Use Your Imagination.

I have to admit, I have some qualms with a lot of writing and music done by Christians. It's not that there isn't anything good out there, it's just drowned out by a lot of terrible stuff.

A friend of mine said, "Christian music is the only genre where you can really suck and get away with it." If you play at a bar, the guy in front rocking the air guitar is going to explore the depths of his limited four letter drunken vocabulary to tell you just how he feels about your mediocre guitar riffs. This sort of environment has two results, 1) you either get better so next time he rocks out Van Halen style 2) you decide getting better isn't worth the trouble, so you give up and free the world from listening to your 'artistic' version of the Final Countdown.

I know I know, people put a lot of work into their art. I really don't mind people being bad at something on their way to doing it well (otherwise we're all screwed), I just wish Christian audiences (and otherwise) would express honestly what they did and didn't like about something (to the artist). "Well Jason, your writing is a bit scattered. It makes me think you are buying your essays from a website run by squirrels. Frankly I think your ideas are nuts (sorry)."

So here's what I suggest you do. Next time someone shows you a piece of writing, or maybe a song they wrote, really read it. Either read it thoroughly, or tell them you don't really have the time. Make observations like "I don't think this is very interesting, because...." or, "I thought those lyrics were a little bland, it may have been a meaningful expression of your experiences, but you didn't effectively recreate those experiences for me."

Artists do need encouragement, but if there is any hope that they will improve, they do need to know what they are doing wrong. If they can't take any thoughtful (thoughtful meaning a thought out specific response) criticism, they probably shouldn't be a writer, musician, or artist anyway.

Please join me in helping young musicians, writers, and other artists (myself included), by honestly expressing your opinion in a thoughtful way. Otherwise we will continue to produce cliche' mediocre pieces of work that you will have to listen to, look at, and lie about for the rest of your life.

Thank you to those who have had the cahones to be critical of my writing.

Social Economics.

We tend to say and do things that give us social currency, I should know, I'm in a band. I have just made a withdrawal from my social ATM and used it to purchase some of your affection.

Earlier today I was waiting for my Literary Criticism class (I didn't have to name the class but it makes me look smarter) when a couple of students walked by and started talking about another student, "Oh she's undergrad right?" People who are not grad students don't use the word undergrad that casually. Another social currency. I'm not saying we need to be paranoid, it's just more evidence that maybe I'm more than a little insecure if I admit it, and so are you.

All The Things Unseen.

I appreciate the group of believers I spend time with on Sunday morning, but it still seems we are missing something, or ignoring it.

As I looked around this morning I saw several examples of messy hope. I saw a lot of people who simultaneously represented downfall and grace. I saw marital failure, bouts of promiscuity, substance abuse, depression, pain, and chaos. At the same time I saw people raising their hands to the only hope they have, admitting they cannot be their own hope.

What I saw was messy, but beautiful.

Meanwhile, what I hear seems ignorant of what I see. The man with the broken marriage likes to talk football, the woman with depression comments on a new restaurant. Were I to go on what they said it would seem God is being praised for a great meal or a sports victory, but I think I know better.

Someday what is said will be about what is, and it will be beautiful. For now it will just take some imagination to see what I know is there.

A Thousand Little Things Make a Person.

When we think about life forming experiences, it's easy to get caught up on major life events as the only things that matter.

Like that time I had a crush on the baby sitter and tried to beat my brothers at hide and seek. At the time I was operating under the assumption that girls fifteen years older than me find this attractive. I don't try it anymore only because I'm married, and because I am twenty five. Hide and seek doesn't appeal to cougars like Corvette's do. So... I did successfully out-hide my brothers, and even threw in some extra hiding after I had already won. I was feeling pretty good about my romantic prospects with the babysitter until I needed to pass gas. It turns out I had diarrhea. If it weren't for that digestive issue I would probably be married to that woman. I suppose it's for the best.

People tend to take issues like that and use them to figure out why people are the way they are. I see some balding guy with scholar's glasses on the end of his nose saying, "Hm, that situation probably produced competency issues around women." Yea maybe, I do still shit myself from time to time when Courtney and I are having an argument, but in the end, as traumatic as that situation was, it was one experience that lasted about thirty minutes.

I used to have this idea that God changing my heart revolved entirely around major life events where he shows up and does something significant and amazing, which he has done by the way. I think this drives our desire to create that 'special moment' or make something spectacular or huge happen at every Bible study, prayer time, or scrap booking party.

I'm learning that much of who we are is formed in all those moments we don't give much credence to, all those little adjustments that God makes before driving things home in our heart. Which makes me ask, what am I doing with all those little moments?

It's easy to give into the minute rice version of following Jesus. Instant results that come out of some event we just show up for once in a while. But walking with Jesus is much more like cooking rice out of a fifteen pound bag; you have to boil the water, put rice in for fifteen minutes, let it simmer for fifteen minutes, then let it set on your plate for five more minutes so it's cool enough to eat; and usually you cook it a minute long or a minute short and its either soggy or crunchy.

What I'm trying to say is that I've seen people who go through a lot of 'revivals' and in the long run whether or not they look like Jesus depends a lot more on what happens in between those times, when very few people are watching, when there isn't some cool Christian band to get us excited about God.

People Don't Listen To You If Your A Jerk: Revisited

Watched a video of a theological debate in class yesterday. It was enjoyable, the discussion was lively, and generally cordial, all except for the youngest in the group who wore glasses like Rob Bell. He was a jerk.

As I watched the video I became aware of my emotional response to him. I didn't like him. He kept interrupting other people because he had some important point that would seal the argument forever (he had a lot of those), and he talked about three times as much as everyone else. No surprise to me I disagreed with him the most. Cognitively and emotionally.

I could say that maybe I didn't like him because I didn't agree with him, but there was another member of the panel who was older, much more respectful, and much less arrogant (yet still confident), gentleman who took the same position. While I still found myself disagreeing with him, I tended to listen more, and every once in a while say, "Hm that was a good thought, I hadn't thought of that before."

Just because someone is a jerk doesn't mean their wrong, but it makes it harder to want to agree with them, or believe what they are saying is true. Frankly you are hoping that they are wrong and get embarrassed somehow. I don't tend to side with people and at the same time hope they get embarrassed.

My junior year of high school I went to this debate at Oregon State University. I don't remember much about it, except for one particular question during the question and answer time. During the debate it became obvious that the man Marcus Borg (a current member of the Jesus Seminar) viewed Jesus claims at deity as symbolic, while the other man was rather evangelical in his views. A student asked the question, "Is Jesus the Lamb of God sent to take away the sin of the world." Borg stuttered a bit then went on to explain the allegory, that Jesus wasn't actually a Lamb, and He didn't actually take away sins.

After a moment, the other man took a drink of water, smiled a bit and said yes. I would have understood a little chuckle from the crowd and from Marcus Borg himself. The response was meant to be poignant and impacting, but still tasteful. At this remark a large group of the audience erupted into mass applause, denoting a victory for evangelicals around the world. It was like they expected Jesus to come in and say, "Alright guys, you did it, thanks for ushering in my return and finally settling the question for every unbeliever everywhere." He didn't.

The evangelical man looked a little perturbed and spoke something into the mic that made the applause stop and the crowd feel awkward. He, unlike the evangelicals in the crowd, understood the idea about not being a jerk about your belief.

I don't know that applause like that really accomplishes anything, those people weren't clapping for Jesus, they were clapping for a zinger that made Borg look stupid. I doubt that drew anyone in the room toward the Jesus they represented.

He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit. Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding.

Proverbs 17:27-28

What Scares Children About Christianity

Growing up, I sat through a lot of business meetings with people who liked to sing songs like Victory in Jesus or They Will Know We are Christians By Our Love. I hated business meetings, a lot. A part of me found them entertaining, like watching a train wreck, or reality TV before reality TV existed. To this day I like the idea of being the fly on the wall in an argument, it's intriguing. I suppose if I was home around 1pm and had a tv I'd be addicted to soap operas.

Soap operas aside. Another part of me was scared. Kids don't think much about the future, but when they do there is this assumption that everything will be exactly the same as it is now, except that there will be a jet-pack or a pony, and a laser gun. As I sat in those business meetings I felt trapped, like I would never get out willingly, but I would probably get voted off the island at some point. After putting out my torch I would fly away in my jetpack.

If I were ever in a church that had business meetings like that again, I probably wouldn't go to them. If they made me I would probably listen to a Rock review podcast, put tape over my mouth, and gouge my eyes out. Obviously I kid. I would probably listen to James Earl Jones read the Bible, that way I would have the excuse of doing something spiritual.

Next time you decide to have an argument about whether or not the new chairs should be blue or red, or which version of the Bible should be used in preaching, or really anything that shows that you are fighting for something you consider more important than the person you are arguing with, remember there are children listening. They may be getting their jetpack fueled and ready to go.