Christian Rock: Blessing or Blasphemy

[Stryper]

read this shocking news i just found.
http://www.av1611.org/crock.html#Stryper%20Salute



and there is a bit on stryper a ways down. press ctrl + f and search for stryper and look at what they say on stryper. i cant believe this. i was soo shocked. but i know that they changed their ways, from wrong to right. (thats a song by them)

 

[Blackwing]

Its a blessing for me actually. Without christian rock(specifically petra) i would never ever warmed up to christian music or music for that matter. That article is a lot of baloney(IMO)

 

[Lbiagm]

Christian Rock is ok but the only band i really like is kutless and Dc Talk and TobyMac.

 

[* kittie *]

i think that's all just...retarded. sorry, but i couldn't think of a better word.

rock music is fine. um...i better not say anymore...

 

[Karl - Liberal Backslider]

Very clever. And very nasty.

Take this quote:""Almost everyone assumes that 'To Hell With the Devil' means that Satan can go back where he came from. The meaning changes drastically, though, when read with the emphasis on a different word: 'To Hell WITH The Devil.' Used this way, the phrase shows that fans are being dragged to Hell along WITH the devil"

Well, I'm old enough to remember the song. It's not great poetry (it's not great theology either) but here it is:

Speak of the Devil
He's no friend of mine
To turn from him is what we've got in mind
Just a liar and a thief
The Word tells us so
We'd like to let him know where he can go
To Hell with the Devil

When things are going wrong
You know who to blame
He will always live up to his name
He's never been the answer
There's a better way
We are here to rock you and to say
To Hell with the Devil

Doesn't actually support the site's interpretation, does it?

Then we have a load of confessions that the band drank, and that the bassist had a drink problem. Hell, this happens! No, it's not good. Does it support their assertion that Stryper are demonic? Erm, no.

To get inside what was going on with Stryper in those last years, read between the lines of the "Against the Law" album. Because they were a Christian rock band, all sort of (a) expectations and (b) vitriol (like that site) had been aimed at them. Naturally they rebelled. They themselves acknowledge some aspects of their rebellion were not good. This is evidence of spiritual growth.

I lived your way - was that good enough
Not for you
You point your finger
You think you know it all
I just want you to remember
I don't live for you 'cause I'm against your law

Has to be said, this was their best album - they'd largely dropped the overt "in yer face" evangelistic lyrics and communicated the faith a little more subtely - Not that kind of man springs to mind particularly.

 

[Lbiagm]

I agree with the kittie.

 

[Stryper]

Very clever. And very nasty.

Take this quote:""Almost everyone assumes that 'To Hell With the Devil' means that Satan can go back where he came from. The meaning changes drastically, though, when read with the emphasis on a different word: 'To Hell WITH The Devil.' Used this way, the phrase shows that fans are being dragged to Hell along WITH the devil"

Well, I'm old enough to remember the song. It's not great poetry (it's not great theology either) but here it is:

Speak of the Devil
He's no friend of mine
To turn from him is what we've got in mind
Just a liar and a thief
The Word tells us so
We'd like to let him know where he can go
To Hell with the Devil

When things are going wrong
You know who to blame
He will always live up to his name
He's never been the answer
There's a better way
We are here to rock you and to say
To Hell with the Devil

Doesn't actually support the site's interpretation, does it?

Then we have a load of confessions that the band drank, and that the bassist had a drink problem. Hell, this happens! No, it's not good. Does it support their assertion that Stryper are demonic? Erm, no.

To get inside what was going on with Stryper in those last years, read between the lines of the "Against the Law" album. Because they were a Christian rock band, all sort of (a) expectations and (b) vitriol (like that site) had been aimed at them. Naturally they rebelled. They themselves acknowledge some aspects of their rebellion were not good. This is evidence of spiritual growth.

I lived your way - was that good enough
Not for you
You point your finger
You think you know it all
I just want you to remember
I don't live for you 'cause I'm against your law

Has to be said, this was their best album - they'd largely dropped the overt "in yer face" evangelistic lyrics and communicated the faith a little more subtely - Not that kind of man springs to mind particularly.

all i can say is good post man.

 

[kdet]

read this shocking news i just found.
http://www.av1611.org/crock.html#Stryper%20Salute



and there is a bit on stryper a ways down. press ctrl + f and search for stryper and look at what they say on stryper. i cant believe this. i was soo shocked. but i know that they changed their ways, from wrong to right. (thats a song by them)

Stryper you can find ANYTHING online..it's best if you take the time to ask the Lord what He feels is good for you to listen to and obey Him. God does lead us in ALL things if we just ask.
I'm 40 years old with two young boys 12 and 13 and we just recently started listening to CCM, I feel it brings us closer together and I love how joyful the music is.

 

[Lbiagm]

i have heard that site is bad news.

 

[JesseB.]

This guy (the founder of the website) has serious issues....

 

[DJ B.K.]

I've learned any link with av1611.org on it I stay away from. That guy has got some problems to work out.

 

[Lbiagm]

thanks pod warrior dude.

 

[CJF]

Okay, just because a band sings rock doesn't mean it's bad or satanic. DOES HE REALLY THINK WE'RE GOING TO REACH THIS GENERATION WITH HYMNS?

If a non-christian listens to heavy rock and roll, and hears a Christian band playing heavy rock and roll and they get into this band an like them and decide to go to one of the concerts, they could hear the gospel message and they could get saved!

We are not going to reach the toughest teenagers in our society with soft hymns. It's going to take some hard rock and heavy metal bands to do this. And Audio Adrenaline, Carman, dc Talk, Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace and Jars of Clay are awesome Christian bands and ALL OF THEM glorify the name of Jesus! We need more bands like them to reach out in a form of music that will reach todays young people. Because music is one of the biggest things with the youth of this nation. The bad lyrics and bad messages they're being told through the music they listen to is giving them negative thoughts about life. We need more bands and artists who will stand up and use they're music to reach the teenagers of this generation.

I'm not talking about going over the line with how they dress, or how they talk, but to use they're music in an appropriate way to reach the lost!

Okay, I'm done. I could go on and on about this, but I wont.

 

[bjh]

Aww, Stryper (the band) is old news anyways. The real question is... How many people are on the waiting list for Jekyll & Hyde?

With that said, I would be one of the first to admit that anybody can sing a song. It's been mentioned elsewhere on these forums...even unbelievers can, and do, sing "Amazing Grace".

I see the real test summed up in these two issues
1) Are the musical groups seeking the Lord's will in their ministry? (Or, "are they in it for the business or as a ministry?")

Is it possible that there are some "Christian" groups who fail this test?

2) Where does the music point? Is it turning (encouraging) people towards Christ? On the broader scale, perhaps this is the more important of the two issues.

Can one fail the first test and pass the second?
Phil 1:18, "...whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed..." (NASB)

Any assessment of Contemporary Christian Music, on whatever scale, should address these issues.

 

[Lbiagm]

I agree with Darrions and I know for sure that Point of Grace,Jars of Clay,DC Talk,and Carman are in it for the Ministry.

 

[Icystwolf]

I personally don't have much problems with Christian playing rock music, and I think the site must be taken seriously.

As much as you might think christian rock is totally ok, there are some christian rock which I find that is totally NOT ok. And in the context, of the site, it does raise some issue that Christian rock needs to consider, the rest you can figure it's probably from the guys personal hatred of the music.

Christian music in general should be about embracing people, and promoting the spirit within each of us to feel joy that the Holy Spirit is working within us.

Currently, I've heard christian rock that unfortunately do not meet these standards. I find their music created only to feed the rock music listeners ears. It's almost like the rock you hear from the world, except replaced with Jargon from the Bible that makes the whole song some type of christian marketting tool,

or just a reason for letting christian rock muscians play rock music.

I've heard a couple of Christian rock, from friends, there were a couple I liked, but the rest ...stinks. It sounds good, but it stinks.

And I think it'll continue this way until the Christians who like rock put a stance on the quality. Because ultimately some of those rock music shouldn't belong on a CD sold in church...

Well thats my opinion...apologies if I offended anyone....

 

[Fozzwald]

http://www.corruptchristianmusic.com
is another site along the same lines.

I e-mailed the people at corruptchristianmusic.com and asked them how
they were able to able to get permission to use all the pictures on their web site. Since the pictures are copyrighted, and I knew that they would never do anything like steal images, since that would set a bad example and be a bit hypocritical, I was curious. Surprisingly, two months later I'm still waiting for a reply.

 

[Lbiagm]

Yes some Christian Rock might be along those lines but most of it is not this is just a guy that is trying to start trouble.

 

[Woodsy]

Here's my individual take:

1.) I listen to music all the time
2.) I like pop music. It doesn't represent man's pinnacle of musical achievement, and it's certainly not the only type of music I like, but I do like pop
3.) Secular pop is full of such filth and garbage that I can't listen to the radio anymore. Sometimes I would find myself getting enraged just like the vocalist in some hard rock song. Not all of it is like that, of course, but I can't just leave the radio on - especially with the kids around.
4.) Contemporary Christian Music lets me listen to pop music with a positive attitude and without having to hear about suicide, infidelity, lust, rape, murder, demons, etc.
5.) I don't listen to CCM for instruction in Christian theology, but some gems can come through. It really does lift my heart in praise when I am in my car and I am singing "I know that my Redeemer lives, and I will stand with Him on that day!" and similar songs.


Sorry for the numbers, it just helps me organize my thoughts sometimes...

 

[ILL Creep a.k.a. Sup3rbit]

"And Audio Adrenaline, Carman, dc Talk, Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace and Jars of Clay are awesome Christian bands and ALL OF THEM glorify the name of Jesus! We need more bands like them to reach out in a form of music that will reach todays young people."
Actually, we need bands that make real music, instead of all that cliche, monotonous rock/pop, and predictable kind, just like the music the bands that you just mentioned do.