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Author
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Topic: Christians and "the arts"
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Also, something you have to remember about the Pagan Romans was that most of their art work revolved around paintings of their gods and deities.
That’s probably why the early Christians were against the arts then – because the arts at that point of time mainly revolved around pagan symbolism and ideologies.
So in that regards I agree with them. But, this is not the case today.
Today people paint and draw and sculpt more than just pagan gods and ideas.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
I don't think those scriptures were speaking out against art, but were speaking out against pride.
Those people, by their own delusions of their imagination, thought theirselves above God and his laws.
That's what I read out of those scriptures.
I think that God is an artist and loves artwork. And we, because we were created in his image and likeness, probably likewise have a desire for art.
Now, what we do with that desire is is up to us.
WE can use it for evil or beauty.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
I'm definitely less interested in painting art when I know that the painter is not a Christian, and thus his or her work is NOT inspired by the Holy Spirit but is inspired by the spirit of Lucifer-Satan.
And it often shows, in that many of the works of non-Christians (but not all, of course), are the work of IMAGINATION and portray wild, intertwining human figures with strange faces and out-of-proportion features and other CHAOTIC intertwinings, while the BIBLE says that we should take "every thought of the imagination captive":
Jeremiah 18:12
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
Jeremiah 23:17
They say still to them who despise Me, The LORD has said, "You shall have peace"; and they say to everyone who walketh after the imagination of his own heart, "No evil shall come upon you".
Luke 1:51
He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.
Instead of exercising our imagination in the arts, the Bible says that we need to be:
2 Corinthians 10:5
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
So yes, I have lost a lot of interest especially in the painting arts and in the music arts and theater performing arts, where IMAGINATION TENDS TO BE KING.
And I can see why the pagan Romans accused the Christians of "being against the arts". For those who knew Christ, the wild imaginations depicted in the painting arts especially made it obvious whose spirit it was that had painted it. CHAOS and CONFUSION are some of their names ... ![[happyhappy]](graemlins/happyhappy.gif)
Psalm 109:29
Let My adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
love, Eden
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Yes, Betty.
The "New-Age" movement is doing this right now.
They try and convince people that the universe is aware and is our creator.
That trees and rocks have life and emotions, etc.
Which I can beleive trees and plants might have feelings like animals do -- as there have been many tests that prove this.
They, the new agers, would have you worship the creation.
All we can do is pray for them.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Betty Louise
Advanced Member
Member # 7175
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posted
I took painting lessons for awhile and I appreciate art. There is a difference in appreciating talent and making art an idol. There is a young Christian girl who uses her art talent for God.
The Bible says that in the end times people will worship the creation and not the creator. We are seeing this today.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Posts: 5051 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: May 2008
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
I don't know.
I think art is a beautiful thing.
I don't worship art and would never put art before the Lord.
But I think we as people can make very beautiful things and artwork.
On the other side of the coin, we can also make very ugly peices of art that represent evil.
I think many things in this world are nutral -- being neither good nor evil -- until man gets involved.
I think we make things good or evil.
I have seen peices of art that depicts Jesus very beautifully and clouds, and mountains, etc.
God made the mountains, sky, etc. and saw that they were good.
So if God saw they were good, and we paint what God has considered good. I don't see how that can be evil.
Now, if I paint pictures of dead bodies and the sutch, which God is against, then yes that would be evil and ugly.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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byfaith
Advanced Member
Member # 8061
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posted
I believe that many may indeed make "the arts" an idol.
I suppose enjoying them casually may in and of itself be benign.
I have witnessed however among said believers a tendency to be obsessed.
Posts: 160 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2010
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
The pagan Romans of the 1st and 2nd century accused the Christians of "being against the arts" or "not being interested in the arts" because "the arts" are generated by a world which is inspired by the devil.
And I find myself too that I don't care much of a rat's toot anymore for the arts, other than that I can appreciate a nice building or something, but when someone says, "I'm very much into the arts" I can't relate to that at all anymore now that I'm an active Christian. How do you feel about that? Were the pagan Romans right? I think they were, LOL.
love, Eden
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