What I Hate About These Two Sites

www.pluggedinonline.com
www.christiananswers.net

Here are two sites right here that really aggravate me. I'm sure there are plenty more like them, but these are the two I'm familiar with.

These two sites review music, video games and movies and tell us whether they are "morally acceptable." These are my questions: How impressionable am I really? What makes the people who review these things incapable of being hurt by the media they are taking in? Are these "Super Christians" not capable of being morally injured by viewing the media they're reviewing? And if not, why don't we all just reach this level of Christianity so that we are all incapable of being demolished by this media?

This is my view on media: If you are responsible enough and mature enough to realize what is real and what is not, then I find you responsible enough to view said media. People who go out and watch "Public Enemies" are not gonna say, "Hey, if Johnny Depp can rob a bank, why can't I?" Get real.

Do I think people are influenced by media? Absolutely. I know I am. But how deeply you are influenced by media is up to you. Do I listen to strictly Christian music? Nope. I listen to music that has thought provoking lyrics, and music that makes you think. And believe it or not, you can get a lot out of lyrics that don't always fit the "Christian Music" box.

-matthew

4:40 pm
Where I Want To Be
The Dangerous Summer
Album - Reach For The Sun

[Deleted]

[deleted]

Changing Majors

So as of yesterday, I am no longer a music major. I decided about a week ago now that I was going to change it, and people have been asking me why. Most of those people I told, "Give me a few days, and I'll write a blog about it." Well, it took me a few days, but here it is.

I have a few reasons why I have decided not to be a CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) major anymore. In no particular order.

1) Guitar lessons. Good grief, these sucks. Sure, these seem logical to be taking if you are going to be a performance major, but I was a Recording/Production major. I think it's great to have the option to take lessons, but I certainly do not think they should be required if you do not plan on being a performance major.

2) Piano class. Again, this seems logical for some parts of the CCM major, but 4 semesters of piano if you are going to be a Recording/Production major is frivolous.

3) CCM. Yes, I said it. I have been doing some thinking recently, and I have come to the realization that CCM is something that I don't want to have labeled on my college degree. I feel that the Christian entertainment industry is approaching its audience from the wrong angle. To me, it seems that they are promoting their products as such: "Why listen to secular garbage when you can be a good Christian and listen to this good God music?" The same goes with the new movies they are making. And to be honest, I feel they are making a mockery of themselves. I recently read an interview on Jesus Freak Hideout, most definitely a Christian music website. They interviewed the lead singer from The Classic Crime, and I love how Matt counters the interviewers loaded questions. Here's just a small excerpt of the interview. To read it all, click here.

JFH (John): Does it ever hit you like when you're playing in a bar, and you see the certain people in the audience and you just kind of think about stuff like that?
Matt: Yeah! I mean, we prefer to play places where there is the higher opportunity of people who are hurting or people who are sad or depressed or who have gone through abusive situations because we feel like those people really need music to lift their spirits and take them through certain periods in their life as therapy.

JFH (John): Yeah, you'll find that almost anywhere.
Matt: You will find that anywhere.

JFH (John): Like, you could be playing in a church, and just because they feel like they can't show it, doesn't mean they aren't going through it.
Matt: Right. No definitely, they're everywhere and that's the good thing about us where we cross over different genres and we're trying to reach everybody, you know? Not just trying to be exclusive to one group of people. And it's not just that, we have pop songs for people who just want to sing along and are happy you know?

JFH (John): It's kind of a loaded question, but do you think there is a need and a purpose for Christian music?
Matt: You know, I have yet to define what Christian music is. I know what worship and praise music is, music directed towards God, but I don't know if you can mix a belief or a system of beliefs with your music, because I mean, obviously if you're a Christian or a Muslim or a Jew and you're very serious about your faith, it's going to come out in your music. But I don't think there's Jewish rock or Muslim rock or, you know?

JFH (John): …but I also realize as I'm getting older, that it's kind of a bit taboo to try calling a band a "Christian band" in this day in age and especially now with the state of the industry where it's pretty much that worship music seems to make up the most of what people consider "Christian music" and then most of the rock bands and such just don't want anything to do with the whole Christian music industry...
Matt: Well and it has nothing to do with the Christian bands they grew up with, it has nothing to do with the Christian bands that they like, cause everybody likes a few that call themselves "Christian." It has to do with the fact that the industry, for a lot of people, rubs people the wrong way. The money that's involved, or the money that's spent on safe music, and the parents are just trying to get something for their kids that's safe, and that's understandable. But at 19 dollars a CD, with all the profit going to these people and not the artist, not the consumer, there is profit on the mind with an exclusive industry like that. And so as much good as it is for the kids to have safety and something that's going to inspire them, something that's going to make them feel like they belong to something...

But that's enough of my rant on CCM, and the Christian entertainment industry as a whole. Please do yourself a favor and read the whole interview. Matt puts it so well in some of the other questions that I did not post here.

4) God. I have been thinking about this decision for quite a while, most of this semester really. I prayed long and hard about this decision, and I feel that this is where I need to be.

To conclude, I have decided to become a Digital Media: Audio Recording major. It's a similar program, with some of the classes being the same, but it's more of the technical side of things instead of the music side of things.

Now whether or not you agree with what I had to say, I still appreciate feedback and most definitely appreciate your prayers. College has been a trying time for me, and especially for my parents in the financial department. Thank you again.

-matthew
9:53 am

Look After You
The Fray
Album - How To Save A Life

Evangelism: How I Perceive It

I suppose you could say this is an extension of a prior blog concerning Christianity. Today I will be focusing on Evangelism, and how I find it to be most effective.

As a 19 year old college student who grew up in church, I have heard countless times the "right" way to tell others about Jesus Christ. And for the longest time, I always wondered if this was the best way. I was taught to initiate a conversation, whether it be friend or stranger, and simply start by asking them, "If you were to die right now, do you know where you would go?" Ideally, they would give an answer of "No, I don't. Please, tell me more..." and then you would go on to tell them about the Good News and you would lead them to salvation in a matter of minutes. In theory this sounds like a great idea. And I have heard countless stories of missionaries meeting strangers in taxicabs and street corners and using this method and it working flawlessly. And while I wouldn't go as far as to say this way of evangelism is an ineffective method, I feel that there is a much more productive way of going about it.

Friendships.

Friendships are a crucial part of life. No matter how shy or outgoing you are, we all strive to have friendships in this life. As a Christian, I feel the best way to share my faith is through loving others, especially nonbelievers. By showing someone who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ the love he has given me, I am evangelizing right there. I feel that a bond, a connection, an actual friendship must be formed first and foremost. When that happens, you have formed a trust. Only after they have your trust will they truly listen to and respect what you say.

Now some may argue, "What if God comes back before you actually tell them? You wasted all that time when you could've spent a few minutes just telling them!" While my answer is certainly not entirely biblically based, I have the belief that if you are earnestly working on a friend in leading them to Christ, it will be worked out in God's time, not our own.

This is simply something that has really been weighing on me recently, and I felt I needed to say it.

-matthew

4:52 pm

White As Snow
Jon Foreman
Album - Winter - EP

My Venture Into The Vlogging World

Let's see if I can keep this up. I'll try and do a weekly one.

-matthew

4:09 pm

Wheel
John Mayer
Album - Heavier Things

A New Stage In My Life pt 1

It's already midterm of my second semester of college. Where does the time go? This semester has been a very difficult one, and a very stressful one as well. These past fews months have been a very interesting point in my life, and have helped me realize how much my life is changing in these coming months and years.

In January, I met this wonderful girl who is now my girlfriend. Getting to know her the past few months and being able to see her through some very trying times in her life have helped me understand how thankful I am for the things Christ has put in my life.

In February, I was the best man in one of my best friend's weddings. I was honored that he asked me, and especially grateful that he even asked me to help him play a song at the wedding. It also made me realize that I'm getting old. And fast.

This September, I will no longer be able to call myself a teenager, and I think it will take quite a while for that to sink in...

In just a few days, I'm going to be heading home for Spring Break, and I am thrilled. It will be nice to take a break from the ridiculous studies of school and be able to meet up again with old friends.

While this isn't much of thought provoking blog post, I have a feeling I will be elaborating on the continual changing of my life and how the world around me is impacting me.

-matthew

3:29 am

I Will Possess Your Heart
Death Cab For Cutie
Album - Narrow Stairs