Argh, I'm supposed to be doing a book review of a James Jordan book, but I just can't get to it. The whole thing of teen culture, music, clothes, etc are whats on my mind and I have this hyper focusing tendancy.
I wish I could get one of the kids to do it for me... the book review I mean. *sigh*
Anyways....
I think when approaching anything like music, books, dress, culture in general, some presuppisitions have to be considered. Do you believe that any certain beats or sounds are less godly, or in themselves even sinful? What is the purpose of music to you? What are your views of man created culture? Does it have to be created by Christians in order to be worth while?
I do not believe that any certain beats are sinful. But I do think that there are certain times and places where they may be not appropriate. It depends on the message being conveyed and the setting that the music is being played in. For example, I think in the main it is appropriate for music to be orderly in it's arrangement because God is not a chaotic God. But if in the context of a song the concept of chaos is being addressed than it would be right to include a little chaos. But in general there are veins of abstract jazz and classical that I don't think are right and seem to me to be a representation of man exalting his mind above the creaturely limitations that God has set in creation and I don't believe they are a godly form of music. I'd rather listen to an orderly arranged U2 song. :)
I do not think it would be right for a teenager to blast David Crowder in a setting of largely ederly people if they are unused to it and can't enjoy it too. (Even if it's his version of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing") But I also don't think it'd right for older people to just catagorize music or look down on kids for their music if they haven't tried listening to it or understanding what the kids are trying to say through the music. If a family is in the car a lot and the mom won't EVER let her kids pick the music because it isn't her favorite than I think that can be sinful selfishness just as much as th kids demanding to control the radio all the time.
I do not agree that all rock beats or strong chords are fleshly or sinful. I think they are powerful, and God is a God with power. I think they are passionate and God wants His people to be passionate. The question is what is the passion about? Drugging and groupies and self exaltation? Frustration over social injustices? Love? God?
One song that is very passionate (one of my favorite songs right now) is done by a secular kindapunkalternative type band is Blue October's "Quiet Mind". It is one of their slower song, but it is incredibly sad and haunting, a young man's struggle to be a good man, to find the things that are good and right in the world.
I'ver heard that he is bipolar. Maybe living with a schizophrenic mom especially connects me to this song. It always makes me want to cry. I know she loved me and my sister and my dad terribly but sometimes her brain just wouldn't let her be...
Anyway, another perfectly appropriately passionate song is U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday", referring to the Bloody Sunday Massacre that took place in Northern Ireland.. Well, if an army of a foriegn country shot a bunch of your fellowmen who were protesting, some of them in the back as they were fleeing to safty, would you feel a flute or harp quite adequate? Or would you want to pound a drum and scream "No More! No More!"
Another passionate song: Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Carol Of the Bells"..
Christmas music, but I love it so I wanted to put it in there.
Well, these are a few thoughts. Now the babies have completely destroyed the house all I've done is bawl over Blue October songs. Argh. More later.
Since it was a post on music, I was reading it thinking I would have something to disagree with. It seems like no one thinks the same way I do about it, but you summed up what I think of music quite well :)
ReplyDeleteIt is true that there aren't really chords or beats that are sinful, but we do cringe from certain music for a reason. For example, rap in and of itself is not bad, but when I think of rap I tend to just automatically associate it with sex, drugs, and all sorts of things that are sinful, just because the majority of it is like that, and so as a general rule I stay away from that genre. The same goes for Metal which tends to be demonic and violent.
We need have a certain openness to music, because there is lots of good stuff out there, and if we just say that everything inside of a certain genre is bad we're gonna miss out on stuff. I'm of the opinion that there is a lot out there that we can profit from, even if it isn't Christian or promoting Christian ideas, I prefer to plunder the Egyptians rather than let all the pretty stuff be wasted.
But as you said to me once before, and my Mom has said many times too, "Just be careful" I think it is possible to become so open to music that we can let it corrupt us. So even if we are trying to be open about music, we also need to exercise extreme caution, 'cause sometimes music artists are very convincing.
Other than that, I do think you can dislike music because of the way it sounds, just as long as we don't go so far as to call it sinful without having a good reason. I listen to all sorts of stuff that's not bad, but I know no one else would like it, so I don't play it really loud or anything. It's very easy to be disrespectful with music without trying to be. Just because, like you said, some of it just isn't appropriate at certain times and in certain places no matter how good it is.
I'm not much into rap either, because I just don't really like it and so far none of my kids have. Most of it is trash (really most of a lot of genres are trash) but I would hope if one of the kids liked it I would at least listen to what they liked and try to help them find the better stuff. Maybe there are good artist out there, I just don't know any. Well, I kind of liked some of the stuff DC Talk did a while back, but I couldn't listen to it for long.
ReplyDeleteAnd metal, well that was what I grew up on. There is a LOT of it that is plain and simply demonic and some that had more artistic value, Rush for example was considered a "thinking person's metal." But yeah, one would have to be very careful in that genre.
But I'm mostly writing to conservative type homeschooling moms, so I don't think there's a lot of risk in making anyone a Slayer fan. :)
I'm really enjoying your posts, Kerri. Reading what you wrote about your mom makes me wish I could give you a hug. It must've been so hard.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with a Mom who refused to let any "rock music" in the house. Including Christian rock. I remember one time, in high school, she found out that I had been listening to the local easy-rock station in search of a Kenny G song which I was learning to play on the piano. There were fireworks, to say the least. :) Once I left home I did listen to Christian rock - although the hard stuff never appealed to me. Still doesn't. I know people who refuse to listen to anything but Classical music because, in their opinion, it is "holier" than anything else. I don't know if I can really draw lines like that. I usually can get a good "read" on the "spirit" of a song and there are times when I turn off so-called Gospel music because I can't stand the feeling I get from it. On the other hand, there are some secular songs that really make me think of Jesus. With maturity comes wisdom, and I also think staying close to the heart of God will lead you as long as you keep an open spirit and are quick to obey.