The conversation continues...

Well, I started responding to SW's further comments a couple of times today and ended up scrapping it all. Responding to each individual point like I did yesturday now seems like kind of a waste of time and energy.

SW, I'd like to give you kind of an over-arching explanation of myself, but every time I thought I had a handle on what you're getting at or what you're trying to accomplish, I read something else that seems to contradict what I thought was going on.

I'm sorry, but I still don't understand. What are you trying to tell me? What are you wanting me to explain or change? Are you trying to encourage or discourage or exhort me as an artist or person? Are you under the impression that I'm "wearing a mask" as an artist in my songs or as a person in my blog? Are you trying to tell me to stop trying to be a "secular" artist or stop pretending to be a "christian" artist? When you say "Put up or shut up" are you saying give up church altogether or just stop bitching about it? But then you say if being negative is who I am, then I should just let my blogs be negative.

If anything, I take the most offense at the allusion that I've been less than authentic about who I am or what I think. (wearing a mask) Just because I don't spend my time on this blog spouting my opinions and criticisms of everything I see, doesn't mean that I'm not being authentic. The truth is, I love my dog, Petey very much. Non-dog people don't get how much he's a part of our family. If I had a kid, don't you think I'd talk about him/her? I love Chipotle restaurant. I love the cancelled TV series Freaks and Geeks. I love Aimee Mann and Sam Phillips and Patty Griffin and U2 and the Lord of the Rings and the movies Magnolia and Fargo.


Some more truths about what I think:
I think most of the Christian Music Entertainment Industry is a huge pile of worthless crap. It does very little but make those who buy into it think that they're doing something "great for God" by being a part of it. Anybody outside of that Christian sub-culture probably don't realize it even exists, let alone feels any effect on their life. This is just one big reason why I want to distance myself from the label "christian artist".

Did I always feel that way? No. When I was in Jr. High and High School, I wanted to be the next Michael W. Smith. The thing is that I'm not the same person I was more than a decade ago. I'm not even the same person or artist that I was 7 or 5 or 2 years ago. If I was the same artist, I hope somebody would have told me to give it up already. Because if I'm not evolving as a person and an artist, how could I think I had anything relevent to say anyway?

I don't think "christian" is an appropriate descriptor of a style of music or a movie or a book or an insurance company. It's only an appropriate adjective when talking about a person or body of people. That's the only way it was used in the Bible. If it's used as an adjective for anything else, it's a marketing tool.

I'm a songwriter/artist that happens to be a christian. Some of the songs that I write or have written deal with subject matter that would usually be described as "christian". I have shared my songs inside and outside of church. I've sold my CDs to Christians and non-Christians. I'll welcome fans who believe the same things I do and others that don't.

Does that mean that I believe or think all the same things and the same ways that others who call themselves "Christians" believe or think? I definately think not. In the same way that I'd like to be respectful of those who don't call themselves Christians, I want to be respectful of other Christians who may not think the same things I do.

Man, I was going to try to keep this blog shorter.

One more thing. SW said this:
"Those who really wouldn't know you but from your website, you say some pretty harsh things about "church" but you don't explain yourself. Having a "Mom" ask what does he mean? All I could say is you must read it all, meet him, and listen to his music to answer that."

It took me awhile to understand what this statement was saying, but if I understand it correctly, I'd like you, SW, to take your own advice. Read it all. Meet me. (Talk to me.) and listen to my songs if you want to know who I am and what I think. If you still want to know what I think and can't figure it out, ask. I'll tell you and I won't be wearing a mask. Of course, I have been openly myself throughout this whole discourse....

comments are always welcome! :)