Keep 'Em Separated

One of the mantras being invoked by many Christians in America today is "Put God Back Into School". And in that mantra is a proclamation that there needs to be enacted certain laws and other mandatory ordinances imposing purely Christian dogma into a particular school.

To prove this point, let's establish what private rights students in public school have:

"Public school students have the right to express their religious beliefs in public school under the First Amendment right of free speech. 'Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.' As noted in Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U.S. 263 (1981), the law is well settled that religious speech, even prayer, is protected free speech under the First Amendment." - source www.answersingenesis.org Gibbs & Craze Co., L.P.A. 2009

Other rights include: being able to read the Bible, share faith with other classmates, organize Christian clubs, etc. In fact, there are no hostile mandates against a student exercising or expressing their particular religious belief whether they be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, etc.

So, what's the problem? Why the beef about putting God into school? Is that suggesting teachers must lead classes in Christian prayer? That there must be Christian icon and dogma posted in classrooms and hallways? That the (public) school institution itself must "become" Christian?

I fear that what is being suggested here is that private right become public mandate. Really? Seriously? What about the rights of, say, a Muslim student? How would they feel if they had to be led in mandatory Christian prayer? Or, flip it the other way - how would the Christian student feel if it was Islam that was being imposed on them through the school district?

Listen, if there is any hope of our faith making an impact in anyone's life, then the answer does not reside in public mandate of laws and ordinances. Christianity is not a political power or rule. No, I would encourage you in that if you really want to make an impact, do so through the power of relationship and friendship, not law and legislation. Let our lives (as Kingdom citizens) be as yeast or as the mustard seed (Luke 13:18-20). Our faith should be lived, experienced, and expressed relationally, not institutionally.

The Sound of the Desert

Perhaps the greatest pursuit of any guitarist is the pursuit of tone - a unique sound that sets them apart from all others - this sound helps defines them, it shapes their music. When questioned about who or what has influenced these tones or sounds, many guitarists cite musical references: maybe it is a specific musical genre, perhaps it is a certain band or artist.

I, too would answer in the same way, citing many bands and musicians who have influenced and inspired my playing along the way. Yet, there is one primary influence, one singular inspiration that has contributed more to defining and shaping me as a musician and guitarist than anything else. And, this influence is unique because it is not audio-related, it is visual. It is the landscape of northern Arizona: the place I called home for almost ten years. Landscapes of desert, canyons, red rocks, open skies, wide vistas, pine trees, mystery, beauty.

These landscapes resonate. There is a musical quality to them. When I consider the desert, for example, not only do I see it, but I also hear it. That translates directly to the guitar tone I strive to create: one of reverb, delay, and warmth; for those represent the open expanse of the desert. And this influence/inspiration not only manifests in my guitar tone, but also in the overall sound of music I create. I like there to be space in my music, I like there to be room for the sounds to breathe. I don't want the sound to be cluttered or too busy. Sometimes what we leave out is just as important as what we leave in.

When creating music, I often am not interested in pandering to emotion or feeling. Rather, I create with the intent of inviting the listener into a place - a place that has color, landscape - a place the listener can explore. It is an invitation for the listener to engage their imagination. It could be said that I provide the paint and brushes, the listener creates the painting.

Of course, not every single song that I write conveys this particular motivation. I do write songs that are narrative and more "to the point": where the listener is looking at a painting rather than creating one themselves. But, at the core of who I am as a musician there will always be a visual aspect to my music.

There will always be a desert resonating in the notes falling off of my guitar.