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In basic theory I'd agree with ya, He suffered and died to save me from suffering in hell for eternity. And I choose to praise Him with Rock and other forms more "taditional" . And yes as others have posted It may seem to others to be a contradiction. But The Lord will be my judge.

I guess this is one of those times I'm glad to be a Pagan. Oner of our "credos" is called The Charge of the Goddess and one part says "And I ask not of sacrifice, for my love is given freely, and poured across the land". Another stanza says "For behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals".

I can dig that. But as you say, to each their own.

On the origional topic
I believe all types of music can praise him. spoken word and poetry too.
I've gotten a group of friends and and we are doing a compilation CD together. Spoken word, Rap, Poetry, Country, Contempoary, Traditional,etc... . Those involved with the project are young, old, black, white, each with our own gifts and methods of praising God. With each artist performing only one song on each CD we are looking at doing 3 CD's one after another to start. It's all refrigerator art, and like a proud parent God love the pictures and songs we bring to Him.

Love : each other and our selves
Acceptance :Of where others are at and ourselves
Forgiveness : not just of others but ourselves too.

Believe don't believe it doesn't matter, God still believes in you and Loves you and you can't change that.
Blair

I think those that don't share our enthusiasm for Jesus and our voice in modern music, whatever genre, fear Him. I love all types of music, bands, etc. I tend to live my life by judging whether I would want my kids to listen to certain artists or see certain films. If I wouldn't want them to, then maybe I shouldn't myself.

I like Paul Rogers of Bad Co, Free, now Queen. Don't know his religious background nor do I concern myself with it. I just know that when I saw him in December sing a few songs with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, it took me back to when I was in 7th grade and heard some Bad Co songs for the first time. I knew then that I just wanted to play guitar and write some really cool tunes.

Now, I right my songs with the Lord in mind. I want them to tell His...story....history! There will be those who will listen and will be touched....there will be those who won't. I'm speaking to the ones who will. The critics will be a dime a dozen. The one who ceases from trying to kill himself, the one ramming heroin into his veins decides he's had enough.....whoever.....that is who I am going after.

I think those that don't share our enthusiasm for Jesus and our voice in modern music, whatever genre, fear Him.

... I am getting tired of this conversation, lol. Okay, I hate Christian rock, I hate the sound, but I do not fear Jesus nor have anything against people who sing in praise of him. First off, it is not my religion, but I still believe he existed. In my beliefs he was a good man, who was God's son, who did all of the right things, but was later killed by an evil leader. Thus, we lost him, just as we lost Gandhi, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, etc... Now I am not saying these men were as pure as Jesus (Except I would say Gandhi had similar wisdom), but I am saying these are all good people who died horribly.

I do not like when Christian's start crap with me like I am going to Hell because I do not pray to their Lord. Keep that crap to yourselves is what I say. You have a right to believe what you want and I have a right to believe what I want, but do not tell it to me because I do not want to hear it. Now no one take offense, I am not trying to sound prejudice against Christian's, I am not. I just do not like when people impose their religion upon me.

So let me be a bit more terse here, I do not fear Jesus, I just do not believe he is the way to God, and I just do not like the sound of Christian music. It is all a matter of personal beliefs and taste.

But once more, I do not mean any harm with my words or offense, I am just simply replying to all that is being said here, and stating why it bothers me.

Peace out to all, GuitarAnatomy.

I think those that don't share our enthusiasm for Jesus and our voice in modern music, whatever genre, fear Him.

That's a real stretch. I don't "fear" Jesus any more than I do the plethora of other sacrificial gods. He is among a legion.

I think some of you "Christian musicians" take this stuff a little far, and in doing so lose sight of your own humanity, and that you may be turning off those who would otherwise listen to your music.

Jesus among other Gods...sounds familiar...

I said other sacrificial Gods, which actually makes them demi-gods...common in more ancient hierarchies and cosmologies.

Now now kids. Don't make me come down there.
GOD

Interesting, to care enough to get angry about this.
The biggest insult you can give anyone is to ignore them. So I guess this will be the last reply on this subject.

If I have upset any of you I apologize. I was finding this whole thing amusing and didn't mean to offend.

We are all Loved and we can't change that.
God Bless, (weather you like it or not)
Blair
PS
If the subject of God offends any of you. I can only sugest that you don't read anything with God in the topic.

Blair,

It's amazing that when God or Jesus get mentioned in a forum, the ones who say they do not believe get the angriest. Yet we as believers do not take offense because they do not believe or if they knock us or God. It amazes me that God and Jesus offend people....though He said that many would get offended. The message is so easy and simple....Love....as you so stated above.....yet Love seems to upset so many people.

As far as you non believers,

I personally don't care that much for Christian Contemporary music myself. So I agree in that relation with others in this forum. I do however absolutely love Hard Rock/Metal; I just choose to put a different message in my lyrics than my predecessors. Maybe that offends you....maybe it doesn't. I'm not here to make friends or enemies. I am here to find a singer with talent, ability, drive, morals, etc. I'm sure , my friends, that doesn't offend you or it shouldn't.

I would probably have a beer with any of you and sit and have a normal conversation. I wouldn't judge you. I wouldn't try to proselytize you. Only you know in your heart whether you need a savior or not. If you did, I would tell you what he has done for me. I would leave it up to you to decide. It's a big decision at that.

I hope this clears things up!

Joe

Blair,

It's amazing that when God or Jesus get mentioned in a forum, the ones who say they do not believe get the angriest. Yet we as believers do not take offense because they do not believe or if they knock us or God. It amazes me that God and Jesus offend people....though He said that many would get offended. The message is so easy and simple....Love....as you so stated above.....yet Love seems to upset so many people.

... I am going to refrain all comments because this could become a war. I hate this topic, that is all I agree with in your statements. The subject sucks because it is controversial. I have nothing further to say, just peace to everyone.

Peace, GuitarAnatomy.

Blair,

It's amazing that when God or Jesus get mentioned in a forum, the ones who say they do not believe get the angriest. Yet we as believers do not take offense because they do not believe or if they knock us or God. It amazes me that God and Jesus offend people....though He said that many would get offended. The message is so easy and simple....Love....as you so stated above.....yet Love seems to upset so many people.

As far as you non believers,

I personally don't care that much for Christian Contemporary music myself. So I agree in that relation with others in this forum. I do however absolutely love Hard Rock/Metal; I just choose to put a different message in my lyrics than my predecessors. Maybe that offends you....maybe it doesn't. I'm not here to make friends or enemies. I am here to find a singer with talent, ability, drive, morals, etc. I'm sure , my friends, that doesn't offend you or it shouldn't.

I would probably have a beer with any of you and sit and have a normal conversation. I wouldn't judge you. I wouldn't try to proselytize you. Only you know in your heart whether you need a savior or not. If you did, I would tell you what he has done for me. I would leave it up to you to decide. It's a big decision at that.

I hope this clears things up!

Joe

Well, not really, because you make some erroneous assumptions. Among them:

One, that the mere mention of God or Jesus angers and frightens people. While there may be a few like that, it certainly isn't the general case. I never had a problem with Jesus, YHWH, or any other God for that matter. I have lots of them. You could call me a real Deity fan, if you like, the more the merrier.

Two, that love is the only part of the Biblical message. Actually, there are many messages there, and some of them pretty nasty in modern terms. I could get into details but that would surely cause a religious war here, that I am not interested in seeing. Also, be aware that many non-Christians do not see condescencion or beligerent evangelism leveled toward them as "love" at all. In fact, a good argument could be made that such behavior is quite the opposite.

Three, assuming that if one doesn't believe in the Christian paradigm, they are "non believers". Seriously, guy, that is an insulting, condescending and smug way to refer to those of other faiths - akin to radical Muslims calling everyone outside of themselves "Infidels". Everyone in the world of faith...and there are BILLIONS of them...seek the same thing in the end - to reconnect with the great Divine, from which they feel they have been separated for one reason or another. Don't insult them with "non-believer". Call them fellow seekers, because that is what they are.

Lastly, I would advise that the path to Love has a few requirements. Two of them are, telling the truth and showing some respect.

***********************************

I could not have said it better myself, Irminsul. Let me actually contradict myself and just say one thing, this crap with the true believers do not get offended, is B.S.. If that was so then tell me why throughout history it is Christian's who did crazy things in the name of their God, like, The Crusades? I think they were pretty ticked off with how the world felt about their views and did not pray to their God.

So yes, I am frustrated with this topic and highly offended by these outlandish, preposterous accusations of being afraid of Jesus and/or God in any manner.

As Irminsul said, it is a highly controversial subject. I know a war is going to brew here, but you know what, I am tired of not saying anything and letting people walk all over me with religious crap. I have put up with it for years damnit, I hate it.

Now as I have said, I completely respect the Christian faith, Catholic faith, Jewish faith, Muslim faith, and every other faith. I just do not like hypocrisy, hate, people who impose their faith upon others, or people who are rude.

Let me tell you something, no matter what God you believe in, all he would want is for you to preach peace. There is no need for anything else other than that, no need to say "You should believe in God or else" or any crap like that. Just be a good person and help others.

I apologize if these statements come off offending, but I must reply. This is too frustrating, and I know, do not tell me, I contradicted myself and stated how I felt anyhow, even though I said I would not. But this stuff makes me mad. I hate religious talk, it just pisses me off.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

I pretty much like ya all !

Peace or pissin' match ... whatever

J

If I have lied or not spoken in love show me where and I will apologize.

Now in a attempt to piss everyone off, Christians, athiests, and all others.

First the legal disclamer:
Do not read the following statement if you are a member of a Saturday night Bowling league, From Alabama and not married to a relitive, or if you drink light beer ( because people who drink light beer obviously have no taste). ( Hoping that line wins me points with celticpiping ). Or if you're under the age of 18.

Sigmund Freud here: Most ( I didn't say all ) so don't give me grief about you, and if you take it personally you should look at why. Perhaps your daddy didn't love you enough. ( I didn't say anything so if your mad your nuts) . Now about the theory of evolution. I only wrote that because I was angry at God for giving me a small penis. I based most of my studies in deep seeded feelings of wanting to sleep with your mother because my mother was the only woman who didn't laugh at me when I was naked. ( that penis thing again).

Another disclamer:
Sigmund Freud didn't actually write the above statement. The above statement was written as a bad attempt at humor. I hope some of you actually found it funny.
I believe what I chose to believe and I don't condem anyone who believes differently. As a matter of fact I don't want other Christians telling me I need to believe how they believe. I believe that God puts in my heart ( through the Holy Spirit ) The truth that he would have me believe. Love is the only important thing. Do not judge me by others or the past.
Don't tell me what you don't believe, tell me what you do believe. Be known by what you're for, not what your against.
Peace and Love,
Blair