Video Blog

So I lied about making this blog a video blog. I'm keeping them separate. This is my new video blog, and I'm keeping this one too. 

"Why does the devil have all the good music?"

I was inspired to write this based on a relevant issue for Christians everywhere. Yesterday, I posted a video on my Facebook, which was attended to be comical like the video in my last post. The video is different shots of my random, basic life, but the music is "Lose Yourself" by Eminem; a song that everyone has heard and has a pretty sweet beat, so it is completely irrelevant to the video. 

The song says a few words that could be seen as inappropriate to some, but then the big "Mother F***ing" twice. Even though no one knows where that word ever came from, I try to avoid using it for the sake of negative connotations in different peoples minds, but it is by no means foreign to me. 

I didn't think a thing about it.

I got some complaints. Several people mentioned why I didn't use a "Christian" rap song. Well, that would somewhat defeat the entire purpose of the video. 

This is so frustrating to me. I don't even like 90%....ok....98% of "Christian" music. "What makes it Christian?" is the question that I struggle with. Is it because it says God in the song? Is it because it's made by Christians? Is it because it's made for Christians to listen to? There are plenty of Christians whose music isn't in the mainstream Christian market.  

Whatever the definition is, the concept of creating art is lost in entirety. It's just making something that sounds like something else (but says "God"). It's not true art. All beauty is lost. 

Is all music BUT "Christian" music bad? Therefore are all things that are secular are have no artistic value? Only "Christian" movies, plays, paintings, poems are acceptable?

There are a few artists I think that actually create music for it's artistic value and get pushed in the Christian market. (Robbie Seay Band, Edison Glass, David Crowder Band, and more).

There is so much truth in music that so many Christians call "secular", or you can find truth in the ABSENCE of it. And besides, why do we have to devalue everything that we think has nothing to do with God? 

I hear at school all the time "Well Reliant K says there a Christian band, but they sing about girls and stuff, so there's really nothing Christian about it." What's wrong with singing about human struggles? We are humans aren't we? 

As a songwriter, this is a really sensitive subject to me. 

Finally, why do Christians always feel that we need to separate ourselves? Yeah, we are not called to be OF the world, but we are called to be IN the world. Why do we have Christian movies, music, coffee shops, bookstores, and restaurants? People separate themselves and create this sub-culture that I think is really unhealthy. 

Music is not marketing. It's art. It's true. It's beautiful. Of anyone, the church should be the last people to try and copy something that's true. 

Video Series

I'm going to make this blog take somewhat of a shift. I may be heading more in the direction of video blogs. I make a lot of them, so I'll at least be posting a lot of them. 

Here's a "cover" of the Shiny Toy Guns. 

Tralfamadorians

This is a song I wrote recently, called Tralfamadorians. It is very inspired by Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. 

Here it goes....

Calendar pages turn, meaning nothing more than words

Numbers don't have significance, time is what you make it

Like the rocky mountains from up above selecting where you want to go

All time is all time, it does not change, it does not lend itself to warnings or explanations

It simply is, take it moment by moment by moment

My life's not being recorded

It's not on your T.V.

You can't use that fast-forward button on me

My life's not being recorded

It's not on your T.V.

You can't use that fast-forward button on me

I'll be 18 in the morning, but I'm still searching for truth

I'm standing on a pedestal fear, looking through the lenses of my dreams

I've got life in my hands but the hand of death is reaching in my pocket

I'll be 18 in the morning, but I'm still searching for truth

I'm standing on a pedestal of fear, looking through the lenses of my dreams

I've got life in my hands but the hand of death is reaching in my pocket

I'll be 18 in the morning, but I'm still searching for truth

I'll be 18 in the morning, but I'm still so far from truth

New Directions

Hello. It's been a long long while. Too long, if you ask me. 

I'm really trying to get back into this blogging thing because I feel that for the first time, I actually might have something worth saying. 

I'm going to keep this post short, but one question I have been asking myself recently is:

Did Jesus intend on creating a religion?

I've been reading Mark Scandrette's book "Soul Graffiti" ( I know, English nerds, a book title is supposed to be underlined, but I can't figure out how to underline on this website) and it has been really inspiring.

I've also been listening to Page France a lot. I recommend them for everyone. 

Goodbye for now.