Things Some Christians Warn Against That Don't Hold Up To Scrutiny

[MrMoe]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

Rock and roll is the devil's music
If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?
Obviously if a song is singing about something clearly evil or that goes against Christian beliefs, than Christians should use discernment. Pop, hip-hop, rap and several other genres of music can also have evil, anti-Christian lifestyle lyrics. It's not exclusive to rock. They can also have good messages that line up with the Christian lifestyle, including rock.
Dismissing something as evil just because it's in a certain genre seems like Christians throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

There are sinister backmasked messages in popular songs
They say if you play Stairway To Heaven and some other songs backwards you will hear an evil message during a specific part of the song. This begs the question, how was this even discovered? Was there some guy sitting around his house one evening, wondering "Hmm, what can I do right now? Maybe I could cook dinner, maybe I could watch the news... No, I think I'll listen to Stairway To Heaven backwards."
To me this is just pareidolia. People hear what they want to hear. If a person has already made up their mind that something is evil, they will look for things that confirm that belief. Basically it's confirmation bias. The funny thing is different people hear different things and others say they just hear gibberish. Evidence that this is pareidolia.


"Emptying your mind" during metitation leaves you open to demonic infestation.
I've seen some Christians warn against this type of meditation here on this forum, but if you ask them to clarify what they mean exactly by emptying your mind I doubt you will get a clear, consistant answer. Your brain is always working 24/7 even when you're asleep, so technically it's never empty.
I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure on nights when we are asleep and don't dream then that means we are not actively thinking. So doesn't that mean our minds are empty according to these Christians? So does that mean we are basically an open door while we're sleeping?
If the devil is capable of putting thoughts in someone's head then I pretty sure he can do it regardless of wheather they have thoughts their head or not.


You can post your own things you think Christians warn against that don't hold up to scrutiny if you want. (Just don't go after a specific denomination's beliefs. Make it in general.)

 

[Strathos]

I thought #2 hasn't been taken seriously since the 80s.

 

[MrMoe]

I thought #2 hasn't been taken seriously since the 80s.

I remember watching videos on Youtube about a backmasked message in the song Hotel California and also ones about Obama's phrase "Yes we can". So I think this belief is still around.

 

[public hermit]

I thought #2 hasn't been taken seriously since the 80s.

Right. It was around the same time people were taking Mike Warnke seriously.

Mike Warnke - Wikipedia

 

[Aussie Pete]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

Rock and roll is the devil's music
If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?
Obviously if a song is singing about something clearly evil or that goes against Christian beliefs, than Christians should use discernment. Pop, hip-hop, rap and several other genres of music can also have evil, anti-Christian lifestyle lyrics. It's not exclusive to rock. They can also have good messages that line up with the Christian lifestyle, including rock.
Dismissing something as evil just because it's in a certain genre seems like Christians throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

There are sinister backmasked messages in popular songs
They say if you play Stairway To Heaven and some other songs backwards you will hear an evil message during a specific part of the song. This begs the question, how was this even discovered? Was there some guy sitting around his house one evening, wondering "Hmm, what can I do right now? Maybe I could cook dinner, maybe I could watch the news... No, I think I'll listen to Stairway To Heaven backwards."
To me this is just pareidolia. People hear what they want to hear. If a person has already made up their mind that something is evil, they will look for things that confirm that belief. Basically it's confirmation bias. The funny thing is different people hear different things and others say they just hear gibberish. Evidence that this is pareidolia.


"Emptying your mind" during metitation leaves you open to demonic infestation.
I've seen some Christians warn against this type of meditation here on this forum, but if you ask them to clarify what they mean exactly by emptying your mind I doubt you will get a clear, consistant answer. Your brain is always working 24/7 even when you're asleep, so technically it's never empty.
I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure on nights when we are asleep and don't dream then that means we are not actively thinking. So doesn't that mean our minds are empty according to these Christians? So does that mean we are basically an open door while we're sleeping?
If the devil is capable of putting thoughts in someone's head then I pretty sure he can do it regardless of wheather they have thoughts their head or not.


You can post your own things you think Christians warn against that don't hold up to scrutiny if you want. (Just don't go after a specific denomination's beliefs. Make it in general.)

Music is a great blessing but has great dangers also. If you knew the background to rock and roll, you would know that is inherently wrong. And yes, a lot of other music is Satanic in origin. I play guitar and have done for decades. I've seen and heard the changing trends in Christian music. I have to say that I'm not in the least inspired by most of it.

"Backmasking" was discovered by people literally playing records backwards. You can do it manually, changing the speed as you like. One early supposed hidden message was on a Beatles record. It could sound something like "Paul is dead". I am not convinced it's any more than an aural illusion.

The mind is Satan's battleground. If you choose not to think, fine. Deliberately emptying your mind and then waiting for communications is asking for trouble. Evil spirits can and do inject thoughts into the Christian's mind. Anything that you did not choose to think should be rejected immediately. That would save a lot of people a lot of grief.

 

[Peter John]

If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?

When i was in the established churches (not mentioning names), the way the teaching went, it made me feel I should just listen to christian music, as the worldly music was bad for us. I wasn't gullible, but through ignorance of not knowing, I got rid of a lot of CD's. In hindsight, that was silly, as I have since bought again some of those CD's & others like Radiohead, Elbow & Pearl Jam, & rarely listen to those calling themselves 'Christian music', & yet I feel more Christian, in the last 15yrs, than any other time. The culprit was going along with the 'other Jesus' doctrine, found in 2Cor11v4;
For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

 

[SarahsKnight]

and also ones about Obama's phrase "Yes we can".

So ... one such message or statement brimming with Satanic evil is "Nac Ew Sey"?

Must be some weird alien devil language meaning "Communism is good" in English. =P

 

[public hermit]

I'm generally nonplussed by the idea that evil can simply take over territory belonging to Christ, so that a subject can unwittingly become a pawn of Satan through surreptitious devices. Yes, what we feed our minds matters, and discretion is important. But, the greater danger is what we consciously entertain, e.g. greed, selfishness, resentment, anger, belittling thoughts of others, and the list goes on.

It's easy to spend one's time looking for devils around every corner, and feeling satisfied that one is on the alert. While at the same time, ignoring one's own character defects that truly engender evil in what one thinks and does. It reminds me of Hannah Arendt's "banality of evil." Or better, my secret crush, Simone Weil.

“Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvelous, intoxicating” Simone Weil from Gravity and Grace.

 

[SarahsKnight]

s the worldly music was bad for us. I wasn't gullible, but through ignorance of not knowing, I got rid of a lot of CD's. In hindsight, that was silly,

The same thing basically occurred with me one time hearing a certain sermon in the church I was saved at just months after coming to Christ, when I was still definitely green, and perhaps it was silly to suddenly throw out so much of my belongings, but I think it was actually necessary at the time, for other, more hidden spiritual purposes. I can't really explain it, but while I am not one of those paranoid types who find evil, soul-stealing works of Satan around every corner where somehow our genuine saving belief in Christ is threatened, I think these times of simplification, ridding of some worldly things - even if for the wrong reasons at the time - can be of benefit to us spiritually, in a minor way that we cannot see until the longrun.

 

[Dave-W]

Music is a great blessing but has great dangers also. If you knew the background to rock and roll, you would know that is inherently wrong.

If you knew the background of music itself, you would know it is inherently wrong.

Genesis 4:21
His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

Jubal, the inventor of music, was not that great a guy. His close relatives invented all kinds of things. The whole lot of them were part of the decline in humanity which led to the great flood during Noah's lifetime.

AND YET .....

God COMMANDED music to be played in His Temple. In the NT we are COMMANDED to sing "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs."

There is NOTHING said in scripture about musical styles or certain note combinations. All evaluations of style, meter, note selection are MAN MADE opinions and have no spiritual significance.

 

[Strathos]

If you play anything backwards (or forwards even) you can hear whatever you want to hear. It's our minds' tendency to create patterns even when none exist.

There's an entire form of entertainment called 'mondegreens' which is based off of taking the words to songs (in foreign languages or even the same language) and making up silly fake lyrics based on what they sort of sound like.

 

[Dave-W]

The same thing basically occurred with me one time hearing a certain sermon in the church I was saved at just months after coming to Christ, when I was still definitely green, and perhaps it was silly to suddenly throw out so much of my belongings, but I think it was actually necessary at the time, for other, more hidden spiritual purposes.

Even if it was in error, i.e. God not really telling you to do that; the act of obedience to what you thought was His will is always beneficial. It shows that your faith is made real thru your works.

James 2:18
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

 

[Albion]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

You were right to start off that post by saying "some Christians." They must constitute 3% of so of the Christian population only.

 

[HTacianas]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

Rock and roll is the devil's music
If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?
Obviously if a song is singing about something clearly evil or that goes against Christian beliefs, than Christians should use discernment. Pop, hip-hop, rap and several other genres of music can also have evil, anti-Christian lifestyle lyrics. It's not exclusive to rock. They can also have good messages that line up with the Christian lifestyle, including rock.
Dismissing something as evil just because it's in a certain genre seems like Christians throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

There are sinister backmasked messages in popular songs
They say if you play Stairway To Heaven and some other songs backwards you will hear an evil message during a specific part of the song. This begs the question, how was this even discovered? Was there some guy sitting around his house one evening, wondering "Hmm, what can I do right now? Maybe I could cook dinner, maybe I could watch the news... No, I think I'll listen to Stairway To Heaven backwards."
To me this is just pareidolia. People hear what they want to hear. If a person has already made up their mind that something is evil, they will look for things that confirm that belief. Basically it's confirmation bias. The funny thing is different people hear different things and others say they just hear gibberish. Evidence that this is pareidolia.


"Emptying your mind" during metitation leaves you open to demonic infestation.
I've seen some Christians warn against this type of meditation here on this forum, but if you ask them to clarify what they mean exactly by emptying your mind I doubt you will get a clear, consistant answer. Your brain is always working 24/7 even when you're asleep, so technically it's never empty.
I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure on nights when we are asleep and don't dream then that means we are not actively thinking. So doesn't that mean our minds are empty according to these Christians? So does that mean we are basically an open door while we're sleeping?
If the devil is capable of putting thoughts in someone's head then I pretty sure he can do it regardless of wheather they have thoughts their head or not.


You can post your own things you think Christians warn against that don't hold up to scrutiny if you want. (Just don't go after a specific denomination's beliefs. Make it in general.)

I don't think that the objection to "rock" music is meant to exclude other genres. Rock music is an all encompassing term for modern music. One of the most disgusting songs ever written is Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel. It could be called rock or pop.

 

[Peter John]

I think these times of simplification, ridding of some worldly things - even if for the wrong reasons at the time - can be of benefit to us spiritually, in a minor way that we cannot see until the longrun.

With me, similar, my heart in the right place, my mind trying too hard to live holy, I was in the wrong place, maybe at the right time, so I could get out, & search elsewhere, which worked, & my jigsaw puzzle of learning, now makes sense, & I can see the picture more, i didn't see a picture back then.

 

[redleghunter]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

Rock and roll is the devil's music
If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?
Obviously if a song is singing about something clearly evil or that goes against Christian beliefs, than Christians should use discernment. Pop, hip-hop, rap and several other genres of music can also have evil, anti-Christian lifestyle lyrics. It's not exclusive to rock. They can also have good messages that line up with the Christian lifestyle, including rock.
Dismissing something as evil just because it's in a certain genre seems like Christians throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

There are sinister backmasked messages in popular songs
They say if you play Stairway To Heaven and some other songs backwards you will hear an evil message during a specific part of the song. This begs the question, how was this even discovered? Was there some guy sitting around his house one evening, wondering "Hmm, what can I do right now? Maybe I could cook dinner, maybe I could watch the news... No, I think I'll listen to Stairway To Heaven backwards."
To me this is just pareidolia. People hear what they want to hear. If a person has already made up their mind that something is evil, they will look for things that confirm that belief. Basically it's confirmation bias. The funny thing is different people hear different things and others say they just hear gibberish. Evidence that this is pareidolia.


"Emptying your mind" during metitation leaves you open to demonic infestation.
I've seen some Christians warn against this type of meditation here on this forum, but if you ask them to clarify what they mean exactly by emptying your mind I doubt you will get a clear, consistant answer. Your brain is always working 24/7 even when you're asleep, so technically it's never empty.
I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure on nights when we are asleep and don't dream then that means we are not actively thinking. So doesn't that mean our minds are empty according to these Christians? So does that mean we are basically an open door while we're sleeping?
If the devil is capable of putting thoughts in someone's head then I pretty sure he can do it regardless of wheather they have thoughts their head or not.


You can post your own things you think Christians warn against that don't hold up to scrutiny if you want. (Just don't go after a specific denomination's beliefs. Make it in general.)

In general, some Christians are more susceptible to worldly influences than other Christians.

I think the teaching we all should heed in our daily lives is this one:

Colossians 3: NASB

1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

5Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 

[1213]

Here are some things I hear some Christians warn against that in my opinion don't hold up to scrutiny.

Rock and roll is the devil's music
...

I am not saying it is, but it is interesting how society has become eviler at the same time as lyrics and music performances have become more morally corrupted. Probably the cause is not the music, but it tells a lot about people.

 

[Within Reason]

Rock and roll is the devil's music
If rock is the devil's music, then what about pop, hip-hop, rap, country, techno, jazz, lounge, opera, instrumental, etc?

It surely is:

Read This Book - Inside Rock Music – Vance Ferrell (PDF)

Or these -

Drums, Rock & Worship – Book – Karl Tsatalbasidis (PDF)

Drumming Up Spirits In Our Service – Pocket Book – Edward G Hooi – Eden Regained Ministries (PDF)

Feel free to view this series:

Or This presentation:

Or This series:

Or This Series:

Or This Series:

There are many others that can be recommended also, from ex-hiphop, ex-rap, ex-music artists themselves that had been some time in the business.

 

[Within Reason]

"Emptying your mind" during metitation leaves you open to demonic infestation.

Surely it does:

Related - Witchcraft Ruins Lives – Vance Ferrell (PDF)

I can also recommend materials from ex-occultists, ex-martial artists, etc that know better.

 

[public hermit]

Drums, Rock & Worship – Book – Karl Tsatalbasidis (PDF)

Friend, this is not a good argument. The trap set shouldn't be used by Christians as a musical instrument? By the way, where is the snare drum mentioned in the bible? His argument seems to be that the drums used in orchestra are okay because they can be found in the bible. I don't know, this is such a horrible argument.

"The trap set was invented for the sole purpose of powering the music known as jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and all the varieties of rock-n-roll. The fact that drums are mentioned in the Bible leads many to believe that playing the traps is acceptable. Though we’ve already addressed this by seeing that the trap set is not only constructed differently but also played differently than the percussive instruments named in the Bible, there is another argument against it. The argument that the Bible approves of the trap set by mere mention of its separate articles also fails in the fact that the music that the traps were designed to accompany was not invented until very recently.

The trap set (and the music that it powers) was invented in the early 1900s, thousands of years after the Old Testament was written. This means that the trap set is a unique instrument, as yet unknown by the Bible’s writers. It should never be confused with other drums (such as a snare, bass, tom toms, and other percussion instruments that one would normally find in an orchestra.)...The point is that you cannot “Christianize” the trap set any more than you can make Sunday the new
Sabbath day"