Mixing Art and Truth

I'm part of a writers' on-line forum, SheWrites.com. Lorraine Devon Wilke recently wrote an article addressing the upsurge in actors and writers who use their platform to shout their politics. Recently, my esteem for some of my favorite actresses has taken a hit because of their strident clamoring of liberal ideas. It bothers me that they would use their celebrity status to voice their opinions.

But as I read Wilke's article, I realized actors, artists, musicians, and writers have the freedom and even the responsibility to voice our opinions. It's called a worldview, and we can't help it.

My worldview is a Christian one, and that bleeds into everything I write, just as water, carefully applied, takes the watercolors to the paper's edges. In the Shadow of Mr. Lincoln is not a traditionally Christian novel, but because I am a Christian, my beliefs show through the characters and how they act and react and speak.

My problem with the above-mentioned actresses is that I disagree with their politics. However, they have every right to speak their minds.

I need to speak eloquently enough that the simply stated truths I share can be heard amid the ruckus.