Music

[Idratherstayanonymous]

Can music affect you in a bad way, and does God want us to listen to whatever we want? For example, can we listen to 'metal'? And have you ever experienced not being able to think properly, or just freeze when you hear certain songs? I'm not sure, because I think the Bible says that you need to be careful with what the ear hears, but I'm not sure whether that meant music, or evil voices..


(I'm wondering this, since I listened to this song last night: "Mindless self indulge - I never wanted to dance", if you have the time, I'd like you to listen to it, and tell me whether something strange happens to you.. I mean that background tune.. I really didn't know what to do, it was kinda freaky, I wanted to turn down the volume but all I did was just stare in front of me.. )

 

[janny108]

Do you listen to Christian music at all or just metal?
How does it make you feel?
Jan

 

[Idratherstayanonymous]

Do you listen to Christian music at all or just metal?
How does it make you feel?
Jan

I try to listen to Christian metal and rock as much as I can, since it really is my genre, but not always. But this occasion was odd, because I can deal with people just literally uhh.. screaming in my ears (Listen to 'Bring me the Horizon', and you'll know what I mean) and go on with what I'm doing, without being distracted, but this time I was just.. completely distracted.

 

[janny108]

Then I'd probably put limits on how much I listened to it and talk to God about it.
Jan

 

[Idratherstayanonymous]

Then I'd probably put limits on how much I listened to it and talk to God about it.
Jan

Yeah I know, I'm trying to listen to as much Christian music as I can, and when I notice a song is promoting.. anti-God things, I just delete it right away, but in this occasion it wasn't, but still it felt so weird.. Could this song possibly be satanic, or was I just very tired? I don't have any problems listening to it now, so I guess I was just tired.. Never mind

 

[autumnrose42]

Sometimes our brains like to play tricks on us and we fool ourselves into believing something that is not there.

I'm glad you figured out what it was.

As for music, I don't think that God would restrict us from listening to music. There was music in the Bible. I do believe that if it has things of hate in it, then we are best to turn it off. But that is just so our minds are not poisoned with those kinds of words, not that the music itself is wrong, the ideas in the song are wrong.

 

[Sketcher]

For example, can we listen to 'metal'?

Yes, but if the song itself is anti-christian, I don't see why any Christian would want to listen to it. There's even Christian metal out there.

And have you ever experienced not being able to think properly, or just freeze when you hear certain songs?

Can't say that I have, if anything causes this in your life you ought to avoid it though.

 

[wlajoie74]

I listen to most music in all genres. I think it is just how you look at it. How you go into the listening experience. Yes there are unchristian things in the music I listen to. I like to hear about peoples life experiences. What the artist is going through. How they look at the world. If your faith is strong I believe it gives motivation to do more in Christ when you hear how some people think or act. If your faith is not strong I could see how some music could be a stumbling block. In the end pray about it and god will give you the answer thats best for you.

 

[capnator]

The music itself irrespective of the words has power.

Putting a christian label on it doesn't make it good.

Most people won't accept this, like with most things that involve our appetites we want to do what we want to do!

God is light and in Him is NO darkness, light and dark do not, will not and cannot mix. We like to try and make them mix, there is a power that will accept the attempt to do so, there is a power that will pass off darkness as light, and there are people who are willing to accept this as the power of God.

 

[FG21]

I'm probably too old to answer this (37) but if it doesn't glorify God I don't listen to it.

Which means a LOT of my ole punk rock is still good!

Anything that is sinful I don't want to hear. And you know I rock the Casbah LOL!!

Metal is beyond me, always has been.

 

[LoneSheep]

I used to think that Christian music was silly and weak. Back in the 90s, I went to the Creation festival and Ichthus festival to watch some of the bands, but none really caught my attention.

These days I listen to Christian radio stations because it helps me keep my mind on God. It's a nice reminder with a good beat Some of the Christian bands have even started playing on secular radio stations, which is nice.

Look at some of the bands they have these days. They may not sing lyrics against Christ, but their lives outside of the band may be against Christ.

 

[seashale76]

Can music affect you in a bad way, and does God want us to listen to whatever we want? For example, can we listen to 'metal'? And have you ever experienced not being able to think properly, or just freeze when you hear certain songs?

It's an unpopular view, but music can affect us. I'm not going to tell you what to listen to or not. However, certain music does promote the opposite of the Christian life and call to be separate from the world. It's been a gradual conviction for me over time- and yet- I still listen to some secular music sometimes (not all of it is bad). We need to be diligent about what we let into our lives. I personally never cared for Christian rock (maybe it's gotten better since my first exposure- I sure hope so- it was painful to listen to back in the day). I've since gotten into listening to Byzantine Chant- sometimes the oldest stuff is the coolest stuff.

One of my favorite Byzantine hymns (in English) so you can see what I'm talking about: YouTube - Rejoice O Bethany - Byzantine Chant for St. Lazarus - Chanted in English


And Psalm 134 (135) in Greek (also awesome):

YouTube - Psalm 134 (135)

 

[Nobody1]

Can music affect you in a bad way, and does God want us to listen to whatever we want? For example, can we listen to 'metal'? And have you ever experienced not being able to think properly, or just freeze when you hear certain songs? I'm not sure, because I think the Bible says that you need to be careful with what the ear hears, but I'm not sure whether that meant music, or evil voices..


(I'm wondering this, since I listened to this song last night: "Mindless self indulge - I never wanted to dance", if you have the time, I'd like you to listen to it, and tell me whether something strange happens to you.. I mean that background tune.. I really didn't know what to do, it was kinda freaky, I wanted to turn down the volume but all I did was just stare in front of me.. )

So-called "Metal" often praises God, much popular music does, even the so-called "wicked" bands. How funny they speak so highly of God and Christ. Some do not, this is true, and that is obvious when they do not.

Anyone who builds up Satan over God is not of God and of Satan. It is God alone people should fear and love.

Satan is but a created creature, nothing to fear at all.

Many claim, "if the band does not explicitly call themselves Christian they must be evil", but this is utter foolishness in lands which are born of Christ and are Free and not of Tyranny.

Many of these bands do speak of Christ, and praise Him loudly, one but need only use their minds to discern such things.

Those who would say, "Shut off your minds and judge your neighbors wickedly with us" only fall upon judgement themselves.

Their spirits are rich in the world but nothing compared to the Spirit of God.

Altogether, they are fools.

 

[autumnrose42]

There is a phrase that I love. It is "God gave us music so that we could pray without words."

Some music isn't worthy of prayer, but is not necessarily wrong because we can relate to it and it helps us in our day to day lives.

Some music is amazing and it reminds us of our Father. Those are the times that we are praying with music.

Either way, as long as you are not exposing yourself to wrong ideas, I feel that there are no problems with it.

 

[butterflyring09]

Can music affect you in a bad way, and does God want us to listen to whatever we want? For example, can we listen to 'metal'? And have you ever experienced not being able to think properly, or just freeze when you hear certain songs? I'm not sure, because I think the Bible says that you need to be careful with what the ear hears, but I'm not sure whether that meant music, or evil voices..


(I'm wondering this, since I listened to this song last night: "Mindless self indulge - I never wanted to dance", if you have the time, I'd like you to listen to it, and tell me whether something strange happens to you.. I mean that background tune.. I really didn't know what to do, it was kinda freaky, I wanted to turn down the volume but all I did was just stare in front of me.. )

Well, music is like being hypnotized. What you listen to you put into your spirit. How does the tone make you feel? What are the lyrics in the song? Do they speak to you of LIFE or do they speak DEATH?

When you listen to the song they get inserted into your psyche and you begin to unconsciously repeating the lyrics in your head and sooner or later those lyrics begins to manifest in your reality.

That is why it is very important to GUARD YOUR SPIRIT carefully.

 

[SilverFire]

The music itself irrespective of the words has power.

Putting a christian label on it doesn't make it good.

Most people won't accept this, like with most things that involve our appetites we want to do what we want to do!

God is light and in Him is NO darkness, light and dark do not, will not and cannot mix. We like to try and make them mix, there is a power that will accept the attempt to do so, there is a power that will pass off darkness as light, and there are people who are willing to accept this as the power of God.

You're right. People won't accept this, but not for the reasons that you've stated. People won't accept this because there is no scripture that can support the view that some music is inherently evil.

You fail to make the case that this is so.

But let's just assume that some music (meaning the sound) is inherently evil. At first, the church did not employ metered music at all (Gregorian chant). Then, they felt that anything not in 3/4 or 4/4 time was not holy. Then it was particular instruments were not holy (guitars), or perhaps instruments themselves were too distracting (Zwingle thought that).

I ask you then, which one of these schools is correct? If there is a particular kind of music that is itself evil, then this knowledge is a well-kept secret. Additionally, no-one can seem to agree on what this music is.

One thing that is sure, however, is that none of this could possibly be God telling you as an individual to steer clear of certain genres. No, there is a secret "evil music" out there, and it lies in wait, ready to seduce anyone who hears it.

Sigh...