Music

[Andrea Meltsner]

Hey I want to talk to yall about music. I know this has been discussed and debated up and down at least four times! but hey why not one more!

I don't think that Christians should limit themselves to Christian music! there is way better music out there. I know there is some bad stuff and some people's folks won't let them listen to somethings because of the possible negitive infulence. (that is all cool) I just don't like it when they then come on and say I don't like so and so because of her or his behaviour! So what! What happend to not judging! If your folks don't want you listening to so and so that is fine but don't expect all of us to agree with them.
As for me I like relativly "safe" things (no rap or really hevy metal) anyway so what I look for is just that they sound good, use few bad words, if any, and have a relativly good reputation. Yah I like Christian music but don't expect me to limmit myself. I don't expect you to.

[Pc Pro]

this its a big topic!
I will work on my asker

[Dr. Watson]

What happend to not judging!

Unfortunately, judging has fallen by the wayside.



Despite the tongue-in-cheek-ness of the above statement, I stick to it. The word "judging" has been misapplied so many times that now Christians don't engage in Biblically-based discernment. We are called to, in fact, judge what is pleasing to God and what is not. Judging everything, including music, is a Christian's duty.

[Mr Sarcastic Cow Man]

What happend to not judging!

Unfortunately, judging has fallen by the wayside.



Despite the tongue-in-cheek-ness of the above statement, I stick to it. The word "judging" has been misapplied so many times that now Christians don't engage in Biblically-based discernment. We are called to, in fact, judge what is pleasing to God and what is not. Judging everything, including music, is a Christian's duty.

I agree, and, although I don't have something against all non-Christian music, I pretty much only listen to Christian.

[EUCC]

I think we should be careful....take into account the message and the medium of the music. Some music is obviously promoting thing we shouldn't be doing, and others contain words we shouldn't be thinking or saying. I am not ready to make a blanket statement about any style of music, although I've definitely heard people do that. I think we should keep in mind Phil. 4:8, among other Bible verses.

[EK]

The most not christian I listen to would be things like Johnny Cash, Bon Jovi, and Clay Aiken.

[Fenix]

Hey I want to talk to yall about music. I know this has been discussed and debated up and down at least four times! but hey why not one more!

I don't think that Christians should limit themselves to Christian music! there is way better music out there. I know there is some bad stuff and some people's folks won't let them listen to somethings because of the possible negitive infulence. (that is all cool) I just don't like it when they then come on and say I don't like so and so because of her or his behaviour! So what! What happend to not judging! If your folks don't want you listening to so and so that is fine but don't expect all of us to agree with them.
As for me I like relativly "safe" things (no rap or really hevy metal) anyway so what I look for is just that they sound good, use few bad words, if any, and have a relativly good reputation. Yah I like Christian music but don't expect me to limmit myself. I don't expect you to.

What kind of music do you listen to?

I listen to lots of music that people may find offensive but I do becasue I like it. It may not spread the best message but I dont take it to heart or too seriously. I just listen to it becasue it sounds good.

[mr. mellow]

I listen to slipknot! and you cant do anything about it.

[Trent DeWhite]

*moved to the Harlequin*

[Robo]

I don't think that Christians should limit themselves to Christian music!

I know List to Oldies, Disco, Some Old School, & There are alot of cool songs people make now a days! Some "christians" say rap is the devil; I say to them, "Be quiet, yo." I love Rap(Christian Rap, of chorse)!

-Bo

[COWBOY OF TEXAS]

I listen to:

Country,
Rock,
Christian,
Bluegrass,
Pop,
And I am probably forgeting some random genre that I rarely listen to.



-cowboy

[Andrea Meltsner]

Me? Well I listen to a varietie of things... (yah I know I cant spell) I listen to christian radio sometiems, sometiems a light rock station, just whatever is playing good songs that I know or sond good. and like a few bands/preformers I also listen to Orthodox liturgical music and folk music. I have some cds that are people like Alicia Keyes,Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Steve Burns (no not THAT Steve Bruns, and for the record he is not dead! ) I like Anna nalik (have a cd, just cant spell her name) I like Avril Lavinge too.... I like a few songs from Green Day, Guns and Roses and bands of that sort... I may not totaly agree with everything they say or the way they live their lives... I just think I would be a hypocrite if I say I don't like them but a few of their songs rock. I mean I am real carefull about who it is that is singing, like, do they swear much? (even though a couple dangs and hecks is still swearing it is not going to make me think santnic thoughts or anything) if not then ok. Do they constantly make a fool of themselves in the media? no. then that is good. these are a couple of things that I think about. I don't think that Christian music is bad I just want it to be good christian music, form your heart and soul is in it. something like well, you were in pain and you are writing this song to help you and are praying that God is still here... not hey Jesus is my homeboy and I wanna sing this rocking song which is not that rocking anyway.

Even though I am hard of hearing... I still can tell good music. From what I can tell, though there is nothing wrong with Christian music and some bands/preformers are really awsom. I just find that it all sounds like the same song after a while... I get bored listening to it so I listen to something else till that bores me too. There is nothing wrong with good music. You just have to be carefull I guess.

I guess my problem yesterday was that I remember that somone made a comment about a ceritan performer's charactor... and it was like Dude, since when do you have the right to judge people! If your folks don't want you to listen to them because they think that the band/performer is a bad influence then that is fine, just don't expect all of us to agree with you.

FYI: Today Andrea is really nervouse and slightly frustrated so she is a little snippy... and is sorry.

[Larry The Pickle]

What happend to not judging!

Unfortunately, judging has fallen by the wayside.



Despite the tongue-in-cheek-ness of the above statement, I stick to it. The word "judging" has been misapplied so many times that now Christians don't engage in Biblically-based discernment. We are called to, in fact, judge what is pleasing to God and what is not. Judging everything, including music, is a Christian's duty.

This is true. What people mean when they "judge" is condemn. Do judge (for instance you should judge someone on if you should hang out with them (the Bible says to pick your friends carefully) that doesn't mean, however, that you have to condemn them. If they are such and such that you wouldn't hang out with them, they probably need your help to find God.

I do indeed listen to secular music all the time (I'm listening to How You Remind Me by Nickleback right now). But I do listen to Christian music more than secular on basic principal.

[Dr. Watson]

Just for the sake of discussion, what is the definition of "Christian music?" Note, and again I say note, the word music. Not lyrics, music. What would be your definition? I'm curious.

[Shad Lexer]

Well, really the only music I listen to is Johnny Cash.





Well, they're building a gallows outside my cell....... And I got twenty five minutes to go...

[Jennifer Doyle]

I listen to all kinds of music. I got your point Dr. Watson! Music cannot be Christian or Satanic or good or bad [unless you are judging it on the skill of the musician or the person who wrote it.]

It's the lyrics we're all talking about, as far as Christian or not goes, agreed?

I love a lot of Christian artists and in my experiences, Christian artists sing both Christian and non Christian songs/lyrics. So to limit my listening to the "Christian genre" seems kind of foolish sometimes.

I listen to the local dance and pop stations and the local Christian station.

[Azariah Ben Yaakov]

Hey I want to talk to yall about music. I know this has been discussed and debated up and down at least four times! but hey why not one more!

I don't think that Christians should limit themselves to Christian music! there is way better music out there. I know there is some bad stuff and some people's folks won't let them listen to somethings because of the possible negitive infulence. (that is all cool) I just don't like it when they then come on and say I don't like so and so because of her or his behaviour! So what! What happend to not judging! If your folks don't want you listening to so and so that is fine but don't expect all of us to agree with them.
As for me I like relativly "safe" things (no rap or really hevy metal) anyway so what I look for is just that they sound good, use few bad words, if any, and have a relativly good reputation. Yah I like Christian music but don't expect me to limmit myself. I don't expect you to.

I like Rock, And some rap. I dont think there is anything wrong with the TYPE of music, now there is some stuff, like the cd's with the PARENTAL ADVISORY warning on it And i dont be gettin down to the manson either. But there is some cool stuff, and a lot of it isnt christian.


Ry

I listen to slipknot! and you cant do anything about it.

Edit - please try to avoid double posts. Thanks! - Catspaw

[Dr. Watson]

I got your point Dr. Watson! Music cannot be Christian or Satanic or good or bad.

Actually, that wasn't my point, and I highly disagree with that view.

It's the lyrics we're all talking about, as far as Christian or not goes, agreed?

No. This is music we're talking about, not words.

[jollyholiday]

I wonder if it would be good to use terms like form and function here.

The form of the music isn't in question in my opinion, regardless of whether it is secular or sacred.

The function of the music should be the question. If we love the Lord our God with all of our heart soul and mind, then the function of the music we listen to should somehow aim at that, as should all we do.

So regardless of whether we listen to music that is secular or sacred what is our purpose or motivation in listening?

I think that listening to and enjoying secular music (music and lyrics) can be and in many many instances is God honoring and God glorifying. And I think that in some instances listening to sacred music can be God dishonoring and not God glorifying (their lips praise Me but their hearts are far from me).

It all gets down to the motivation of the listener and good discernment.

I listen to far more secular music than sacred, but I do love a lot of sacred music (music specifically for the church) that gives us opportunity to praise God either individually or in a corporate worship setting.

Most of my favorite bands and artists are secular, but I listen to them with my Christian World view and I can hear their longing for something real and sometimes the songs describe glorious things that I can praise God for although the original artist may not have had that intention. Whether we are Christian or not, we are all human and I find that secular music often addresses the human condition in frank ways that sacred music often does not.

I apply this thinking in the way I interact with other things such as movies, books, theater, art, etc... It is the thinking that my wife and I use in the parenting of our children as well. We think it is healthy to expose them to a wide variety of forms of music, movies, theater, books, etc... and teach them to view them through the lens of the gospel which is where they then create the functionality of the artistic medium as it applies to them.

I know there is a lot of differing thinking out there and it is something that everyone should spend at least a little bit of time wrestling with.

[Fenix]

I like Anna nalik (have a cd, just cant spell her name) I like Avril Lavinge too.... I like a few songs from Green Day, Guns and Roses and bands of that sort... [/size]

Just wanted to say I listen to Anna Nalik and Guns n Roses too. I listen to some rap music now and then but not really. What I listen to most is electronic music, lots and lots of house, trance, breaks, dnb etc.