Truth in the Arts

 

Over the years I have argued for the importance of truth in art. Every song, every story, every movie, every sculpture or painting or photograph needs to be true. And when I say true, I don’t mean ‘historically accurate’, I mean that the story that is being told by the work of art must be foundationally (or to use a technical term, metaphorically) true.

For example, the “Lord of the Rings” books are true works of art. Obviously, they are not historically accurate but the foundational story that they tell is true. When a work of art is true, it faithfully represents human nature, it exists in a world in which evil is truly evil and has ultimately been defeated and God is in control.

This is the real danger of American culture. So much of the music that is made, the books that are written and the movies that are created do not tell the truth. When we subject ourselves to a steady diet of untruth, we are shaping our thinking to align with falsity. We are slowly confusing ourselves and moving ourselves away from the pursuit of holiness.

We have one thing to do in our time on this planet, we are to love others. That’s it. That’s all. And by all means possible, do not let the worldview of American culture define “love” for you. God is love, not lust, not emotion, not happy feelings. To love someone is to do what you can for them that will move them toward holiness.