how refreshing

I just wanted to thank you all for the experience of this class. My faith has grown stronger because of it, and I have enjoyed hearing everyone's thoughts about some texts that I had grown too familiar with to still see clearly.

I hope you all have very happy holidays!

Hey ya.

Thanks for the information! I work until 3... do you think y'all will still be there? I hope so.

Also, if you're ever dreadfully bored, click my name; I've got my regular blog on here as well as my journals. Tata for now!

A few answers-

The party will be at 2:00 Thursday the 13th at the Marriott's Bronzeback Grille (I think that's the name of the restaurant).

Thanks

I just want to say thanks to everyone. This class was already hard for me cause its literature. And I know your all or most of you are literature majors. But I appreciate you all not laughing at me. Please again forgive me for my presentation. And I'd like Dr. Akinson to know she helped me with my reading. Because before this class I wouldnt read unless it was something I want to read. Which the reading assignments I could find somethings in them that were interesting and thing that made me go research more about certain things. But I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

And also, I'm curious about the party details...

I've been meaning to post this for a while (since I believe this sign was brought up in class one day) and haven't had the chance.

"On my way back from pc today i passed a sign that said "go to church or the devil will get you." you can imagine my initial knee-jerk reaction, but you know, maybe they just got lazy and didn't have enough room to write: "its probably a good idea if you go to church because it provides a medium for introspection so you can examine your life and see if you are living up to your own morals and expectations and determine what changes you need to make to become a better person."but, you see, it takes up less space to write the former, so sometimes you just have to make things simpler. so now if i hear people say things like that or see signs and such i'll just smile and choose to think that they are only looking out for people."

My friend Lance wrote that one day, and I thought it was wonderful. I stopped being a Christian because of God and Jesus and started claiming Christianity for the exact reasons described above several years ago. For all the negative impacts our religous believes have on the world, there are definitely good things to find. Potluck dinners, lock-ins, a community in which one can participate, unconditional love... these are all things I've found through my church family.

Keep Reading and an Update

Keep reading, Jennifer. It becomes more obvious in the subsequent books. Pullman makes no secret that he and his books are about killing god. I just don't see why people care. If this guy can kill god, then we should know that and follow suit.

Also, I am unable to attend our party Thursday. I have to be in South Carolina. Sorry. I'll be wishing I were there!

questions

When?
Where?
What time?
Is our party Thursday.

Sorry

I'm sorry everyone about my presentation. I really knew more about art and the bible its just I'm not good at talking in front of the class when its assigned.I had a stack of papers and had everything high lighted to bring me in to points on what too talk about but my mind just scattered before I started. But here's a little more on the subject that I could seem to present to you all. Sorry!

Art and the Christian
Jerry Solomon & Jimmy Williams
Art in our LivesWhere are you as you read this? You may be sitting in an office, reclining in a lounge chair at home, lounging in your back yard, sitting at a desk in your dorm room, or any other of a number of scenarios. Consider for a moment if art is part of your consciousness. If you are sitting in an office, is art anywhere within your vision? If you are reclining in a lounge chair, does the furniture have an artistic dimension? If you are lounging in your back yard, can the word art be used to describe any facet of what you see? If you are in your dorm room, are you listening to music that is art?
If I had the pleasure of dialoguing with you in regard to these questions, no doubt we would have a very interesting conversation. Some of you may say, "No, art doesn't describe anything I see at the moment." Or, some of you may state, "I haven't thought of this before. You'll have to give me more time for reflection."Others may assert, "I only think of art within museums, concert halls or other such places that enshrine our art." Others may say, "Yes, art is very much a part of my daily life." But since I can't dialog with you in order to know what you are doing at the moment, and I certainly cannot see what you see, let me tell you where I am and what I see as I write these comments. I am sitting in my study at my desk while I am listening to the music of Bach. I see a clock on one of the bookshelves, a hand-painted plate I purchased in the country of Slovenia, a framed poem given to me by my daughter, several chairs, two floor lamps, a mirror with a bamboo frame, two canoe paddles I bought in the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama, a wooden statue I purchased in Ecuador, and a unique, colorful sculpture that was made by my son. As I mention these things, perhaps you are attempting to imagine them. You are trying to "see" or "hear" them and in so doing there are certain of these items you may describe as art. Your first response may be to say that the music of Bach, the hand-painted Slovenian plate, or the Ecuadorian statue can be described as art. But what about the chair in which I am sitting, the desk, the bookshelves, the chairs, or the lamps? Better yet, what about such items that are found where you live? Are they art?
Such questions are indicative of the challenges we face when we begin to consider the place of art in our lives. As an evangelical Christian I can state that art and the aesthetic dimensions of life have not received much attention within my formal training. Only through my own pursuit have I begun to think about art with a Christian world view.And I have found my experience is similar to what many have experienced within the evangelical community. Too often we have tended to label art as inconsequential or even detrimental to the Christian life.
Actually, there is nothing new about this. Our spiritual forefathers debated such issues. They were surrounded by Greek and pagan cultures that challenged them to give serious thought to how they should express their new beliefs. Art surrounded them, but could the truth of Christ be expressed legitimately through art? Could Christians give positive attention to the art of non- Christians? In light of such struggles it is my intention to encourage you to give attention to some of the basic elements of a Christian world view of art and aesthetics in this essay. I believe you will find that our discussion can have significant application in your life.
Art and AestheticsSeveral years ago I was having dinner with a group of young people when our conversation turned to the subject of music. During the discussion I made a comment about how I believe there is a qualitative difference between the music of Bach and that of a musician who was popular among Christians at the time of our discussion. When one of the group at our table heard this, he immediately responded in anger and accused me of flagrant prejudice and a judgmental spirit. Even though I attempted to elaborate my point, the young man had determined that I was an elitist and would not listen any longer.
This incident serves as a reminder that one of the most prevalent ways of approaching art is to simply say that "beauty is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder." The incident also serves to show that concepts of "good" and "bad," or "beautiful" and "ugly," or other adjectives, are part of our vocabulary when we talk of art. This is true whether we believe such terms apply only to individuals or everyone. The vocabulary pertains to a field of philosophy called aesthetics.
All of us deal with aesthetics at various times in our lives, and many of us incorporate aesthetic statements in daily conversations. For example, we may say, "That was a great movie." Or, "That was a terrible movie." When we make such statements we normally don't think seriously about how such terms actually apply to what we have seen. We are stating our opinions, but those opinions are usually the result of an immediate emotional response. The challenge comes when we attempt to relate qualitative statements about the movie as part of a quest to find universal guidelines that can be applied to all art. When we accept this challenge we begin to explain why some artists and their art is great, some merely good, and others not worthwhile.
Aesthetics and NaturePerhaps one of the clearest ways to begin to understand the aesthetic dimension of our lives is to consider how we respond to nature. Have you ever heard anyone say, "That's an ugly sunset." Probably not, but surely you have heard the word beautiful applied to sunsets. And when you hear the phrase "beautiful sunset" you probably don't hear an argument to the contrary. Usually there is a consensus among those who see the sunset: it is beautiful. From a Christian perspective those who are there are offering a judgment concerning both the "artist" and the "art." Both the "cause" and "effect" have been praised aesthetically. Torrential waterfalls, majestic mountains, as well as sunsets routinely evoke human aesthetic response. The Christian knows that the very fabric of the universe expresses God's presence with majestic beauty and grandeur. Psalm 19:1 states, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows forth his handiwork." Nature has been called the "aesthetics of the infinite." Through telescope or microscope, one can devote a lifetime to the study of some part of the universe--the skin, the eye, the sea, the flora and fauna, the stars, the climate. All of nature can be appreciated for its aesthetic qualities which find their source in God, their Creator. In fact, we can assert that "the major premise of a Christian world view, including a Christian aesthetic, is that God is the Creator."(1)
Human Creativity"You have a wonderful imagination! Are you an artist?" Has anyone said such things to you? If so, perhaps you responded by saying something that would reject the person's perception of you. Most of us don't see ourselves as imaginative, artistic people. Indeed, most of us tend to think of the artist and imagination as terms that apply only to certain elite individuals who have left a legacy of work. "The truth is that in discussing the arts we are discussing something universal to mankind."(2) For example, anthropologists tell us all primitive peoples thought art was important.(3) Why is this true?
From the perspective of a Christian world view the answer is found in how we are created. Since we are made in God's image that must include the glorious concept that we too are creative. After creating man, God told him to subdue the earth and rule over it. Adam was to cultivate and keep the garden (Gen. 2:15) which was described by God as "very good" (Gen. 1:31). The implication of this is very important. God, the Creator, a lover of the beauty in His created world, invited Adam, one of His creatures, to share in the process of "creation" with Him. He has permitted humans to take the elements of His cosmos and create new arrangements with them. Perhaps this explains the reason why creating anything is so fulfilling to us. We can express a drive within us which allows us to do something all humans uniquely share with their Creator.
God has thus placed before the human race a banquet table rich with aesthetic delicacies. He has supplied the basic ingredients, inviting those made in His image to exercise their creative capacities to the fullest extent possible. We are privileged as no other creature to make and enjoy art.
There is a dark side to this, however, because sin entered and affected all of human life. A bent and twisted nature has emerged, tainting every field of human endeavor or expression and consistently marring the results. The unfortunate truth is that divinely-endowed creativity will always be accompanied in earthly life by the reality and presence of sin expressed through a fallen race. Man is Jekyll and Hyde: noble image-bearer and morally- crippled animal. His works of art are therefore bittersweet.
Understanding this dichotomy allows Christians to genuinely appreciate something of the contribution of every artist, composer, or author. God is sovereign and dispenses artistic talents upon whom He will. While Scripture keeps us from emulating certain lifestyles of artists or condoning some of their ideological perspectives, we can nevertheless admire and appreciate their talent, which ultimately finds its source in God.
The fact is that if God can speak through a burning bush or Balaam's donkey, He can speak through a hedonistic artist! The question can never be how worthy is the vessel, but rather has truth been expressed? God's truth is still sounding forth today from the Bible, from nature, and even from fallen humanity.
Because of the Fall, absolute beauty in the world is gone. But participation in the aesthetic dimension reminds us of the beauty that once was, and anticipates its future luster. With such beauty present today that can take one's breath away, even in this unredeemed world, one can but speculate about what lies ahead for those who love Him!
Art and the BibleWhat does the Bible have to say about the arts? Happily, the Bible does not call upon Christians to look down upon the arts. In fact, the arts are imperative when considered from the biblical mandate that whatever we do should be done to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). We are to offer Him the best that we have-- intellectually, artistically, and spiritually. Further, at the very center of Christianity stands the Incarnation ("the Word made flesh"), an event which identified God with the physical world and gave dignity to it. A real Man died on a real cross and was laid in a real, rock-hard tomb. The Greek ideas of "other- worldly-ness" that fostered a tainted and debased view of nature (and hence aesthetics) find no place in biblical Christianity. The dichotomy between sacred and secular is thus an alien one to biblical faith. Paul's statement, "Unto the pure, all things are pure" (Titus 1:15) includes the arts. While we may recognize that human creativity, like all other gifts bestowed upon us by God, may be misused, there is nothing inherently or more sinful about the arts than other areas of human activity.
The Old TestamentThe Old Testament is rich with examples which confirm the artistic dimension. Exodus 25 shows that God commanded beautiful architecture, along with other forms of art (metalwork, clothing design, tapestry, etc.) in the building of the tabernacle and eventually the temple. Here we find something unique in history art works conceived and designed by the infinite God, then transmitted to and executed by His human apprentices!
Poetry is another evidence of God's love for beauty. A large portion of the Old Testament, including Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, portions of the prophets, and Job contain poetry. Since God inspired the very words of Scripture, it logically follows that He inspired the poetical form in such passages.
Music and dance are often found in the Bible. In Exodus 15 the children of Israel celebrated God's Red Sea victory over the Egyptians with singing, dancing, and the playing of instruments. In 1 Chronicles 23:5 we find musicians in the temple, their instruments specifically made by King David for praising God. And we should remember that the lyrical poetry of the Psalms was first intended to be sung.
The New TestamentThe New Testament also includes artistic insights. The most obvious is the example of Jesus Himself. First of all, He was by trade a carpenter, a skilled craftsman (Mark 6:3). Secondly, His teachings are full of examples which reveal His sensitivity to the beauty all around: the fox, the bird nest, the lily, the sparrow and dove, the glowering skies, a vine, a mustard seed. Jesus was also a master story-teller. He readily made use of His own cultural setting to impart His message, and sometimes quite dramatically. Many of the parables were fictional stories, but they were nevertheless used to teach spiritual truths via the imagination.
We should also remember that the entire Bible is not only revelation, it is itself a work of art. And this work of art "has been the single greatest influence on art. It sheds more light upon the creative process and the use of the arts than any other source, because in it are found the great truths about man as well as God that are the wellsprings of art."(4)
Evaluating ArtCan the Bible help us evaluate art? Consider the concepts found in Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and ifanything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Let's concentrate for a few moments on this verse in order to see if it might at least provide the beginning of a framework for the evaluation and enjoyment of art.
Paul begins with truth. When considering art the Christian is compelled to ask, "Is this really true?" Does life genuinely operate in this fashion in light of God's revelation? And Christians must remember that truth includes the negatives as well as the positives of reality.
The second word refers to the concept of honor or dignity. This can refer to what we related earlier in this essay about the nature of man: we have dignity even though we are sinful. This gives a basis, for example, to reject the statements in the work of the artist Francis Bacon. Bacon painted half-truths. He presented deterioration and hopeless despair, but he didn't present man's honor and dignity.
The third key to aesthetic comprehension has to do with the moral dimension--what is right. Not all art makes a moral statement, but when it does Christians must deal with it, not ignore it. For example, Picasso's painting, Guernica, is a powerful moral statement protesting the bombing by the Germans of a town by that name just prior to World War II. Protesting injustice is a cry for justice.
Purity is the fourth concept. It also touches on the moral-- by contrasting that which is innocent, chaste, and pure from that which is sordid, impure, and worldly. For instance, one need not be a professional drama critic to identify and appreciate the fresh, innocent love of Romeo and Juliet, nor to distinguish it from the erotic escapades of a Tom Jones.
While the first four concepts have dealt with facets of artistic statements, the fifth focuses on sheer beauty: "Whatever is lovely." If there is little to evaluate morally and rationally, we are still free to appreciate what is beautiful in art.
The sixth concept, that of good repute, gives us impetus to evaluate the life and character of the artist. The less than exemplary lifestyle of an artist may somewhat tarnish his artistic contribution, but it doesn't necessarily obliterate it. The greatest art is true, skillfully expressed, imaginative, and unencumbered by the personal and emotional problems of its originators.
Excellence is yet another concept. It is a comparative term; it assumes that something else is not excellent. The focus is on quality, which is worth much discussion. But one sure sign of it is craftsmanship: technical mastery. Another sign is durability. Great art lasts.
The last concept is praise. Here we are concerned with the impact or the effect of the art. Great art can have power and is therefore a forceful tool of communication. Herein lies the "two- edged swordness" of art. It can encourage a culture to lofty heights, and it can help bring a culture to ruin. Paul undergirds this meaty verse by stating that we should let our minds"dwell on these things," a reminder that Christianity thrives on intelligence, not ignorance even in the artistic realm.
Thus it is my hope that we will pursue the artistic dimensions of our lives with intelligence and imagination. The world needs to see and hear from Christians committed to art for the glory of God.

Reminder!

Everyone interested in playing "Dirty Jesus" remember to bring a religous-ish gift for the Christmas party on Thursday!

The Golden Compass

I just finished the first book in the series. I did not read anything anti-God in it. The main religious sect that was portrayed in the book is supposed to be a Christian religion, I would assume Catholicism (not sure), does seem to be, at least a branch of it, pretty harsh. The idea the book is going with is that the humans of the fantasy world he has made up, have a Daemon that acts, from what I tell, almost like a spirit guide and represents the persons soul or part of it. There is also this thing called Dust that settles on a person when they hit puberty, and is referred to as "original sin". This religious sect has set out to cut the Daemon from children before they hit puberty. When they cut the daemon away most children die, some become zombie like creatures, and very very few live but are unemotional, almost robotic. The main character is a little girl who has control of a compass that tells the future, and she has set out on this journey to stop these people from killing children.

This piece is a pure work of fiction with its; daemons, armored bears, dust, cities that can be seen in the northern lights, and many other fantasy type things. Fiction is not reality. Any child that is brought up right will know that. If you want your child to be atheist raise them that way if the are strong in their beliefs a children's story is not going to change their mind and vise verse, if you want your child believing in God a simple story will not change their mind. Things are going to into your life that are going to challenge your beliefs no matter what they are, this is a good thing because it will make you a stronger person. It will make you study harder, ask more questions, and be knowledgeable about the world around them. I think this is what scares so many people. They do not want to question things and they do not want their children to question things. That is a sad way to look at life. This book did not change my belief and I really do not think it will change my five year old nephews belief, if I set down and read it to him. He is only going to care about the really cool armored bears.

Like I said I have just read the first book, therefore I cannot commit on the rest, but in my opinion the first book is cute. It is not as wonderful in my opinion as the Harry Potter books, or some of the Chronicles of Narnia (there were one or two that were kind of boring but I am an adult). I personally would go up against any religious or non religious sect that was doing harm to a child so if this child has to bring down this particular sect to stop it than so be it.

Another thing, Douglas Adams is, as far as I can tell by reading the Hitchhikers series, an atheist but no one made a fuss when that movie came out. I think they even have to read the first book in that series in school. I probably should not have said that. Some one reading this right now is having a fit. I love Adams' series. I highly recommend them.

The Golden Compass

Hm. I'm really tired of this, and not taking sides, but the anchor here seems to be a little bit one sided on the issue...

Evolution of Satan PowerPoint Presentation

Hey guys, here is that ppt presentation from last week, and the sources




Jewish Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia Mythica
Papyrus of Ani
Egyptian Mythology
Catholic Encyclopedia

More for Robert

Exactly, Robert! Good stuff.

Some things the Bible says cannot be explained away. It really says some of the things that modern readers find difficulty reading. The challenge is not to not question, but whether or not it is useful to you. Most people don't realize that they have been doing that with the Bible all of their lives.

How many people do you meet that spend all kinds of time in Joel or Obadiah? How many people just love the messages of Titus and Jude? While some people may say that the entire Bible is applicable and complete, they spend most of their lives compiling texts that are far more useful to them--like The Purpose-Driven Life and The Ragamuffin Gospel. Without saying it specifically, most people are creating personal canons that don't include many books of the canonical Bible.

What's more is that their canons are wide open and growing or shrinking with new concepts and texts. When a new book, like Celebration of Discipline, helps a person understand how to better live a Christian's life, their canon grows. Suddenly that person is looking to Richard Foster and committing his words and principles to memory and application instead of one of Paul's books. That is the very reason, I hope, that your pastor has wisely instructed you to open the door to your mind and allow the flow of ideas. You are creating your canon and you may not have even realized it.

That is the very way I view the non-canonical works. The Gospel of Judas is a flow of ancient ideas, as is Judith, Bel and the Dragon, City of God, and who knows how many other texts. The canonical gospels even reflect this idea. The Jews got Matthew, the gentiles got Mark and Luke, and the Gnostics got John. If one story would have sufficed for all people then we would only have one Gospel, but the story needed different tellings and applications.

I'm proud to know that your mind has opened. It's going to be a rough journey, and the rough part hasn't even started. In fact, it's going to last a long, long time, but the end result is not only confidence in yourself, but in what you're reading. The details may not make sense, but that's because they may not have been meant for you. Eventually, you should write your own. It won't apply to everyone, but you will have made your contribution to the canon and someone else will learn to do the same things you did--or they won't; it depends on what they need.

Again, that's the beauty. It's not that our art is the greatest in the museum, it's that our art is in the museum!

~ Dec 03's Class ~

Todays class was amazing. It is wonderful when each one of us researches and shares an idea with the class. I want to congratulate Kelly and Eliot for their presentations today. Life is art seen through creative temperament. Literature is what we experience daily from morning papers to bed-time stories!! Abortion, Homosexuality, use of alcohol... were brilliant topics.

I'm so happy I took this class !

I agree

I do agree and that is why when I spoke to my pastor he told me not to quite the class but take it as a learning experience. I have alot to learn and thats why I stay reading and asking questions about the word. Its stuff this semester that I learned and did not know because I over looked it. And thats why I bring my bible to class to see the difference in my bible and the book for our class. And I learned that the bible in a way is like a paper that everyone have wrote and rewritten and you cant read them all. Because the mistake of one word could change a verse. I'm the type person that sits back and listens and if it doesnt sound right or if that person doesnt seem right I just stop contact. But talking to my pastor he told me that I have to listen to both parts the good and the bad of situation.Because people rephrase thing all the time like in Elliots presentation when he talks about the preacher that gave those (lets just say different statements)that he believes. But I have learn there are some thing in the bible we shouldnt question but just believe and take them just as they are. But that is why I'm still learning and will for ever keep learning.

That was wonderfully put Joey. I wish more people understood that concept. :)

Beauty

I think it would surprise you, Robert, if you and I got a chance to sit down and discuss beliefs. We would probably match up on several things.

Since you're an art major, allow me to explain what I mean: God is a lot like an priceless work of art; like a Waterhouse or a Brueghel. It is what it is and what it is is unchangeable. However, whenever new eyes find the canvas it becomes something else and that changes with every pair of eyes. The art is still art, but the application and purpose of the art changes because each person who sees it needs it to do something else for them. Some people see The Birth of Venus and find it erotic, some see love, some see comfort, some see a mother, some see pornography, some are untouched. The real beauty of the art is nothing inherent at all--well, maybe a little--; instead the beauty is that every emotion evoked and every thought created is real, true, and applicable. What I love is real and what you love is real. What I hate is real and what you hate is real.

That is the beauty of God. The Bible serves only as a window through which we may view the way the Jews, the Greeks, the peasants, the farmers, etc. viewed God. It helps us learn. Even the things that are factual errors show the things that were important about God to that author. With that in mind, every religious book, blog, paper, thought, tradition, article, translation, etc. becomes a new chapter in the Bible. It all serves as our ability to view the things about God that are important to another believer and/or non-believer.

The beauty is that if someone is looking for an immuteable, concrete truth then they've found that very thing in their own belief system. It may not look exactly like another person's, but for you it is concrete, valid, and perfect. With time it may change for you, for me, for anyone, but at any given time you are experiencing your truth.

That's beautiful.