Secular viewpoint of modern religious music?

[AgnosticFreeThinker]

This is the most appropriate area that I'm allowed to post this thread to. I'm just wondering what religious and non-religous people's secular views on modern religious music are. My dentist always plays a religious music station, and because of that I came to realize that I despise modern religious music not because of it's religious content, but because it's the worst excuse for music I've ever heard (play a chorus 700 times, sing one lyric, repeat the chorus 900 times. And you may not have a chord progression more complex than tonic-6th-4th-5th!!! Bwaha!)

EDIT:
I'm going to be a bit more explicit here - I'm talking about the modern pop-like Christian music, not hymnal music or anything like that.

 

[* kittie *]

hehe i don't listen to it anymore, so i wouldn't know. i used too listen to worship a lot...but i rarely listened to contemporary.
now are you talking about worship music, or just the modern stuff? because if it's modern, i would choose option C.
worship...option B.

 

[Sociopath4Jesus]

I think I know what sort of music you're talking about.

Unfortunately the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment does not extend to dentists' offices.

 

[Axver]

AgnosticFreeThinker, I know exactly what you mean. I can't stand modern Christian 'music' most of the time.

 

[nadroj1985]

I picked the fifth option. I assume you are talking about CCM, which is basically pop music with Christian themes. Pop music is rather disinteresting to me.

However, I'm open to Christian music if it can be creative, original, and talk more about the interesting parts of Christianity. Simple praise music is not going to cut it for me, really; and there is so much more to the Christian life than that. There are "Christian" messages that can be promoted without trying to sound overtly "Christian." Some of the best Christian music comes from secular artists, if you ask me.

 

[ps139]

I picked that "I like it spiritually" meaning I like the theme of praising God and that I "dislike it secularly" meaning that I do not like the music from a musicians point of view. I've never seen the adverb "secularly" before, so if you mean do I think its quality music (sans the lyrics), then I say, for the most part, no.
Although there is one Christian band I love, called Burlap to Cashmere, they are one of the most talented groups of musicians I've ever listened to, and their lyrics and themes are not the same old stuff as most Christian music.

 

[eutychus]

I am a Christian.

I dislike it spiritually because I think 95% of it blasphemes the Spirit.

I dislike it secularly because, put quite simply, 98% of it sucks and shows no craftsmanship.

My sympathies are extended regarding the dentist situation!

 

[12volt_man]

You know, this is going to sound kind of funny coming from a worship leader, but I hate Christian music.

I mean, so much of it is just mind numbingly bad.

 

[* kittie *]

hmmm...I ended up picking C

 

[Breetai]

I am a Christian.

I dislike it spiritually because I think 95% of it blasphemes the Spirit.

What in the blue heck are you talking about??? Have you ever even read the lyrics in a decent hymnal? I really don't think that you've sang any decent songs in your church if you're saying that. I suggest that you go to a Lutheran Church...or even a Catholic Church.

To the OP. What's worse, having a cavity filled, or having to listen to whatever radio station that your dentist plays. The only 'Christian' CDs that I have were gifts. I rarely listen to them, and when I do, I skip most of the tracks.

I picked option C.


BTW, I'm assuming that secular is comtemporary Christian musicD), and that spiritual is something that you sing our of a hymnal in a traditional church service. J.S. Bach rocks!

 

[nadroj1985]

J.S. Bach rocks!

No. He "classicals."

 

[AgnosticFreeThinker]

No. He "classicals."

No, he "baroques." If you've had any classical training in music, you know that baroque and classical are very different

And I love Bach, despite the religious message in a lot of his music. The only music I prefer to baroque is Russian late romantic music, such as Mussorgski, Balakirev, Borodin and Rimski-Korsikov. I don't disrespect music because of it's religion. After all, back then, he could very well be burned as a witch for not being Christian OK, that was a low blow .

 

[AgnosticFreeThinker]

I've never seen the adverb "secularly" before, so if you mean do I think its quality music (sans the lyrics), then I say, for the most part, no.

That is precisely what I mean.

 

[sad astronaut]

There is plenty of good Christian rock out there, it just takes effort to find. I usually listen to online Christian radio stations, because most stations that are found on regular airwaves are too soft for me.

Christian music is primarily emotion-driven. People who don't like secular emotion driven music (such as pop) but more art-driven music (radiohead, independent rock, etc..), typically won't find much satisfaction in Christian music, or at least the more mainstream bands. I do like the way Christian music makes me feel, but if I want to listen to something innovative, then I'll have to check out the secular music.

 

[nadroj1985]

People who don't like secular emotion driven music (such as pop) but more art-driven music (radiohead, independent rock, etc..)

What do you mean by "emotion-driven" music? Part of the reason I absolutely adore Radiohead is because they are so emotional

 

[Dyrwen]

I tend to like some religious music, but only in a hardcore music genre. Outside of that I cannot stand it. And usually even the music I listen to there isn't that religious in nature, but they have underlying themes of religious influence.

 

[Arnold]

i was asking myself the same question. I haven't been listening to secular music for 6 months to a year. And i have come to appreciate christian music that i can't do without it.And there is good christian music like the WOW cds. Lately this issue has been on my mind. All my friends listen to secular music and know all the words but i don't know a sinlge line for any of the songs, i dont't even know musch about the latest music. And i thought there was something wrong with me but i have found that as i have been growing closer to God i have been drinking of his living waters and i have been looking into things that fill the spirit. I don't mind secular music (the pure ones i.e like about life,love,sufferings) but i have found that it does nothing for my spirit. It doesn't make me feel anything beyond stirring up emotions, for a while. But with praise it stirs things inside me and it satisfies and lasts for a long time., Praise and Worship is one of the most powerful weapons christians have in this age. It gets me fired up or broken before God or just peaceful but always satisfied.

 

[JesseRaymondBassett]

I chose option C. When I do listen to my Christian CDs, it is the old traditional hymns, & gospel albums. I do not like the new Christian music.

 

[sad astronaut]

What do you mean by "emotion-driven" music? Part of the reason I absolutely adore Radiohead is because they are so emotional

Yes, good point. radiohead is emotional and powerful. But radiohead is also thought driven and art driven. The emotion they put into their songs is much more complex than what you find in pop (my girlfriend broke up with me, i'm so sad and lonely) or pure rock (i'm angry and ticked off because my girlfriend broke up with me). radiohead is more complicated and hard to know what they are singing about (is he really singing about an airbag, or is the airbag a metaphor, or both).

so, in response to your statement, well, maybe my way of classifying music is terrible. i just know that there is something that separates radiohead from groups like n'sync, but i also guess there are many in-between groups. all i know is that Christian music tends to resemble pop or pure rock music in that it is more obvious what they are singing about. Christian music is usually energetic and is built around a certain emotion, as opposed to a mood, or tone of the song. Christian artists tend to focus more on what they are singing about, as opposed to using interesting instruments (save Skillet and maybe a few others). Belle and Sebastian, for instance, incorporates banjos and trumpets into a song, radiohead uses who knows what, Christian music, like pure rock and some pop music, goes for the typical guitar, bass, drums. that's not necesssarily a debit to Christian music, because they sometimes have different motives for a song as opposed to a secular artist.

Am I making any sense at all?

 

[nadroj1985]

Am I making any sense at all?

Yes, I see what you mean. I just went a little bug-eyed when I saw that thing about Radiohead being unemotional, because that's a big misconception about them. Perhaps the emotions are more subtle, as you say, but if you're willing to look for them, the music can be overwhelmingly emotional. Some of the songs on OK Computer can literally bring me to tears if I'm in the right mood (esp. "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and "Let Down")