Hi! I'm New Here !

[The Horn]

Hi! I'm the horn, a professional classical musician and educator,and advocate for the popularization of classical music in America,and also very interested in religion and politics.
I'm a non-observant secular Jew, but not an atheist. I have absolutely no hatred of Christians and Christianity,and revere Jesus as a great religious teacher, but do not believe in Christian doctrine at all, the literal interpretation of the Bible, and believe that there is absolutely no conflict between evolution and belief in God. I have no hatred of followers of any religion,or atheists and agnostics,either.
I am merely opposed to what conservative Christians advocate for America, you know, the whole, anti-abortion,anti-homosexual, anri-taxes,anti help for the poor and unemployed, making the Bible the basis of US law, putting the government in our bedrooms, censoring books,magazines, newspapers,films,televsion programs, the internet,etc.
Although I support homosexual rights,I am heterosexual.
On the other hand,I'm no left-wing extremist,and reject multiculturalism,political correctness, don't hate America or the military and our troops,don't blame America for all the world's ills, even though it HAS done a lot of very bad things,just like other countries.
I'm opposed to the death penalty, pro-choice(not pro abortion!), but would like to see as many unwanted pregnancies prevented,and would like to see more help for poor mothers,married or single,so that they would be less likely to seek and obtain abortions.
I'm for REASONABLE gun control, but not for confiscating people's weapons. As a classical musician,I am for government support for the arts, even though the National Endowment For RThe Arts gets onl;y a pittance from the government, which is a shame, as it supports much more than"obscene" art, and the IRS takes less than a dollar from every taxpayer each year.
Conservatives think I'm a pinko commie, and left-wingers think I'm a
conservative !

 

[Tchort]

Hi, Horn and welcome. I am new as well and so far have been treated with respect. I hope you enjoy your stay and it would be nice to learn something from each other.

 

[fool]

Honk

 

[Prisca]

Sounds like you're a moderate pinko commie, but there's still hope for you!

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Welcome to da "big show".

 

[bybee]

???

???

Hi! I'm the horn, a professional classical musician and educator,and advocate for the popularization of classical music in America,and also very interested in religion and politics.
I'm a non-observant secular Jew, but not an atheist. I have absolutely no hatred of Christians and Christianity,and revere Jesus as a great religious teacher, but do not believe in Christian doctrine at all, the literal interpretation of the Bible, and believe that there is absolutely no conflict between evolution and belief in God. I have no hatred of followers of any religion,or atheists and agnostics,either.
I am merely opposed to what conservative Christians advocate for America, you know, the whole, anti-abortion,anti-homosexual, anri-taxes,anti help for the poor and unemployed, making the Bible the basis of US law, putting the government in our bedrooms, censoring books,magazines, newspapers,films,televsion programs, the internet,etc.
Although I support homosexual rights,I am heterosexual.
On the other hand,I'm no left-wing extremist,and reject multiculturalism,political correctness, don't hate America or the military and our troops,don't blame America for all the world's ills, even though it HAS done a lot of very bad things,just like other countries.
I'm opposed to the death penalty, pro-choice(not pro abortion!), but would like to see as many unwanted pregnancies prevented,and would like to see more help for poor mothers,married or single,so that they would be less likely to seek and obtain abortions.
I'm for REASONABLE gun control, but not for confiscating people's weapons. As a classical musician,I am for government support for the arts, even though the National Endowment For RThe Arts gets onl;y a pittance from the government, which is a shame, as it supports much more than"obscene" art, and the IRS takes less than a dollar from every taxpayer each year.
Conservatives think I'm a pinko commie, and left-wingers think I'm a
conservative !

And, who do you say you are? besides an obvious "Mugwump"? TOL is not, I repeat, is not the neutral zone! best wishes, bybee

 

[always_learning]

Welcome! Wow, you seem to be quite talkative!

Enjoy your stay.

 

[ChrisGergen]

Wow - quite a mouthful.

This isn't your momma's forum. Bring a helmet.

Lot's of religious zealots - after all it is a Christian forum that leans hard right.

Lot's a debased unbelievers (like me) too that try to bring reason to this madness.

Cheers and welcome to the forum...

 

[annabenedetti]

Hi! I'm the horn, a professional classical musician and educator,and advocate for the popularization of classical music in America,and also very interested in religion and politics.
I'm a non-observant secular Jew, but not an atheist.

Welcome. :wave:

Just out of curiosity: as a non-observant Jew, in what religion are you very interested? If it's Judaism, why are you interested but not observant?

 

[Town Heretic]

Don't mind Chris, he brought his own horn and blows it with abandon...:think:

You sound like an interesting addition to the mix around here. Welcome. Do you have a favorite composer and/or period? And feel free to set Mozart aside the way English majors need remove Shakespeare from this sort of consideration.

I've never understood people who believe in God hating the other fellow for getting it so self apparently wrong...lain:

Oh, and don't make a negative comment about fool's honking. It can't be helped and there's a running bet it might be genetic. Else, he's right as rain. Nasty, cold, foul rain, but rain none the less.

:e4e:

 

[Spitfire]

And feel free to set Mozart aside the way English majors need remove Shakespeare from this sort of consideration.

Höhö... so, really dedicated English literature snobs consider Shakespeare to be too mainstream for their tastes, the same way Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky fans tend to be criticized by hardcore classical music snobs for their preference of what is considered to be the most popularly accepted (and therefore vulgar) kind of classical music?

Why don't they ever get on Vivaldi's case, though? Whenever you meet someone who isn't into classical music but there's one composer he or she does know and like, almost always that will be Vivaldi.

I don't mean to hijack the thread... hello, Horn.

 

[Town Heretic]

Höhö... so, really dedicated English literature snobs consider Shakespeare to be too mainstream for their tastes, the same way Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky fans tend to be criticized by hardcore classical music snobs for their preference of what is considered to be the most popularly accepted (and therefore vulgar) kind of classical music?

Well...I just meant that if you understand the English language well enough Shakespeare is a given, so the interesting conversation begins after that...and the same with Mozart. Anyone with a soul and an ounce of serious theory knows he was peerless and the better conversation begins, again, after.

Why don't they ever get on Vivaldi's case, though? Whenever you meet someone who isn't into classical music but there's one composer he or she does know and like, almost always that will be Vivaldi.

If it makes you feel better we can dig him up and kick the stew out of him. :thumb: But you bring the shovel. I'm not trying to explain that at Customs.

I don't mean to hijack the thread... hello, Horn.

Like she said...hiya horn. :wave2:

 

[Spitfire]

If it makes you feel better we can dig him up and kick the stew out of him. :thumb: But you bring the shovel. I'm not trying to explain that at Customs.

I'm sure we could buy a shovel in Italy... and I don't mean Vivaldi any disrespect! I was just pointing out that if it somehow degrades the artistic merit in a composer's works when the same people like them who also like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Green Day, Snoop Dogg or Miley Cyrus, then Vivaldi's credibility should be at the greatest risk. But Mozart is the usual punching bag. Maybe because the tourism and souvenir industries market him a little too aggressively, and then also the hordes of Japanese tourists who visit Salzburg and Vienna and don't want to hear anything but Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

 

[The Horn]

I'm non-observant because I don't believe in things such as keeping Kosher etc, and I don't believe that religious ritual is necessary in my life.
I'm interested in all the major religions, and some of the smaller ones,too. I don't care what religion people follow as long as they don't try to impose it on me or others, or their social agenda, or try to harm others.
I may disagree with the agenda of the religious right, but no one can accuse me of hating Christians. And as a Jew, I don't hate muslims at all, and condemn only the fanatics who support or engage in terrorism and try to impose Sharia in non-muslim countries.

 

[ChrisGergen]

Don't mind Chris, he brought his own horn and blows it with abandon...:think:

You sound like an interesting addition to the mix around here. Welcome. Do you have a favorite composer and/or period? And feel free to set Mozart aside the way English majors need remove Shakespeare from this sort of consideration.

I've never understood people who believe in God hating the other fellow for getting it so self apparently wrong...lain:

Oh, and don't make a negative comment about fool's honking. It can't be helped and there's a running bet it might be genetic. Else, he's right as rain. Nasty, cold, foul rain, but rain none the less.

:e4e:

Don't mind TH - He likes to impress people with his keen intellect and sharp whit.

But I will admit he does have a few good things to say...every so often

By the way - I like my horn.

 

[Town Heretic]

Don't mind TH - He likes to impress people with his keen intellect and sharp whit.

And my mad spelling skill...or was that insensitive? :think:

But I will admit he does have a few good things to say...every so often

Oh, cut that out. :chuckle: All in good fun, Chris. You have to recognize that tendency the way I pay homage to my impressive humility...seriously, if they actually gave an award for it I'd be a shoo-in...only I'd never actually accept it, which would inevitably lead to some sort of lifetime achievement award, I suppose. lain:

By the way - I like my horn.

Just watch the spit valve or you won't make any lasting friends.

 

[ChrisGergen]

Fair enough my friend - fair enough...

 

[annabenedetti]

I'm non-observant because I don't believe in things such as keeping Kosher etc, and I don't believe that religious ritual is necessary in my life.

Do you go to temple/synagogue (please excuse my ignorance if I use the wrong terminology) on the high holy days? Or not at all? What is it that defines your Judaism?

 

[annabenedetti]

Don't mind TH - He likes to impress people with his keen intellect and sharp whit.

He's a whitty fellow all right, but then again, what do I know, eh, TH?

 

[The Horn]

I don't have a favorite composer. There is so much music by so many composers of all periods I love, it's impossible for me to choose a favorite. But that's true of me in general; I don't have a favorite book, film, food, drink, television program etc. And I could never understand people having a favorite color. I like all colors.
And please try my classical music blog The Horn at blogiversity.org,a website where any one can sign up to do a blog on virtually anything. I cover all aspects of classical music, orchestral,operatic, choral and chamber music, history, composers, performers, current events in classical music, recommended recordings and much,much more. My blog is geared toward people who are new to classical music and would lile to learn more about it.
You can easily access it by clicking on Recent Blog Posts on the upper right of the home page.