, or whatever), but by and large, it's hard to be truly creative and find much of an audience among Christians. I've noticed a highly pervasive belief that creativity somehow distorts or obscures the Gospel message, and that's the thing I'm trying to combat.
How does this relate to Josh's article? He's pointing out that a lot of people are being encouraged to stay entirely within a bubble inside which it's a lot harder to find and appreciate that creativity. I don't think someone's less spiritually mature for not knowing that Sam Phillips, Over the Rhine, or whoever else even exists. But someone living on a steady diet of the sect of CCM that gets the most media attention is most likely going to be fed a very shallow view of what Christianity is really like. Maybe they don't take music as seriously as I do, and therefore what they listen to in their spare time doesn't really affect their worldview. I don't know. It seems that what we are attracted to in terms of our listening/reading/movie-and-TV-watching habits does, to some extent, indicate something about us. When some of it is just plain superficial fun, no biggie, we all need to relax sometimes. When most of it is that, or when it's all doggedly serious but done in a way that eschews inventiveness and personality, I start to worry.
I guess I've just seen the "Creativity pollutes the Gospel" attitude from too many Christians, and the best way I can think of to combat this idea being formed in the minds of even more Christians is to encourage people to look outside the comfortable walls built by the Christians subculture and to not just be content with the supposedly "safe" content that's being fed to them. Yes, there is a lot outside those walls that is unsafe as well, but I don't think there's anywhere that they're truly safe, and being aware of that and being willing to find the good in the "unsafe" areas helps one to hone their discernment skills. Even if they only listen to CCM, they're going to need discernment, because a lot of crappy, happy-go-lucky philosophy is being peddled in the name of Christ and they need to be careful.
NP: "Kill the Grey" Olivia the Grey feat. Josh Kemble
