Questions

I am a Christian.
This means that I am a follower of Christ, not a financial backer of the Pat Robertson empire. However, the fact that I am a Christian colors my entire life. My father is a pastor and I grew up in Christian school (including college) and I've worked for Christian companies for 13 years. Given this bubble state that I live in, my life is pretty well laid out for me. I do certain things a certain way because that's what I've always done. Alternatives are never considered because there's simply no reason. I go to church and I don't do drugs and I don't rob banks. Period.
The older I get, the harder it seems to define the parameters of my "Christian life" without becoming exclusive or holier-than-thou, two things I do not wish to be. There’s a current trend brewing among evangelicals that we shouldn’t be so “religious” and rigid. That the old school ways of church no longer have relevance and we should work to conform our faith to fit in with the modern world. And whether or not I believe that to be true, I do believe I am called to live by a certain standard and ethic. I think my life should have structure, not childishly running around all willy nilly believing that God will handle the hard stuff. I think my life should be about more than saying "I believe" and leaving it at that. More than attending church once a week and expecting that action to fulfill my holy quota. It has to be more. If my faith is true, if I truly practice what I preach, my faith should be evidenced in every aspect of my life.
Lately I've been faced with some difficult (and new) choices. My company does a lot of advertising and marketing on the web since that's where the kids hang out these days. This can sometimes bring up questionable issues such as screening MySpace friends for our company MySpace page. Meaning, we want anyone and everyone to be our friend, but we don't want lewd photos on our page. So far we've been able to tackle these issues as they've come up...but yesterday I was faced with a new dilemma. We have a new band coming out in a few weeks so I've been fervently working to get them booked on all the best music sites. I book banner ads and host contests, things of that nature. In doing this, I came across a company that books ads for tons of great sites for one price! Easy! While looking over their list, I noticed that one of the sites they book is a lifestyle site that features girls in various stages of nudity trying to be edgy and cool. And yes, they are edgy and cool. But also....they are naked.
I don't want to be one of "those Christians" that immediately turns up my nose at anything morally questionable, refusing to truly examine the situation. I think Christians (especially ones in the limelight) too often judge before examining, piously point before considering, condemn before caring. The opposite of what I think Jesus was, and the opposite of who I think I'm called to be. But. I also represent a band and a company, and ultimately my faith.
As I see it, there are two arguments:
1. We shouldn't openly fund and associate ourselves with an organization that promotes something we oppose.
2. If we are truly trying to spread the message of Hope to those outside our "circle", shouldn't we then associate with those very people? Get in the mix, so to speak. Break out of the bubble.
And I guess I’m not even talking about the questionable website anymore, I’m not trying to make some judgment about them or how they choose to display themselves to the public. I’m just trying to figure out the balance. I don’t want to stay holed up inside the church, afraid of whatever “sin” might be lurking outside. But I also believe that living my faith means living a life of morality, or at least making every effort to do so.
I realize these questions have been asked a thousand times by a thousand people, even since Bible times. We all ask ourselves at one time or another, “How close is too close?” Hate the sin, love the sinner, that sort of thing. I want to love others as Jesus did, but it never seems to be black and white. There’s always an ocean of grey.
And I don't assume to have all the answers, or any answers for that matter. Only questions that wake me in the night. Questions that haunt me and nag me and bore holes into my heart.