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Secular Music

O

organicjello

Member
I know this question has probably been overdone a million times before, but I've done some research and can't find a search button on the forums...

Basically what I want to know is if listening to secular music is considered a sin? IS it a sin to sing secular music? And are Christian bands sinning when they receive fame, put on concerts, and release CDs with pictures of themselves on it?

I came across these questions when I watched Committed (The winners of the show "Sing-off" and proclaimed Christians) sing Chris Brown songs.

Link to Committed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sFTxhG8f88
(Not asking you to listen or watch it, just wanting to show what I saw.)

My opinion on all this is: There seem to be black and white areas with a whole ton of gray in between. Some people say that any secular music that is not glorifying God is considered sinful. Some people say that secular music is a gift from God, and God doesn't prohibit any type of music. Some people say that secular music is only sinful if it gives you thoughts of sin and influences you to sin. If that is true, then songs about sex, drugs, and sinning are clearly off-limits. However, this would require someone to prove that secular music influences someone to sin. Can't a christian listen to a secular track without being influenced by it if it has just one line referring to sex or one cuss word? I suppose I'm torn about the fact that as a Christian we're supposed to always bring glory to God in everything we do. If that is the case, singing and listening to secular music should be avoided, because it doesn't glorify God.

Anyways, thoughts on this would be appreciated.
 
I get your concern. I get it when people stress that we should be about glorifying the Lord all the time, and that this is idle nonsense at best. I believe someone who's being taken off track by secular music might be doing harm to their walk, but I do believe this is a personal thing.

So it doesn't by nature glorify the Lord. Should we not bowl, or watch TV (well, bad example ;)) or anything that doesn't have "Jesus" in the description. I think sometimes good clean fun is good clean fun, and we shouldn't always feel guilty about having good clean fun. I'd say He's happy when we have it if it's not pulling us away from Him.

Welcome to CFnet, by the way! As your welcoming committee, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to move this to the Music Forum. I'm not sure it's exactly best suited for this one, but good topic! Always relevant to music lovers who love Jesus too! :thumbsup
 
Thanks for the reply and welcoming.

I saw the thread in the secular music subforum relating to this topic and understand your viewpoint. I'm just curious about people's viewpoint on the Christian bands and contemporary music out there. Like I mentioned before, I'm wondering if it's a sin for a proclaimed Christian band to sing a secular track (referring to Committed in my OP).

Also, is buying secular music a sin because you are supporting the spreading of secular music? Does the artist of the secular music matter? For example, if a secular artist like Eminem came out and sang a rather neutral song about animals or something, would buying and listening to that song be a sin because the artist is Eminem?

Lastly, I know the entertainment industry is one of the darkest places in the world, but can a Christian even enter the industry? I guess this goes along the lines of fame and fortune. Is it a sin to be famous or somewhat wealthy? Many Christian bands are rather famous, so is it a sin for them to be making money off their fame?
 
organicjello said:
I know this question has probably been overdone a million times before, but I've done some research and can't find a search button on the forums...

Basically what I want to know is if listening to secular music is considered a sin? IS it a sin to sing secular music? And are Christian bands sinning when they receive fame, put on concerts, and release CDs with pictures of themselves on it?

I came across these questions when I watched Committed (The winners of the show "Sing-off" and proclaimed Christians) sing Chris Brown songs.

Link to Committed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sFTxhG8f88
(Not asking you to listen or watch it, just wanting to show what I saw.)

My opinion on all this is: There seem to be black and white areas with a whole ton of gray in between. Some people say that any secular music that is not glorifying God is considered sinful. Some people say that secular music is a gift from God, and God doesn't prohibit any type of music. Some people say that secular music is only sinful if it gives you thoughts of sin and influences you to sin. If that is true, then songs about sex, drugs, and sinning are clearly off-limits. However, this would require someone to prove that secular music influences someone to sin. Can't a christian listen to a secular track without being influenced by it if it has just one line referring to sex or one cuss word? I suppose I'm torn about the fact that as a Christian we're supposed to always bring glory to God in everything we do. If that is the case, singing and listening to secular music should be avoided, because it doesn't glorify God.

Anyways, thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Then many countries should not sing their national anthem and you must not teach your kid ABC/alphabet songs because they are secular.

When you hear a secular song, you know if it is wrong or right based on scriptures. Anything that contradicts scripture is not to be heard and entertained.
 
mike has a point. once cant live in vaccuum bubble and expect the world to just come to you. i dont listen to secular music and i dont like halloween nor christmas yet i did hand out candy as my daughter wanted to and left for a few. so rather then be rude i oblidged the kids.
 
This is something that I'm trying to address in my own life. I grew up very "sheltered"..you could say..at least in regards to popular music of my childhood. I listened to mostly Christian rock/alternative on Christian radio stations and all my CD's were primarily of Christian groups. Since about 6th grade, I have strayed from that and listen to other music (not Christian). I know when I say that it is JUST music that is not a good outlook to have, because I feel like it can have an effect on a person, subconsciously and/or consciously. Are there any members out there that could recommend any modern Christian groups that I could explore? I hope to get my music interests on track with God as I move forward..
 
Personally, there is just something that doesn't feel right about listening to secular music. I got into it briefly many years ago and ended up throwing out all those CDs after God changed me.

As for Christian music, there is a fair bit of stuff out there. There are some older threads we can post in about bands rather than derailing this one. Either start a new one or dig up one of the old ones and let me know your preferences for style.

I'm on my iPod lying in bed so I can't really do much else until tomorrow.
 
Free said:
Personally, there is just something that doesn't feel right about listening to secular music. I got into it briefly many years ago and ended up throwing out all those CDs after God changed me.

As for Christian music, there is a fair bit of stuff out there. There are some older threads we can post in about bands rather than derailing this one. Either start a new one or dig up one of the old ones and let me know your preferences for style.

I'm on my iPod lying in bed so I can't really do much else until tomorrow.
Click to expand...

I'll look up some old forums and if I don't find what I'm looking for, I'll make a new one, but in terms of my music interests:

I'd say my favorite secular band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, so I like the alternative/rock area, but Christian rap is also okay if you know of any that is good. :)
 
Navigator said:
I'll look up some old forums and if I don't find what I'm looking for, I'll make a new one, but in terms of my music interests:

I'd say my favorite secular band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, so I like the alternative/rock area, but Christian rap is also okay if you know of any that is good. :)
Click to expand...
Here is an old thread I bumped that we can add to:

http://www.christianforums.net/f11/recomendations-please-26045/

I can't comment on rap and maybe not much on the alternative side of things, but rock/hard rock, that's what I enjoy.
 
The majority of secular music is utterly vile. Lady gaga, katy perry, fiddy cent etc. I used to listen to paramore alot. In fact I was obsessed. But this stuff is really quite unhealthy. It is also meaningless. Look at the lyrics.. Repetitive, nonsensical. Christian music is much better, it also points to the source of all meaning.. Yahweh!

Honestly and faithfully look at the music you want to listen to.

Ask yourself why you want to listen to it. What will it add to you? look at Katy Perry's ET. Is this the sort of rubbish that you want floating around in your head?
 
Any music that doesn't specifically lead people away from righteousness is fine. Of course, as time goes by that applies to fewer and fewer songs. The music business needs an enema.
 
felix said:
Then many countries should not sing their national anthem and you must not teach your kid ABC/alphabet songs because they are secular.

When you hear a secular song, you know if it is wrong or right based on scriptures. Anything that contradicts scripture is not to be heard and entertained.
Click to expand...

Good heavens! Did I miss this thread!
I was having National Anthems in mind too.
A presidential handshake, Felix
 
I play stuff like Yanni C, Backstreet B, Westlife, Whitney Houston etc.

My favourite is jazz-related stuff. Here I learn a lot of new chords, powerful chords.

Honestly, there's a lot to learn from SM when it comes to learning certain chords. I love chords
 
I think secular music is, at best, profitless, and at worst, harmful.

I listen to secular music. I love foreign language music, and about 50% of my collection isn't in English. I know it doesn't profit much, but sometimes I enjoy just relaxing and listening to the sound of it.

There's some artists who I just wouldn't tolerate, because of the way they dress, their lyrics, the people who listen to their music, the causes they support. I wouldn't have anything by Lady Gaga in the house, and I don't listen to Linda Ronstadt or Cyndi Lauper anymore (even though I used to love their music), because of their support for the gay movement. I love the sound of Gogol Bordello, but... well... the clue is in the name... they're out. I used to be a fan of Rammstein, until I found out how weird and perverted their lyrics are. I find that increasingly, new mainstream artists are off my wishlist because of the sexualised way the dress, or swearing in their songs. I have a soft spot for punk bands like the Dropkick Murphys though. Their songs say a lot about the importance of family, friends, loyalty and comradeship. I don't have much of a problem with those sentiments, it's far better than some of the more nihilistic, anarchistic punk artists out there. Some people would find fault with me listening to Einstürzende Neubauten, because some of their songs sound 'a bit Satanic' to some people. If you look at their lyrics, there's no hidden message. Most of it is either just word patterns or rather pretentious poetry, punctuated with screaming and hitting sheet metal with sledgehammers.

I think if we're discerning about what music (and the influences it brings) we listen to, we should be relatively safe.

On the other hand, I admire people who simply do without secular music, sacrifice it for Christ. My brother-in-law (who is a musician) got rid of his entire collection of secular music CDs a while ago, and for a good number of years now all he listens to is hymns.
 
I just cannot understand why any christian would want to listen to secular music. It has so many messages. In a previous post i mentioned katy perry's et. The message in that is sex with the devil. And how hypnotic he is. Then theres just normal stuff, all about relationships..well..why sing about it? Often you find political messages pushing ideologies (punk for instance). But there are greater issues. Much of the hip hop pushes freemasonry, even looking at the videos shows checkered floors symbolising divine balance (light and darkness). Theres often blasphemy, sexualization of kids (whip my hair for instance, miley cyrus), pushing of self reliance and rebellion.

Finally, we have the big problem of teens marking their flesh (explicitly forbidden in the bible), and getting piercings (also forbidden), a massive rise in self harm over the past few decades. Where does the influence come from? Most definitely from popular culture..secular music playing a massive part, most teens and 20+ emulate the artists who perform their favourite songs. I could not listen to music that emphasizes and encourages sin, and plays such a large part in demolishing the society that I live in.
 
It only recently dawned on me that secular music might be hampering might spiritual growth. I was listening to the Velvet Underground last night, and I started thinking: what do you know about the Velvet Underground? Well, they spent lots of time with Andy Warhol. They popped pills and slept around. OK, so maybe listen to...and then it hit me: who/what do you listen to, exactly, when ALL secular music is made by people entrenched in a subculture even more sinful than the culture at large? How can you guard your heart when you're willingly listening to and singing along with lyrics that celebrate sin? How can I not be affected by this?

In addition, I'm finding secular music less fulfilling and entertaining, sometimes even a bit sad. Another song about relationships or drugs or...you get the picture. I just don't know how to keep myself entertained now that I'm waking up the problems with secular music.
 
For example, some hymns use tunes which were secular: 'Glorious things of Thee are spoken, Zion city of our God', is often sung to the tune 'Austria'.
 
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