tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14281048.post976227800586365221..comments2023-10-25T05:08:00.800-04:00Comments on Music, Faith and Ecology: Worship Experience and Our IdolJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07939984108331588658noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14281048.post-7983858694656088082008-02-04T10:31:00.000-05:002008-02-04T10:31:00.000-05:00Ian, I was just thinking of you today, don't know ...Ian, I was just thinking of you today, don't know why... Oh yeah, I was thinking about budgeting using envelopes for different categories, something you encouraged us to do. Anyway, good to hear from you.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07939984108331588658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14281048.post-9667244377800767542008-02-03T15:11:00.000-05:002008-02-03T15:11:00.000-05:00Hey Johnny-You can never have too many church-goer...Hey Johnny-<BR/><BR/>You can never have too many church-goers hooked on a feeling.... Right??<BR/><BR/>Two notes about the priority of 'experience' or 'feeling'in the context of the theology of worship:<BR/><BR/>1. In most of the Bible stories in which people encounter God, the feelings are not nice. God is so holy and awesome, that people are terrified. Terror is the hallmark of theophany in the OT, and the typical response of even the coolest prophets is to fall to the ground as though dead. <BR/><BR/>If you can get this going at the Open Door with your worship music, call me and I'm in! <BR/><BR/>2. Feeling is the hallmark of the 'experience' of love and the bond between relationships in the modern mindset. Love is a feeling or emotion or sensation, rather than a verb or a moral act. 1 Cor 13 describes love essentially as 'doing and not doing' to another. <BR/><BR/>I guess I will leave you with this marvelous bit of logic:<BR/><BR/>I'm in my living room with my wife, and I really love her. But I'm not "feeling it" just now. No warm fuzzy or anything.<BR/><BR/>Therefore, one of these three must be true:<BR/><BR/>A. I have no warm fuzzy b/c my wife really isn't in the room.<BR/>B. I have no warm fuzzy b/c I don't love her.<BR/>C. I have no warm fuzzy b/c love isn't a feeling.<BR/><BR/>Then apply this logic to worship and whether God is present. <BR/><BR/>Peace,<BR/><BR/>IanIanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15180250258142504620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14281048.post-33776259212647517432008-01-20T17:31:00.000-05:002008-01-20T17:31:00.000-05:00John, I agree. The "feeling" is secondary. As one ...John, I agree. The "feeling" is secondary. As one whose feelings often trick her, (the gray of everyday or the splendor of the rainbow) I am grateful that some weeks I DO feel God in the songs. But I don't always. In the end, I know that God is there because his people are, and it is the week to week continuation of that community that ties me in. <BR/><BR/>It makes me sad that people seek that mountaintop high and think it is the worship leader's job to create an "experience." It makes me glad to belong to a community that sees how the "experience" can be an idol too.Sarah Louisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00251034210962259082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14281048.post-53533906738417708362008-01-12T08:27:00.000-05:002008-01-12T08:27:00.000-05:00Amen! It's refreshing to see someone daylight the...Amen! It's refreshing to see someone daylight the manipulation of emotions practiced by some worship leaders. This practice always turned my stomach. Instead of experiencing God in these contexts, I was more likely to experience internal anger, then have to struggle with forgiveness, etc. Not exactly worshipful (though I suppose I learned some forbearance).<BR/><BR/>"Placing ourselves before God as an act of worship" -- YES!Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05733712904657262281noreply@blogger.com