“Do not conform to the world” {rough prelude to: Classical Christian Series}
It would seem quite an irony indeed, that those who purportedly espouse the doctrine of ‘non-conformity’, in essence, are the ones who you find conforming the most.
Who am I speaking of. None other than The ‘classical Christian’. {though this goes for any religion or dogma}
I remember when I was young, {well younger, Im not quite that old)…it was the time of heavy-metal and rock-n-roll.
Back then, groups like Stryper were beginning to enter the Christian music scene, introducing the hard ’sound of the world’ to the Christian youth, which was quite controversial in the religious milieu of the time.
The message seemed to be, as one Christian lyric put it: “Winning…Winning back the rock.”
As if the rock had ever been their creation to begin with. Please do not misunderstand where I am coming from. This is NOT a re-ignition of the debate of whether Satan and his minions were popping out of the guitar strings as rock notes were played. There is something to be said about music, {and sound in general} and its affects upon humans. But suffice it to say, this fear mongering, tribal attitude is not what this is about.
What is this about then?
Well, think about it for awhile.
Your a young teenager, perhaps one of the most difficult periods of life for most people. The social pressures are high, you are trying to discover who you are and create your identity and place in this world.
But all you have to go by is your friends, who seem confident about their direction on the outside, but in reality, lack life experience, and hadnt a clue either. They simply are floating along and taking in what the message of their environment feeds them. {First at home and then school, and of course…the media.}
So, as a young Christian teenager {and to flip your lid, after you read this and contemplate what is being said, go back and pretend you are a Muslim teenager in Iran. You will begin to see a puzzle coming together and realize how much we truly are what we were taught. And on both sides, as dogmatic as the other, as this is what was instilled into you. But back to the post.}…everyone around you is listening to heavy-metal (to use as allegory for this post), and you want to fit in.
Your picked on, or laughed at for your oddity. Listening to gospel music that your grand pappy listened to, or even the modern ‘contemporary’ music of your mom & dad. Of course you have no say in this, as they are your parents, and they want to save your soul from Satan, who seems to be hiding around every corner to get your soul.
Why are you picked on? Well, I already hit on that. The social pressure comes from the fact that you are odd, you dont fit into the limited view and experience that the other kids have had. For some reason, it is human nature to make outcast that which we dont understand. In saying it that way, its amazing we ever evolved to where we are. (for some, my use of the ‘e’ word will send shivers of fear and caution up and down their spine.)
I do realize that not all ‘Christians’ are like this. Im talking about those committed ‘classical Christians’ that I described in an earlier post. Basically, those most dedicated to the cause. (Ironically, they are the ones of which it is said, “they have zeal, but its not based on knowledge.”
Moving on, there is a solution, and also a market here. “Christian heavy metal.”
Now you can only look half as freakish as the new market tries to shake out and get talent in there that rivals ‘the world.’ Eventually, it becomes mainstay, and accepted, and then the Christian bands reach out to a new audience and drop the “Christianize” talk and begin to make money from the rest of the world in order to save their souls. (Again, dont get me wrong, words are limited, and so is the amount of time Im willing to put in this particular post - so now we will move along.)
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Point:
The point is basically this. Classical Christians have been playing catch up…well, forever.
This has been seen clearly as early as when the answer to Heavy Metal was…Christian heavy metal.
Instead of trying to map out new territory, that the ‘world’ would want to follow…the classical Christian ends up following the world. Always 2 steps behind, as the effort is coming from the ego. {a kosher word for the classical Christian is Pauls term: “the false self”.}
Another irony is, that each time the classical Christian responds to the world, it is always with: “we brought this here first and we are ‘winning it back’”.
Kind of reminds me of Orwells double speak, or in this sense a lack of speaking or recognizing the truth.
The heart is creative, yet the ‘ego’ comes and hijacks it and the result is a carbon copy of what the world (truth) already produced. {That last sentence may not go over well. I mean world = truth. Well, its not what you think, and its meant to make you ponder out of your box a minute.}
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The child game, now the adult game:
So the child who tried to be like the world, but not of it, now grows up and becomes the adult who does the same thing. They now want to influence politics. After all, the world has a government system and laws, etc. - we must get involved and ‘get ourselves a king’.
I wonder if these guys cracked open a Bible, or if those leading this craziness are the sorcerer’s of the Bible, who manipulated people and of whom were to be stoned. (and not with ‘pot’) 
It doesnt take a Bible scholar to see the whole mess Jesus got into because he did not go along with Judas and the Zealots idea of bringing a kingdom on earth. In fact he was killed for it.
But, alas, today, Jesus must want a kingdom on earth, or at least it would appear that way. The classical Christian wants to change the world by influencing politics.
Funny bit here is this. Why didnt Jesus take this route?
It would bode better than being beaten bloody and hanging from a pole.
I know, Jesus had to die for the sins of man-kind. So if Jesus had to die for sins, who do we think we are to change ‘mans sinful’ nature by influencing politics. Starting to sound like one could buy his/her salvation.
No worries, they are paving the way for Jesus to come back and have his kingdom on earth. After all, he really screwed up the first time, seems to be the thought, and he’s coming back to set up a government and to make his followers his fellow politicians and judges. (Judge not or you will be judged. Wait, lets just rip that up and throw it away. The Bible doesnt conform to the world’s standard and gets in the way. Oh, and we know that it really meant to do the opposite: “Please judge, as you are clean and pure…please oh please cast the first stone.”
It is an irony indeed. (”you keep using that word…I do not think it means what you think it does.” - Indigo Montoya princess bride.) lol
Conclusion:
So we learn this lesson. Those who were pushed down, end up growing up to be the ones who do the ‘pushing down’. Jesus put a ear back on a solider who Peter decided didnt need one anymore…but we have a lot of Peters today, and they keep ‘cutting the ears off’ of those who oppose their way of thought. (actually worse, but lets not go there for now.)
All that can be said is that the fruit that is being born is not the fruit of the ’spirit’, but more like the fruit of the false self…the ego. That which wants to be important, loved and accepted. (all of which if freely available and there for all…now.)
This is a very rough prelude to a series called: “Classical Christian}.
Peace
dAlen
