Friday, September 4, 2009

Debunking the Sacred and Secular Divide

I've been thinking about this a lot recently I refuse to put my faith in a box and divide my life between the sacred and the secular... let me explain.
Those who know me know I'm a bit of a movie nerd. I love movies and the art that is cinema. When I was in college I started noticing something the movies I watched and loved often times at themes that tied into faith, or spoke to my spiritual side. Over the eight years sense that realization I've discovered that I am not the only one who recognized this, I have sat with countless groups, watching countless movies that have spurred countless theological discussions. If I were to discount these movies or themes simply because they were "secular" I would have missed many great insights about my faith and my spirituality.
I believe that God can and does speak through art, through movies, through music. I reject that that art must specifically speak about God to have something to say about faith. I heard a speaker say "we need less Christian music, and more Christians making music." I agree this this statement totally. I'm tired of having my faith sold back to me in the form of "christian" music, movies and art. Not that there is not some good "Christian" music, movies and art out there but I think the majority of it is spiritual junk food. It may be sweet but your in trouble if you are trying to live on it.
I don't want to have to leave God at the door when I leave the church and I don't want to have to leave behind the insights I've gotten from watching the latest episode of House as I walk in the church door. Our faith should effect our journey and I would hope that we would bring that viewpoint to the things we are watching and listening to.
After all am I worshiping God any less if I'm doing it while singing "Big Yellow Taxi" and not "How Great Thou Art"? I don't think so. So I pray that God effects every part of my journey and that it does not become divided between the sacred and secular. Instead let me see God where ever God may be.

No comments:

Post a Comment