Love Has No... Logic, Apparently.

The Ad Council has spoken.  Let the peoples bow at the sound of the zither and the trumpet unto the golden statue of LUVVVV.

But before we make haste to prostrate ourselves worshipfully in the dust, it might behoove us to ask ourselves- what exactly do we mean by love?

In the viral video "Love Has No Labels," we see people behind an x-ray wall showing affection to one another (kissing skeletons... yeah).  Presumably to illustrate that we are all the same on the inside... which is somewhat true, although if we're going to make that argument regarding the issue of homosexuality we must acknowledge that men and women actually aren't all the same on the inside.  There are significant anatomical and physiological differences.  (Amen somebody?!?)

Moving on; as the video progresses, the affectionate skeletons part and then appear on the outside of the wall- as real people.  Now we see who it was that was hugging, or kissing, or dancing behind the X-ray.  And here is where the logic behind this emotional plea begins to crumble.

The battle cry of the advertisement remains the same- love has no ____.

No gender- a homosexual couple.

No race- a bi-racial couple.

No age- an elderly couple, or two children hugging each other.

No disability- an autistic child playing with a friend.

No religion- "Christians," Jews, Muslims, Hindus shaking hands in ecumenical bliss.

But if we look carefully we will notice that "love" is being used in a few different ways here.

Frankly, everyone would agree with the statement at a foundational level.  Guys love guys and girls love girls all the time in a fully Biblical and healthy way- it's called friendship.  And under that definition of love- platonic friendship, or, in the words of Paul, "in all purity"- all the above statements are true (although each category and especially the category of religion must define love in such a way as not to exclude truth).

However, that is not what the advertisement is truly meaning to say; it is a plea for the acceptance of homosexuality and the elimination of distinctions, standards, and Truth.  And here is where the logic leaps the tracks, because the definition of "love" has been changed from platonic friendship to romantic and sexual passion- a love which has been designed by God and given to us as a precious, wonderful gift to be enjoyed only within the confines of covenant marriage- one-man, one-woman marriage.

Is this passionate and romantic love the love that this ad is talking about?

Well... sometimes.

To be blunt, everyone would be shocked and appalled if the six-year-old children were making out on stage.  But why?  I thought love had no age!

And this is the issue.  Love, and especially romantic love, does indeed have labels- it has categories- it has God-given definitions.  There are some "loves" that are inappropriate.  There are a thousand perversions I'd rather not name that do not deserve to be "tolerated" and are not worthy of the title "love."

So the bottom-line question is "who defines what kinds of love are OK?"  Who defines which behaviors and passions are appropriate and which are aberrant and abominable?

The Ad Council has decided that homosexual romantic love is OK, but I doubt they would feel the same about bestial romantic love, or romantic love between children, or a child and an adult, or siblings, or... the list goes on.

They are not OK with it for now, that is.  Give it time.

Scripture is clear (Lev. 18:22, Heb. 13:4).  Romantic love belongs only within the context of covenant.  Marriage.  One man, one woman, 'til death do them part.  God has spoken.

So the bottom-line question is this- will we submit to the standards of the Ad Council, or to those of The Creator of the universe?

In Response to Rob Bell

In response to Rob Bell: the mainstream American church may indeed soon embrace same-sex marriage. But the mainstream American church is not synonymous with Biblical Christianity. Scripture is clear, and the failure of those who claim the Name of Jesus to live by His Words does not change the Truth of His Words. Homosexuality is a sin. A forgivable sin. A sin like many other sins. But a sin. And it is not loving to hide people from the Truth. (Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1)

She Said Yes

Tonight I asked a girl to marry me; a girl I don't deserve; a girl I can't begin to thank God enough for; a girl I cannot wait to share the rest of my life with.

What's more, she said yes.

Merry Christmas

Why do I love Christmas?  Well... I love the family time.  I love the lights.  The traditions.  The decorations and the music and the eggnog and frosty breath swirling around the rosy cheeks and shining eyes of carolers and the memories written in the smells of candy and cold and Jimmy Stewart saying "I wanna live again."

But my favorite thing about Christmas is that Christmas is a celebration and proclamation that the Father gave His Son and His Spirit to and for His subjects who had fought against His reign; that the High King of Heaven came down to earth and slept in a feeding trough; that the eternal Son of God bound Himself in time and the immortal, invincible Christ died, and that that life and that death and the 33 years in which Jesus walked this earth served as the midpoint in a two-part story, changing the watchword of History from "one day" to "this day," crashing down from sky to earth among the song of heaven and nature and shattering to pieces every man and every kingdom which stood between the King and His Kingdom, and leavening the earth 'til His blessings flow as far as the curse is found.

That's what Christmas is about.  The triumph of the skies.

Let earth receive her King.

#JoyToTheWorld
#MerryChristmas

Sparrows and Surprises

Psalm 127 and Matthew 6 encourage believers to have faith- a faith that removes worry and stress; the faith of a child who never wonders how his daddy is going to put food on the table come next mealtime, but rather lives under the happy assumption that his daddy has everything under control. 

The Lord gave me a few opportunities this week to practice such faith in a very practical way. Many of you have probably heard about my latest album project (if you haven't, here you go: http://resoundingmusic.com/the-womb-of-the-dawn/ ). It was scheduled to come out Friday; I'd been pumping that release date for a long time in the marketing of the project; had a bunch of people "going" to the event. Thursday night, I hit the sack planning to make a few polishing tweaks on a few tracks and get everything uploaded in short order.

Friday morning came and brought with it the White Screen of Death. Bad news for album release day. Lots of visual display issues for my computer; couldn't even log in on some attempts. There had been signs leading up to this before, but nothing this bad. By God's grace, a phone call with Apple tech support resulted in getting everything up and running properly quickly, and the computer performed well all day long; album submitted to CDBaby, marketing finished, I shut her down. Had even worse problems every time I tried to start up after that. God held it together (it's really inexplicable that it performed so well on Friday) for just as long as I needed it. Then, next day, I was supposed to mix a track for #BoundMovie (on one of those "The film festival is coming! The film festival is coming!" deadlines). I went to bed Friday night knowing that the next morning I had some serious tech support to do before I'd be able to do so; called Apple again, and we couldn't fix it in-house; I'd have to go in for repairs. And the nearest store that could do such a thing is about an hour away from my location. Drove in, they had the part we thought might be the issue, switched it out, it appears that it really was the issue, they sent me on my way, and by about 4:00 in the afternoon I was back up and running. (Oh, and before anybody makes Mac jokes, it was a graphics card that had been serving me faithfully since 2008. So there's that.)

Add to that that Joseph Santoyo had prepared the vocal tracks so well, and the thing was done with time to spare.

On roller-coaster events like that, I think we have two reactionary options:

1. "DAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!! WHATAMIGONNADO?" *stress* *pull hair out* *more stress*

2. "Whoa. That was unexpected. I can't wait to see how God works this out. Looks like I need to..." 

God is faithful. We should be faith-full. #Hudelson2014 #GodProvides

IT'S DONE!!!

Praise God.  It's been an amazing journey.

The work on this album was done over the course of years... with revisions, live recordings- the scope of this project dwarfs anything I've ever done before. Praise God. It has been a blast. Get the album here.

Life is Short and God is Long

Life is short and God is long;
He the Singer, we the song.
We are small, the world is vast,
And marches on when we are past.

There are so many stories here,
So many things worth smile or tear,
So many joys and pains and hopes
Villains, victims, philanthropes-

So many books that can't be read,
So many tears that won't be shed,
So many songs that can't be heard,
To which we're deaf as if they were-

Were not, had never been at all,
A thousand passions' trumpet calls
Which, as soldiers far away,
Wake not our night, nor stir our day.

So many stories left untold
By those who lived them- now grown old,
So many thoughts and dreams and fears
And deeds of daring, kindness, cheer,

So many little looks and sighs
And little children's lullabies
And winter nights and summer days,
And heroes never known nor praised,

They all march past- for what we see
Is but a glimpse of melody,
An echo of celestial song-
And life is short, and God is long.

And yet, as short as it may be,
And sin-blind as so often we,
There's life, and opportunity
To hear and taste and touch and see,

And though we cannot see all now,
Can't read beyond our final bow,
Yet what surrounds us, and the path
That's laid before our feet- to laugh,

And never waste a moment when
The LORD says "Go," but to begin,
To see it all- though it's not much,
It's all our tiny hands can touch,

Can grasp, for now- to live, to leave
No stone unturned, no moments sheathed,
To look at them, and Him, not me-
No mirror- there's too much to see!

And if we're blinded by the scope,
That only serves to give us hope,
For God has given us a part,
Our daily bread, our beating heart,

The lost bewilderment that must
Fill every mortal serves to just
Send childish excitement through
The veins of chosen people who

Once lost in sin have now been found,
And lost again in glory-sound,
Lost not in fear, but wonderment,
And thankful to be called and sent,

Surrounded by so many gifts,
And joys and pains and falls and lifts,
The myriads we cannot know
Are not for us, but these are so!

So thank our God for what He gives,
And beg Him to cause us to live
A faithful life, with nothing left
When double-bar is writ by Death-

For though it ne'er can all be seen,
Nor felt nor heard, all that has been,
Yet God has granted us to see,
To feel, to hear, to live, to be,

And while in Christ eternity
Will uncover the mysteries,
The poetry of Time, of lives
Will all be laid before our eyes,

Yet here and now I hope and pray
That while it yet is called "today"
I'll fill my ears, my eyes, my heart
With my God-given story-part,

And drink it in, and pour it out,
And live, and die, and have no doubt
That I sang all that was my song.

For life is short.

And God is long.