90.9 Event and Reflections on Music

I attended the 90.9 radio event tonight, and greatly enjoyed myself. The celebrity judges were marvelous, including Chuck Norris, and Ryan Seacrest. The event was to promote the new lineup of radio shows and artists on the radio station, and I think it did a good job of putting them on the map.

The thing i enjoyed most about the Battle of the Bands was that it was not confined to purely religious music, but rather opened up to all local bands, whether or not they had any religious affiliations. As in most things in life, I think that Christianity is best used as an example than as an abrupt message in music.

I am a huge fan of music, but any music that is overly pushy with a message, regardless of what it is, i do not appreciate. I like to think that the best music relates to every day life, without any political or religious undertones.

This being said, bands that let people know that they are Christians but do not push a message i really appreciate. Haste the Day (in the video below) plays neutral music that anyone can relate to, and tours with secular bands, but does not say anything about their faith until after their set. When they do bring it up, it is just to mention that they have made this decision, and to encourage others to seek Christ if they were impressed with what they saw.



This being said, I was really happy with the fact that the band that won the competition, Alaska, was not an overly religious band, but one that played mellow jazz music with no lyrics. This style of music attracts a multitude of listeners, not just people resigned to one style of music.

The universality of the bands playing brought people from all over town, and in the long run helped promote the radio station alot more than a campus series would have. Well done Liberty, it was a great night of music, celebrities, and equality!

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Argument for R rated movies

As a student at Liberty University, I am forbidden from watching R rated movies. The penalty as stated in the Liberty Way is 12 reprimands, or a 50 dollar fine. This is obviously entirely and utterly ridiculous. As an adult, and a student who pays all his own bills, I feel like I should be able to reserve the right to police myself on what movies I view. The vast inconsistencies presented when you place such a broad mandate in place are immediately obvious. Movies can achieve the "R" rating for an abundance of things, from violence to nudity.

The biggest inconsistency in this rule is the one allowance made: The Passion of the Christ. This movie, while sending a positive message, is gratuitously violent, and focuses on the most perverse and horrifying portion of Christ's life on earth. While this is obviously an important part of the Christian message, should we not be able to read about it and understand? I feel that this objectifies Christ to one portion of His ministry, and takes away from the good He performed previously.

More importantly, the films director, Mel Gibson has been totally and utterly disgraced, and has lost all credibility as a believer. In a series of phone recordings, Mel repeatedly called his wife a

"f****ing whore"

 Gibson has been involved in numerous police incidents recently as well. His charges include speeding, and driving under the influence of Alcohol.

While this film is allowed at a conservative school, films that are equally moving, such as Saving Private Ryan or Shawshank Redemption are forbidden to be shown. These films send a message much less graphic than that of the Passion, and both tell stories of humans overcoming massive adversity. Stories like this mature and enrich the human psyche, yet are banned.

My suggestion to the writers and board of the university: why not enforce the same rules to R-rated movies that you do with PG-13 and PG? These movies are fine to view, providing that they do not contain graphic sexual content, or other offensive materials. If the school administrators or RAs can take the time to look at the back of a box to check the rating, wouldnt it be just as easy to check for why the rating is there? This would give back students a modicum of our dignity as adults, and provide a more open-minded environment for learning and enrichment.