Rock Show

A clip from the Rock Show my band played

You can check out some more clips of the show if you go HERE

Charcoal study of Christ.

Censorship or Righteousness?

There has been much discussion recently about "Art" in BYU-Idaho's newspaper. Some works of art depict controversial topics, activities that go against taught morals, and content that is otherwise questionable. Each article set out to examine whether these things are permissible because they are art and expression, or if they should be shunned, avoided, or censored. (As a point of interest: each article ended on almost identical, disappointing neutral ground: "decide for yourself.")

I know where I stand on what I think is beauty and what isn't, and there is certainly some "art" and "entertainment" in the world to which I am morally opposed. There are others who would disagree with me. I know some would take a more conservative side than I. Others would say I am too stringent on moral grounds. With all this disagreement on beauty and art, what can be done to oppose what I consider degrading, amoral material from being distributed as art? Or should it be opposed at all, seeing that I expect others to respect what I consider art? Can I oppose it and expect what I consider art to remain free from censorship? Can I do nothing and keep a clean conscience and good standing before God? Can art be beautiful AND depict something you are morally opposed to?

What do you think?

I don’t want to start by talking about the weather.

I was walking on a campus path, a transition from one class to another. Next to me, walking, was a round black girl. I walked past her.
She said “you made nice comments.”
I gave a reflex, dead “thank you.” I glanced at her and continued to walk.
I wanted to talk to her. Say something. For no other reason than to acknowledge the appreciation I felt for her compliment. I didn’t turn to face her. I wanted to. The moment passed but I thought about talking to her even after we went down separate paths.

In other lives I spoke with her. Asked about her thoughts. I was warm.

But I didn’t talk to her. I said “thank you,” and regretted.

Along for the ride?

"To live only for a future goal is shallow."
-Robert Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Right now is just as much a part of eternity as whatever we don't know about that's coming later. Live for the now. Not because we aren't mindful of eternity, but the opposite. Because it IS eternity. We are living eternity.