Philosophical Mismatch

I received a letter today about my site. I'd like to address it.

Hi Dru,

Great blog site. I’m also impressed with the way of the master material and have been greatly encouraged in my faith by it.

I have a question for you. What’s a guy who promotes HBKS and who wears a t-shirt to build street witnessing opportunities (name 10 get 20) doing listening to “The Grateful Dead” and supporting secular love matching sites and horoscopes on his web site.

Blogger, the site who provides the programming and hosting of this blog, have an integrated revenue producing feature, Google Adsense, that theoretically searches the content of your blog for keywords and puts ads targeted to those topics. The actual sites are not chosen by me. If I mention something about how Horoscopes are not to be followed by Christians because the Bible specifically forbids them, then the word "Horoscope" is found, and could trigger an ad. Actually, as I talk about Jesus and the church a lot, I get ads for several teachers, including "Word of Faith" teachers that I would disagree with theologically. I am working on utilizing the Amazon ads where I can rely on their targeting (like the current banner at the top) and others where I can specifically pick a book I would like to promote (like the article from a few days ago). I'd love to hear some opinions on whether I should just remove the Adsense completely, as I cannot control what content they contain.

Here’s some info about the Grateful Dead that I thought you might be interested in…

NBC’s new "prime-time-blasphemy" titled "God, the Devil and Bob" spewed forth recently (March 3, 2000, 7:30 PM cst). A sleazy, sexually-suggestive, profanity-laced, intolerant, bigoted, sacrilege cartoon "starring" God, the Devil and the Bob Alman family. "God" is a "dead-ringer" for the degenerate, Grateful Dead leader, Jerry Garcia. The Dead’s Garcia died on August 9, 1995 after destroying his body with drugs. I wonder what that implies about "God" modeled after a "dead" drug addict? Interesting one of the Grateful Dead’s song’s is titled "A Friend of the Devil", in which they proudly sing "A friend of the devil is a friend of mine

I've never seen that show, and certainly, many people look like Jerry Garcia, overweight, gray hair, and a beard. Even Santa fits that description. I don't watch those types of shows. It sounds like Southpark, which I don't watch either. I think the most applicable part of the argument is that I like a band which seems to promote satanism. While, I would say that The Grateful Dead, especially Jerry Garcia, were/are certainly not Christian, they don't promote the devil anymore than any other secular artist. The song in question is a tale of an old desperado being chased by the law across the Nevada desert, feeling like the devil is after him. And, many of their songs, usually written by Robert Hunter (his lyrics are all online) contain biblical references to illustrate points in his writing, similar to the way Shakespeare used them, though I doubt Shakespeare was a believer as well.

You can find many songs, such as Estimated Prophet, Sampson and Delilah, My Brother Esau, The Greatest Story Ever Told, We Bid You Goodnight, Cold Jordan, and Blues for Allah that have religious references. Since I became a believer while basically on the road with the Grateful Dead, and being a "deadhead" is something that has more to do than simply liking Jerry Garcia, doubt I'll ever stop being one. Just as my wife, who is now a believer, still feels like a cultural catholic, I guess I'll always have a background as a cultural deadhead.

I like to use that culture, which, believe it or not, just like our culture, has a complete microcosm of faiths, as a springboard to reach those who would otherwise not be reached. Many deadheads (sports fans, fishermen, computer nerds, professional business travellers, insert your social group here) would not walk into a church of their own accord. My sphere of influence is people who for thirty years came together to travel the country, dancing their hearts out, and though they didn't have the answer yet, were open to spiritual things, and actively sought them out.

I am able to bridge the gap to these people, relate to them on their level as one who has truly been there, and show them the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The same way a person who watches football can walk into any bar on a Monday night in America and have an instant rapport with the guy in there watching "the game", I have a group of millions around the country that I have an instant kinship with. Though I regret some of the lost time spent following after idols instead of the true God, I am doing my best to use what Satan intended for evil and actually use it to share the gospel with as many people as I can. I'm not sure if that was adequate explanation enough. But, I do appreciate having to think about it and write it down.

The google add which you encourage viewers to click took me to a love matching site that advertised horoscopes. I noticed you also have a horoscope sign on your profile.

Again, I don't choose the ads, and as I look at it closer, I am considering removing that feature if I can't get more control of the sponsor choices. And, to be clear, I do not even know my astrological sign, nor the signs of my three children. When people ask me what sign my kids are and I honestly say I don't know, they are really shocked, as though I told them I am an alien. The sign that is displayed in blogger is not my choice, it comes from blogger. Take a look at any other blog and you will see the same thing. I'll see if I can request it to be removed.

Please, if you love the Lord, get rid of these things and keep your witness strong and pure. If you don’t then take another look at the destiny of the damned, those who are guilty of breaking God’s moral laws and continue to reject Christ and live for self.

I would love to hear back from you Dru. You site is great but there are some serious mismatches in the philosophies you combine here.

God Bless,

Excellent advice. As a fellow believer, we are called to hold each other accountable. I really do appreciate that you took the time to examine my site and question me about inconsistencies.

I'll close with the lyrics from another Grateful Dead song...

Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Walking in Jerusalem just like John (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
I remember right well, I remember right well (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
His rod and his staff shall comfort me (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
Tell "A" for the ark, that wonderful boat (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
Tell "B" for the beast at the ending of the wood (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
Well it eat all the children that would not be good (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
I'm walking in Jerusalem just like John (bid you goodnight, goodnight)
Walking in the valley of the shadow of death (bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight)

Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus love you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight