From: danielg@med.unc.edu (Daniel G. Sinclair)
Subject: Re: Returning to secular music
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 00:35:31 GMT

In article <nestabro.724365983@nova> nestabro@nova.gmi.edu (Noel Estabrook) writes:
>ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman) writes:
>
>I think you bing up a good point.  If a brother has a drink in his 
>house, no problem (I do myself), or go to a concert, etc.  However, I 
>have found that many people who do such things often make sure everybody
>knows about it.  Keep in mind, it s often more than the action that 
>causes stumbling - flaunting freedom another brother may not feel he
>has is every bit as bad.  I'll give an example:  I have on occasion (when
>reading this group, in fact) been tempted to go back to some secular 
>artists.  Now, this would be sin for me because it's against my conscience.
>I would submit that those who always talk about how free they are to do
>this are in fact running the risk of causing me (and possibly others) to
>stumble.  That is wrong.
>
But you see, where do you draw the line?  Shall we *not* talk about it
because you are here?  Shoot, I would have to start secret groups in
church for us 'stronger' Christians to be real so that we don't offend
anyone.  Blah!  There has to be some better guideline here.  

There is one idea that I would like to explore with regards to this.  Why
are we afraid to be who we are?  Why are we so sure that if we listen to
secular music that we may begin an inexorable slide into the world and
never come back?  Is that reality, or is it based on a lie?  Sometimes
that is wisdom, but many times, fear is preached in the name of wisdom.  I
know this because I am a victim of this kind of teaching.  It says 'Don't
engage in anything outside of Christian culture (like secular music)
because it is dangerous and is the road to backsliding.'  The error here
is that we place too much emphasis on the believer keeping himself and not
enough on God's ability within us to convict, strengthen, and protects us.
So, we end up living fearful unnatural lives, when we could be living free
and transformed.  I had a great article on this, have to get it back.
Anyway, my main point is that I think that many Christians are afraid to
truly be themselves and free because they have a foundation of fear
instead of faith in the indwelling presence of God.  In other words, their
conscience is mistrained by a twisted, overapplied truth (no balance).

I guess that's what I'm looking for here, the balance to this 'don't
offend' truth.  Truth out of balance is destructive.
>
>True, but keep in mind, a leader of a church has a "reputation" in the 
>sense that many know of most aspects of his life.  He must be extra
>diligent to not give offense.
>
In one sense, yes, leadership should present a clear model to the new
believer, and should be morally blameless.  In another, reputation, esp.
among the Pharisees, and perhaps even among non-Christians, is not so
important.  Jesus seemed to go to extra lengths to thin out crowds.
Jesus sure wouldn't be welcome in a lot of respectable
churches.  'Sure, you can lead a cell group Jesus, but I don't think it's
the best idea to always be paling around with those prostitutes and
roughneck fishermen, know what we mean?  We can't give people the wrong
impression.'

danielg
-- 
**************************************************************************
* " When our humanity is in danger, the artistic spirit suddenly lives." *
*     -Leland Ryken from _The Liberated Imagination_                     *
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