tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post6169454866276384643..comments2023-08-10T05:24:20.775-04:00Comments on Razing the Bar: Pulling Up the DrawbridgeAndy Whitmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-32309937602873141552007-08-12T17:35:00.000-04:002007-08-12T17:35:00.000-04:00Reverend John Stott ("Basic Christianity") has sai...Reverend John Stott ("Basic Christianity") has said: "The great tragedy in the church today is that evangelicals are biblical but not contemporary, while liberals are contemporary but not biblical. We need faithfulness to the ancient word and sensitivity to the modern world."<BR/><BR/>A few of my quizzes:<BR/><BR/>A Neon Bible Study<BR/>http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07030103.htm<BR/><BR/>Sgt. Pepper’s Bible Study<BR/>http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07060038.htm<BR/><BR/>All You Need Is Love<BR/>http://www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2006/s06060117.htm<BR/><BR/>U2 QUIZ: 30 QUESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EARS TO HEAR<BR/>http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2005/s05120086.htm<BR/><BR/>D’oh! -- The Simpsons Bible Quiz<BR/>http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07080035.htm<BR/><BR/>---<BR/>Listening to Music with Discernment<BR/>http://www.ransomfellowship.org/articles_discernment/D_ListeningtoMusic.html<BR/><BR/>Christian Discernment 202: Pop Culture: Why Bother?<BR/>http://www.ransomfellowship.org/articles_discernment/D_202.html<BR/><BR/>Steve Beard's Thunderstruck website:<BR/>http://www.thunderstruck.orgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-25975044435050464502007-08-08T16:13:00.000-04:002007-08-08T16:13:00.000-04:00Yeah, so much here to think about. I'll check out ...Yeah, so much here to think about. I'll check out the thread.<BR/><BR/>Rich Nathan said that the church (and, I'd interpolate, the individual Christian) exists to be a bulldozer, not a bulwark. In other words, we should not view the church (or our own morality) primarily as a defensive mechanism. <BR/><BR/>We should worry about how we're going to be an active force for good in culture, not how engaging with our culture is going to taint us.<BR/><BR/>I dunno.<BR/><BR/>On an almost completely different note, I do get what you're saying about the Hold Steady's drug-related lyrics.<BR/><BR/>Sasha Baron Cohen said that a lot of people misunderstand Borat, accusing the film of being racist, when it's actually a biting commentary on racism and bigotry.John McCollumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14757876504958350010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-58593370522877704532007-08-08T16:02:00.000-04:002007-08-08T16:02:00.000-04:00Andy, I'm curious...is is the visuals from the mov...Andy, I'm curious...is is the visuals from the movies that are indeed more powerful than the songs? As you had mentioned not being able to watch movies that feature drug use...as there are many that do have drug use in them but indeed are not glorifying it or promoting it. As there are also many songs by recovering addicts in music that also aren't glorifying it but are singing about in almost a storybook way...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-58046600344144333222007-08-08T15:47:00.000-04:002007-08-08T15:47:00.000-04:00Andrew, it's more the latter. I usually don't kno...Andrew, it's more the latter. I usually don't know ahead of time if a particular movie/album is going to contain some content that it's best for me to avoid. <BR/><BR/>So I encounter them as a surprise. When that happens in a movie, I literally look away. When it happens with an album, I push the "Next" button and move on, and don't return to the song in question. <BR/><BR/>And, of course, I have a "history" with some movies and some albums. I mentioned the movie "Woodstock." There are many other movies and albums I associate with that history as well. I just don't go there. I avoid them. They have specific associations in my mind, and I've found that it's best if I avoid them. Run away, run away, in the immortal words of the knights in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." And I do.<BR/><BR/>And to avoid misunderstanding, let me note that I'm not at all advocating a list of approved/safe movies or albums, or anything like that. I'm simply noting my own weaknesses, and that no work of art is even remotely worth losing my family or my life. And for me, it probably comes down to that. So, recognizing my own weaknesses, I will do whatever I can to avoid placing myself in a position of temptation. <BR/><BR/>As you might expect, it's an occupational hazard as a rock 'n roll critic. And, as I mentioned in my original post, it very much depends on context and tone. Those Hold Steady songs are rife with drug references, but none of them make me want to do drugs. Just the opposite, in fact.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-61107334270123953542007-08-08T15:25:00.000-04:002007-08-08T15:25:00.000-04:00Good post.How do you go about avoiding music/movie...Good post.<BR/><BR/>How do you go about avoiding music/movies that advocate drug use? Do you research them ahead of time? I think this would be very difficult to do as one listens to a lot of music/watches a lot of movies. Or if you hear a song advocating drug use, do you not go back to it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-39018108287037137892007-08-08T14:10:00.000-04:002007-08-08T14:10:00.000-04:00i don't have anything to add, but just wanted to s...i don't have anything to add, but just wanted to say 'good post'.mghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02279451510520504251noreply@blogger.com