A Question of Conscience.
A Question of Conscience.
I’ve got a comment and I’ve got a question. Comment first.
The comment: In our poetry writer’s group tonight we looked at a poet, by a poet who is definitely not a Christian – yet my conscience is clear reading her work. Her themes aren’t explicitly anti-God (yes…theologians…I know that unredeemed people and ideas are all anti-God…but track with me for a minute). I mostly brought the poem to look at a few techniques, the general literary strength of the poem, and to examine the fact that her theme (introspective and personal) was something to actually be avoided in our poetry.
That said: My position is that the form of writing is such that it makes it easy to filter through falsehoods and resist ideas that are contrary to our established values. If we are aware of our values we can spit out the bones. Whether I read something depends upon my personal conscience. I feel that this is a secure, biblical stance. I would not approve all of the aforementioned author’s poetry b/c I haven’t read it all – but don’t feel conviction in reading it, nor examining it for learning practicals of construction related to form in poetry.
The question: It is a question “literally” of conscience – meaning: If I could speak to that general thing referred to as conscience in the Bible, to whom would I be speaking? The key verse, one which is both well-beloved and much misused is Paul’s famous remark that: all things are acceptable but not all are beneficial. My understanding is that conscience is that power of reason within our soul, in agreement with the Spirit that determines whether something is acceptable and beneficial.
A key premise: I think music and film are in a different category than writing related to the conscience. Music and film are experientially immersive, writing is not. The mediums of film and music require that you submit to the entire product – you cannot sample ‘bites’ and be said to have ‘listened to’ or ‘watched’ a song or movie. You can sample writing.
Another supposition: We all know that it easy to disagree with a writer. We can comment on their blog, write in the margin, or simply skip a section or take our handy Sharpie and do a little ‘edit.’ We filter writing, we cannot (easily) filter film or music.
My question to you: Does my stance on writing and definition of conscience fit within Paul’s biblical framework of acceptable and beneficial? I believe it does. I believe to resist (in an absolute sense) non-Christian writing would be akin to refusing to receive healthcare from an non-Christian doctor or enter a building designed by a non-Christian architect, or eat food prepared a non-Christian chef, etc, etc. I believe it is the ideas of the author which threaten to corrupt, not the poem, article, or screenplay. When examined critically we can learn about the skill of writing from non-Christian sources.
A framework for disagreement: If you disagree, please comment; but I’d like you to do so acknowledging two key premises. 1) Not all literature labeled as Christian, sold at Christian bookstores, or marketed as Christian is edifying, biblical, or beneficial. 2) If we apply a high-degree of intensity to ‘sorting out’ which writing is acceptable and beneficial we must not limit it to certain formats (i.e. poetry or fiction) but apply it any form of writing which transmits ideas (periodicals, non-fiction, news, and commentaries).
Back Online
Bret was bugging me – in the best sense of that word – and asked why I don’t post.
I don’t know the answer to that question, but I said something about it not being my preferred format…blah…blah.
Then I logged in last night and discovered that people still look at my blog – and that jenny powell did a whole schpeel (sp?) on how I’m cool and people should check out my blog. So…
A quick announcement: I am starting a second ‘writer’s group’ dedicated to prose. The Friday night group will continue and be poetry only/(mostly). Details will soon follow on meeting time/place for the mid-week prose group. If the word prose is tripping you up, click on the link.
Peace.
