Entry #13: I Read the Wrong Reading by Accident So Here Take This Post

                  Hi!

                  I try really, really hard not to repeat myself and what others have said when it comes to my thoughts on organized religion. I think I’ve been feeling more inclined to talk about it lately because it’s not often I’m in a Christian environment where I can easily express my feelings without having to constantly reaffirm that I’m still devoutly Christian.

                  Also, today I accidentally read and filled out the PDF for the wrong reading and ended up reading the Fool’s Errand blog posts by Keith Lango instead (I went back and did the right reading too, so s’all good). Without going into much detail, Lango talks about how there’s not really a solid definition for “good” CGI animation. In a weird way, I want to tie this and our discussion about what I’m going dub as the “Evangelical Wall” together.

                  When I was homeschooled, I was made very aware of the reason why I was homeschooled. Proverbs 22:6: Train up a child in the ways of the Lord, and when he is old he will never depart from it. I’m not knocking that verse or homeschooling at all, but this is what I grew up with. I had a template of expectations set out before me and, in short, I went in the opposite direction pretty often.

                  I feel like we set a template out for animators, too. The expectations from animation rise with every passing year and mistakes become less and less tolerable. It doesn’t matter who made it, all the standards apply to every animator or company, it seems.

                 

                  Both artists and Christians are expected to meet all this criteria before they are considered a true artist or Christian. As both an artist and a Christian, I find that really annoying and stressful. I don’t mean we shouldn’t improve in our art or beliefs, but rather how we build a mold for ourselves and others to fit.

                  For Christians, it’s be exactly like Jesus. For artists, more specifically animators, it’s be like Disney. If you don’t reach that level, well you just aren’t good enough. So, in a way, we build that Evangelical Wall, giving ourselves tunnel vision so we only focus on being someone else. I struggle with both of those. Why do I have to be like anyone? Can’t I just be who God created me to be? I’m not Walt Disney and I’m not Jesus, I’m Shelby. Walt Disney and Jesus are great role models, but we can’t ever hope to be them. So, why do we pressure ourselves and others to be them?

                  So, what I really want to say is what has been said for, well, ever. God made you you and no one else, so why would he expect us to be someone else? Also, in the artist perspective, the artists that start movements were the ones who make themselves original.

                  If you’re not the best, that’s alright. You’re better than you were and you will continue to get better.

(Also, I know some of you are saying in your head "But, I'll never improve". That's a dirty lie and you know it. Don't lie to yourself, you CAN and you WILL get better, I promise.)