So a few weeks ago I attended a Switchfoot concert here in Seattle. Now I know some might think this band is not worth my time or yours but in that I would say you are in the wrong. They have been a constant in my life since my younger days of my musical pallet. The concert was awesome and Jon Forman is still my hero no matter what you may say, so drop it.
So yes I did listen to Christian music and yes Switchfoot did come a long with that grouping of musical miscreants. Although I do not group them in that category anymore.
Anyway I digress I wanted to explore something I’ve begun to notice or more so something that has more so started to claw at my insides is this phenomena of rasing your hands to the sky or to the christ-like rock star/whorship leader on stage. Hundreds of people closing their eyes stretching out their digits while swaying to the music. It’s equivalent to the rock on sign at a tool concert (yes I chose tool on purpose). I don’t understand it anymore or maybe I never did. What are they reaching for and what are they hoping will happen.
The hypocritical reality is I also participated in this ritual during my youthful worship sessions but I never quite new what or why I was doing it. Everyone else seemed to know so I followed. Now that I’ve slightly matured in my faith or more likely just formed a bunch of opinions I hesitate to raise my hands and take part. Do they know something that I do not? Am I the one missing out because of my unwillingness? Or is this just another way to show my religiousness? Some may say well you can look at this and think it’s stupid (which I do) but is that just your frustration because you really want to?
Maybe this is true; I once was one of those people and some part of me does miss that. But I refuse to take part in something simply because it feels good being a part of the masses.
One last point I could just be expelling my frustration because I really wanted to deck some these teenage boys in front of me who pushed their way to the front only to raise their rail thin arms right up in front of me blocking my and everyone elses view as well as subjecting us to the incredible stench of their under arms.
i have nothing intelligent to say in response, but i hear you, and agree, and also once raised my hands, and also wonder about my critical nature, and wonder several of the same things. thanks for honesty.