Is this Christian music?

[redeem]

Hi Y'll:

What are your views on so called Christian music with expletives or heavy rock and rap where the words are not easily decipherable and the music vibes are loud and agitating not calming or seemingly inspired?

My view is, it depends on who is listening to it, their culture. What stage in their christian walk are they, are they new converts and their maturity.

Also the artiste intention was it to uplift listeners to follow Christ or were they just indulging their old carnal revelling taste or to make money.

It is like the choice of either grape juice or grape flavored soda pop.

 

[cross-eyed]

Expletives in christian music?? Whatever "christian" artist decides it's wise to sing with obscenity and go ahead and publish their "christian" music might want to look at the Lord's words ..on words. I don't know the hearts of those artists so I can't judge them, but I do know that Jesus said in Matthew 12:34-35 "...out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." See also Proverbs 4:24 for God's command on our speech, or Hosea 6:5 tells of the effect of our words upon His heart. My views on the issue?..ultimately, they don't really matter that much, but our Lord's view??...you'd better believe it matters.

Heavy christian rock and rap, vibes that are loud or agitating or not calming... Check out Psalms sometime, on more than one occasion is "Sing to the Lord a new song" (33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10). We, as believers, are different people and therefore relate with God in different ways. Music to the Lord is very similar for us - some are more receptive to intricate melodies, some to rhobust rythyms, some to 'adult contemporary christian' music, and still others to 'hardcore christian rock.' My thought (if you find it to be contrary to God's Word, please correct me), is that if the music and/or lyrics point to God's greater glory and inspire a listener to draw near to the ways and the heart of the Lord, it's good stuff.

Me personally - country music tends not to do a whole lot for me in terms of desiring God more as a result of listening (I'll sometimes listen to it with friends who like it more, but not so much on my own). I do listen to simply arranged worship music, precise acoustic songs, rapid-fire God-glorifying christian rap, and sometimes even the loud riffs of christian hardcore with its screams and intense declarations of dependence on Jesus' love. Heck, I listen to some secular music too, but if it doesn't fix my heart on God, what's the point? If all you really want and strive for is more and more of God in your life, you'll probably tend to choose your music that way.

Point being this- pursue the heart and supremacy of Jesus in ALL you do, and worship Him with adoration in the way that you were made to, including your tunes.

 

[redeem]

Hi Cross eyed:

I guess you are saying to each is own according to what encourages you in the Lord.

 

[swingnscream]

Well here's the deal,

I get alot of ppl who "can't even understand the words" to alot of my different styles of music that I love, but on the other hand, I can sit and a church and if I actually listen to the old hymns, I've got no clue what it's really saying...it's all just words with a sadly-slow beat to me. [mind you, the church I attend is not musically progessive nor exceptional talent in such areas]. Alot of songs that have a slow beat and/or hold words out for a long time, I have trouble understanding those songs. So I think in a way it's a fair trade.

What annoys me is when lyrics lose their meaning becuz the tempo is more important, whether that's slow or fast. It's crazy to be so set in only having it done a certain way that it totally lose the purpose or meaning of the song altogether. I've heard hard rock or even hardcore songs done in acoustic and it's amazing! On the other hand I've heard hymns done by metal & punk bands, and it's absolutely beautiful.

Basically, you can't beat the heart of the artist/musician, and that's what it will always come down to, especially within praise & worship centered music. That's the kind of think God's going to hold them accountable for, and that what really matters when they're making an influence on others.

Maybe it's kind of an "each to his own" but at the same time, I do think it's good to try a lot of different genres. It's very likely you won't take to most of them right away, but to at least see where that other person is coming from and how they worship in their culture, subculture, or scene ...that's priceless right there. I think it's awesome every once in a while to be uncomfortable in your worship and learn something new from someone who comes from a different style than you do.

Enjoy it,

-KiN

 

[Starr SDA Living Word]

GOD SAYS HE MADE ALL KINDS OF MUSIC, IF IT IS ACCORDING TO HIS WORD IT WAS MADE BY HIM. PRAISE HIM. HAPPY SABBATH ALL.