It's Love that's holding back the weather...
...and the same will let it go.
Searching through my CD collection I found an old friend I'd not heard in a very long time.
King's X
Hard rock complimented (as only they could do) with kick butt harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. I had forgotten how much I loved their music. King's X was/is a band that unashamedly let their faith into their songs, all the while avoiding with variable success the trappings of CCM. Former AG Bible College students (or at least Doug Pinnick was), they were a staple for me while I was at Northwest College.
Searching on the web, I was saddened to learn that in 1998 Doug Pinnick abandoned the Christian faith being unable to reconcile it with his newly admitted homosexual inclinations. This interview is heartbreaking for many reasons, not the least of which is because I think the absurdity of much of contemproary American Christian culture certainly contributed to Doug's decision. Kalomiros blames the west's sole emphasis on substitutionary atonement as being the fuel for many athiest bearing fires and he may be right. I don't know.
But regardless, I think the faith has lost a very intelligent and artistic voice, it just really saddens me to read some of the things Doug says these days. Christ have mercy.
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What he's calling incompatible, I do to. To be honest...I'll stand with him before I'd stand with 90 % of so called Christianity.
I'll further posit that he's struggling much harder for his salvation than any of us likely are.
Certainly there has been tragedy and loss in his life, and we ought all be sad because of it. But I am much more disheartened by the guilt we all wear. His words may be hard to accept, especially for most Christians, but i perceive that they are also true. There certainly is a double standard in regard to how most Christians perceive homosexual and heterosexual sin.
So rejoice I say...he's still searching from what I see. But he's discovered that what he saw wasn't what he's looking for. Neither is it what I'm looking for.
Chance
Well this is a fairly old interview...in others it seems his searching has led him even further away from Christianity.
I think what breaks my heart is the individualism he seems to have embraced. "MY" truth "MY" understanding. I'm being "TRUE" to myself, given up struggle and simply reconciled with "who I am."
One aspect of this tragedy (I mean the poor man was molested as a kid) is how CCM tends to insist that those on stage be evangelists first and musicians second. But being a band of Christians who were simply making music for music's sake can be really hard because many christians just don't GET that.
I sense in much of his words that this really drove him away from the Christianity...but ultimately he is right in saying that God knows his heart.
None-the-less hearing his old songs - which still ROCK in my ears - are a little sad now because I DID hear faith, hope, and love in them. Losing one's faith...exchanging it for faithlesness or faith in oneself is sad.
I know because I do it most everyday...but as Doug used to sing: "It's LOVE that holds it all together"
Doubting Thomas
This is both a rush and a letdown for me, as I haven't heard King's X in YEARS (but I loved 'em, for the same reasons you mentioned), and I had no idea Doug had gone the way he had.
Lord have mercy.