Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Karen Spears Zacharias

Home
Evangelical
Killing the arts

Killing the arts

Last updated on: April 30, 2012 at 11:43 am by Karen Spears Zacharias

Killing the arts 2012-04-30T11:43:27+00:00 Karen Spears Zacharias

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Editor’s Note: So y’all I’m in Hartsville, S.C. where Burry Bookstore has joined with Durant’s Children’s Center for a fundraiser. Join us Monday in Hartsville if you can. This week I will also be in Atlanta, Kathleen, Macon, Columbus, Ga, Auburn, Al, and Woodstock, Ga. For tour info check out this link: http://karenzach.com/tour-schedule/

Meanwhile, dear friends like Amy Sorrells have offered to share a bit of their own stories with you. I hope you enjoy Amy as much as I do. You can find Amy at her own blog by clicking here.

By Amy K. Sorrells

My mama always told me never to talk about religion or politics with strangers.

But I figured what better place to do that than right here on Karen’s blog.

After all, she doesn’t shy away from either of these. Particularly when injustice is involved.

And there’s injustice in my town.

You see, my town is murdering the arts.

If you visited my town, you’d never suspect folks here capable of such atrocity. Brick streets lend old-fashioned charm to quaint shops, and the smell of homemade meals wafts through open windows of restaurants.

Then again, atrocity usually happens when–and where–least suspected. (Read Karen’s new book if you doubt this.)

Years ago, the town decided it wanted to guard itself from out-of-towners and chain-based businesses. When a neighborhood—nice by most standards—sprung up by the interstate, the town fought it, because the homes were build with vinyl siding.

Lord have mercy.

Then folks were up in arms when Wal-Mart tried to build on the eyesore corner of the main drag and the interstate—a far drive and out of sight from the little brick street.

Other businesses tried to come, too, but folks said no.

Leave us alone.

We like things the way they are.

Several months ago, I drove a carload of teenagers to a sports camp, and one boy blurted out, “This town is pretty white. I sure hope it stays that way.”

Suffice it to say that young man learned real quick he picked the wrong car in which to speak such prejudice. But sadly, I doubt if my lecture—which rivaled a Tony Campollo sermon—made a difference to him. His mind was set. Keep it white. Keep it the same. Keep out change.

Towns like this set on hillsides and tucked in valleys all across our great United States, and ultimately, they’re myopic infatuation with themselves hurts the innocent.

Which brings me back to my town and murder.

See, no change for our community meant no growth of a tax base to support the major influx of residents. People wanted to move here because it’s so cute and quaint and vanilla. But homes alone can’t support schools. At least not in my state.

And this week, as a direct result of a non-existent tax base, our school board voted to cut music and arts at the middle schools. No cuts to sports. No cuts to administrators. No other creative funding suggestions.

Just an across the board cut to the arts.

A murder of sorts, don’t you think?

I nearly vomited. I still want to, even as I type.

Because you see, there’s no bench for kids who play music. There’s no B-team for kids who hold a paintbrush or spin a potters wheel. There’s no pummeling of the weak kid with a dodge ball for those who pen poems and sonnets and half notes.

I was one of those kids, so I know.

Art and music saves lives.

And here’s the religion part of all this politics: art and music are eternal.

God Himself is the great creator, and because we are His image-bearers, the deepest, purest parts of us long to create. Kids don’t have to strain to hear Him in a symphony. They don’t have to wear special glasses to see him in color and shape and form. He is everywhere and especially in the arts.

But in suburban America, it seems pride, sports and salaries trump art these days.

It’s like this scene, below, from the movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzgK_DoKB4

“You know what we’re doing wrong?” Mr. Holland, the band teacher, says to his student struggling with her clarinet. “We’re playing the notes on the page.”

“Play the sunset,” he tells her.

Without the arts, there’s no sunset. There’s no variegation. No dreams. No hope.

Just vanilla.

Plain.

Simple.

And unjust.

How are things in your town? Is arts funding on the line in your local schools? How can we, as Christ-followers, bring hope and justice such situations?

Previous Post

April 29, 2012

The Amish Porn Dilemma

Next Post

May 2, 2012 The Whys and Whats of God

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category child abuse Military ministry pop culture prayer Sports Uncategorized Veterans Day

Select a Month July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz