Secular Music - Is it a Sin?

[evenifigoalone]

Secular is secular .... I believe this is one of those things that is individual for you, you say it is not right then stay away for some one else it can be ok... and some of it is total trash

I go by what Rebba said. It will keep you out of sin, and in the power of God every single time. Obey your conscience!!! If I have to ask if God is OK with something and I do it anyway, then no matter what it is, no matter how innocent it is (Like open a food pantry for the Poor) If I have to ask if God's OK with it and If it's His will, then I am not in faith for it. Anything that is not of faith is sin. Anything you have to ask if it's OK means you don't have a clear conscience toward God about it, so no............. For you just stay away.

Mike.

Indeed.
"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
~Romans 14:22, 23 KJV

 

[Obadiah]

I think the music is more important than the lyrics, you can not whitewash destructiv music by adding christian lyrics to it.


Yes, in some way you should avoid certain clothings (too offensive) and films (blasphemy, violence, sex).

Music, in and of itself is not "destructive". It is only the ideas conveyed that can be destructive. Those ideas are only carried by the lyrics. Do you realize that when most of the old style traditional hymns we sing today were new, they were also condemned for all the same reasons being given here?

As for avoiding things like blasphemy, yes, I believe this is a good example of what being "peculiar" means. It's not a matter of avoiding something just because people in the secular world partake in it. It's a matter of avoiding and separating ourselves from things that scripture tells us are sinful.

 

[farouk]

It's the lyrics that are the most important aspect.

I think the music is more important than the lyrics, you can not whitewash destructiv music by adding christian lyrics to it.

Tomg:

Actually I find this an amazing statement. You really think that it doesn't particularly matter if the words honor the Lord Jesus or not... you really think that style is more important than substance...

(You're entitled to your view, of course.)

 

[Claudya]

I think the music is more important than the lyrics, you can not whitewash destructiv music by adding christian lyrics to it.

Music by itself is not "destructive". Unless you listen to it so loudly that your ear drums rupture or your windows break. But I suppose you won't do either. ;) Whether music sounds "destructive" to you is highly dependent on your expectations, your interpretation, and your taste. For us people of the western world certain types of sounds are associated with aggressive lyrics. So that type of sound (like distorted guitars and heavy drums) will sound "aggressive" to you, because that's what your brain connects it to (and oftentimes your brain is right doing so). But if someone grew up in a church where worship is always done through heavy metal music + praise lyrics their brain would connect those two things and they would feel the powerfull sound of metal is exactly the right way to praise God. The contemporary pop music style worship of most other churches might sound offensively lukewarm and worldly to them.

Besides that... people differ a lot in what kind of sensory input they need for their brain to feel the right kind of activity level. Some people need only little stimulation, and loud music would overstimulate them a big deal. Those people would feel rock or metal to be very aggressive and destructive. Other people need a lot of sensory input to feel comfortable and loud and heavy music makes them feel exactly right. A slow and soft hymn would make them feel bored or even make them aggressive.
This for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSQvoinDE4
It's a great song, but the version in that video is wayyyyyyy too slow and soft. It's pisses me off because in my mind I imagine God must be offended about such softboiled sluggish and lukewarm worship. But then, many people would find that song exactly right, and looking at the comment section of the video I linked my opinion is just me....

So music itself is not destructive. It's just a sequence of sounds that causes responses within our brains. What those responses are depends on some personal taste or personality factors, and on our music habits and culturally shaped expectations and associations about what music fits into what context.

 

[Tomg]

You really think that it doesn't particularly matter if the words honor the Lord Jesus or not

Music and lyrics must honor Jesus, not the lyrics only.

music itself is not destructive.

I think modern music based on backbeat is destructive.

See also in german:

Klaus Miehling - Gewaltmusik Musikgewalt: Populäre Musik und die Folgen
http://books.google.de/books?id=S_G...CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=klaus miehling&f=false

A lecture on rockmusic:
Roger Liebi - Ursprung, Geschichte und Wirkungsweise von Rockmusik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAQSzzKyXho

 

[Obadiah]

I think modern music based on backbeat is destructive.

Once again, a matter of your taste in music only. Those so called scientific studies supporting this have been shown to be very flawed. It's perfectly fine to have personal preferences in the type of music you like. It's just not ok when Christians try to impose those preferences on all other Christians when there is absolutely nothing in scripture supporting this.

 

[Claudya]

See also in german:

Klaus Miehling - Gewaltmusik Musikgewalt: Populäre Musik und die Folgen
http://books.google.de/books?id=S_Gp...ehling&f=false

After reading the first three or four pages of that book preview I'm having a hard time taking it seriously. His preface sounds a lot like he did all of his research only to confirm a hypothesis he already had in his mind.
And as for his definition of what "violence music" is he lists a number of criteria without naming any scientific background as far as I can tell. He just simply claims that certain parameters of music are "aggressive" or cause discomfort. There's one page missing (due to that file being a preview) in that list of parameters of evil music, but from the other page he totally fails to give us a theoretical background of his definition, entirely basing it on subjective perception.
That's particularily obvious where he writes

"Ein Abweichen von der korrekten Tonhöhe (...) verursacht Unbehagen. Oftmals liegt dieses Abweichen nur an der Unfähigkeit der Musiker, doch es kann auch gezielt eingesetzt werden (vgl. die "blue notes" im Jazz und Blues, die zwar auf ein bestimmtes afrikanisches Tonsystem zurückgehen, im Kontext unserer zwölftönig-gleichstufig basierten Musik aber falsch klingen.

So basically blue notes sound wrong to European ears, but if you are a person grown up in an African music context those notes that sound off key to us may sound right?
This is like he's admitting that for whether music causes discomfort or not our musical cultural background matters; and no music is inherently destructive to every listener's ears.

Also, if subjective emotional responses to music are valid enough a foundation to judge it, then what if I tell you that blue notes don't sound "wrong" to me? They sound perfectly right within the context of Blues music.

Not sure I want to read more of that book....

A lecture on rockmusic:
Roger Liebi - Ursprung, Geschichte und Wirkungsweise von Rockmusik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAQSzzKyXho

Oh well, besides quoting Darwin and Nietzsche out of context and giving a VERY overly simplistic summary of the western history of ideas the whole things smells a lot like racism. White man's classical music = good, African tribal music and African American music = bad.

 

[farouk]

Indeed.
"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
~Romans 14:22, 23 KJV

@questriven:

Yes, good verse, and relevant here.

Blessings.

 

[Jarvis]

Hello,

I agree with most what you said, however if I had in 2008 not listened to a christian lecture on rock music by coincidence maybe I would still listen to all kind of secular music.

In this message the speaker explained how backbeat works and its negative influence in the music.
Realising that I threw away all music with backbeat (christian and secular), left only with 2 CDs from Bach.
Since then I only listen to music without backbeat, mostly works from Bach and other baroque composers.
I avoid also guys like Mozart and Beethoven which were no christians.

TomG

Would you mind PMing me a little about that? It sounds pretty interesting!

I only named classical artists because they are the only example I could think of. I like plenty of jazz artists and modern artists that I think are okay to listen to. I just want it to be clear that I couldn't think of any at the moment I typed it up. Questdriven mentioned Owl City in an above post, I think he's okay. Had I thought of him earlier I would have listed him.

It's the lyrics that are the most important aspect.

You'd be surprised, it goes well beyond lyrics. Ever try listening to dubstep? Most of the heavier stuff doesn't even have lyrics. The only song of that genre that even sounds remotely like music (to me) is Too Close.

 

[evenifigoalone]

@Jarvis Ooh, Megaman avatar! Are you subscribed to the comics?
I'm not, but I'm subscribed to the Sonic the Hedgehog comics put out by the same company, and they had a Sonic/Megaman crossover recently. I think they've done 3 out of 4 issues in that arch so far?

 

[farouk]

Yeah.
Well, as a doctrinal issue, I can kinda understand where the concern is, even though I obviously don't agree with the conclusion some reach that modern music is to be avoided.

[MENTION=89910]questdriven[/MENTION]:

Yes, well, for Christian hard rock people, as far as the important aspect of the doctrinal content of lyrics is concerned, Disciple and other bands kind of prove that it can be authentic hard rock and with clear Biblical lyrics. 'Battle Lines' is a good example of this, especially, I think. You as a now convinced hard rock woman would see this clearly, more than some people, I reckon. Blessings.

 

[evenifigoalone]

Re. Owl City (Adam Young)
What genre is his music, anyway? Wikipedia has a few listed, but honestly I've never heard anything else quite like it. It's friggen genius, man. xD

 

[farouk]

Re. Owl City (Adam Young)
What genre is his music, anyway? Wikipedia has a few listed, but honestly I've never heard anything else quite like it. It's friggen genius, man. xD

[MENTION=89910]questdriven[/MENTION]:

In kind of layman's terms, it's melodic, the sort of background music to an epic cartoon, I guess.

Blessings.

 

[Jarvis]

Ooh, Megaman avatar! Are you subscribed to the comics?
I'm not, but I'm subscribed to the Sonic the Hedgehog comics put out by the same company, and they had a Sonic/Megaman crossover recently. I think they've done 3 out of 4 issues in that arch so far?

No, I'm not. I wanted to subscribe when they were announced, but I've been too broke. Just sticking with the games.

 

[adsy86]

I personally listen more to secular music, just by preference, even though I love the worship songs. I think it all depends on the person. Some people can do it and they'll be fine, some people can't and it's fine as well, if it's gonna be s truffle then you shouldn't but if it does nothing for you then why not, as long as you're wise with what you're listening to. Some secular songs have had godly impacts on people so

 

[Eugene]

I personally listen more to secular music, just by preference, even though I love the worship songs. I think it all depends on the person. Some people can do it and they'll be fine, some people can't and it's fine as well, if it's gonna be s truffle then you shouldn't but if it does nothing for you then why not, as long as you're wise with what you're listening to. Some secular songs have had godly impacts on people so

Hi Adsy and welcome to CF.net. May God bless your time with us in Jesus' name.

 

[kami_no_ko]

ok i'm a man, i'm a christian and i listen to secular music alot. i'm actually quite a big fan of lady gaga. recently 1 from work hear me sing the chorus from "no floods" which goes "no matter lightning or thunder, buckets of rain water, you cant flood this town, in a world unknown you got to hold your own and you cant stop me, you're never, ever, ever gonna stop me now." and he said thats demonic clearly the song is about following your dreams, beleving in yourself no matter what ppl say or circumstances may happen. but they have have stero typed as a devil… what can i say

 

[jasoncran]

ok i'm a man, i'm a christian and i listen to secular music alot. i'm actually quite a big fan of lady gaga. recently 1 from work hear me sing the chorus from "no floods" which goes "no matter lightning or thunder, buckets of rain water, you cant flood this town, in a world unknown you got to hold your own and you cant stop me, you're never, ever, ever gonna stop me now." and he said thats demonic clearly the song is about following your dreams, beleving in yourself no matter what ppl say or circumstances may happen. but they have have stero typed as a devil… what can i say

I have listened to her album that my wife has. to include government hooker,judas, etc I call that later one quite well blasphemous. she is saying that she wants the killer of Christ so to speak more then her god. read the lyrics and then you will see.

 

[Obadiah]

I have listened to her album that my wife has. to include government hooker,judas, etc I call that later one quite well blasphemous. she is saying that she wants the killer of Christ so to speak more then her god. read the lyrics and then you will see.

Wow, sure glad the secular music I listen to doesn't have lyrics like that! At least not the kind I like.

 

[jasoncran]

yeah, the other is well rather pornographic in allusion . I think it called bad romance? she is talking an about an abusive love making and I will say no more.