Two Sundays ago, I had this column all written in my mind and was thinking I would ask the newspaper to run a "bonus" from Spring Creek. I had been watching the coverage of the Aurora, Colorado shooting and listening to the television news media's talk of the need for tighter gun controls to prevent such things. Then I went to church Sunday morning and thought that if we had more believers, we would not have as much violence and other bad behaviors.Christianity, like all religions, has "rules" such as the Ten Commandments. If you look at Christianity's rules, they all make perfect sense for getting along in the world. Don't kill anyone, don't cheat on your marriage, don't tell lies, take care of your body like it's a temple, rest your body and mind once a week, let your fields rest every seven years, etc. Even if you are agnostic or atheist, you have to agree that these rules make a lot of sense, and science has supported many of the practices. I mention the fundamental practicality of biblical rules and guidelines to underscore that Christianity is not merely a system of "superstitious" beliefs in a mythological deity, as I have heard it characterized so often lately.Anyone who wants to be "on trend" these days has to put on the style of being dark and broody, in tune with the cruelty and danger that exist in the world (both real and imagined), filled with rage or depression, and of being far too intellectual to believe in the child-like fantasies of Christianity or an other religion. If you think I am wrong, take a good look around you at the most popular movies, shows, music, books, etc. Most of us are exposed to media almost constantly - the younger you are, the more this is true. The messages creep into your mind and become a part of who you are and how you think unless you consciously choose to stop that from happening. I choose to resist. I live in the light of my God's love. I wish everyone could experience that kind of life. It certainly is not always easy and it is not always rosy. God never promised to make everything nice for me, but he did promise to love me unendingly. Anyone who knows me well knows that I often behave in a less-than-saintly manner. We all have that inside of us. We all have the ability to act upon the less deirable aspects of human nature. But we can also choose to be better people. We all know the difference.I look around at people who are caught up in this fashionable darkness and I feel such sadness for them. The trendsetters are telling them that religion makes no logical, reasonable sense. But how much sense does it make to choose to live the kind of cold, dark lives they are living? How much sense does it make to adopt a belief system that results in hatred, violence, isolation and misery?Everyone of us has the choice to live in the dark or in the light. If you have not tried it, let me tell you that the light is a great place to be. After fifty-one years of life, I have learned that the only absolute is my God's love for me - and for you whether you want it or not. What a glorious absolute! SpringCreekArtsGuild@gmail.com