Secular Music

[Marvin D.]

What are your thoughts on secular music? Is it OK to listen to some of them, as long as they aren't bad? If you think so, what are your favourites?

[The Top Crusader]

Yeah, as long as there is nothing wrong with it, I don't see why there would be anything wrong with listening... >_> Although I don't really think in terms of "secular" or "Christian" music. It's just music. I like some music. I don't like other music. That transcends catagorical labels.

[Sherlock]

What's the distinction? Does it have to mention Christian themes overtly or does it just mean that the band identifies themselves as Christian (a la Switchfoot?).

[Anna><>]

I think as long as "secular" music doesn't have any bad words or other bad stuff in them it's fine.

[Beef Taco]

I mostly listen to Christian, but I like some secular bands. I don't listen to anything anti-Christian or with language, but just because it isn't about Christ doesn't mean it's bad.

[Termite]

Taco! HI!

*cough* So technically, you could call Skillet, RED, and Flyleaf secular cause they're in the mainstream and have signed record deals with secular companies, or something like that. But what's in a name?

[Beef Taco]

I disagree Termite. (It's good to be back!) Bands like that are following God's command to be in the world but not of the world. They have Christian messages in most of their songs. (Toby Mac is another)

Bands like Paramore are a little different because they don't have a "Christian" message. The band members are Christian though, so they shouldn't be putting out anything "bad."

[Sapphire]

I don't listen to a lot of secular music, but if I do, it is most of the time a love song. I also listen to old music sometimes.

[StrongNChrist]

What makes music Christian? What makes it secular?

[Marvin D.]

Well...good question! I suppose secular music could be the sort that doen't talk about God, and uses language and crude references in it!

[StrongNChrist]

What about music that doesn't mention God but doesn't use language or crude references either?
Such as Jump5 for example. They're labeled under "Christian" music yet in the entire 3 cd's I own of them, I have only heard one song that actually talks about God. The rest is about love and such. Would their kind of music be considered Christian or secular?
If it is, then why is other music that doesn't have language or crude references but doesn't talk about God not called Christian music?
How do we decide what really is Christian music and what really is secular music?
And who ever came up with the word secular anyways?

-- 22 Jan 2010 09:16 am --

What about music that doesn't mention God but doesn't use language or crude references either?
Such as Jump5 for example. They're labeled under "Christian" music yet in the entire 3 cd's I own of them, I have only heard one song that actually talks about God. The rest is about love and such. Would their kind of music be considered Christian or secular?
If it is, then why is other music that doesn't have language or crude references but doesn't talk about God not called Christian music?
How do we decide what really is Christian music and what really is secular music?
And who ever came up with the word secular anyways?

[Beef Taco]

I don't think that music than doesn't talk about God can be called Christian. But there are many Christian artists that don't talk about Him in their music. (As you pointed out) I think that would still be labeled "secular" because it isn't about God, but as I said before, I don't think all secular music is bad.

[StrongNChrist]

I don't think non-Christian music is bad either, depending on what's in it. I happen to listen to a lot of non-Christian music, counting Wierd Al.

[Beef Taco]

I just remembered this verse

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) ~ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

It is exactly the same with music. Don't let junk in.

[Termite]

But secular isn't always junk. Think Family Force 5! Pointless, yes, but not junk.

And Taco... Not all of Skillet's songs, nor Flyleafs, talk about God. Skillet has several love songs, and I can think of numerous songs from Flyleaf that are also "secular", without being "bad". (and hey! Guess what! I had a taco last night for dinner. )

[DanP740]

Yeah, and Stryper's 1990 album "Against the Law" never mentioned God in any of the lyrics, but there's nothing wrong with any of it, so it's fine.

[TigerintheShadows]

One categorizes "Christian" and "secular" music by the LYRICS, not the artist. For example--take a rap song by, for example, T.I. or Common. Their songs are mostly filled with junk that no one should be filling their head with. Take out the lyrics, however, and put in words that praise God, and bingo--you've got a Christian song. A person cannot categorize the artist, simply the song. And then there are the songs that don't even MENTION God or Jesus or anything of the like, but they're not filled even to the minimum with drugs, violence, sex, alcohol, and profanity, which is better than I can say for a lot of artists out there.

I actually do listen to secular music, although it makes up only about five percent of the songs on my MP3 player--the rest are all Christian songs. The "secular" artists I do have on there are artists like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift.

And I always like to get a Christian review of certain CDs before I buy them--the way my computer works is that I have to get the CD and then download the song to my MP3 player, so it's good to know whether it's worth it to buy the whole CD for one or two songs.

[Termite]

Because I feel like arguing ( ), Emery's song "So Cold We Could See Our Breath" has sex in it, albeit in a negative light. Does that make it secular?

[BrokenButBeautiful]

Wow, this seems kinda debate like...lol. As for technically non-Christian music I listen to..Mayday Parade, Paramore (even though the band members are Christians), A Skylit Drive, blessthefall, Silverstein, Hey Monday, Boys Like Girls..and some other random punk bands and a little bit of metal.


BBB

[Amethystic]

I like songs because of their content, not their label. I like Christian music, non-Christian music, non-Christian music by Christians, and Christian music by non-Christians (????).

Okay, the last one was just for literary consistency, but the point is that you have to judge each song and band seperately. There are lots of songs by non-Christians that are encouraging and beautiful, and other Christian songs that really aren't that pleasant or uplifting.

My favorite bands are a mish-mosh of artist types. House of Heroes, Family Force 5, Relient K, Eleventyseven, The Fray, and so on. There are also a few songs by Vanessa Carlton, Skillet, Avril Levigne, Switchfoot, Falling Up, Nickelback, and various other artists. Sometimes I only like one or two songs from some artists. I also enjoy a good Bryan Adams song every now and then.

*looks back at list of artists* You know, that doesn't even begin to cover it. Would anyone hate me if I went into depth on my love of eighties pop music?

EDIT: ABBA!!!!!!!