>Yet many who support government funding of art are repelled by the notion of >government support of religion. Why?
IMNSHO. For one thing, religion is "organized" and art isn't. Public radio and TV are as close as we come to having public supported lobbying organizations of any size. And they do not have as much emotional power over their "followers" as religions do. For another, art is the means by which a culture is transmitted from one generation to another. If we believe that American culture is worth preserving, we need to support the arts. Unfortunately, at the moment, sports is the essence of US culture. Some of us don't believe that constant, primarily physical, competition is the only way to live a happy successful life. But that is our current legacy. The arts have traditionally given people a way to express themselves without infringing on someone else's rights. Anyone who wonders how our society has become so violent and sex-oriented needs to look inward. What options do we give our children? What do they see on TV and in movies and hear in their music? How are our children taught to release intense emotions? What can we expect? How many countries with religious governments are healthy? Religion breeds fanatics in far greater numbers and in far more violent strains than art does. Few people are willing to kill others for art. Many people are willing to kill those who disagree with their religious prejudices. The US is either a so-called Christian nation or it is a pluralist society. The Constitution tries to preserve pluralism by putting restraints on those who would impose their religious beliefs on everyone else. I attend church every week and serve on the altar as well as sing in the choir, assign the altar servers and work with kids choirs. But that doesn't mean I think this church has all the answers. I oppose any government involvement in this church or any other religion. But I do what I can to support the arts. I wish more people did. And I wish more artists were less rather stupidly confrontational. The arts might not get the flak it does now. At least they aren't physically violent. Shelley Huston, MusiCopyist, [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
