On: Bad Christian Art

http://www.crosswalk.com:80/culture/the-arts/bad-christian-art.html?ps=0

Descent from the Cross by Rembrandt, 1634

Does this ever strike a chord.  Reading this made my heart sad and glad all at the same time.  Sad that it is so true, glad that it is recognized and being fought against.  Modern day Christians, for the most part, make bad artists!  I would pretend to not know why, but I do, at least, I think I do.  


Most people who call themselves Christians want morality, not Jesus.  


I struggle with this constantly, I do mean CONSTANTLY.  My desire to be God of my own life wells up within me, and tells me I need to... whatever it takes to earn... favor, righteousness, good standing with God, praise from men, "self esteem", i.e. the usual.  Though such a heart only takes me farther away from what I want, which is more of Him.  He came for sinners, and rebuked the Pharisees.  Think about that!  Recognition of brokenness is necessary for salvation, for intimacy with Christ, not just once, but period, always.  


I love what the writer said about calling things wholesome.  How he runs from things that are called such.  It is so true.  


Take Christian music for example.  I am going to be honest and say that I feel more worshipful when I listen to Coldplay or Jonsi than almost all Christian music.  Part of that is because Christian music seems obsessed with happiness.  Even when songs are about being broken, the vocals, the lack of bass, the poppy beat in the back, all seem to say otherwise.  We are afraid to acknowledge our weakness in any real way.  It just seems to come across as lip service when I hear it.  The whole experience of seeking Christ is not revealed.  Are there not other emotions in the Christian spectrum?  Is it somehow a sin to acknowledge weakness?  Or sadness?  

• Luke 19:41 ESV

  [Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem] And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

• John 11:35 ESV

  Jesus wept.
  
  
  
  

   Corinthians 2:3 ESV

  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,

  
  

  
  

  2 Corinthians 11:30 ESV

  If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

  
  

  
  

  2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

  
  

  
  

  Romans 8:26 ESV

  Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

  
  

  
  

  Psalm 13:2 ESV

  How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

  
  

  
  

  Psalm 88:9 ESV

  my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you.

  
  

  
  

  Job 7:6 ESV

  My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and come to their end without hope.

  
  

  All ends in goodness for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, but along the way, there is strife.  We suffer, and it is my hope that we as Christians will stop being moralistic and share our real hearts, both the rejoicing and the sorrowful, period, but definitely through art.  We need art so badly.  It is so important.  We wonder why we have lost so much of the battle for the hearts and minds of the world, when we have left the most powerful emoter that exists.  It is too wild, too open, too grey. 

  
  

  The movie that changed my mind about a lot of these things was "Saving Private Ryan."  It is rated R.  I remember watching it and thinking, this is bad, right?  They shouldn't show such violence, and the cussing is bad.  After more thought, it hit me, it had to be violent, because, it was violent!!!  Some might say, well you don't need to see that!  I disagree.  Watching that movie made me aware in a way otherwise I would not be able to, the amazing sacrifice made.  If it were made without honesty, without the cussing, without the violence, it would have meant nothing.  It is a clear portrait of a broken world.  I argue that it screams for the need for God more than any g rated cartoon out there.  

  
  

  We are told to guard our hearts in the Proverbs, the question no one seems to ask is, from what? 

  
  

  Violence in art, our books...?

  
  

  Judges 3:21And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.22And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out.
  I dare you to top that in terms of shock and gore.  The real question is about intent and outcome  I think.  Is it meant to move you away from sin and toward God?  If not, then run.  I understand there is much grey.  
  That is just one example out of many many.  The Bible tells stories that would make Jerry Springer blush.  All of it is meant to show the story of fallenness and redemption.  You can't be redeemed if you haven't fallen.  Can you?
  I simply long for more heart in Christian art.  I wish I could hear a song by someone who loves the Lord with all their heart, just sing there brokenness out.  Let the guitar stay untuned a bit.  Let the sadness not just be in the words, but in the music itself, in the vocals.  We need that!  Can you imagine singing a song based off of some of the scriptures I posted above?  I long to see paintings such as what were, where men expressed things words cannot.  Books and movies where the characters long for Jesus deeply and madly, but also struggle with lust, greed, and selfishness.  Not ones where the protagonists are so perfect that their need for Jesus is in question the entire time.  Through such art, through the lens of a fallen world, we will really see the glory of Christ revealed.  Otherwise is Christ even needed?  Are we then vainly singing to our own ability to do good?  May it never be.  
  As always, these are just my thoughts and opinions.  Go to the scriptures.  Go to God.