the dreaming tree

i almost wrote a long rant about how joel osteen is what’s wrong with christianity in america today.

then i realized that i’m what’s wrong with christianity. and the world. i loathe my self-rightousness, my unbelief and my callousness, my contempt and unlove for others. there are things i disagree with about mr. osteen’s ministry and his book, things that i think are detrimental to the growth of the kingdom, but i don’t know that it’s my place to vigorously criticize him. maybe instead i should be worried about how i am furthering God’s kingdom, and how he has called me to impact my world.

that said, perhaps i will write a bit about what i find troubling in modern american christianity. and remember that i am as guilty as any other of distorting God’s truth, abandoning him to “save” myself in certain situations and seeking vain things.

christianity is not about feeling better about yourself. i just went to mr. osteen’s church’s website, and the heading there is “discover the champion in you.” exactly who is it they’re claiming to worship over there? which gospel do they proclaim? because there is no champion in you. there is no gospel in you…me. the point of christianity is that Jesus is the champion and only redeemer for sinners. and we’re all sinners. and yes, it’s offensive to us (to me), but it’s the truth. there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, and no inner strength from which to draw. preaching about anything less than the supremacy of God and his glory in all things…is a lie.

from the website, a summary of his book your best life now devotional: “In his new book, Joel Osteen prepares us to embrace the life God intended us to have. His 90 days of motivational thoughts, inspirational messages, and Scripture verses will strengthen our beliefs–both in God, in others, and in ourselves–and only then will we be able to rise above our obstacles and live in health, abundance, and victory.” um…no. the life God intended us to have is found in Christ alone, and that may not mean we will “live in health, abundance, and victory.” in fact, christians are promised suffering: “yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” 2 timothy 3:12. Christ suffered and he was perfectly in the will of the Father, in all things…was he missing out on something more that God promised? no. and neither are we when we are in Christ. from derek webb: “the floodwaters of blessings have already been given to you and they were given to you the day that you received Christ, the day that you obtained his righteousness as your own was the day that you received all the blessings, all the rewards, all the inheritance. There is nothing more, please never let anyone tell you that there is…”

i guess i just get a little upset when churches proclaim this doctrine of prosperity. when i hear that 11.000 people went last night to hear him preach in my hometown, i get nervous about what he taught them. because we are always looking for something more, aren’t we? we want to hear that God is going to rain down all these “blessings” on us; that we will prosper according to the world’s definition…at least i do. our society is obsessed with seeking riches, and despite the biblical teaching that that is not proof of salvation, so many christians, i’m afraid, equate it as such. and so many use christianity as an excuse to hearken after rewards because they have been faithful and deserve it, when, in fact, the opposite is true. this does not mean that being rich is a sin, but desiring that above all else, and believing that being a christian entitles you to worldly wealth, is.

i wrote more than i intended, but i couldn’t help myself, because it stirs me so.

blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

more derek webb:

What looks like failure is success
And what looks like poverty is riches
When what is true looks more like a knife
It looks like you’re killing me
But you’re saving my live

chorus:
But I give myself to what looks like love
And I sell myself for what feels like love
And I pay to get what is not love
And all just because I see things upside down

What looks like weakness can do anything
And what looks like foolishness is understanding
When what is powerful has not come to fight
It looks like you’re going to war
But you lay down your life

What looks like torture is a time to rejoice
What sounds like thunder is a comforting voice
When what is beautiful looks broken and crushed
And I say I don’t know you
But you say it’s finished

–”what is not love”

this is an older post, but i’m giving it to you again because i witnessed the same thing tonight at the flying saucer in little rock. from the exact same guy who i wrote about the first time. so yeah, here it is. i didn’t edit it, even though there was no opener (it was just the one guy, who shall remain nameless, even though a lot of you will know who i am talking about), and some other details aren’t the same…the basic message still applies, though…amazing that he hasn’t changed in three years…

i hate fake performances, maybe even moreso when the “artist” has a gleam of talent. i don’t understand the need these people feel to try and create some special aura about themselves. man, just play your songs. i went to a show friday night where this occured. the opener vs. the headliner. guess what? in my opinion, the opener kicked the headliner’s ass. and here’s why: the opener played what his heart was feeling; he didn’t throw some image at us, he let the music speak. and then along comes the high and mighty headlining act, and from the minute he stepped on stage i sensed the act. i’m not saying he doesn’t like, maybe even love, what he’s doing, but what i felt from watching him was that he was showing off to an audience. he wasn’t trying to reach us; wasn’t trying to connect on that higher plane of music where idle words outside the song cannot express near enough emotion. several times during the opener i felt chills running through my body, not because of an amazing performance (though it was very good), but because the words leaped into my soul and refused to be denied their chance to speak. i didn’t even come close to feeling that during the headliner. in fact, i was so put-off by the performance that i left after four songs. is this harsh? maybe. but i guarantee if i had felt an ounce of sincere, beautiful music, i would have stayed. but then, maybe i’m not in it for the same reasons as some. some do it because they can, and some do it because they have to. because there is something deep within them that demands to be released. that is the essence of music.

ryan adams, how are you so good?

i told a gentleman at my parents’ small group that i was in a rock band, and then went on to mention that we are playing a concert at a church this week. so he asked me if we played christian rock, and i said, “no…i mean, we’re all christians…” but this confused him. he pointed out that we were playing at a church and that we wouldn’t play “hey jude” there, would we? all i could do was give him a look like, oh really? maybe we would, if we were so inclined. i didn’t say anything further to him because i wasn’t comfortable causing a stir at my parents’ small group, but i really wanted to. and ever since then i’ve been wishing i had. because it really pisses me off that there is this so-called thing of “christian rock.” we play rock ‘n’ roll. look, as a christian, by definition every thing i do will be “christian.” that is, from a christian worldview. it doesn’t mean that everything i produce has to be categorized in a special christian section and labeled as such. how ’bout let the words speak for themselves like they do for everyone else? not every song is going to have jesus referenced specifically in it, just like everything a christian artist paints doesn’t have a cross in it (or at least, i hope not). there are certainly times and places for those kinds of songs, but sometimes we write songs about girls or loneliness or being angry…this does not mean we aren’t christians, or that what we’re producing is not honoring to God. if i write a symphony, i’m not going to make sure to note that it is a “christian symphony” so that christians will know it’s ok to listen to and will be able to properly enjoy it. how silly does that sound, anyway? it’s so disappointing to me when christians refuse to listen to music that isn’t labeled by someone as christian…open your little mind. i could go on about this, but i won’t. i’ll just say that there is a great need for christians who actually make good music (and write good books…that area is even worse sometimes). there are a few, but overall “christian rock” is pitiful. probably because they’re worrying more about making sure it’s “christian” and accessible to christians, rather than making the best art they can.

thank you, morgan freeman. i’ve been saying this for years.
Freeman calls Black History Month ‘ridiculous’

i’m getting really tired of seeing replays of the boston red sox winning the world series last fall. ok, we get it, they won. for the first time in 86 years. good for them, but can we please move on to the 2005 season? i feel like every pre-game show i watch, they’re talking about the 2004 sox. today there was a story about a guy who has been a life-long red sox fan, only when they won their title last fall, he was in a coma, so he missed the whole thing. i’m sorry, but that doesn’t interest me.
and another annoying thing is that every time i see a replay of all the red sox players going nuts, it makes me sad that i’ll never get to experience winning a championship like that. (it happens when i see other teams in other sports going crazy, too.) maybe i’ll win one in adult league baseball or church softball, but that won’t quite cut it. i guess that’s what i get for not entirely devoting my childhood to getting to the show. now my only hope is to be a rockstar. then maybe some team will let me work out with them in spring training, like garth brooks has done in the past.
one last thing that doesn’t have to do with sports, and that is about more crying. or at least almost crying. everytime i see something on tv or a movie related to being a father, i start to tear up. i don’t have anywhere to go with that, but it’s happening. i wish i knew for certain that i was going to be a father, and that i would be a good one. we’ll see, i guess.

there is apparently a group that wants to change the easter bunny to the garden bunny. now, i’m not really an easter bunny kinda person, just like i’m not really a santa claus type of person, but what is the deal here? it seems that the easter part offends some people. not that a bunny has a whole lot to do with easter, but why should they be offended? no one is forcing them to celebrate, or participate, in what the easter bunny represents. (actually, i’m not sure what it is intended to represent, and i’m quite sure that the tradition of a bunny has nothing to do with Christ rising from the grave.) so why? if you don’t like that people are celebrating easter, choose to ignore it. i see no sense in trying to repress something of this nature, other than bringing attention to yourself. i don’t think a case can be made that it is unfair to non-christians for there to be an easter bunny. it isn’t a question of political correctness. no one is being intentionally excluded. and i don’t think anyone is being forced to acknowledge the truth of easter through an easter bunny. i’m not really worked up about this, just confounded. everyday someone thinks of something new (or old) to complain about and demands they be accomodated. get over yourself, please.

oh, and happy easter.

today notre dame fired its head football coach, ty willingham. in three seasons he went 21-15 and took the team to two bowlgames. yet he was fired. i wish athletic directors could have a little more patience instead of demanding immediate success. it’s very rare that a coach can come in and make a drastic turn-around. he’s gotta have time to recruit players that fit his system and work to perfect what he’s trying to do. i don’t think three seasons is long enough. and that’s not even what i wanted to write about.

the headline for the willingham story read something like this: “only two black head coaches left in div. I-A.” so? the write went on to talk about black coaches for much of his article, and i just don’t understand why these sorts of things have to be made into a race issue. he was fired because he didn’t win the games demanded by the school. tough luck, but i don’t think race relations has any place in a story like this. i’m not denying that there was ever/still is racial prejudice, because it was a very real problem. but i sincerely think that it is not as much in the forefront of people’s thought as it once was. except for the fact that the media keeps making a huge deal out of it. for the most part, i think blacks have the same opportunities as whites. it shouldn’t matter how many coaches of a certain race there are, just so long as their race isn’t a factor in whether they attain those kind of jobs. put it to rest.

something no one here prolly cares about, but i want to post anyway. they’re going to build a new baseball stadium in little rock for the minor league (AA) team there. it’s sad to me because we have such an amazing old-school stadium, built in 1932…one of the five oldest stadiums still in use by professional baseball…we still have a live organist. it’s on lots of “best stadiums in america” lists…sports illustrated had some kinda list of ten things to do if you’re a baseball fan in america, and one of them was attend a doubleheader at ray winder. i guess they’re just wanting a new, bigger, more expensive stadium. i guess all good things come to an end. here are some photos…

albums i have bought this week:

snow patrol – final straw
my chemical romance – three cheers for sweet revenge
garden state OST
elliot smith – from a basement on the hill
ben folds five – naked baby photos
straylight run – straylight run
lauryn hill – the miseducation of lauryn hill
berlioz – symphonie fantastique
bruckner – symphony no. 4
bruckner – sym. no. 3
beethoven – string quartets opp. 131 & 132
mozart – symphonies nos. 40 & 41

what can i say? i have no defense. i love music and i cannot have enough. ever. i’ll suspend eating for a few days if i have to. i will say that over half of those albums were less than $6 and the rest of them were under $10. ok, now i have to go read.

i’m just annoyed at churches that fail their congregations by not preaching the Gospel. Jesus is not there to make you feel better about yourself and applaud your efforts. i hear sermons and lessons that revolve around the tenet “we need you Jesus,” but never truly describe why. it’s so feel-good oriented. i guess it would be tragic if you offended someone into thinking they couldn’t do anything to help themselves. guess what? the Gospel is offensive. it is going to bring you to your knees. it will also bring you unspeakable joy. it will change your life, redefine you. and there’s nothing more that you can do. to quote derek webb, “there can be nothing added, nor anything taken away from the perfect salvation we have in Jesus. we cannot add our best intentions, most righteous deeds, or even tears over our own sin, all we have is Jesus, and without Him we have nothing.” do you believe that?

i think february is one of the dumbest months of all time. first of all, there is no need for valentine’s day. it is just an over-hyped, male nightmare that benefits any corporation that sells flowers, candy or cards. why should there be one single, solitary day where you’re obliged to go on a date. unless you’re a single exile, and then you’re screwed. you just get to feel even worse than you usually do, especially if you just got rejected. cause…ouch. ok, enough about valentine’s day. second on my list is black history month. what.a.crock. i mean…why do we need to dedicate an entire month to great black people? it’s just an over-dose of what we already get all year. “black’s are oppressed.” get over yourselves. how about you quit whining and get off your ass and do something? what a freakin novel idea. do something. i see plenty of black people “making it” in the world…those that simply apply themselves like anyone else that is doing well. in fact, i submit to you that it is harder these days to be male, middle-class and white than a black man. because, if they whine enough, they’ll pretty much always get what they want. if we whine at all, we get called racist bigots (is that redundant?) and told to go away. i don’t know. i have absolutely nothing against black people in general, only those that sit around and want handouts for being oppressed for so many years. get a clue: you are oppressing yourselves! everyone is sick and tired of hearing about how you were wronged, when in fact it wasn’t you who were wronged in the first place. just do something besides whine, please. and don’t force the rest of us to listen to your ignorant pleading. thanks. i’m not a racist. i just hate laziness and whining. which is what i’m doing now. so i’m sorry. i’m gonna go do homework.