Contemporary Christian Culture

[Kimberley Tobin]

I have left off responding on this topic because I wanted to sit with it awhile...........

So........here goes.........

Most of the people on this BB have come from a system of "extremes".  And then, having left, perhaps moved to the "other extreme."  

I have a particular viewpoint on this subject.......having been raised.......not in a christian home......but in an artistic, musically bent home.  My mother was a guitar teacher for most of my childhood.   She was always in a band (not to my musical taste, but it paid the bills.)

Having come from an artistic, musically based home, I have a particular bent as to how music plays a part in our lives.  My mother played bluegrass (she didn't like it........her taste was more folk.......but as I said, it paid the bills), my sister, a year older than me, was always on the cutting edge of music.....Elvis Costello, The Police, Joe Jackson, The Clash....BEFORE they were popular.  I was mainstream pop......Kenny Loggins, Elton John, The Eagles.  But music had a place in each of our lives.  Music moved us......it spoke to us.........it met us, each with a different style preference.......but music is what made us FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!

I am beggered with words to describe what I want to convey.  One does not have to pick apart the mass produced media (whether Christian or secular).  It speaks to some.  Those who want to search for other media will find it!

To critique what "all" should do in the "artistic" world, is to be a snob.  My mother and sister never read music.  They are two of the most accomplished musicians (and they aren't "saved") that I know.  I treasure their friendship today.  They are teaching me VOLUMES.........of love.........acceptance.......FAITH.....Yes, I said faith!  And we have different musical tastes, but I don't have to tell them what is "acceptable" musically and what is not.

I probably haven't communicated what it was I wanted to...........but maybe some get it!

[Oscar]

However, I think that in the opinion of most folks on the Left, anyone who believes in God and opposes abortion IS the religious right.

Thomas Maddux

Yep.  What scares me even more than these folks' anti-christian bias, is that the "religious right," is doing everything they can---albeit unwittingly---to validate the claims made by the liberal, secular humanists, Godess worshipers, et al.

Chrisianity is not about a mass of people, or a cultural "world view," but about individuals and true freedom.  

The story about the comedian warming up the crowd before the Democrat debate gave me the chills.  Can you imagine what could happen if these people were able to have their way?

The only thing worse is if an amalgamation of Christians, Mormons and Catholics ran the government, and dictated their ideas upon us.

Brent

The problem Christianity faces today is that we are now a minority of Americans.  When we were the majority,  the laws that were enacted reflected our values.

Now, we are in a period of change where new laws and pseudo laws made by judges reflect the secularist majority's values.

We don't have a legal or political problem...we have an apologetic and evangelistic problem.  When the church was expanding rapidly in the early centuries there were several factors that influenced this:
1. Christian thinkers met the pagans on their own ground philosophically and defeated them.
2. Christians raised tens of thousands, (if not more), of female babies that were given to them instead of being "exposed".
This means that little girls were thrown out in the countryside to die because they weren't valued....until the Christians came along and said "give them to us."
3. Christians were courageous under persecution.
4. Christians were known and respected for their charitable acts.

We need to "Occupy till I come".

Thomas Maddux

[jackhutchinson]

The story about the comedian warming up the crowd before the Democrat debate gave me the chills.  Can you imagine what could happen if these people were able to have their way?

What is the story?

Jack

[vernecarty]

1. Christian thinkers met the pagans on their own ground philosophically and defeated them.
2. Christians raised tens of thousands, (if not more), of female babies that were given to them instead of being "exposed".
This means that little girls were thrown out in the countryside to die because they weren't valued....until the Christians came along and said "give them to us."
3. Christians were courageous under persecution.
4. Christians were known and respected for their charitable acts.

We need to "Occupy till I come".

Thomas Maddux

It sounds to me like what you are saying here is that many Christians today have forgotten how to adorn the doctrine...
Verne

[summer007]

Has anyone seen the Movie 'Mona Lisa Smile' I saw it over the weekend and could'nt help think of the Assm..certain things from 1953 at Wessely College and Harvard were errrily familar...I had a feeling when I went  it would be Assemblyish. A line in the movie referred to the alumni as "Elitist Icebox" ring any bells??? Julia Roberts seemed like a complete Hippie compared to their straightlaced ways..and a funny thing when she starts to teach them...They know more then she does....Just reminded me in a contrasting way of the Group..perhaps BG picked some things up in her College years in the 50's and applied them to us these past 30 years...(PG-13)

[outdeep]

Mona Lisa Smile:

I didn't see it, but the piece below by Phyllis Schlafly portrays it as a propoganda piece where the liberty of the (then) new sensibilities of feminism is superior to the oppresive traditions of the 1950's.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/phyllisschlafly/ps20031229.shtml

[summer007]

Dave, Thanks interesting review...Its funny that these are the same people that would easily toss what is it that Mr. Maddux said,"Tens of Thousands of Female babies out on the Streets"  note the Prov 31 Woman seemed to have it All...This is what we aspire to ey...This Movie was a Look of the Hypocrisy of the Elitist...The real Jones'es if you dont mind....If these females were easily disposed of ..Its time they stood up who wants to be with a bunch of Male Chavinistic Pigs!!!...Very Un-Christlike..ey...And by the way my Greatest  Joy is being a Homemaker although I have Business in the City several times a week...Works out quite nice....

[chrisnortonfan1]

Summer:
I heard Mona Lisa Smile was scary terrible.  Was it awful or were the critics just clueless?  
If it is really bad, I'm looking forward to renting it along with Gigli for my next bad movie night with my former roommate.

[summer007]

Chrisnorton fan,  It was'nt as Bad as I thought it would be. I got a kick out of watching the hypocrites..Now  as far as Gigli I'd rather walk across broken glass then see that. Good choice for your Bad Movie Night...gag...

[jesusfreak]

I would suggest watching "Dead Alive" (Brain Dead in the UK).  Billed as the goriest movie of all time, it features the main character utilitizing a lawn mower as a portable weapon in an attempt to deal with a room full of zombies.

--
lucas

[al Hartman]

Has everyone noticed the cool little characters Lucas inserts in all his posts now?  In keeping with the spirit of discussing movies, I want to quote Jack Nicholson's Joker in the original Batman flick by asking:  "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"

al

[Peacefulg]

Hi Al, more than likely it is a image that he just linked to at a specific URL and shows up in the post (just like how I post the picture in my signature, and this one)  

Cheers,
G

[jesusfreak]

Hi Al, more than likely it is a image that he just linked to at a specific URL and shows up in the post (just like how I post the picture in my signature, and this one)  

Cheers,
G

Perfectly correct - my little database of them can be found http://www.buildingup.net/post/posting.php?mode=smilies



--
lucas

[al Hartman]

Hi Al, more than likely it is a image that he just linked to at a specific URL and shows up in the post (just like how I post the picture in my signature, and this one)  

Cheers,
G

Perfectly correct - my little database of them can be found http://www.buildingup.net/post/posting.php?mode=smilies



--
lucas

     Awesome-- I love the site.  Now somebody please 'splain to me how to transfer the images from there to here.  (Speak slowly and use small words!!!) ;D ;D ;D

al

[jesusfreak]

This is getting annoying, it refuses to accept everything as text and wants to format it

I might get around to writing a php script to accept name tags and output the graphic.....but until then, here are the easiest instructions i can muster ;)

1. Open the aforementioned link of http://www.buildingup.net/post/posting.php?mode=smilies

2. (I am assuming you are using a Windows based operating system) - Right click on any graphic you like.

3. Choose the bottom option of "properites" from the menu that pops up

4. On this property tab, you will see "Address [URL" - something similar to (http://www.buildingup.net/post/images/smiles/new_silly.gif)

5. Highlight this text, hold control and press "c"

6. Come back to your post, type ["img"], hit Control + V to past the address, then type[/"img"]

7.  For the example smilie, this will look like

["img"]http://www.buildingup.net/post/images/smiles/new_silly.gif[/"img"]

Make sure you remove the "s, I had to put them there to keep the software from formating it from text

I suppose the easiest thing to do would be for me to export my smilies and send them brian's way, but this will work till then

--
lucas