Artist Thomas Kincaid Arrested for DUI

Discussion

Not sure whether or not Kinkade is saved. Based upon what I’ve read online, he doesn’t seem to conduct himself the way a Christian should strive to live.

Rick Franklin Gresham, Oregon Romans 8:38-39

I’ll never understand the fascination with celebrity, especially when they claim to be Christian and everyone gets all excited because Tom Selleck or Mel Gibson or some other famous person does something of a religious nature. Are we really that gullible? After the movie The Passion of the Christ, which was shown in churches and Sunday Schools all across America as if it was based on sound doctrine and would be spiritually beneficial, Mel Gibson shows his true colors and Christians again look like a bunch of Little Red Riding Hoods. Oy vey.

So Kinkade paints some warm and fuzzy pictures and quotes John 3:16. Be still my heart. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php] http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-confused002.gif

Susan,

The difference here is that Kincade is not a celebrity who we now prop up as a Christian, but he became famous as a Christian painter. He is something of a preacher by means of his art — although for such he cannot be held to the standards of 1 Tim. 3. or Tit. 1.

I read Kincade’s book, Lightposts for Living, 11 years ago on my own very serene vacation. It is all about how he and his family had chosen a very simple, family-oriented lifestyle. We have many Kincade items in our home — none of the expensive kind 8-) — and they represent a little slice of serenity to me every time I see them.

If this report is true, it is disappointing, though I am sure that no one is as disappointed as Kincade is. Also, you never know with DUI unless you have all the facts — a person does not have to be falling down drunk to get arrested. It can happen lots of ways.

I have no idea what Rick is talking about in post #1. I have seen Kincade criticized for his art and the marketing of his brand “empire,” but not for anything else. Let us pray that he can recover spiritually, first of all, from whatever happened here.

Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry

I don’t care about Kinkade himself- I’m commenting more on the swooning by Christians over celebrities who claim to be Christian or do some Christian-ish stuff. And then they do something stupid and everyone is upset and the world points at another Christian who bit the dust in a very public way. I think I know what Rick is talking about - Kinkade has been accused of some [URL=http://articles.latimes.com/2006/mar/05/business/fi-kinkade5] very outrageous behavior [/URL] and his company just filed for Chapter 11, I believe.

I don’t think it’s a ‘sin’ to have a Kinkade painting on the wall or anything- if I like a picture, I don’t compile a dossier on the artist. And I also hope he can recover spiritually, and not just because he is in the public eye.

Frankly, he should have been arrested years ago for claiming the mass-appeal and shallow paintings that he produced were actually “art”.

Dan Burrell Cornelius, NC Visit my Blog "Whirled Views" @ www.danburrell.com

The overall problem with the ‘Christian Celebrity’ is the fact that they are human and will make human mistakes. Many of the ‘Christian Celebrities’ are just using the tag as a means to make money or acquire something else which they want. For me, this category includes all of the politicians who proclaim themselves as Christians during their bid for office. There are two different categories which result in problems for Christianity:
1) those who are using their ‘Christianity’ for money or power
2) those who are ‘Christian’ and result in sinning in a very public manner

Either of these two Categories result in Christianity getting a black eye. Our society, probably for thousands of years, enjoys the downfall of a person, especially if it contradicts a position that person has taken.

I personally believe that these ‘Christian Celebrities’ should be ignored when they open their mouths and start proclaiming their position this loudly. It is one thing to thank God and Christ when you are receiving an award, have won a game or at some other time or elation in your life. It is another thing to proclaim one’s Christian beliefs at the same time as you are promoting yourself, your product or some other object. This is the difference between giving God and Christ credit for the positive things which have happened in your life and using God and Christ to make money, gain notoriety or attempt to persuade a group of people to do something which you want done.

If Kinkaide has a drinking problem I hope and pray that he gets the appropriate help for it and overcomes the control alcohol has over him. I have liked some of his art but do not own any significant amount of it because I felt it was too commercialized and mass produced rather than truly coming from a person’s heart.

I will pray for him and hope that he gives God and Christ credit for any help which they provide him in this period of his life.

Susan’s link describes in detail the sort of behavior I had read about elsewhere and to which I alluded in the first comment.

I agree with Susan’s and James’ comments about celebrities who name the name of Christ. In the case of Thomas Kinkade, he presents himself and by extension, his business as all sweetness and (literally) light. But then he conducts his personal life as a profane, unrepentant boorish drunk. And on the business side, it’s “me-first” with no apparent regard for the gallery owners who peddle his paintings.

I have not read Lightposts for Living, but based on the reviews I’ve seen, it appears that it presents ways to have a positive outlook on life from a mostly secular, feel-good perspective. One reviewer stated that Kinkade refers to God (with no mention of Jesus) as “one of many means to the light.” It may be that Kinkade’s faith is more akin to that of Robert Schuller than the beliefs of most members of sharperiron.org.

Rick Franklin Gresham, Oregon Romans 8:38-39