Notes on a Page

My entire life has been surrounded by music. My mother loved music and played it all the time, in the car, in the house and on a crappy tape player whenever we'd be outside. I'm thankful for that. I love music too and can really appreciate all kinds.


I started singing in church when I was just six or seven (If you'd like to hear the first time I believe Cathy Lorton still has it on tape). My mom made me take piano lessons when I was in elementary school. I took Saxophone Lessons in Jr. High. I was in a very good Choir in High School for four years. I've taken a few music theory classes. I've played the guitar for at least ten years now and have played and sang in numerous bands with a variety of purposes.



I love music. It's a part of who I am. With all that I've written to this point, you'll probably be shocked to learn that I can't read music. I guess I can a little, but not in any practical way.


Tonight I pulled out an old keyboard that a friend gave us a couple of years ago and I'm determined to be good at the piano for once in my life. I printed out some sheet music for a song that I like and began staring at the jumbled lines and dots that make up this so called music.



I can hear music, I can play music, I can feel music so why can't I read music? It's honestly very frustrating to me. I've had many teachers try and help me by learning little tricks here and there, but they've never seemed to stick in my brain.



When I look down at that sheet music I don't see notes on a page, I see dots and lines that are somehow supposed to mean something. Now if I sit there long enough, I can use the formulas that I've leaned over the years to slowly start to peck out the song in front of me. After about an hour tonight I got past the first page. But that's not really reading it, from there I just have to play it from memory. The notes on the page never translate to music to me.



There is a point to this babbling, just keep reading.


I've found that those who do get it, who can read the music off the page think less of those of us who can't. Through out my life they have always stressed to me the importance of being able to get this. They've always told me how easy it is and if I just worked harder I'd get it and then everything would be right with the world.



But that's not true. First of all, I'm not going to get it. My brain isn't wired to get it. In a way I'm glad about that. I've noticed that when many sit down at a piano and play the notes on the page they're doing nothing more than solving an algebra equation. They're using the formula they've learned to get the right answer. I know people who can read music, but can't play something from their heart. They can recreate what's been written on a page but they can never make music. I'm glad that I can make music. I'm glad that I can feel it in my soul.



So here's the point. I think that sometimes we (me included) religious elitists who think we know all of the biblical backgrounds, historical contexts, and theological formulas simply are solving an algebra equation to see if we can't get the right answer. Meanwhile there are those who are living out their deeply spiritual lives who could never articulate this life using anything biblical or theological. They don't know the right language or the right formulas. And we look down on them. We think that they're missing the point. We think that they're missing out on something great and grand when in reality they're living something great and grand, they're feeling something great and grand, they're making a spiritual symphony with every breath they breathe and we are missing it all.



God is not there to be studied and analyzed. God is there to walk with, to speak to, to sing to and to be heard. When you lock yourself in your study you aren't feeling Him. He is out in the world. He is in all of the places that you may never have dreamed or even feared to go. The sad thing is that there are others who are already there. They are living lives that they may not call spiritual or religious, but are far more spiritual than some of us have ever dreamed.



Sometimes it's time to stop quoting the bible. It's time to stop reading books and listening to sermons and it's time to live. It's time to feel God in this world that He has created with the people that He loves. It's time to stop recreating things that are already written and start making music in the world around us.

Read more

by Unknown ~ Tuesday, September 28, 2010 0 comments

American Mythology

I came across this term recently in a post at www.jesusmanifesto.com. In this post, the author makes the point that Christians should consider whether or not it is appropriate, as believers in Christ and His Kingdom, to celebrate American holidays. He actually calls them America's "holy days." He is trying to make the point that America has a religion all it's own. I agree with the point that there is a very strong civil religion in America and it blurs the lines too often with true Christianity. The lie that this nation was "founded on Christianity" pervades the understanding of even the skeptic.

This post goes as far as to claim that this American mythology attempts to offer a new soteriology, one where soldiers have brought us freedom with the "ultimate sacrifice." These words were used by his priest before concluding mass with America the Beautiful.

This is my attempt to take up this challenge. I will consider this option and see if his argument is worthwhile or not. My initial reaction to this was that celebrating American holidays are not the same a celebrating religious holidays. There is a different motivation and a different reason for each.

Have the lines been blurred between American holidays and our Christian Holy days?

Many days that are significant or recognized in Christianity are now either National Holidays, or days celebrated in ways that are void of it's religious meaning. For example, Christmas, Easter, Mardi Gras, St. Patricks day, St. Valentines day, etc. Many people in America celebrate these days with no knowledge or even concern for their meaning or purpose. The same goes for days like Memorial day. The media does a good job of trying to force it down our throats why we celebrate these American holidays, but unfortunately the message doesn't get communicated to many. So for these people who don't understand or care why, there is no difference between the two categories. Unfortunately this group is a group that I believe is growing exponentially.

So for the common person in this growing group of indifferent people, there is no difference and the lines are clearly blurred. In some ways, by making Significant religious days National holidays, America itself is blurring the lines.

With more thought I can see why the author has some more issues. On the so-called "secular" side it is pretty hard to distinguish which holiday is which and why. What about the religious side?

The author of the post points out that his priest blurred the lines by ending Mass not with a Doxology or a Blessing, but with an American patriotic hymn. In many Protestant and a growing number of Roman Catholic churches you will find the American flag on the platform behind where the pastor or priest stands to deliver the the homily. This seems pretty Innocent, but it's not. There are a lot of churches now that you would be hard pressed to find a cross in the "sanctuary," but you can't move the freaking American flag or the pastor will get fired.

When we have songs in our hymnals like "America the Beautiful." We are equating that with all of our Hymns about God. Is that right? Is there something wrong with putting equal importance on America or our government as we do God within the walls of the Sanctuary? The lines are clearly being blurred on the religious side as well.

So What?

Is this a problem? If so what do we do? Do we abstain from celebrating non religious holidays so that the days that are special on the Christian calendar stand out as something more significant in our lives? Do we inform others? Do we simply take time to educate others on the days and their meanings? Do we do nothing at all?

I'm leaving this open. I have considered. I think there is something here, but I'm not sure that the answer offered is the one that we should take. More than anything else I want to spark thought and dialogue. Please respond to this. This is important. Please think about it and think about what should be done, if anything.

Read more

by Unknown ~ Wednesday, June 02, 2010 0 comments