I just finished up reading a book about "the phenomenon" of Christian rock. In the appendix, the author (who is agnostic) shares some of his final thoughts. They struck me as very powerful, I think mainly in part because of my upbringing. Let me explain.
I dont care who you are, anyone who has grown up in a traditional/Christian household has to sooner or later ask themselves what they grew up with was all about. We ask about our faith. is it true? Is it ignorant and naive? Is it the beautiful? Reasonable? Is it oppressive and bigoted? It is something that anyone raised like myself, (most likely if you’re reading this you are in the same boat) has got to ask themselves in order to make sense of who they are and where they have come from. Now let me quote the author of this book to see if it starts making sense. When I read it I sighed and wondered if maybe I wasn’t as crazy as sometimes I think.
"I have become a fan, not just of the music, but of Christians, and of Jesus himself. To me, the message of the gospel is to love one another, look out for the less fortunate, and try to walk gently on the earth. And I love that. I think evangelical Christians tie themselves in ontological knots trying to make the whole Bible jibe, which is simply impossible with a collection of historical texts written over more than a thousand years. To anyone struggling with Christianity, my advice (and I realize how little this is worth coming from someone who doesn’t believe in God) is to try and keep your eye on the big picture, not a verse here and there. Love God, if you’re so inclined, and one another. Sort out the rest using those principles as a lens.”
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