There is a world of music out there. If your experience is like mine, you will start to hear God in songs where you never heard God before. Just stay clear of Christian Heavy Metal. It is not pretty.
I would agree that self-consciously Christian metal bands tend to be bad. I would add though that the (arguably) first metal band Black Sabbath had some consciously Christian songs that don't suck, e.g. "After Forever" on Master of Reality, and plenty of other songs with a sense of Christian eschatology and justice (e.g. "War Pigs," "Electric Funeral").
Many years ago someone I worked with, who was of the Southern Convention Baptist stripe, told me "I can't believe you're a Christian. I can't believe you are a Baptist."
I said "This is what I love about Baptists. They don't get to say who is or who isn't. I'm just not YOUR idea of a Baptist and that's OK. I don't belong to your Convention. We don't have to agree on the subject."
If people who think like me don't claim Christianity then people like my co-worker get to define the term.
To people who are turned off by Christianity I would say "Yes, I find the same things to be irrational, hypocritical, strange and off-putting." But I would also add that BEING a Christian and DOING Christianity is one of the most difficult challenges one can set oneself. I don't fault anyone for trying and failing.
In my version of reality it's a journey of many incarnations that begins with a single step.
Many years ago someone I worked with, who was of the Southern Convention Baptist stripe, told me "I can't believe you're a Christian. I can't believe you are a Baptist."
I said "This is what I love about Baptists. They don't get to say who is or who isn't. I'm just not YOUR idea of a Baptist and that's OK. I don't belong to your Convention. We don't have to agree on the subject."
If people who think like me don't claim Christianity then people like my co-worker get to define the term.
To people who are turned off by Christianity I would say "Yes, I find the same things to be irrational, hypocritical, strange and off-putting." But I would also add that BEING a Christian and DOING Christianity is one of the most difficult challenges one can set oneself. I don't fault anyone for trying and failing.
In my version of reality it's a journey of many incarnations that begins with a single step.
AFF
Of course the same could be said of life outside Christianity. It is not all hearts and roses. There are lots of things that put you off.
Of course the same could be said of life outside Christianity. It is not all hearts and roses. There are lots of things that put you off.
The OP made a list of things that are off-putting about people who call themselves Christians.
I share the same objections in general.
It wasn't until I actually joined a congregation that I was able to look beneath the surface to join in fellowship with the sincerity of effort that it takes to walk the walk under the crushing burden of cultural and ritual traditions, norms and general expectations of conformity.
To my way of thinking the OP has issues with how it's done, as do I.
But I don't take issue with anybody who tries to experience reality in this manner. The wonderful thing about it, I found, is that none of that stuff really matters in the end. IMO the Christ-in-Us dwells at the center of all experience, perfect immutable and incorruptible and waiting for us to return Home in our hearts. We humans are the true prodigals, and that story has a happy happy ending.
IMO the Christ-in-Us dwells at the center of all experience, perfect immutable and incorruptible and waiting for us to return Home in our hearts. We humans are the true prodigals, and that story has a happy happy ending.
IMO the Christ-in-Us dwells at the center of all experience, perfect immutable and incorruptible and waiting for us to return Home in our hearts. We humans are the true prodigals, and that story has a happy happy ending.
Comments
I would agree that self-consciously Christian metal bands tend to be bad. I would add though that the (arguably) first metal band Black Sabbath had some consciously Christian songs that don't suck, e.g. "After Forever" on Master of Reality, and plenty of other songs with a sense of Christian eschatology and justice (e.g. "War Pigs," "Electric Funeral").
I said "This is what I love about Baptists. They don't get to say who is or who isn't. I'm just not YOUR idea of a Baptist and that's OK. I don't belong to your Convention. We don't have to agree on the subject."
If people who think like me don't claim Christianity then people like my co-worker get to define the term.
To people who are turned off by Christianity I would say "Yes, I find the same things to be irrational, hypocritical, strange and off-putting." But I would also add that BEING a Christian and DOING Christianity is one of the most difficult challenges one can set oneself. I don't fault anyone for trying and failing.
In my version of reality it's a journey of many incarnations that begins with a single step.
AFF
Of course the same could be said of life outside Christianity. It is not all hearts and roses. There are lots of things that put you off.
The OP made a list of things that are off-putting about people who call themselves Christians.
I share the same objections in general.
It wasn't until I actually joined a congregation that I was able to look beneath the surface to join in fellowship with the sincerity of effort that it takes to walk the walk under the crushing burden of cultural and ritual traditions, norms and general expectations of conformity.
To my way of thinking the OP has issues with how it's done, as do I.
But I don't take issue with anybody who tries to experience reality in this manner. The wonderful thing about it, I found, is that none of that stuff really matters in the end. IMO the Christ-in-Us dwells at the center of all experience, perfect immutable and incorruptible and waiting for us to return Home in our hearts. We humans are the true prodigals, and that story has a happy happy ending.
AFF
I love you.
Me too!
AFF