Music

[boywonder123]

Can a Christian really listen to "Christian rock" and Christian hip-hop? I mean I think some of the songs are good and really helps get closer to god and understand him more...

Rock and hip hop is.mprmally associated with the world.right?!

Would Jesus listen to gospel rap...or Christian rock...or is just the devil? Having a stronghold in music...

Should we just sing hymns or..?

K

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

There are times when even Hymns would have been looked at with scorn because of the style of music they were. Good thing that people were a little more open minded in the times when hymns were written otherwise we'd only be allowed to chant.

Choices of what genres you listen to are purely personal. People who tend to say you shouldn't listen to one or another are usually based on an opinion of dislike for the genre themselves. I personally would be more appalled if Jesus listened to contemporary Christian music considering how poorly produced and badly written it is.

If I see the words "see your face" or "look into your eyes" in another Christian song based off a generic chord progression again, I might throw up.

 

[coreya]

Would Jesus listen to gospel rap...or Christian rock...or is just the devil? Having a stronghold in music...

K

I dont think God cares what the music is. Its whats in our heart when we are playing, singing, etc. He does not listen to the music, he listens to our hearts.

For some people, its hard for their heart to be in it for certain types of music.

We are all different and we worship in different ways. If our heart is in it, thats all that matters.

 

[Krisuvial]

I went to a college for one semester that only sang hymns during worship. Without even any instruments. I didn't feel any closer to God, or any better of a person, then we sing the loud Christian rock songs during the mission trip I go on every summer. I think if He only wanted hymns, we wouldn't have all the amazing music we have today. It's the meaning behind the words that counts, anyway.

 

[Hidden101]

I would listen to Christian rock music, however, I do not really like the lyrics. Therefore, I go off on a bender and listen to well known heavy metal and rock musicians.

 

[TanteBelle]

Can a Christian really listen to "Christian rock" and Christian hip-hop? I mean I think some of the songs are good and really helps get closer to god and understand him more...

Rock and hip hop is.mprmally associated with the world.right?!

Would Jesus listen to gospel rap...or Christian rock...or is just the devil? Having a stronghold in music...

Should we just sing hymns or..?

K

Faith and music is a big subject that has caused a lot of controversy over the centuries. I am connected with church groups who only sing hymns written by church members with no percussion allowed, only accapella, maybe an organ, piano, acoustic guitar, or the like. Nothing else. They are not even allowed to listen to other Christian music but as much secular music as they wish. Now, I don't believe that the lack of percussion can be supported by scripture at all as we know that King David, the greatest praise and worship musician of all time, used percussion instruments and made a big noise about it. But I guess for me, what classifies as praise and worship? We are commanded to sing spiritual songs and hymns. I personally can't see or find anything spiritually uplifting and inspiring in rap, heavy rock/metal, screaming, etc. I know a good praise and worship song when the song makes me cry in adoration and awe of God. Anything head banging or screaming I don't find soul uplifting or something fit to be used as an offering of worship to God, but that is my personal opinion there.

 

[Sir Robbins]

I am a diehard Iron Maiden fan and they are heavy metal and reference hell and the devil A LOT in their songs but I could care less. I love God and have a great relationship with him. That is all that is important. What you do on earth is completely up to you

 

[MacFall]

I don't believe in "Christian music". I believe there is good music, and bad music. Some of the good music is made by Christians. Some of the really awful music is made by Christians. A lot of the latter category is the stuff that gets played on Christian radio these days—shameless ripoffs of pop and adult contemporary from five to ten years ago. A lot of the good stuff is underground music into which people pour their effort and talent for the glory of God, only to have it shunned by Christian culture because it's too edgy.

Piety is no substitute for exellence.

But if we're going to do away with all new Christian music and go the "hymns only" route, then we have to have some questions answered. Whose hymns? How old do they have to be? Many hymns are based on popular folk tunes that were often sung in pubs. Surely if the devil can be in a set of drums and a guitar then he can be in a tune sung by evil, filty drunk people!

So let's go further back. Classical hymns? Well, we'd better be careful to exclude those written by deists and other non-Christians. Which is a lot of them. This is going to be a problem. Hey, tell you what. Let's go back to the Gregorian and pre-Gregorian era. Can't go wrong with them!

But then, why stop there? Why not dig out the flute and lyre and sing the songs that would have been sung by the Apostles? No, the Maccabeans! No, not good enough! We must be 100% Psalms-only, and we can only use the instruments that were available in the days of the Tabernacle!

...Or, we can forget all this nonsense and exercise the freedom given to us in Christ to enjoy the beaty of His Creation as expressed in music without going on guilt trips because of some absurd medieval idea about the devil using particular kinds of music. Because, y'know... God created music. All of it. The devil can't create crap. All music belongs to God, from orthodox chorales to heavy metal, and it's up to us to make sure that it is used appropriately.

 

[MacFall]

I don't believe in "Christian music". I believe there is good music, and bad music. Some of the good music is made by Christians. Some of the really awful music is made by Christians. A lot of the latter category is the stuff that gets played on Christian radio these days—shameless ripoffs of pop and adult contemporary from five to ten years ago. A lot of the good stuff is underground music into which people pour their effort and talent for the glory of God, only to have it shunned by Christian culture because it's too edgy.

Piety is no substitute for excellence.

But if we're going to do away with all new Christian music and go the "hymns only" route, then we have to have some questions answered. Whose hymns? How old do they have to be? Many hymns are based on popular folk tunes that were often sung in pubs. Surely if the devil can be in a set of drums and a guitar then he can be in a tune sung by evil, filthy drunk people!

So let's go further back. Classical hymns? Well, we'd better be careful to exclude those written by deists and other non-Christians. Which is a lot of them. This is going to be a problem. Hey, tell you what. Let's go back to the Gregorian and pre-Gregorian era. Can't go wrong with them! But then, why stop there? Why not dig out the flute and lyre and sing the songs that would have been sung by the Apostles? No, the Maccabeans! No, not good enough! We must be 100% Psalms-only, and we can only use the instruments that were available in the days of the Tabernacle!

...Or, we can forget all this nonsense and exercise the freedom given to us in Christ to enjoy the beaty of His Creation as expressed in music without going on guilt trips because of some absurd medieval idea about the devil using particular kinds of music. Because, y'know... God created music. All of it. The devil can't create crap. All music belongs to God, from orthodox chorales to heavy metal, and it's up to us to make sure that it is used appropriately.

 

[Zach91]

Coming from a guy who frequently listens to Megadeth and Iron Maiden, I think that you are fine listening to Christian Rock or Heavy Metal. I don't think any music is wrong, as long as it is not glorifying the devil or things of the devil. Even music about dark subject matters isn't wrong as long as they are not being glorified. But back to your question, one particular genre of music isn't better or worse than another, on a moral standpoint. If a song is praising God, how can it be wrong? Remember, back in the day it was considered blasphemous to use instruments in worship, then it was blasphemous to use amplified instruments, etc.

 

[Sketcher]

There's no Biblical argument for any genre of music today being "devil's music." Simple as that.

 

[wholigan11]

Can a Christian really listen to "Christian rock" and Christian hip-hop? I mean I think some of the songs are good and really helps get closer to god and understand him more...

Rock and hip hop is.mprmally associated with the world.right?!

Would Jesus listen to gospel rap...or Christian rock...or is just the devil? Having a stronghold in music...

Should we just sing hymns or..?

K

What matters is the message, not the style of the actual music. But we do all have our preferences. Be more concerned about the message.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Musical genres aren't generally developed specifically for Christian purposes. They usually emerge out of a culture with good and bad aspects, and you have to weed out the bad and choose the good.

Choosing the good, though, means more than just parroting styles and adding Gospel themed lyrics. MacFall put it pretty well when he said that piety is no substitute for excellence. Christian pop-culture is often mediocre at best, and that's not acceptable.

So, when it comes to Christian music, do yourself and everyone else a favor and support the good bands that are out there. If they play older hymns, so be it. Just make sure to spend your money on people who add a little more beauty to the world, rather than questionable rap with cheesy lyrics about the Bible replacing pompous lyrics about Buggatis.

 

[Sir Robbins]

There's no Biblical argument for any genre of music today being "devil's music." Simple as that.

I will respectfully disagree. I am a HUGE Maiden fan (they are heavy metal) and I have ventured into sampling various forms of metal and there are plenty of satanic themes in that genre. Norwegian death metal is as satanic as it gets. Bands used to burn churches down as did their followers. It can get hardcore in the metal world. I am NOT one of those people. I love Iron Maiden to death though.

 

[MacFall]

There are Christians who make music in the genre of black metal. There's nothing satanic about the genre itself.

 

[Qyöt27]

I will respectfully disagree. I am a HUGE Maiden fan (they are heavy metal) and I have ventured into sampling various forms of metal and there are plenty of satanic themes in that genre. Norwegian death metal is as satanic as it gets. Bands used to burn churches down as did their followers. It can get hardcore in the metal world. I am NOT one of those people. I love Iron Maiden to death though.

Themes have nothing to do with genre (and it was a few black metal bands that were implicated in the church burnings and murder and cannibalism).

Properly, genre is defined by the way in which the music is played (occasionally vocal technique will factor in as well). The actual musicality of it, and that is and always has been neutral - to take the death metal example, there's nothing inherently wrong with blast beats, shred guitar, odd time signatures, and the death growl, as these are purely musical traits, not thematic ones (and themes will vary from band to band and song to song anyway, so that's not a good measure of what a genre is). Some like to further subdivide by using thematic descriptors (thinking of goregrind or CCM here), but that doesn't make them somehow distinct musically.

 

[Sketcher]

I will respectfully disagree. I am a HUGE Maiden fan (they are heavy metal) and I have ventured into sampling various forms of metal and there are plenty of satanic themes in that genre. Norwegian death metal is as satanic as it gets. Bands used to burn churches down as did their followers. It can get hardcore in the metal world. I am NOT one of those people. I love Iron Maiden to death though.

There are metal bands with satanic themes, but you could also organize a Southern-Gospel style choir with satanic themes. That doesn't make the musical elements themselves satanic. Black metal is the only metal genre I know of which itself is defined by satanic themes in addition to its musical elements. Even death metal isn't defined by satanic themes, though they are popular within death metal.

But most importantly, the Bible doesn't have anything to say concerning musical elements themselves of any modern genre of music being inherently evil. There is no proper exegesis which can prove the supposition of modern day "devil music" from Scripture.

 

[Sketcher]

There are Christians who make music in the genre of black metal. There's nothing satanic about the genre itself.

Well, they tend to call it "unblack metal" or "white metal," since proper "black metal" includes the satanic/anti-Christian themes.

 

[FreeSlave]

Yes

 

[TheDerek]

I grew up in the camp that the only good music was Christian music. If it didn't wear that label, it wasn't good. It was all black and white - very cut and dry. It's not that simple.

There are Christian bands in it just for the money, and not for worshiping God. For example, there's a Christian bookstore near me that's owned by a non-Christian. He doesn't believe in what he's selling - he's just doing it because it makes money.

A lot of my favorite bands these days don't wear the Christian label, but have music that reflects the devine, that points the listeners to aspects of Christ. It's like nature, you look at a mountain and you don't see a neon flashing sign saying "Jesus was here". Yet, by the virtue of being a mountain we see that Jesus was there.

I have nothing wrong with Christian music, and I still listen to some, but I'd say that we need to look past a label, and see where the Lyrics are pointing.