"Mr. John Milton, meet King Solomon."

So, tonight's menu: Essay on L'Allegro and Il Penseroso by John Milton

Tomorrow's menu looks decidedly better: Homemade Caesar salad, Grilled Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, Bacon and Cheese Garlic Bread, and Chocolate Velvet Pie. Yay for TCF's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

So what's on my mind? Well, in so many ways it's the end of an age and the beginning of a new one. I feel like I've spent the last nine months pregnant with my first child...and have miscarried on the day of delivery. But somehow I am stronger now, to face what shall come. And since I am the master of (and I quote): "escalating situations" (end quote), I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens next.

Are you confused yet? You should be, unless of course, you're one of the two people who know what I'm talking about.

King Solomon is on my mind. Maybe it's cause I'm obsessed with mewithoutYou, or maybe it's cause I'm sometimes envious of his 500 wives...no wait it's neither of those...anyway:

14 My dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes,
the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
our vineyards that are in bloom.
(Song of Songs 2:14-15)

Purity is golden.

Like a Broken Sonnet

"all things lovely only hurt my head"- ajw

personal pronouns

Listening to: Tree63- Blessed Be Your Name Some worship is always happy.

"O! My Lover, all our memories I would deface,
As this bird-shaped blood stain becomes our last embrace."

Extension in History 312...woot!

So, all my assignments this week are done except the final and most important: tomorrow, bible study on the Trinity, at Trent University, LEC 207, 6:00pm. If you live around Peterborough and read this and feel like showing up, do so. Much rocking action.

Amber's Christmas present came in today. I'd say what it is but she reads this so I can't. Let's just say it's one of my top five albums of the year...

So, how about writing Alexandrine couplets. Yay for meter.

I'm feeling it, are you feeling it? For the first time since last February I feel like I am doing what God truly desires of me. It's funny how when my calling became apparent to me God keeps uping the responsibility level on me...First I had to take responsibility for a Youth Group, then I had to take responsibility for my doctrine and life, then for a friend....now a co-leadership role in a small group...with a chance to really preach the gospel. Time to exercise the reason I exist. I love God.

So why would God choose me, and leave others behind?
Why does he exercise his power in my life to sanctify me unto his glory?
Not because I deserve it, not because I wanted it (surely I did not)
But because he loves me.

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16)

"2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:2-3)

Oh Lord, may I keep your commandments.

Every minute

Listening to: Bride- Same Ol' Sinner Some ol' school rock action. Too bad Dale Thompson is a universalist now. Bride's new album is good, this is old stuff right now, but their new stuff is actually rock. Yay for rock.

I have recently had numerous people tell me things to the tune of "the light of Christ really shines in you." This cool, considering how confused I am about everything right now.

I've also realized that I'm a proud guy, and that I can come off as arogant, and frankly am arrogant sometimes. I need to learn how to speak the truth in love, no matter what the situation. I need to step back and think before I speak.

Thanks Natalie.

Digress

Reconstruct:
Scrape the bones.
Mortify.
To the side;

Acquiesce:
Shoot my foot.
Sanctify
This new song:

I walk alone.

Come back, alright?

Listening to: Further Seems Forever- Already Gone I really like this album. Jon's lyrics are very cathartic for me right now.

I'm really sick of my North American prolonged adolescence. I'm sick of being John and Jane's son. I wanna be something now, but I guess it's not my time.

Take my soul, I'm
Break my heart, I'm
Ready, ready, ready,
When you are
Ready, ready, ready.

The word "Christian" was initially a noun, not an adjective.

Listening to: Further Seems Forever- Light Up Ahead This band deserves your repect and admiration. And your money. Buy their new album "Hide Nothing." Honestly, if FSF can hold onto a singer for more than one album, I hope it's Jon Bunch, he adds so much soul to this band it makes me want to cry. (I'm so emo...sniff...)

The word "Christian" is derived from the greek word Christianos, which translates to "follower of Christ." It appears three times in the bible (twice in Acts, once in 1 Peter) and it was initially a derogative term used by non-Christians to insult Christians.

The word "Christian" is a noun. For example, "I am a Christian," or, "John MacArthur is a Christian." However, the meaning of the word has been modified in modern english so that it can be an adjective as well. For example "Johnny attends a Christian school," or, much to my dismay, "Noah listens to Christian music."

It is this latter example that I am upset with. You see, in the modern evangelical subculture, the word "Christian" has become an adjective used to describe what is acceptable, especially in terms of musical entertainment. It has become "Christian" music versus "secular" music, and whatever is popular in the secular realm is copied and used as well in the Christian realm.

But is there a "secular" and "Christian" realm?

Music by it's very nature is amoral, it contains nothing in and of itself that is either "good" or "evil." Music is sounds, and there is not one sound in the bible that God forbids as evil, indeed God calls all things in his creation good, because he himself created them, and God cannot create something "evil."

So when the argument of "Christian" versus "secular" stops there, there really isn't an argument at all. It would be ridiculous to argue that Christians can't listen to a certain type of music (be it Heavy Metal, Rock and Roll, or classical, which all, by the way, have been forbidden by the church at one time in history) simply because of the way it sounds. Sound is sound, it certainly effects our emotions and how we feel, but it cannot be evil or good, to argue that certain sounds are evil would be to argue that part of God's perfect creation is evil, and frankly, I wouldn't want to be on the losing side of that argument on judgement day.

Now of course, this is not where the "secular" versus "Christian" argument ends. Most popular music these days is based on the tradtion of lyric poetry. This is where we get the term "lyrics" for the words in a song. Lyric poetry was poetry set to music. This is modern popular music.

Not since I have established that music cannot be "evil" based on how it sounds, could it be argued that music can be evil based on what the words are?

This is where my argument becomes subjective. Words are influential, especially when set to music. Also, the bible makes it clear that as a Christian I am to be "in" the world, but not "of" the world.

Can I be "in" and not "of" the world, and still be entertained by music that is not "Christian?"

Yes.

As I have already established, everything God has created is good. That includes humans, though, as a race, we have fallen. Now, is it possible for a fallen human, who is living sinfully, to create entertainment that is "good," moral, intelligent, and what not?

Of course.

Go back to Genesis 1:

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (NKJV, emphasis added)

We are created in the image of God. We are intelligent, because God made us that way. We can feel love, joy, sorrow, anger, and every other emotion because God made us that way. And we can, everyone can, create beautiful artwork that is entertaining, stimulating and socially concious, regardless about what we believe about God.

Now, clearly, any artwork created by men, and that includes paintings, poetry, a classical symphony and the fastest black metal song, is tainted by our fallen nature.

That's why John Milton could write the beautiful epic Paradise Lost, and the doctrinally heretical treatise On Christian Doctrine.

That's why Leonardo DaVinci could paint a beautiful depiction of the Last Supper, yet not believe the Gospel

That's why the author of the beautiful hymn Amazing Grace could be involved in the slave trade.

That's why modern rock musicians including bands like Anthrax, Pearl Jam and many others can write stirring anthemic songs capable of moving a huge crowd for positive social reform, yet can also extol drunkeness and abortion.

That's why there are so many Christian artists who create amazing ispirational songs of faith and then commit adultery or some other public sin, and ruin it all.

Jesus Christ is not a slogan, a t-shirt, a song or anything like that, he is a man, he is God, he is my saviour. A Christian is someone who follows Christ, not a trend, not part of a subculture.

Knowing that all people are created in the image of God, and knowing that all people can create beautiful artwork, much like their creator created this beautiful world, I will enjoy and appreciate beautiful songs, paintings, poetry and plays, thanking my Lord Jesus for the amazing opportunity. I will also remain aware of the fact that all things are corrupted by our fallen nature, and will therefore exercise this gift with discernment.

I know that this is pretty long. I was inspired by the comments posted by Jerry and Kelly based on my entry a couple days ago. I love both of you a lot.

Hey Kelly, thanks for your interest and posts throughout the past few months, give me a call, we'll get together.

Have fun.

(Note: I listened to "Hide Nothing" by FSF twice through while typing this.

In order to calm the storms

Listening to: Nothing. However, my playlist for the past week has consisted of Anthrax's "Volume 8: The Threat is Real!" and "Return of the Killer A's," as well as Tourniquet's "The Collected Works"

Hi there. Not much to say really today. I have become very good at ignoring my school work, and ignoring God. This is something that I will indeed stop doing. (He says as he writes a blog.)

Read HM Magazine, the current issue features interviews with seven "secular" artists and contains their views on Chrisitanity and religion. The interview with Slipknot was worth the price of admission alone. Hey, how about a So-And-So Says with Anthrax?

Anyway, I have a Con-Ed presentation in like, 30 minutes that I am in no way prepared for. So how about that.

Do you get our...MEANING! Point, dude, watch the beat...

Listening to: Anthrax- Antisocial

I just recently picked up Anthrax's Return of the Killer A's (best of). Yeah, so I guess now I have completely survived the whole "evangelical Christian subculture" as I am buying all my old "secular" (man, I hate that word) albums again. I mean really, as long a my heart is focused on Christ I don't think he gives a crap what I listen to.

Anyway, I totally forgot hw freaking heavy the old school "Among the Living" era songs were. Killer, man. Like, it totally kicks my ass. Oh yeah, "I'm the Man" is the funniest song ever written. "I'm the man, I'm the man! I'm so Bad! I'm so bad I should be in detention! I'm so bad! I AM THE MAN!!!" Ha ha.

Anyway... other than this silliness. I have to get one of my wisdom teeth yanked at 11:00am. Followed by much feeling like crap by anyone remotely involved (that being me...) Oh how I love my mouth being cut open...

So I have realized after two different people misinterpreted my last entry that some of my personal slang doesn't really translate to written word that well. So, for those of you paying attention, "for those of you paying attention" is a sarcastic semi-condescending indication of an upcoming statement of clarification. Do you get it? You don't get it. WHY DON'T YOU GET IT?!?! (Yeah, like, Meaghan will get that one, no one else...)

So I'm looking forward to nothing. And oh, man, nothing is such a good thing right now.

Next week I get to cut Mark Steven's grass, and before you think he's taking advantage of me for labour, let me tell you that the reason is to teach me how to use a steering wheel.

Also, next week is the membership class at Riverside. Rock, Rock on.

Hey Katherine, I AM THE LAW!!!