Comments on: Left to Right, Top to Bottom http://iwantaccess.org/2008/05/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/ Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:03:35 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Brentm http://iwantaccess.org/2008/05/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Brentm Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:27:06 +0000 http://access.reslifeblogs.org/2008/05/21/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/#comment-99 Mike- I completely agree, just because it has a Christian label on it does not mean that it is good, and just because it has a secular label on it does not make it bad, but we need to "test the spirits" and "see who they are from." We need to be taking in what will edify our soul and what will help draw us closer to Jesus. Shalom! Brent ps... John Mayer? Who's that? Mike-

I completely agree, just because it has a Christian label on it does not mean that it is good, and just because it has a secular label on it does not make it bad, but we need to “test the spirits” and “see who they are from.” We need to be taking in what will edify our soul and what will help draw us closer to Jesus.

Shalom!
Brent

ps… John Mayer? Who’s that?

]]> By: Dr Michael E Haberlein, DDS http://iwantaccess.org/2008/05/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Dr Michael E Haberlein, DDS Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:31:06 +0000 http://access.reslifeblogs.org/2008/05/21/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/#comment-98 Regarding Christian fiction, I stay as far away from it as possible for that very reason: It is not God's Word. Granted, I do not have time to read a lot of fiction being a full time student and working 30 hours a week, but if I did, it would not be something I would go to Zondevan to get. I am not knocking those of you who read Christian fiction, but when that is all you read you miss SO MUCH that is out there that is truly brilliant writing. I'll give To Kill a Mockingbird as an example. It is an unbelievably intriguing book about a topic that is very applicable to today's society: race. Also, it is told through the eyes of a child, making it very unique in it's prose and style. It is not a Christian book, but it is one of the best novels out there. The same can be said about many works of fiction. The same can be said about music. We, as Christians should not be listening to death metal or anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. But if I only listen to artists on Christian labels, I will miss out on a lot of brilliant artists such as U2, John Mayer, Coldplay,The Fray, Mutemath, and on and on and on. Again, I am not knocking those of you who only listen to "Christian" music, but you're missing out on a lot. In closing, try something new, test it with the Word, and if it passes, allow yourself to enjoy it!!! Staying within a little Christian bubble where everything is safe and easy is not what Jesus told us to do in The Great Commission. If you're completely naive as to what is going on in the world, you cannot communicate with the world. Regarding Christian fiction, I stay as far away from it as possible for that very reason: It is not God’s Word. Granted, I do not have time to read a lot of fiction being a full time student and working 30 hours a week, but if I did, it would not be something I would go to Zondevan to get.
I am not knocking those of you who read Christian fiction, but when that is all you read you miss SO MUCH that is out there that is truly brilliant writing. I’ll give To Kill a Mockingbird as an example. It is an unbelievably intriguing book about a topic that is very applicable to today’s society: race. Also, it is told through the eyes of a child, making it very unique in it’s prose and style. It is not a Christian book, but it is one of the best novels out there. The same can be said about many works of fiction.
The same can be said about music. We, as Christians should not be listening to death metal or anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. But if I only listen to artists on Christian labels, I will miss out on a lot of brilliant artists such as U2, John Mayer, Coldplay,The Fray, Mutemath, and on and on and on. Again, I am not knocking those of you who only listen to “Christian” music, but you’re missing out on a lot.
In closing, try something new, test it with the Word, and if it passes, allow yourself to enjoy it!!! Staying within a little Christian bubble where everything is safe and easy is not what Jesus told us to do in The Great Commission. If you’re completely naive as to what is going on in the world, you cannot communicate with the world.

]]> By: Jessica http://iwantaccess.org/2008/05/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Jessica Thu, 29 May 2008 18:41:56 +0000 http://access.reslifeblogs.org/2008/05/21/left-to-right-top-to-bottom/#comment-97 Brent- I completely agree that you need to have the proper perspective and mindset when reading Christian fiction because it can so sneakily become a part of your theology. That's funny that you mention the Left Behind series, because that's exactly what happened to me with those books. I am a very visual person, so when I read I form a lot of pictures in my mind, and for the longest time whenever someone would mention something about the end times, I would almost subconsciously reference the mental images I had stored away from the Left Behind series. It wasn't until after I began being taught about the end times and reading what the Bible itself had to say about it, which should be my source, that I realized I had allowed those books and the opinions and choices that those authors had made about the theological issues concerned to speak into my life as absolute truth simply because it was Christian fiction. While some Christian fiction is good and can be encouraging and biblically sound, it was definitely a good reminder that I should check everything by the Word, and that only the Word of God is truly the Word of God, and to keep all this in mind while I read. Brent- I completely agree that you need to have the proper perspective and mindset when reading Christian fiction because it can so sneakily become a part of your theology. That’s funny that you mention the Left Behind series, because that’s exactly what happened to me with those books. I am a very visual person, so when I read I form a lot of pictures in my mind, and for the longest time whenever someone would mention something about the end times, I would almost subconsciously reference the mental images I had stored away from the Left Behind series. It wasn’t until after I began being taught about the end times and reading what the Bible itself had to say about it, which should be my source, that I realized I had allowed those books and the opinions and choices that those authors had made about the theological issues concerned to speak into my life as absolute truth simply because it was Christian fiction. While some Christian fiction is good and can be encouraging and biblically sound, it was definitely a good reminder that I should check everything by the Word, and that only the Word of God is truly the Word of God, and to keep all this in mind while I read.

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