Something that's always confused me:

[war_eagle]

What really motivated me to give up Christian rock music was an annoying neighbor across the street who listened to the nasty' date=' secular hard rock/rap. When he didn't have it cranked, all you could hear was: Bomp! Bomp! Bomp! It occurred to me one day as I had my music on and went to another room (and I couldn't make out the words) that all I heard was: Bomp! Bomp! Bomp! It stopped me dead in my tracks. The style was the same...it was the world's style....if I had my music loud, but not cranked so loud that a passerby could make out the words--they'd think I listened to the same trash as my neighbor!...I wanted to know why THEY were listening to secular bands & why did they tour with some of them as well?[/quote']

Once again proving my point: that the rejection of twentieth century pop music is based on guilt by association and not on judging the song on it's own merits.

[Jerry]

It's a rejection of styles of music, regardless of the lyrics.

[bzmomo7]

It's a rejection of styles of music' date=' regardless of the lyrics.[/quote']

Yes, and I'm confused why the poster above you somehow missed that. :puzzled:

[282Mikado]

One would have to assume it's because war_eagle likes and listens to today's music.

[bzmomo7]

Yes, well, I liked it once, too. It was not easy to give up, but the facts were too compelling once I started researching the topic, and I felt convicted that I needed to make a drastic change.

[282Mikado]

Yes, well, I liked it once, too. It was not easy to give up, but the facts were too compelling once I started researching the topic, and I felt convicted that I needed to make a drastic change.

Perhaps, but all your research is clouded by guilt from your past you see, so you no longer are capable of thinking clearly and, therefore, righteously on this subject. You see bzmom, you and I are no longer capable of appreciating how those strong back beats, sensual rhythms, and or provocative styles truly Glorify God. We are indeed relics deprived from our sinful past. :sad

[John81]

I happened to look through a copy of "Plugged In" magazine today and noticed this in the "Letters" section:


"I really appreciated the As I Lay Dying article. It seems most of Christianity is completely out of touch with the hardcore music scene. Hardcore music is brutally honest by nature. Add a Christian worldview, and you have a powerful genre. Most contemporary Christian music is created to be radio-friendly but is often rejected by non-Christians as sugarcoated fantasy. I am a 45-year-old fan of metal, a concert promoter and a dad. I've had the pleasure of working with many well-known hardcore bands. Often misjudged, they are some of the most "real" peole you could meet."

[war_eagle]

One would have to assume it's because war_eagle likes and listens to today's music.

Yeah, I guess you could assume that if I hadn't given examples to back it up.

[war_eagle]

It's a rejection of styles of music' date=' regardless of the lyrics.[/quote']

Right. You reject an entire genre without judging the merits of the individual song.

[Jerry]

You are totally right - I reject the music of the world, regardless of whether it has "Christian" lyrics added to it or not.

[Guest Guest]

We all know what happens when we assume. :smile

[John81]

You are totally right - I reject the music of the world' date=' regardless of whether it has "Christian" lyrics added to it or not.[/quote']

This is a serious question:

How do you define "music of the world"?

What makes some music to be "music of the world" and others not?

I know what I consider to be "music of the world" but I know not all would agree and I've never yet seen agreement among Chistians as to what is and isn't "music of the world".

Is some music absolutely "of the world" no matter what? If so, why?

Is some music "of the world" sometimes but not at other times?

What if there were Scriptural, godly lyrics combined with worldly music, would the lyrics be okay if sang without music or with generally accepted music?

As I've mentioned, I've never came across agreement on any of this among Christians.

[war_eagle]

...

[Guest Guest]

That has pretty much been my point throughout this entire thread. It is a matter of personal opinion or preference and therefore subjective to every individual's likes or dislikes.

[Guest Guest]

Well, this may be a little long but I will try to make it as short and simple as I can. First lets look at some verses to give us a rough place to start.

"1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"

"1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"

"Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

"Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

"Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

So what do we get from this? In a word music should be Holy. Lets look at some of what this means and how music can be holy or unholy. I won't address the aspect of the words because there seems to be agreement that if the words are bad the song is bad.

Music consists of rhythm, melody, and harmony. If any of these are messed up or out of balance it makes the music bad. If it is messed up intentionally it is wrong. If it is accidental it doesn't sound good but it is not wicked. Thus while someone singing to God off key might not sound so great, morally there is nothing wrong with it.

God has designed certain aspects in music which mirror him. Conversely when music is "messed up" it has aspects which mirror the devil. You may not know what to call it but your body does indeed feel it and that is why Christians rightly call certain music "fleshly" even if they don't know why that is the case. It is also why certain songs even without words will tend either relax someone, stir them up in a "right" way or put them on edge, make them feel violent, start their body swaying in a "bad way" and so on...

The Lord says:
"1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order."

The Lord is orderly. If we look at any of his creation we see order and cycles. We also see death and disorder, which scripture tells us is the post fall work of sin. However God did not make death, Satan did. Satan is the original and only "anti". That is all he has ever succeeded at, promoting the opposite of God. So, in music as in everything else, his bad music is a simple reversal of Gods principles for music. Good music has patterns, a theme, cycles, direction and noble purpose. Each of which is a aspect of God which when combined produce Godly music. All of those things you can feel even if you don't know a thing about music. Bad music often has some of the same aspects, but the purpose and direction are different, conflicting, disorderly, and often violent. That is why rock, rap, etc. attracts rebels who are spiritually empty of God. They are attracted to the works and character of their father. When speaking of hell Job says:

"Job 10:22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness."

The devil hates order, and he hates people. Both for their relation to God. You usually can see these aspects of the devil in most "messed up" music. Often there will be a heavy "beat" which is rythm overpowering melody(disorderly & violent), two or more different and conflicting "themes" within the music(no peace), harsh and sudden "insertions" of a sound that the music was not leading up to(disorderly & violent), all of which have a negative effect on your body and spirit(the hates people aspect).

"Jeremiah 7:19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?"

"1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

When someone mixes this type of music with Godly words they are just sending mixed signals and provoking themselves to the confusion of their own faces... You can get use to and even "like" this music, just remember its traits are not the traits of God and in effect you are "liking" the works of the devil. I don't think any Christian should be there.