Popular Music is inappropriate contentographic Music

[Ringo84]

How do I know this? I have not listened to those songs and don’t want to!

Well..you're obviously an authority then, and someone whose opinion should definitely be listened to and heeded.
Ringo

 

[RaymondG]

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I dont get it.....I thought you wanted us to think about the negative music you mentioned in your post.....with words and lyrics didnt know of until this day. Now Im thinking about them......then you post this. Should i follow your OP or what you posted here?

 

[RaymondG]

There was a news reporting on the negative impact of internet inappropriate content. They discuss how terrible is was and how it affected the youth. They named one of the sites and the CEO of the site agreed to appear in the report and answer questions of why.........I wondered.....Why would this guy go on TV to get his site bashed? A few days later, his site was the Number 1 site on the internet! Then i realize.....this is a smart man. Negative publicity has the same affect as Positive......It gets the product out their....sometimes to markets otherwise unreachable....like to those just wanting to hear news on TV and .........christian sites????

I'll be sure to check out the music you listed to "see how bad they really are." worse case scenario, I'll end up liking the beat and become a supporter of music you introduced to me.

Good Job....Continue doing a work for the Lord.

 

[Mark Corbett]

Well..you're obviously an authority then, and someone whose opinion should definitely be listened to and heeded.
Ringo

Your quote above refers to the fact that I did not listen to the immoral songs myself. When it comes to immoral and inappropriate contentographic music, I gladly confess that I'm not an authority.

But one does not have to try cocaine, heroine, and opioids to know they are dangerous and to warn others against them. By knowing God's Word (something I DO spend a lot of time on) we can quickly spot dangers and evils.

And yet, spotting dangers and evils and warning others is not even the most important point of the OP. Here's the main points again, for those who somehow missed them:

This battle is not primarily about what people should say “no” to. Saying “no” to evil music is important, but that’s not the deepest issue. The deepest issue is leading people to know God. It is people who do not know God who are so vulnerable to sexual immorality:

NIV 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

When people don’t know God, they seek substitutes for His love in all the wrong places.

We don’t want to simply tell people “don’t listen to music with immoral lyrics”, even though that is good advice. We want to introduce them to music which praises Jesus and lifts up our souls and fills our minds with the truths that set us free.

I close with prayer (please actually pray this, or something similar in your own words):
God, have mercy on us. Please rescue our young adults and youth who are caught in a terrible flood of immorality. Strengthen, protect, and empower those who already know You to reach their friends for Christ. Rescue many out of this flood and help them to find your true love which satisfies much more deeply than the devil’s deadly alternatives. Let the Name of Jesus be lifted up and let the younger generations (and some older folks, too) come streaming to Christ for Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

[Mark Corbett]

I'll be sure to check out the music you listed to "see how bad they really are." worse case scenario, I'll end up liking the beat and become a supporter of music you introduced to me.

I pray that you will act like the wise, and not the foolish:

ESV Proverbs 14:16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

 

[RaymondG]

I pray that you will act like the wise, and not the foolish:

ESV Proverbs 14:16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

I pray you will read my entire post and realize you are promoting that which you are also condemning. You are putting a spot like on a subject and compelling people to look at evils that would have been left unseen has you not shined your light on it and told people to look. Again, good job.

 

[Ringo84]

Your quote above refers to the fact that I did not listen to the immoral songs myself. When it comes to immoral and inappropriate contentographic music, I gladly confess that I'm not an authority.

But one does not have to try cocaine, heroine, and opioids to know they are dangerous and to warn others against them. By knowing God's Word (something I DO spend a lot of time on) we can quickly spot dangers and evils.

And yet, spotting dangers and evils and warning others is not even the most important point of the OP. Here's the main points again, for those who somehow missed them:

I was going to write a sarcastic reply, but I know you're trying to do what you see as following God's commands. I don't agree with a lot of what you say, but I respect it.

Maybe we can reach a compromise: while there are certainly amoral songs that exist in pop culture, perhaps we shouldn't lump all popular music into the same catch-all category.
Ringo

 

[Phil 1:21]

But one does not have to try cocaine, heroine, and opioids to know they are dangerous and to warn others against them.

Very true. But you should at least know that a particular white powdery substance is cocaine before calling it an illicit narcotic. Otherwise every time I eat a powdered doughnut folks would think I'm Tony Montana.

 

[Hieronymus]

How can sound be graphic?

But anyway, it's true, popular music is often about sex.

 

[Mark Corbett]

Maybe we can reach a compromise: while there are certainly amoral songs that exist in pop culture, perhaps we shouldn't lump all popular music into the same catch-all category.
Ringo

I agree. And I admit that if someone read just the title of the OP, they could get the impression that I do lump all popular music into the same category. But that's not my intention.

At the same time, I find Christian music (of all styles and types) so much more edifying and helpful, that I would encourage others to listen to it rather than pop music (or country, or any other secular music except perhaps just instrumental music). But I'm not saying there are no pop music songs worth listening to. I do hope people will use care and caution.

 

[Mark Corbett]

Very true. But you should at least know that a particular white powdery substance is cocaine before calling it an illicit narcotic. Otherwise every time I eat a powdered doughnut folks would think I'm Tony Montana.

The OP included a link to a source that specifically documented the problems with the songs in questions. I provided that link for those who wanted to verify my claims about the songs. I did not include the lyrics myself because they are so explicit and vulgar that I did not want people to read them unless they felt a need to verify the information. The source I linked to had the good motive of warning parents of what their youth listen to. He tried to give enough evidence clearly enough to allow people to understand the problem. I think he did a g**d job using symbols to minimize the ugliness of the evidence.

 

[Mark Corbett]

I pray you will read my entire post and realize you are promoting that which you are also condemning. You are putting a spot like on a subject and compelling people to look at evils that would have been left unseen has you not shined your light on it and told people to look. Again, good job.

There is a little truth to your statement. It is true that we must take great care in discussing evil, even for the purpose of warning against it. As Elrond (in The Lord of the Rings) said:

It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill.

Far more importantly, Paul writes:

NIV Ephesians 5:12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

And yet, this needs to be balanced with the previous verse:

NIV Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

In writing my OP, I was indeed concerned with the risk that someone could be attracted to the very examples I was using as a warning. However, I considered that this particular evil is hardly being done "in secret". These songs are massively popular. At least one has nearly 4 billion views on YouTube. All the songs are already very popular.

So, I believe that alerting Christians to this danger and encouraging them to avoid it and pray for those influenced by it outweighs the danger of carefully discussing it. The goal to "expose" is a Biblical goal, but it must be done carefully and prayerfully. That's why I noted that in the OP that I had not listened to the songs myself.

 

[RaymondG]

As Elrond (in The Lord of the Rings) said:

Be Careful.....I've gone through many threads stating that it is a sin and immoral to watch this series or read these book. Kind of makes you think.....maybe what is deemed wrong for one.....might not be wrong for all.

 

[Hieronymus]

At the same time, I find Christian music (of all styles and types) so much more edifying and helpful, ...

But it's usually totally uninteresting artistically...
It's as if 'good' music and Jesus don't mix.
I guess it depends on what you want to listen to music for, or how you want it to make you feel.
Hard to put my finger on it exactly, but i think the music i personally like was not inspired by God, at all...

that I would encourage others to listen to it rather than pop music (or country, or any other secular music except perhaps just instrumental music). But I'm not saying there are no pop music songs worth listening to. I do hope people will use care and caution.

It can certainly be a bad influence for young folks.
Even instrumental music can.

 

[Phil 1:21]

The OP included a link to a source that specifically documented the problems with the songs in questions.

Yes, it takes snippets out of songs and declares them bad on account of that snippet. My contention was that before we believe such proclamations we should actually read all of the lyrics, or maybe just listen to the actual song.

For example, does the song from which these lyrics are taken promote satanism?

"Satan, laughing, spreads his wings."

Or this one...

"Satan rears his ugly head to spit in the wind."

Or perhaps this one...

"Some have called me Satan's son."

 

[mnphysicist]

It is people who do not know God who are so vulnerable to sexual immorality:

Time and time again over the years, I've found it is the people who know God who are the most vulnerable to sexual immorality. Friends in pentecostal churches have often said that when you find yourself a leader of Christians, you now have a target on your back for Satan to attack. While I wound't go that far, I can see the logic of their statement

Consider that we've got youth pastors addicted to inappropriate content. We've got highly gifted pastors taking a massive header by engaging in adultery... you've got sexual abusers in the pew every Sunday and when out in public putting on a great show, who terrorize their wives and kids the rest of the week. The divorce rate among Christians is about on par with non-believers. Sexual immorality is as big a problem in the church as outside of it, perhaps its even worse since within the church, the name of the game is to keep it hidden away to avoid scandal.

As far as the verses you quoted, I agree that a Christian sexual ethic should be different than a pagan one... but it is absolutely critical to also look at next verses (6-8) so as to avoid a "Christian labeled" sexual ethic whose fruit is no different than the pagan one, and might well be worse...

 

[Mark Corbett]

Yes, it takes snippets out of songs and declares them bad on account of that snippet. My contention was that before we believe such proclamations we should actually read all of the lyrics, or maybe just listen to the actual song.

Yes, the link I provided only takes snippets out of the songs. In most situations, a snippet would not be enough to tell if a song's lyrics were immoral, since even Christian songs can mention evil things and evil actions (after all, the Bible mentions these things). But in this case, some of those snippets contain language so vulgar that I will not quote them here to prove my point. Sometimes a snippet is enough, especially when I have no reason to doubt the evaluation of the author I linked to, who appeared to have listened to all the songs.

Is there a particular song on the list that we are discussing where you disagree with the assessment?

 

[Phil 1:21]

Sometimes a snippet is enough, especially when I have no reason to doubt the evaluation of the author I linked to, who appeared to have listened to all the songs.

I remember that same type of "trust" being leveraged by the PMRC back in the early 90s. It didn't hold up well under scrutiny. I also remember perhaps-well-meaning Christian commentators decrying each of the songs I quoted, claiming just as you have here that the lyrics they cited were sufficient to establish the promotion of satanism. Here are the three songs:

1) War Pigs by Black Sabbath - Decries the people who start wars. Promotes peace.
2) Rust in Peace by Megadeth - Rebukes nuclear proliferation. Promotes peace.
3) Born of fire by Slayer - About as satanic as it gets.

Hopefully you understand the problem here.

Maybe the author in your article is right, and maybe he's wrong. The point is we should probably not condemn a song as evil based on the opinions of others, especially when it takes less time to read the full lyrics than it did for me to type this post.

 

[Mark Corbett]

Time and time again over the years, I've found it is the people who know God who are the most vulnerable to sexual immorality. Friends in pentecostal churches have often said that when you find yourself a leader of Christians, you now have a target on your back for Satan to attack. While I wound't go that far, I can see the logic of their statement

I actually agree with your friends who say that Christian leaders are a special focus of attacks from our enemies. This isn't a view limited to pentecostals!

When I said that not knowing God leaves one vulnerable to sexual immorality, I immediately quoted this verse:

NIV 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

In this verse there is a link between living "in passionate lust" and "do not know God". I'm convinced that the closer we are with God, the more we are "knowing Him" daily through prayer, Bible reading, and Christian fellowship, the less easily we will be pulled into sin. The way I worded this might not have made it initially clear enough.

I tried to explain this principle more carefully in a previous thread, which may be found here:

An Attraction Stronger than Sin

 

[Mark Corbett]

NIV Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

It makes sense to me that the same standards we use to determine what comes out of our mouths we should use to determine what we choose to allow into our ears. Of course, we cannot always control what comes in our ears. But sometimes we can. We choose what music to listen to and what TV shows to watch and listen to.

I see two standards in Ephesians 4:29, one negative, and one positive:

1. We should avoid what is "unwholesome". The word literally means "rotten", and is also translated "foul language", although the meaning may be broader than "cuss words".

2. We should only want that which builds up and benefits people.

I feel that most secular music (and nearly all the songs referred to in the OP) miserably fail both of these standards. On the other hand, I find that almost all Christian music, of many different types and styles, wonderfully fulfills both requirements.