Secular Music

[MoreInSorrow]

Oh. That's what I figured. Those aren't part of the new bar, are they?

I don't know why this is so fascinating for me...

dibs on the first round of drunk lazer tag.

 

[PorcelainHeart]

It's hard to like just christian stuff, half the bands are all the same now, and I don't know of any christian shows. I'm a christian and I like alot of secular stuff, it mostly what I like. I find hardly any christian artist who I can relate to. I love GOD but right now it's hard for me to feel the love they feel for them. I also love Harry Potter which alot of christians are against, And I do love Love Hina, I think it's such a good show. Keitaro is a cutie. I think aslong as you're not hurting anyone you can watch and listen to what you want.

 

[BlackSaab52]

Is it wrong to eat secular french fries? I know I should buy fries from McChristians, but the ones from McDonalds are so much tastier.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Trying to find Christian cereal is pretty hard, too.

 

[Hisbride]

I myself used to listen to rap/hiphop music, but was convicted of it because of the words some of these artists were singing. I now mostly listen to Christian music because it is what keeps me going. I can have a song of the Lord in my head all day long and praise him and not feel guilty over it. Not all secular music is bad at all. I still have some artists that I will listen to because the message in their songs is nice or even listening to someone like Josh Groban. I love listening to him and he is not a Christian artist but his songs are innocent and really lovely. You have got people like him then others who just sing about the wrong kinds of things. Most rap and hiphip music is like that today. I am more at peace listening to music which praises the Lord.

 

[Shannonkish]

Oh. That's what I figured. Those aren't part of the new bar, are they?

I don't know why this is so fascinating for me...

There is no longer any laser tag or arcade games.. however, the golf course is FULLY functioning... It would have been fun, had I been drunk, however, I wasn't.

 

[Shannonkish]

Christian music

What makes Christian music, christian though?

"It praises God"--- It is possible to praise God without using his name, or using church terminology... I do it all the time. So, if a song doesn't use those tehcniques, is it not Christian? Consider, Anberlin.... Consider, LifeHouse.... Consider Creed... Consider,

"It mentions Jesus"-- There are a lot of "secular" songs that mention Jesus... in a deroggatory fashion. Does that make them "christian?"

"It's on a Christian label"-- Consider POD (who is no longer on a "Christian" label), Consider Stacie Orrico (who was never on a "Christian" label), Consider, LifeHouse (again, who was never on a "Christian" label). I can name more, but you get my point... the producers and record labels only represent the artists, nothing more.

"The members are Christians"-- The members of Lifehouse are all Christians (according to them), however they do not claim to be a Christian band, sing songs about Christ, etc. Consider, Raze, an older "Christian" group... all the members were professed Christians... and one of the male singers was arrested and charged with rape... Is there music still "Christian?"

I think you get my point... the lines are skewed quite a bit and it is nearly impossible to identify "Christian" music as opposed to "Secular" music. Music is music.

"It mentions Jesus"--

 

[BlackSaab52]

probably. way to refrain from making an **** of yourself, phil.

I will say this, though...

If God doesn't want us to listen to "secular" music, then He probably doesn't want us to listen to "CCM," either. I have spent enough time watching that industry to realize how corrupt it is and the labels are just as money-worshiping as "secular" labels. Ironically, praise and worship is probably one of the sections most guilty of this considering 90% of praise and worship releases have songs that were already readily available. Which is odd because most praise and worship lyrics are mindless fluff that could be written in half a second. It used to be people would sing songs of substance to our Savior. People seem to think a nice melody and electric guitars make up for the lack of substance because "it makes them all emotional." emotion isn't the same thing as good worship, you know.

ok. sorry i got off on a bit of a tangent, there.

I hate how the main factor for some people I know in determining what church to go to is the music, as if faithfulness to Scripture and administering the sacraments aren't important anymore (I know that they don't actually believe that, though). It's almost as if P&W is the new sacrament now that gives us an emotional rush to get us through the week. Even though I listen to a decent amount of Christian music (but mainly a lot of secular), I don't think that a lot of the people who are dogmatic about only listening to Christian music realize how corrupt the CCM industry is. I also hate how on any CCM or Christian message board when you hear about some CCM artist going into the secular world, they supposedly have "sold-out" or whatever, as if the CCM industry is so pure and holy. Well, I think I've ranted enough.

 

[foo-oswald]

I hate how the main factor for some people I know in determining what church to go to is the music, as if faithfulness to Scripture and administering the sacraments aren't important anymore (I know that they don't actually believe that, though). It's almost as if P&W is the new sacrament now that gives us an emotional rush to get us through the week. Even though I listen to a decent amount of Christian music (but mainly a lot of secular), I don't think that a lot of the people who are dogmatic about only listening to Christian music realize how corrupt the CCM industry is. I also hate how on any CCM or Christian message board when you hear about some CCM artist going into the secular world, they supposedly have "sold-out" or whatever, as if the CCM industry is so pure and holy. Well, I think I've ranted enough.

Not sure if I repped you already for this post, but, right on. So many people have been conditioned by their church leaders to think the way you described above concerning CCM artists. It's a house of cards, and it'll come tumbling down sooner or later. Hopefully sooner, though...

And, concerning those who pick churches based on how well-done the music is: We have slim pickin's here in Baton Rouge. There are one or two churches with great music, but they are these "Giganto-churches" with football-stadium-sized auditoriums and congregations numbering in the thousands. I liked that scene for about 5 minutes.

I gave up looking for a place I felt "at home" in, so I hooked up with some friends, and we've started our own church. It's one of those deals where we have 10 people in a living room, but, it's where we're at right now...

 

[feline]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Trying to find Christian cereal is pretty hard, too.

Try the Tasty Marshmallow Moses Crisp Cereal!!! Or Sodom & Gommoralicious !

 

[foo-oswald]

Try the Tasty Marshmallow Moses Crisp Cereal!!! Or Sodom & Gommoralicious !

Oh, no. Those all have too much sugar in them. I prefer to eat healthier cereals, like "Apostle's Shredded Peter-Wheat", or just plain ol' Mother Mary Flakes...

I pity the poor sinners and backsliders who eat the defiled secular versions of these holy cereals!!

 

[nadroj1985]

I don't have much to say about it, because it's such a simple topic. People have gone round and round in circles trying to prove one or the other position Biblically, when one position is so nonsensical on the face of it that it doesn't matter what the Bible says (unless, of course, you're one of those people that believes the Bible whether it makes sense or not). In any case, the "secular music is evil" argument makes so many unfounded assumptions that it's reduced to silliness.

It assumes that there is an actual clean distinction between "secular" and "Christian," when in fact most of what we are presented with are mixed types.

It also assumes that we actually know the difference between the two, when in fact much "secular" music is very Christian, while much "Christian" music is incredibly secular.

It also assumes that we have only one definition of "Christian," when in fact every Christian has a different definition; this, of course, also applies to "secular," since it's generally conceived as the negation of "Christian."

In short, the secular/Christian distinction is not only illusory -- it's sloppy, and it's useless. The main point, which others have made, is that how this or that piece of music affects you is a radically personal experience; this is why music cannot be judged in objective ways, calling it "evil," or "secular," or "Christian." Music cannot be any of these things in itself. However, your connection with the music can.