by 
One of the arguments that I have made for a long time regarding music and its effect on people and its place in worship is that all music has an effect on the human body regardless of the words that are put to it. Now, I’m not discounting the power of the words put to song– they can work together for a great good. What I am saying is that people know what they are doing with different types of sounds, and we would be foolish to think that professionals don’t know what they are talking about.
And what modes of music are most used to drive home a message of sex and immorality– those that carry a strong beat. I could probably go so far as to say that a strong backbeat is incredibly linked to sexually explicit lyrics to the point that if you could even make the argument that this sound is neutral it is directly associated with sexual lyrics through the predominance of “songs” out there that carry that particular message.
This music appeals to the flesh because teens like to hear it– they like the beat, they like the rhythm and they like their music loud. Unfortunately, if they are listening to secular music the chances are they are being fed a steady diet of sex, a diet that is affecting how they relate to the opposite sex and promiscuity:
Natasha Ramsey, a 17-year-old from New Brunswick, N.J., said she and other teens sometimes listen to sexually explicit songs because they like the beat.
“I won’t really realize that the person is talking about having sex or raping a girl,” she said. Even so, the message “is being beaten into the teens’ heads,” she said. “We don’t even really realize how much.”
“A lot of teens think that’s the way they’re supposed to be, they think that’s the cool thing to do. Because it’s so common, it’s accepted,” said Ramsey, a teen editor for Sexetc.org, a teen sexual health Web site produced at Rutgers University.
“Teens will try to deny it, they’ll say ‘No, it’s not the music,’ but it IS the music. That has one of the biggest impacts on our lives,” Ramsey said.
The advice at the end of this article is good, but I would go stronger. The point we agree on is that parents have to be involved with what their child is listening to. But since I do not believe that music is value-neutral, I will not be letting my children “sample pop music” and decide what they like since I believe that God calls us to a higher standard.
The question is whether our response should be that we keep children away from pop music altogether, or whether we should encourage them to listen to Christian pop music and music that is wholesome.
The point you make about associating the beat with an immoral message could be countered if we ensured that young people associated that beat with music that instead had a moral message. It is not the beat that is immoral, but what we do with it, I think.
For instance, as a teenager, I enjoyed music from Petra, Steve Taylor and some British Christian bands, as well as Runrig, U2 and the Alarm – all bands with heavy Christian influences. I hardly listen to any music these days – I don’t have time. But I don’t regret my former musical tastes. I would argue that my taste for this music went hand in hand with a period of very strong spiritual growth. I rejected immoral music, but not all music. It probably helped me in my spiritual growth.
Regards,
Stephen
I also agree that music can impact anyone, not just teenagers. It is a very powerful tool, in fact, we are showing a video called “We Sold Our Souls for Rock -n- Roll” or something like that to our youth. The bands that they portray are quite aware of how much they are influencing the youth and brag that they are gods to them, and they are right. Marilyn Manson, Eminem, too many to name have admitted that they deal with a “presence or Satan” One singer wrote about the demon that speaks to him and admitted that it was the demon telling him what to write.
I have had a few arguments with some Christians that they feel disgusted that a lot of Christian groups do metal, rap, R&B, etc. Because they feel it does not honor God. God created music. If the music worships and honors God what’s the problem?
I have said this countless of times, but it bears repeating, if it wasn’t for Christian metal, I would still be listening to secular metal music. Why? Because I like the fast guitar and drums and the heavy basse. And let me tell you, I have worshipped harder and stronger than I ever did with modern pop. I can warfare with it.
Yes, music is very very powerful.
There are more than 30 references where music is talked about in praise of God, more than 30 verses that talk about worshiping God with music. It is found at the crowning of kings, funerals, in mourning, and tons of other little places, but mostly its only found to praise/worship God. In my strongest strongs I can only find three references which are labeled as anything that would be viewed as negative towards music. Fittingly, it is again involved with worship, just not worship of God (Da 3:4-7, 10, 15).
What does this say to me about the nature of music? Is it neutral, negative, or positive? It seems pretty clear from these references that music was designed for praise/worship of God. This is likely the very reason why it has such a powerful affect on us. When used to worship God, it fits its purpose and is a great thing. When used for anything else it still carries its purpose of worship, but not necessarily of God (Hense the God complex of worldly musicians).
One thing that I do not find in scripture is any reference to any kind of music being bad. I do not see the bible saying anywhere “stay away from that fast paced music because its sexual”. I do not see the bible stating “Stay away from those guitars, or stringed instruments”. I do not see any commands that would suggest that any particular type of music would not be pleasing to God. I think this is significant. Surely, wouldn’t God make it clear if we were to not listen to fast paced music?
With this said, it appears the only important thing with music is who it is directed at. It was designed for praise. Is it praising God, or praising false gods?
If you look at the NT scriptures we do have on music and take them apart a little, it seems to me that putting Christian lyrics to worldly (rock/metal) music is going against what we’re taught.
For instance. Take Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. The Ephesians passage reads: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Pay attention to the phrasing. First of all: Speaking to yourselves. In Biblical times and ages past, they spoke their songs, and then sang them. This really ties into the second passage in Colossians 3:16 where it says, “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Teaching and admonishing…
Secondly, take note of the 3 types of songs that Paul permits. Psalms (self-explanatory), hymns (also self-explanatory) and spiritual songs. Why did he phrase the last one as “spiritual songs”? You’d think since the first two were so clear, this one would be also. Could this mean that there was certain music in their culture that he didn’t want them to imitate? Yes, you’ll point out that hymns were also used by pagans in their own forms of worship, but Paul separates the list of acceptable music into three categories. I’d surmise that hymns were acceptable as long as their words glorified God. So what do we do with the “spiritual songs” category? We take it apart in an effort to understand it better.
Spiritual songs=any song that is not a hymn or psalm—the emphasis on “spiritual”. Spiritual, translated from the Greek word pneumatikos, means “non-carnal” and in this instance refers to our new nature as Christians. (Putting off the old man and taking on our new nature in Christ) Non-carnal=non-worldly.
Paul didn’t qualify his category of “hymns” (a pagan practice) as “spiritual hymns”…so I’m assuming he knew the believers would know that the words had to be glorifying to God. So were there some other “types” of music in their culture that weren’t acceptable to imitate? The music is a vehicle for the words…does the music match the message, or does it contradict it? Carnal music appeals to our flesh, spiritual music should appeal to our spirit…and glorify God.
It seems to me that if your musical tastes outweigh your lyrical tastes (and they must if the music beats and rhythms are what you “need” to most enjoy worship, because really, if you’re just switching one set of lyrics for another, the music itself is your primary concern), then you’re more concerned about you and your emotions than you are God and what He wants from your worship.
Look at how Christian/church music has changed just in the last 40-50 years. And look at how the culture has gone down the drain in the same last 40-50 years. Did the early Christians compromise in any way, to relate to the world better? Do we now? I think so. What good is it doing us?
I like what Revi Zacharias said once, “Modern Christian music caters to the ecstasy of the moment and does not give time for reflection.”
I say all the above because I identify with feeling the pull of worldly music with godly words. I struggle so much with wanting to understand what God desires. Some of my favorite Christian groups have both types of music…non-carnal and carnal. Both kinds appeal to my spirit, but the carnal ones appeal more to my flesh than my spirit. I don’t think this is being nit-picky if you really take into account the God of the Bible.
Judges 17:6, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” What is “right” in God’s eyes?
hi,
imo music is intrinsically sexual. It’s a pet theory of mine, i could prove it to you with a short presentation involving an over head projector. That’s not a bad thing, because sex is interesting and diverse enough in itself and as a metaphor, but I’m disappointed by the concentration on one or very few kinds of sex in the mainstream pop charts.
Are you saying all music? Some? I definitely agree that music has an impact on the brain in different ways than words. I believe that it also taps into chemical reactions that can effect the body. David played the harp and was able to soothe Saul, etc.
Jez, what exactly are you implying?
Thanks to Mary for the explanation. You just answered my feelings. I’d love to hear your
reflections again. Very very interesting.
Thank you, Olga! I hope you come back again!
You are all so convinced that your definitions of moral and immoral are correct. This obsession about popular culture by white American middle class Christians just exposes a myopic view of the world an a hypocritical assumption that you have a monopoly on understanding what is right and wrong.
Sex in popular cultureis not immoral neither is comic book violence. “Get off your cross.. we need the space to nail the next fool up!”
Matt, how would you like people who truly believe the Bible is God’s Word to respond? If the Bible is true, and God’s laid out what morality is, Christians would be hypocritical not to talk about the culture in those terms! Contrary to your supposition, Christians who do not claim to know the truth or have the right worldview are hypocritical.
Sex outside of marriage is immoral historically in the western world. On the physical side of it, it’s leading to the spread of disease and the killing of young– let alone the breaking of vows and rending of families. Tell me how this is good and enlightened?
It’s the post-modern way to attack Christian conservatives, all the while arguing for uncritical tolerance and moral/spiritual relativism.
It’s not about us Christians trying to prove our own beliefs, but totally about the God we serve and His mandates. His word is very clear, nothing subjective about it. Here at MInTheGap we’re simply exploring God’s word, and His ways together and being encouraged in the process. It’s what we come here for. Iron sharpening iron.
There’s nothing hypocritical or arrogant about trying to keep our heads from being stuck in the sand about how today’s culture is affecting Christianity.
I think the myopia comes in assuming that this understanding of morality is “white American middle class”. Or did you just say that because “middle class values” are so out of vogue? The argument is ad hominem.
Says you. What values do these represent? Why are *you* so convinced that your definitions are correct?
It seems clear to me that popular culture is quite hypocritical about sex. A man who has sex with a 15 year old commits a sin in popular culture, but when she is 16 (or whenever your arbitrary age of consent is defined) there is now nothing wrong with the act.
Homosexuality is a sexual orientation in popluar culture – never a pshychological/physiological problem – whereas peadophilia *is* defined as a pyshcological problem, and is villified by society.
Why the difference? Clearly peadophilia is wrong, because children have a right to be protected from such exploitation. But in purely biological terms, what is the difference? Why is one a sickness with clear moral connotations, and the other is just an issue of sexual orientation?
The bible answers the questions for us: God’s will was that sex be a special gift of union between two parties in a marriage relationship. Sex has a spiritual siginficance, that is lost by the rather banal interpretation of popular culture.
If you do not trust in Christ and believe the teachings of the Bible, I cannot convince you on this issue – but the hypocricy does not lie in the bible teaching – it lies in the half thought out assumptions of the ethics of popular culture.
i am :sick: and tired of you guys saying that rock music is the problem it is rap music that is :devil: so stop being so steriotype [censored] you guys [make me angry]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:
diana is right [censored]
who are you guys
Do you guys listen to rock music
I do. I am particularly fond of Runrig and U2.
:whistle:
Ok look, Christian music sucks.
Have your religion, but dont force your teenagers into your religion. Being a teen of parents that tried to force relion onto my brother and I; I have one thing to say, the more you try and take away your teen’s ideals and force back in your own, the more your child will want to rebel against YOU; My parents used to throw away my brother’s metal music that to them was “the devil” and made him rebel and do more drugs, and have more sex, and be a rebelious teenager.
Thank God they got a lttle smarter and realized that forcing doesnt work. Now my brother is moved out, smokes tons of pot and other stuff (i really dont care), and they have me. I listen to Heavy Metal, and all kinds of what used to be “devil music” and im just fine, because they know that if they force then I will rebel.
And nothing in the bible says that Rock, Metal, or any other kind of music is bad. Though some does suck. it does not go against the bible. I would know cause my parents used to make me go to [censored] bible study.
I’m sorry, John, that your well-meaning parents soured you and your brother on religion. So many people call Christianity a religion, which reduces it to a meaningless striving to make sense of this life of ours. Keeping laws, walking dead, that kind of stuff. It’s so much more, it’s alive, and you obviously haven’t seen the real deal, or Satan has blinded you to it, or you wouldn’t be able to resist it. That probably sounded like hocus-pocus to you, but if you could be thrust into the spiritual world for an instant I think you’d want another chance to rethink what God really does want of us. Why did He put you and me here anyway? Satan doesn’t want you to think about it. He’d rather you go lose yourself in heavy metal and drugs, like your brother did.
If I were you, and not buying the whole music/God thing, I’d ask Him to show Himself to me. Forget about what your parents say and be a man about it. Make up your own mind, but give the Master of this Universe a chance to defend Himself and His ways to you. If He doesn’t, you can either give up and continue going your own happy (?) way or you can wonder if you were sincerely seeking Him in the first place.
Do you believe God is real? I couldn’t tell by your posts. I think you want to know though, or why else would you have bothered sharing your thoughts that are so contrary to the ones shared in the original post?
Please don’t take this wrong, I’m sure many teens feel the same way you do.
In learning German and teaching English I’ve learned something that is true to Christianity. German has some 256 hard grammar rules, unsure of something get out the book. English has maybe 50 very soft and squisy rules and everyone argues about what is correct and what isn’t. Christianity is like the English language a few hard and fast rules (virgin birth death and Resurrection etc) beyond that everything is soft and squishy. Everyone wants the German style rules, open a book and decide what is right and wrong. It’s called legalism. I’ve been a christian long enough to remember the culture wars of yesteryear Interracial marriage, divorce and remarriage (hard to believe there was a time when divorce was consider a sin) christian rock Amy Grant so on and so forth. Today it’s gay rights and what ever. The unfortunate fact is we don’t a have book of rules but one of principals and they are much harder to keep.
John, the question is, where did you learn something different than what your parents taught you? And why do you trust this source more than your parents?
Obviously they did not introduce you to metal music. The fact that they got rid of it from your brother’s collection tells me that they don’t approve of it. That means that someone else has gotten into your home and disrupted what your parents teach.
Though you can think that it is your parents who caused rebellion, rebellion (I’m sorry to say) has been trained in all of our hearts since the Fall– when God told Adam not to eat and he did. One could argue that God created rebellion, since He made it possible for Adam to fall, but that’s foolishness.
Same with your brother– your brother chose to rebel, to follow what pleased him rather than what his parents thought best.
You have the same choices– and you are also choosing to rebel. It’s just to what degree you choose to rebel. And to say “if you don’t let me do it, I’ll rebel further” says to me that there’s even more reason why you shouldn’t be listening to it in the first place.
Logically, you’ve proven that this area would make you do something wrong (rebel), regardless of whether your parents are right or wrong about metal music and its source.
Rob, you’re right that there are a lot of principles, and some hard and fast rules. We need to make sure we know which are which– and to do battle royal for those that are the latter.
I asked a pastor one day what his feelings were about Christian rap music. He became very agitated and said, “How can you take something thats full of profanities, drugs, lust and greed, and use if for God?” I’m quite sure I asked him then, about Christian rock, to which he replied, “Rock and roll is different because it had relatively innocent beginnings.” Well, I wasn’t about to put my elder down in front of everyone at the Mission.
If I’d been sharp I might have pointed out that each person God uses was once full of profanity and blasphemy.
I also know a group of Christian rap artists whom I once fellowshiped with. They wrote a song in which they named many of my friends, calling them worshippers of baal. They condemned my Brothers in Christ. I spoke with their leader about this and he mentioned the “Chicken Noodle Soup” dance as one of their sins. I asked him to explain what it was that was so ‘worldly’ about the “Chicken Noodle Soup” dance, but he could not give me an answer.
I have been to churches that sing only the Hymns because contemporary praise and worship is ‘demonic’.
I’ve also been to churches that sing only contemporary praise and worship music because hymns ‘don’t reach the new generation.’
I’ve also heard that a native American Christian rebuked rock and roll music on the grounds that the beats used were the same as were used in native ceremonies to induce people into a trance state. He said nothing about the sexual nature of the beats.
Sex is not a sin. Extra-marital sex is the sin. So why is sexual music intrinsically sinful? If I were to write a sexual song for my wife, would this be sinful?
As Christians, we tend to put too much focus on the potential for sexual perversions. Why not focus on the positive aspects of sexuality? What would happen if we stopped spending so much time rebuking the modern culture for it’s perverted views of sex and started praising Christian couples who get it right? Perhaps we should focus our efforts less on talking about how WRONG society is, and turn our focus on how RIGHT God is.
Christianity is not a simple matter of abstaining from certain activities. It’s about knowing the Truth of God and being set free. It’s a pretty complex matter when we, as Christians, can’t even raise our own children to be adults at the proper time. We place all the impetus upon them to obey our commands. All too often we fail to truly communicate with our own children because we have placed other things in a higher priority. What does it say to our children when we tell them not to make an idol of rock and roll but we make an idol of our cars, our cable TV, our high speed internet, our careers, our education, and you get the point!
Train your children up in the way they should go and they will not depart from the Truth!
Shame on us for looking at a young man such as John without first understanding his circumstances and upbringing! We may have many ways t reason for ourselves why God’s Law is perfect, but without Grace, the Law is powerless to save! How will our children know the Truth of Christ if we present them with the Law alone?
We censor four letter words, but we ourselves speak curses on our neighbors! We are all too often quick to pass judgement on another’s understanding, as though we know better, but in the end we are just like the pharisees of old, condemning the Son of Man for associating with the ‘wicked’, failing to recognize our own wickedness.
I submit to you, brothers and sisters, that we ought to be more careful about the bathwater before we throw out the baby with it! If you are so convicted about all things modern, join the Amish! But remember that we who walk in the Spirit of Truth are not held to a codex of laws or to the traditions of our forefathers, but we are held to the Law that is written on our hearts, and there is no higher commandment than this, that you Love the Lord your God with all your hearts, and that you Love each other as He has Loved you.
(Do you even know that you just rebuked my ministry? People are coming to Christ at our shows and our Bible studies! All Glory to Him, not the music we use to promote His Gospel!)
http://www.straightandnarrowrecords.com
i think music can also be inspritual too like it could make you feel better about somebody’s death and or some thing that recently happen to you anything it isnt all bad
it is sadly true that teens listen to music without paying attention to the message. Sometimes the music is great, but I think the message is the most important part of music.
The “message” is certainly what sticks with you– and it is what you sing. Even if we’re singing on autopilot we’re still rehearsing the words.
Is the message itself the cause of people’s sinful worldview? Or is it how one chooses to understand that message? Could one listen to music about suicidal depression and gain wisdom and understanding from it? Or is one completely subject to the principalities of worldly musics? Should we close our ears and eyes to the world around us? Or should we open our ears and eyes and our hearts? Can we hear the desperate cries of the world and answer them with the Good News? Or are we merely leaves, tossed about by every wind?
I don’t have an issue with meeting people’s needs, but I do have a problem with absorbing and internalizing the world’s music because we are affected by what we listen to.
Don’t close your eyes and ears to the world around you, but don’t spend your time thinking on worldly things.
i think that music is very powerful and i do think it can have an effect on children or people all together. there are many different kinds of music, and when you hear rap and you see that people are listening to it and what do you see them wearing? big baggy clothles and big chains around their neck. when you know people that are listening to hardcore music or metal, they are weraing black and heavy chains on the pants and different things. so obviously music has an effect on what people wear and how they act.
it’s the person,not the music.
let’s give a situation.
let’s say a girl named Lana.
she’s sixteen,straight A student and listens to christian pop.
two years later,she’s working at a strip club.
blind faith and listening to the “right type” of music won’t save you.
music is supposed to be free.
metal artists aren’t posessed.
they don’t all worship Satan.
the way you live is your choice.
“Satanic music”dosen’t affect anything.
if you ask me,you’re just looking for something to blame the growing teen sex rate.
I think you make a good point, Lacey. People are affected by music. They tend to wear what their role models are wearing, but India has a point. Each person is responsible for what they do.
However, India, I believe that music actually resonates deeper into the soul than just words on a page. It makes it easier to meditate on the words when it has a tune or a beat that we like, and we will become that which we rehearse.
I do not belive that hard rock or metal music has a bad influence on teens. Sure, I am a teen myself, but I am a devoted Catholic with good grades and a good home life. I’m actually writing a paper about this topic in my high school Junior English class. For music to influence a teen in a bad way, there has to already be somethign wrong.
Perhaps, Carly, it has a different effect on different people. Some are able to consume it to different degrees and some are not. I would assume that, like anything, there may be a little impact but that can be negated by outside factors. However, I don’t think you go away from any stimulus totally unchanged.
ok dianna. i have to stop u ther b/c not all rap is bad. a lot of times it relaxes me and can oput me in a good mood. and rock can do thast for me too sometimes but i mostly use it for getting pumped before i do some kind of sport. And i can admit not all rap is the best but what genre is. dont get angry cause ive herd some weird stuff. BUT DONT LOOK AT THE INITIAL SONG TITLE. LOOK AT THE LYRICS THEMSELVES AND SEE WHAT THEY MEAN WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY. a good one i know is no air by chris brown and jordan sparks, gospel rap a guy named t-bone. And rock a song i like is faint by linkin park.(or anything by them almost)
I, as a practicing Christian, believe that teens who let their music affect them CHOSE to have it affect them. I listen to many different music gernes, from screamo to gospel, and when I hear someone singing about sex or ‘bustin a cap in yo A**’, it doesn’t make me want to go out and have sex or go and shoot someone, it is a choice to pick up that gun or call a booty call. You have control over everything you do, if you let the music persaude you, then that is still by your doing.
I’m not necessarily arguing, Sheri, that hearing about someone having sex or shooting a gun would convince someone to do it. We’re all responsible for what we do and not the music. What we choose to entertain ourselves with can, however, let us normalize an immoral behavior– it can desensitize us to it.
When I saw the Twin Towers fall back on 9/11 I couldn’t get over how much I didn’t react to it emotionally, and part of that was that, even as I saw the second tower standing I knew it would fall. Why? Because I’ve seen enough shows to know that’s what happens. I’d been desensitized to it.
Same thing with sexual images. The reason that Victoria Secrets can get away with practically nude women on prime time television and claim it’s advertising underwear starts back with Playboy showing girls in underwear and gradually less and less.
The words that are sung on these songs, the music and rhythm that are in there, they are effecting you– if not to convince you to do wrong, at least to make wrong more palatable and less shocking. And in some cases, it is used as an excuse for wrong. But no one can argue that you are not a product of what you take in.
MIn’s point is valid, however needs balance. I especially like the way he phrased this: “What we choose to entertain ourselves with…”
Sure, if we’re entertained by music that flaunts a perversion of the God-given gift of sexuality, I’d say this says something about the state of our hearts. Furthermore it’s a valid point to say that, once having a sinful condition, to go on listening to meditating on sinful thoughts and desires through one’s musical choices, will naturally lead one to develop the sinful nature to further and further extremes.
It is not the Spirit to whom that musical topic appeals, it is the flesh. Does that mean that I have never had times of listening to that music in the flesh and enjoying it for all it’s lavish, lusty, proud sinfulness? Of course I have! But in my spirit I abhor such things, knowing them to be wicked and destructive.
However, it is possible, as I’ve said before, to listen to the sinful flauntings of the sinner in the Spirit of Truth. There are myriad reasons why the True Christian may seek out the music of the world. For example, one may seek to gain an understanding of another’s psyche in view of reach-out evangelism. Or, one may seek out the claims of the unsaved against the Christ in view of apologetics.
Many of the greatest Christians throughout history have studied the works of the world in hopes of disproving them by shedding upon them the light of the Gospel.
Now, once again, I subit to you MIn, that this very principle you seem to hold is false. I say this as a brother in Christ, in the hopes that one day you will see the error of this precept: “But no one can argue that you are not a product of what you take in.”
But Jesus argued this, and it’s the key to the Gospel!
Matthew 15:10 “Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean'”
Matthew 15:16 “‘Are you still so dull?’ Jesus asked them. ‘Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into thstomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean.'”
Jesus is clear that sin comes from the heart of man, and James reiterates this point, James 1:14 “…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”
The devil is not in the music, but in the heart of the sinner.
Does music have an effect on society or does society have an effect on music? It’s the chicken and the egg!
Shall we strive against the culture of the world and seek to establish a heavenly culture on earth? Is sin more prevelent now that we have mass media than it was in the time of Noah before the flood?
Sure, we all want a world safe for raising our children. We all want a nice, happy, God fearing, God serving family. We don’t want any negative influences to touch the ones we love.
But touch they will, and not because they are corrupting that which is sweet and innocent, but because they are speaking the native tongue of man since the fall: lies.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say that goodness is more powerful than evil, and to suggest that something inherently good can be overcome by evil is contrary to the Word.
Finally, the point here is that if we are focused on the evil influences from without, then we are neglecting the true evil that comes from within. And in neglecting the evil within, we would be allowing that evil to hide in the shadows without ever being exposed to the light. That is the danger in morality, it provides the illusion of purity. It is the wedding veil of satan!
Do I mean to say that the Law is wrong? Absolutely not! The Law is perfect! But none are saved by it. You’ll notice that Jesus didn’t go around pointing out what everyone was DOING wrong, he pointed out the sinful condition of their hearts.
For example, look to the woman at the well. Jesus didn’t say “Woman, if you draw your water at the well at the time when men come to draw their water, they may be tempted to take you by force and lay with you! Better that you should leave the well when a man approaches, and hide yourself to return when the well is vacant.” He wasn’t concerned with the moral code of what the woman was doing, but He was instead concerned with the redemtion of her sinful heart. For the story, read John4.
Love.
Arthur’s last blog post..Debating the Atheist – Dinesh D?Souza
MUSIC IS AMAZING IT LETS ALL TEENAGERS LET OUT THEIR EMOTIONS.
Music is like a part of our life we can’t leave without. I don’t think anybody dislike music. I love music and i am also a teenage so i reckon music as a part of me that expresses my emotions but teenagers who do not understand the background of that music get carried away and they don’t know it’s effect. I used to get carried away by the beats and don’t even bother about the lyrics of the song. Some music sends bad messege while others otherwise. So i think its all about what us(teenagers) choose to listen to especially heavy metal(rock). I describe that as not music but noise. People should differ noise from music.
Well but there are positive side to music..right!!
hi im areej
John this message is 4 u.i read wt u wrote n that whole forcing thing.Actually i m a student n I need some material on the topic that telling children is better than forcing them .i wuld like u 2 share ur experience with me.my id iz [email protected] to hear 4m u soon
bye
Music is such a powerful thing the more you listen the more it influences you.
well the way i see it being a fond listener of all types of music from christain to heavy meatal and screamo, i don’t see a problem with any of it or how it is imoral and “bad.” it doesn’t make sense to say any music is bad. some is more unappealing than others but i don’t see any music as bad. weather or not the message is an appropriate topic or not is souly up to the parents of the listener. i’m not even 18 yet and i (personally think) sound more reasonable than all of you, no offence to anyone but i do believe it to be true. i know alot for my young age. and you all seem like very intellegent people, so i bid you adeu.
since when does music have anything to do with God?
Well, I could go all abstract and say that music came from God, but in reality, music has an effect on each and every person– which is why people use different types of music in different venues.
i dont think its rock/metal or anyother genre’s fault about the way teens act to it its the person’s choice entirly and i am a 9th grade student and im doing a report on how it doesnt affect teens negitivly it’s wrong to scrutnize rocke/metal etc. because you are a young adult and you make your own decisions.
Put it this way.
I love music. same as any other guy
I listen from anything (heavy metal-dance)
When i listen to a dance song it doesnt make me feel any happier than when im listneing to am metal song.
Why is it so “sinful” to listen to metal music?
i dont understand it. Metal music is an expression. People sing about anything, not because they do it, but because its a way to express themself.
And i lisetn to loads of music but i rarely hear of songs that have lyrics that sing about rape.
In the end anyway religion isnt something that i care about because i think that if weve got free will, then whats the point in religion. Youve got free will or so you think, so why not use it instead of worshipping someone that you dont know is there 24/7. Think of it as a gift. Your lifes only short so just live it to the full and if you believe in god, put him second because otherwise your wasting the “gift of free will.”
i just think that if godf gave you free will just use it instead of messing around worshipping him.
Hey guys…in my opinion SEX IS HOLY…and people knows God created sex.unless having sex outside marriage and prostitution is obviously a sin.God created sex.Than man on this earth dirtied it.i listen to deathcore and Metalcore music but are christian bands like Impending doom,As i lay dying,The devil wears prada and August burns red.i really enjoy and love metal music.to me music that brings a good message is alright so long it affects your life on the positive area.while satanic music like Behemoth have negative lyrics and does not pleases God.Not necessary metal music is evil,yes i agree that metal music have bands that are evil, but other genre music have it to.read the lyrics of backstreet boys…they encourage lust and sex in the lyrics.The Beatles are also a satanic group.Interested you can read about them like Google it.So not necessary metal music is bad.I think that some christian metal brings people to Christ. many teenagers nowadays love metal musics and i think the best way to bring them to Christ is to have christian metal.
okay so yall are saying that it’s bad to listen to rock/heavy metal because its “the Devils” music and it gives us the wrong ideas about whats right and worng? well im just gonna point this out ive been listening to heavy meatal since i was like 3 or 4 and im perfectly fine, i havent had sex havent ever touched drugs. its not the music that makes who we are or how we take muisc, its the way our parents raise us. my parents taught me right from wrong and ive made a couple bad desicions but who doesnt and i learned so really you guys cant say its the music when it really isnt. some kids arnt raised properly so they take this music to heart. not the music’s fault that the kid could be a criminal now its the parents or guardian’s fault for not raising them right
I think that music does have a certain affect on humans, but it doesn’t make them do things. There is no way that the lyrics to a song can force someone to pull a trigger, drive a knife into someone, have sex for the first time, do drugs or start drinking. Those decisions are all left up to us in the end. I listen to pretty any kind of music, but I mostly listen to rap and alternative music. In a lot of the rap I listen to, the lyrics are about killing people and having sex and doing drugs, but I haven’t done any of that. No one can blame music or anything else for their own stupid/immoral decisions.
this is horrible. im so sick of hearing about metalcore/rock/metal/hardcore’s bad effect on teenagers. i listen to some of the most brutal music out there and i am one of the nicest people you will ever meet. i will never do anything bad or get into altercations or blah blah blah. i have piercings and dark hair, but i am NOT negatively influence. this is stupid. people listen to music because it relates to them. the music can’t ‘make’ you do anything. you do these things because you already want to. someone wont commit suicide because ‘the music made them do it.’ its because they already wantedto.
Good article! I have been raised with really conservative music, though slowly we’ve been listening to things with more beat, but I agree that a really strong back-beat is associated with the world and often sexual songs, so that is often what our mind goes to when we hear it, even if the words are Christian. (At least for me.) Even just the sound of it (heavy metal Christian) I don’t believe is worshipful and reverent. I also like Mary’s comments and the Ravi Zacharias quote.