As a Christian and an artist is it bad to paint things like faeries and dragons?
146169
C.S.Lewis was a Christian apologist -- he spoke for Christianity in the 1940's and 1950's. He also wrote books. Some were promoting Christianity, some were fiction.\n\nRight now, his books about Narnia are appearing as the movie "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe."\n\nI don't think that he would be against use of the imagination or think that its use is an unChristian act.\n\nHis biography is titled "Past Watchful Dragons."\n\nCheck out this web page from the Christian Activities for the Family section at Belmont U. in Tennessee.
1071468
I am a christian.  And I respect you and what your trying to do.  I think it is always good to ask questions.  People should be ope minded about Christianity.  Telling people about God does not make them bad, not at all!
778103
If it's from a copy righted picture, then absolutely NO, not without permission. If you're just painting them as you see them it's OK, because they've put themselves into the public domain. It's legal, b/c almost none have their image copy-righted.
135435
There have been hundreds, thousands of caricatures about god, jesus and the pope.  Do you see christians jumping around waving banners about killing people and going to war over it?  Do we go around burning the flag of the nation this drawing originally was printed in?\n\nYou want disgusting, look at the way these people reacted over a DRAWING for goodness sakes.  Not saying it was right to print the drawing but come on get abit of bloody perspective.  Human freedom of belief?  What about the artists human rights?  I would say that the reaction to the cartoon did more to damage my views of the islamic community then the picture would ever of done.
924540
Casting Judgment is dangerous, considering your basing it on mortal perceptions.  I stay away from that all together, and just try to be a good person.
785345
No its not possible to be a Christian witch, it goes against ways of Christianity and which ever branch of witchcraft you are referring to. In Christian beliefs, not only is it a sin to be a witch, but there is the belief in most branches of Pagan religions in more than one god/dess (while there is no “supreme” god in most cases of witchcraft) \n\nBeaufortbeauty … not all witchcraft is about appreciating nature and its bounties. Not all witchcraft is Wicca.  Wicca is a fairly “modern” branch of witchcraft, created by Gardner. It has some basis in traditional witchcraft, but not much. As for Wicca not having a supreme god, no it don’t, it has a goddess, The Lady, who is worshipped as the creator. And in her absence, The Lord. \n\nCookie777.… the practice and symbolism behind Christmas, everything from the 12 days of Christmas, the use of mistletoe, holly, the colors red and green, the image of Santa himself, among others, where taken from the Pagan stories, symbols, and celebrations of Yule. Yule is a pagan holiday (and even Christians use the term Yuletide), when Christianity became the power in religion, it needed to draw in followers, to do this, they incorporated many of the pagan symbols and celebrations into Christianity to make it more easy to convert to. Look at the old churches across Europe, many of them have images of pagan gods and pagan symbols in the artwork. Easter is another holiday once celebrated by pagans, Ostara. From Ostara you get the symbolism of the egg (a symbolism for fertility), the hare (this is your easter bunny, but the hare is also a symbolic representive of the goddess Ostara). Coloring of eggs: these were offered as gifts to bring blessings of prosperity and abundance to someone’s life.
862775
That would be like atheists burning a town because somebody painted a cartoon of Charles Darwin. Yikes!
171432
Awesome! I respect you, alot, because of this statement. I agree that God should not be brought into alot of things. Alot of these people make such statements blindly as they've yet to receive any ACTUAL experience in the type of situation of which the person you're talking to has gone through, but they feel it necessary to enforce (selfishly, I might add.) that they are a Christian and that by saying this they gain points with God. It doesnt. Why would god want to enstill so much trauma on a person? Common sense doesnt react well with fear, and in this case it is the fear that God is abit shakey about their loyalty to him (Which if they were a true Christian then they would probably come to the conclusion that as long as you build good karma selflessly, then their diety would be happy.).\n\nNow the subject about people preaching their beliefs and then sinning out their asses, I believe you're right. In the Bible, it says that God'll cleanse your sins (NOTE: I am an Athiest and do not believe this, but this is for the sake of argument) but that doesnt mean you should rack up as much negative points while you can. A quote from an AWESOME Scream Christian Band (Hardcore True Christians, mind you.)-\n\n"...Christ is not a Fashion..." - Memphis Will Be Layed To Waste by Norma Jean.
235789
Yes that is against god and everything in the world. I would recommend not doing that unless you want to be looked down upon in society.
589475
I agree with you, except for one thing...\n\nA picture of a Christian would be a picture of someone who did not behave in the manner you describe, so I think that particular statement is unfair. No offense taken, however.
672606
Christans are OK with their own graven images. It's YOURS that they have a problem with... ;)
592774
it is just sad when the christian has the best answer...  Esp on the topic of wicca...but here goes nothing\n\nMagic is not color coded... the world just doesnt work that way...  the subjective "goodness-or badness" of a spell is based on the intent of the practitioner.  Is it evil to do a spell to put a murderer behind bars? Is it "harm" to bring a rapist to justice?  there is no "black or white magic" magic is energy directed to achive specific goals, energy does not have a color, directed or free...it is still just energy, power, chi, quintessence,Prana etc...\n\nWicca IS a religion, not just a hobby for the "college report" answer... i hope your professor gave you a d for that tripe...\n\nI am sorry but meeting with your coven three times a month for rituals and once every other week for classes, on top of "little c" craft sessions & ritual writing sessions, and open sabbats and the semi regular drum circle is a bit more of a commitment than a hobby, like collecting stamps or scrapbooking...not to mention daily meditations, and communing with the ancestors...If you are doing it correctly it is quite a bit more engaging than buying a few trinkets to decorate some pictures of your summer vacation...\n\nWicca is NOT the "path of light" that is utter crap... wicca is a balancing act... you have to balance the light with the dark, the god with the goddess, all aspects of self need to be explored while on the path to priestess & high priestess, including the shadow self...\n\nthe wiccan rede is not LAW it is simply a guideline to strive for...how & the heck are you gonna "harm none" you gotta eat to survive...if you want to take it out of the mundane context and apply it only to will working (magic) then when spell work is performed it has a ripple effect, what is "good" for you  may bring inadvertant harm to another...so if wiccans follwed the rede as law they would all be either ascetics living off of dirt, or frozen in place unable to do anything... for fear of causing harm\n\nThe Wiccan religion in an initiatory mystery religion founded by Gerald B. Gardner in the early 1950's. It incorporates elements of Masonic Ritual, British/Irish folklore. It is a religion that follows and Wheel of the year Wiccans gather together for 8 sabbats, as well as working during the lunar cycles (esbats) There are 4 levels of initiations in traditional Gardnarian Wicca 1-3rd degree then the sublime or elder level. it is said it takes a witch to make a witch however, Since the mid 1970's there has been a movement of ecclectic DIY wiccans, who have had no formal training beyond what they could glean from books. There are many groups out there that offer training, also many books & websites where you can get more basic information on the subject. some are \nhttp://beaufort.bravepages.com/...\nhttp://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/gbos/ind...\nhttp://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/index.ht...\nhttp://www.wicca.com/celtic/wicca/faq.htm
1077262
In Christianity there is an idea about talents and gifts, each person is given certain talents and gifts.  They express them and use them hopefully as best they can.  These gifts differ from person to person and some talents are squandered and others are used wisely.  In Christianity, ideally there should be a lot of room given this idea about talents and gifts.  However, with the archetypes of Christ as the moral ideal, and Mary as a moral exemplary for women, some have said that being Christian is limiting individuality because of the narrow choices of spiritual exemplars.  This can be counteracted by those who show the diversity of saints as a sign of true diversity in spiritual exemplars.  But the majority of saints are either martyrs or virgins or both, hardly a lot of choice their on how to live and how to die.  Christianity allows many cultural expressions and religious sects as well as tolerates many artistic forms of expression.  However, Da Vinci Code and Last Temptation of Christ pushes the envelope for many Christians.  But from Gregorian Chant to Full Gospel Choir, from Eastern Orthodox Icons to Plastic Jesuses on a dashboard, from Pope in Rome to Pat Robertson, there are certainly a lot of individuality in Christianity.  How much room? "In my Father's mansion there are many rooms."  This could be a clue to how much Christ thought there was for those Christians fortunate enough to be given the gift of heaven.
216769
First of all, I'd like to point out that I don't critisize God, or anyones religion, for that matter. Yes, I choose to be wiccan, but that doesn't make me bad, by any means. It's not devil worship, as many have said here. Your question could be turned around to say "Why do christians put down Pagans and Wiccans?" I think we should all just agree to disagree, and move on from there. I have many friends who are christian, I even used to be a member of the Baptist faith, however, I wasn't satisfied. I found more religion sitting at my house than I ever did sitting in a Church! People are what turned me away from the church, because there are so many hypocrites who profess to be such upstanding christians, then they are caught doing "unchristian-like" things. I don't judge people, and people shouldn't judge me. That is my take on it.\n\nBlessed Be.
329351
I agree. but we must be careful if we want to draw people to GOD. He has told us that we must use LOVE and gentleness  towards others. Also our lives must be an example to others. I pray God will bless you with wisdom  and respect toward others in Jesus name.  Be blessed brother!
877950
I wouldn't worry about it too much.  We cab all define what god is.  Find something you like and enjoy it.
446777
No. Just keep your imaginations in check. God cares about your heart, not your flesh.