Why is there a jazz music part to a christian site?

[fortyfourbreaks]

hehe...all joking aside... As a Christian, it seems we are allowed to listen to music like classical, jazz, or bluegrass without anybody raising a fuss or an eyebrow. This is obviously because they are genres in which there are no lyrics for one to be influenced by.

I then have TWO questions i'd like some discussion on.

Is it wrong or unedifying to listen to instrumentals that do not have pleasant harmonies? In other words, Can Harmony,or structure, or tones of a tune make it evil or bad or unedifying????? There are tunes that sound depressing, or frantic, sad, angry.

What about songs in which you can't understand what they are saying at all? For example, if they speak another language like german. Or what if you don't pay attention to the lyrics?? Or what if there is screaming, like in hardcore music? What I'm getting at is, Is there ANY HARM when you listen to a song Where either you don't understand what they are talkng about, or you don't pay attention to the lyrics??f

examples:
Drum n' bass:
ed rush and optical - locust (dark)
konflict - messiah (dark)
bad company - planet dust (dark)

bands:
mogwai (sad)
boards of canada (dark)
converge (screaming, but you cant understand what they are saying, at least i can't)

 

[blackwasp]

I say that it is fine.

 

[PreacherFergy]

I try to avoid any kind of music that doesn't have a clear, God-glorifying purpose to it.

 

[Mr.Cheese]

lol. That's why I don't listen to most christian music.

 

[rwl]

Interesting topic.

It was once thought that any music that promoted dissidence was bad for ones soul (Ancient greek if I remember correctly).

This of course is why anything done in a major cord is considered happy/good and any done in a minor is considered sad/evil (way simplified).

It's been a while since I was in Music Theory (1-4)

At any rate, music is there to move you and it does. Listen to what you feel is right.


edit :: spelling

 

[theFijian]

Is it wrong or unedifying to listen to instrumentals that do not have pleasant harmonies? In other words, Can Harmony,or structure, or tones of a tune make it evil or bad or unedifying????? There are tunes that sound depressing, or frantic, sad, angry.

1 - Define pleasant for us.
2 - In many places in the book of psalms we find depression, sadness, and anger. That makes those things alright in a song in my book.

With a lot of those bands you mentioned (and art in general), they are what you make of them. I personally do not find Mogwai sad nor Boards of Canada dark, but hey I'm allowed my opinion and you're allowed yours.


shalom,
Andy

 

[Jedi Penguins]

I try to avoid any kind of music that doesn't have a clear, God-glorifying purpose to it.

I have seen you through around this phrase serveral times, and please tell us what is "God-glorifying" and where the lines are.

I believe if you think something is wrong, don't listen to it. It's a heart thing, and a personal thing at that. On that same note, if somebody does not find something wrong it might not be wrong for that person.

Romans 14:
1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. 14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

 

[sad astronaut]

I try to avoid any kind of music that doesn't have a clear, God-glorifying purpose to it.

That's good for you. Personally, I don't think its wrong to listen to music for pleasure alone.

To respond to the original poster's question, I don't think its wrong to listen to instrumentation that doesn't have pleasant harmonies. However, I think one should be careful concerning how music affects their mood. For example, listening to heavy metal music, even without bad lyrics, may tend to make someone a little bit edgier and more likely to get angry as it gets their testosterone pumping.

As far as listening to music in other languages, I personally don't see a problem. However, if I did find out that the lyrics are spiritually detrimental, I would probably not listen to the song.

Back on the music-affecting-mood thing, it is interesting how Christian rock and secular rock alters my mood. I can listen to a Christian rock band with heavy instruments and melodies and actually be in a positive mood, whereas a secular rock band with the same type of instruments and styling can negatively affect my mood. Part of it is the words, but I believe that whatever is in that person's heart is transfered to their instruments and voices and into my heart. A musician's heart really affects their musical stylings.

 

[* kittie *]

I try to avoid any kind of music that doesn't have a clear, God-glorifying purpose to it.

you must be proud.



jazz music...i should get into that.

 

[AlecEiffel]

listen to what suits your mood. How about The Locust? hahaha. no real words really, I guess it cant be considered "bad", it just sounds chaotic and I dont think you really need words. its cool, when you're in the mood atleast. hardly ever for me, but meh.