Jesus or Wall Street?

As I sit in my parent’s home listening to the sounds of UGO’s (unidentified gliding objects), I can’t help but be confused. Our local cable channel three’s coverage of the music of Christmas Eve was epic. With precision and forethought their producers orchestrated a broad symphony of music from different corners of America. There was no scripture reading. There were no commercial interruptions. There just was joyous music celebrating the birth of Christ. In these difficult economic times it seemed anachronistic. Churches, in their traditions, resurrected the birth of Jesus effortlessly. They have had many years of rehearsal. The religious calendar is a monumental framework for those who choose to attend church. It provides a logical spiritual framework for life. Historically the mass in Western Civilization was a foundation upon which music was composed. Composers in other centuries dedicated their entire lives to the study and composition of music glorifying God. Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the world’s most famous composers, was a church organist. Composers of his era usually were commissioned by nobility. Mozart, in spite of his musical genius, died a pauper unappreciated and in search of able employment. Church, like opera, could be considered the pinnacle of music composition. Oratorio reaches similar proportions to opera, but it exists in church. It takes its drama from the life of God. In commercial America it seems there is only room for popular music. Karaoke, American Idol, and Guitar Hero like ancient Musica Reservata glorify the experiences of making music. It is folk music easily defined as, “Music for the folks.” The rest of America who relish higher forms of music are forced to exist in a vacuum. That is Capitalism. Capitalism necessitates America rises daily from bed and sells soap. Jazz music is not soap, nor are other European chamber musics. I tried for many years to compete in this commercial arena, but I was defeated for the money. Conservative Southern dough boy opinion decided there was not enough money to go around. I was forced to leave the South and pursue music in a different geographic location. I found success in the Midwest but not without soul searching. Ultimately I had to change my learned compositional perspective. I stopped trying to achieve something more than what was everyday life. It took many years for me to discover the decade of the l980’s was replete with epic Romanticism. While incredibly passionate, artistic, and driven were the themes of the 80’s farfetched? It took many years for me to realize the dream of love was not realistic, or at least in the epic proportions of the 80’s. Southern tradition was a metaphor for this grand scaled Romanticism. Did you get your trophy wife? I gave up trying, because I discovered it is easier not to expect it. Jesus did not look for a trophy wife. He was not married at all. Suddenly it made sense. Traveling light. All of the pretense and disappointment of trying to live your life like a music video was dispelled. With that realization came happiness. The dilemma I face now is whether to dispense with my search of higher music.
Similarly dispensing with my pursuit and creation of artistic music has made life easier. All of the toes upon which you step in the process are shielded. All of the minds you can influence are left unchanged. Is this what God wants? While “Traveling Light,” healing the sick, and remaining prudent may suit Jesus, humans serve a different function. We have to live here on earth, not in heaven. We do not have angels. We do not have peace and serenity. We are left scrambling to put the pieces of life together for ourselves. Christianity always only has been a guide to the prudent interpretation of religion in our modern context. You have to pick and choose what tenants of organized religion best suit you. That means you have to know something about life, and that comes from education and schooling. The less of either you have the more difficult it is to make these decisions. As a result religion has gotten a bad rap in America. Bill Maher may be religion’s number one adversary, because he himself does not understand. Organized religion in America like Wall Street has been misappropriated. It has been exploited for selfish personal greed, and its traditional democratic function has been subverted. These ideals that have made America great over the years have been diluted by evil. The most difficult part of battling evil is to discern it from good. Wall Street’s example to the world is undeniable as was the presidency of George W. Bush. When traditional American ideals resurface it will be easier to put the pieces back together. Redefining America’s history is not an option. When media stops playing devil’s advocate and once again begins to take stock in America, evil will subside. It is possible to survive a failed relationship, and Jesus was born on Christmas day to show humanity we have something Else upon which to rely. What would you choose? Wall Street or Jesus? American Idol or church?