Or Escanaba in da Moonlight.

Or get your hands on some CDs by Da Yoopers.

I really appreciated the answer about artistic expression in the church. That was such a breath of fresh air.

But how do you deal with the mentality that music, the arts, etc., are a form of “soulish expression,” and therefore somewhat dangerous? I used to buy into that, but I don’t anymore. Yet I have come across that perspective numerous times among Christians. There’s almost a fear that expressing oneself in music, visual arts, etc. will lead to a quenching of the Spirit, because the ego is uplifted.

One reason I used to believe this was because of the many musicians and artists that I know, including family members. If they become professional, they tend to become very arrogant and eccentric people, and are often cold to the things of God while “alive” to everything else. All they care about is self-expression, which in turn leads to self-absorption. When I was in college, many of the the students at the arts and music schools were very immoral, and unashamed about it.

So as a Christian, what is the balance between appreciating and even expressing artistic gifts, and avoiding the extremes of egotism? Especially, how is this done in the church, where we die to self and live to God? I know it’s not just a choice between asceticism and hedonism, but I haven’t found many Christians with a healthy perspective on artistic gifts.

Now I’m going to go listen to Bach. “Wachet auf,” etc.

I experienced a similar situation when the church I was attending split in the late 80′s. It shook me spiritually to see all hell break loose within a church sanctuary. My kids, now adult, have never totally recovered from that experience. They said it was like watching the Jerry Springer show.
Our human flaws alone cannot explain the spirit of division and malevolence that was manifested that morning. It was a spiritual attack unlike any other I’ve seen in my life.

ya…. you betchya… Don’t you know.

Just watch the movie Fargo!!!!!!!!

Now its off the wood chipper for me.

“Find relationships that are healthy for you and where your contributions as a human being are received…If you find a community of people where your freedom is not compromised and you are at liberty to be you and explore, grow and contribute, hang in there. That’s rare!”

It gave me one more thing to be thankful for today, that I have people like that in my life.

Great, great interview!

What do Northern rednecks say?

“Someone asked me how to get the arts appreciated in her church. I suggested that she start by encouraging people to appreciate authenticity in people. Encourage it and embrace it. The arts will automatically happen. It is oppressive regimes that persecute artists because they represent the freedom of the human spirit, and this is dangerous. Remove oppression and the arts will instinctively manifest.”

up on my blog. Not only do I think it is genius, but I get to tell people that I have naked stuff on my blog.