Comments on: LET ALL MORTAL FLESH KEEP SILENCE http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/ E AHO LA'ULA Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:32:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Michael http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-483 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-483 I draw the line at "wife-beater" tank tops, bared midriffs, and T-shirts from groups or bands that have a decidedly un-Christian message (and, I would argue, that would include Bush/Cheney '04 attire). Beyond that, the clothes one wears to worship are surely the <i>least</i> important thing to consider. One should of course make an effort to look clean and presentable in church just as one does whenever one goes out in public. But all the Armani in the world won't make up for having a heart full of hatred, contempt, disdain for the poor and the marginalized... I draw the line at “wife-beater” tank tops, bared midriffs, and T-shirts from groups or bands that have a decidedly un-Christian message (and, I would argue, that would include Bush/Cheney ‘04 attire). Beyond that, the clothes one wears to worship are surely the least important thing to consider. One should of course make an effort to look clean and presentable in church just as one does whenever one goes out in public. But all the Armani in the world won’t make up for having a heart full of hatred, contempt, disdain for the poor and the marginalized…

]]> by: beastofsound http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-484 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-484 Someday I'll write a post about my conversion and how I ended up joining a Lutheran congregation. The conditions which led to these events had a lot to do with coming to a different understanding of music and the power of attention. One change was the realization that silence is not a negative condition, an absence of sound; rather the attainment of a positive one, a recognizable presence of a condition which may allow other actions to occur. Regrettably it seems that most people are unaware of their own personal "noise", or do not distinguish quiet from silence. Silence can never be made mandatory, but it can be striven for individually. Clear as mud, right? Maybe I should have joined the Quakers. Someday I’ll write a post about my conversion and how I ended up joining a Lutheran congregation. The conditions which led to these events had a lot to do with coming to a different understanding of music and the power of attention. One change was the realization that silence is not a negative condition, an absence of sound; rather the attainment of a positive one, a recognizable presence of a condition which may allow other actions to occur. Regrettably it seems that most people are unaware of their own personal “noise”, or do not distinguish quiet from silence. Silence can never be made mandatory, but it can be striven for individually.

Clear as mud, right? Maybe I should have joined the Quakers.

]]> by: Michael http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-485 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-485 beast--I'm not convinced that most people these days even know what silence (in the "absence of noise" sense) sounds like anymore. Everywhere I go I see people walking around with their headphones on and their CD or MP3 players cranking out the tunes. You can hear cars coming from three blocks away anymore, with the bass boosters buzzing away in the trunks. Heck, at the campus where I work and go to school there's even a guy who rides around on a bicycle, blasting out his favorite rap "tunes," whether anyone else wants to listen to them or not. Give me the good old days when you could still hear birds singing once in a while! beast–I’m not convinced that most people these days even know what silence (in the “absence of noise” sense) sounds like anymore. Everywhere I go I see people walking around with their headphones on and their CD or MP3 players cranking out the tunes. You can hear cars coming from three blocks away anymore, with the bass boosters buzzing away in the trunks. Heck, at the campus where I work and go to school there’s even a guy who rides around on a bicycle, blasting out his favorite rap “tunes,” whether anyone else wants to listen to them or not. Give me the good old days when you could still hear birds singing once in a while!

]]> by: Alan Kellogg http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-486 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-486 My take on church attendance: Sunday is for the neighbors, Wednesday is for God. Is God all loving? Yes. Will God come down on your ass if you royally piss Him off? Better believe it. Infinite love does not prevent a serious smackdown when you need one. But, the stuff that tends to tick people off isn't (necessarily) the stuff that ticks off God. A fire and brimstone preacher dies and goes to heaven. There he asks for an audience with God himself. Since God is always available his request is granted. Standing before the Throne of God the preacher blurts out, "Do you know what people are doing in church now?" "Of course." "They're gabbing and gabbling, and flaunting their treasures upon Earth. They show neither You or the church any respect at all!" "I am well aware of this." "Why do you let it go on." "Because I would much rather see them gossiping in friendship than glaring in fear." My take on church attendance: Sunday is for the neighbors, Wednesday is for God.

Is God all loving? Yes. Will God come down on your ass if you royally piss Him off? Better believe it. Infinite love does not prevent a serious smackdown when you need one. But, the stuff that tends to tick people off isn’t (necessarily) the stuff that ticks off God.

A fire and brimstone preacher dies and goes to heaven. There he asks for an audience with God himself. Since God is always available his request is granted.

Standing before the Throne of God the preacher blurts out, “Do you know what people are doing in church now?”

“Of course.”

“They’re gabbing and gabbling, and flaunting their treasures upon Earth. They show neither You or the church any respect at all!”

“I am well aware of this.”

“Why do you let it go on.”

“Because I would much rather see them gossiping in friendship than glaring in fear.”

]]> by: beastofsound http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-487 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/03/18/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence/#comment-487 <strong>Open the doors and see all the people</strong> Great post over at The Bemusement Park about what it means to be dressed for church. Open the doors and see all the people
Great post over at The Bemusement Park about what it means to be dressed for church.

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