They Call It "Christian" Music by Michael Montoya

Generations since the 1970’s have argued about it: Christian music. I have a beef with it because it aids and supports today’s evangelical Christian culture in America and not in a good way. Just a reminder that this is my opinion and you can determine for yourself if what I am saying is true. First of all, there is no such thing as “Christian” music. Call me crazy but music by itself is not doctrine. Music communicates in its way. It can be said to be spiritual or emotional but it does not communicate ideas or concepts. Am I right? Words communicate ideas, doctrine, philosophy, wisdom, knowledge, or understanding. Music does not.

Music can be classified into styles. There is Country music, Classical, Folk, Rock, Hymns, Gospel, Metal, and Alternative. There used to be New Wave and Techno. There is Electronica or New Age, Jazz, rap, and all the subcategories. I have heard Country music with Christian lyrics. I have heard Heavy Metal with Christian lyrics. I purposely do not say that these songs have biblical lyrics or sound biblical teaching because not all do. I remember my brother told me about a store in the 1980’s that sold “Christian” music a particular way. The display cards next to the CD racks said “If you like Rush, you will like this band.” “If you like Journey’s music then you will like this group.” Can I ask why “Christian” music was being sold like this? Who was the target audience?

How do we determine the style or the type of music? It is sloppy to say that “this is Christian music” simply because there are bible words in the songs or that the person writing or performing the song is a Christian and therefore we are listening to Christian music. It is like saying the guy up there has a southern accent and is wearing a cowboy hat so the music he’s playing has to be country. What is Country music? Generally speaking it tends to employ, pedal steels and dobros, guitars, violins (fiddles) and banjos. The choice of instruments helps us identify a genre. Instruments produce distinct sounds. What is Rock? What is Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, or Bluegrass? Tempo, choice of instrument, electric or acoustic, choices made by composers and musicians to create sound and evoke emotion? Well then, what is sound?

Wikipedia: In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as a typically audible mechanical wave of pressure and displacement, through a medium such as air or water. In physiology and psychology, sound is the reception of such waves and their perception by the brain.

Can I say that sound is invisible to the human eye? Can I guess that when someone plays a guitar he or she is shaping air? When one sings, one is sending air passed the vocal bands in the throat and out into the air. For low notes the vocal chords are elongated. For high notes the vocal folds are shortened. A guitar player uses his fingers to lengthen or shorten the strings being played for the notes he wants. Chords are many strings pressed at once, shortened and lengthened by the musician’s fingers. The F-hole of the guitar and the soundboard promote sound. The material used to make an instrument determines sound. An electric guitar uses metal strings. An acoustic guitar may have nylon strings. All choices made in music are heard. Types of music have sprung from various cultures. I am not prepared to examine music exhaustively here but I would like to make some points pertaining to our discussion about “Christian” music.

The Emotion of Music

As I said before, music is emotional and/or spiritual and does not, alone, communicate ideas. Have you ever heard someone say, “That music sounds adulterous to me” or “Could you compose some music for my sermon on predestination”? Most of us do perceive music as sad, happy, somber, morbid, evil-sounding. Music is beautiful, meditative, glorious, or intense. Without the help of words or visuals, music alone is heard and felt and does not communicate concepts. Its affect is not limited to stirring emotion as we shall discuss later.

Is there such a thing as God music? Without words can a person write music that communicates God? May I say that music can be like our prayer. “We do not know how to pray as we ought but the Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8). Our ability to produce godly music is fraught with the same weakness we possess in prayer. I have already listed some of the types of music currently in America today. Is there instrumental music in existence that could be considered godly? I would knee-jerk say that hymns are godly but I would be wrong, I think. Remove the wonderfully sound words of the old hymns and just listen to the music. Are they not slow-tempo, classical music pieces?

We’ve all heard hymns in church and on the radio which were treated to a modern make-over. Contemporary artists have changed the beat, the instruments, and the vocals of the hymn to what they think appeals to young Christians. What other reason could one have for altering or “rockifying” a hymn? Did God register some complaint and inspire musicians to liven up the music? Let’s say the artist meant to make the old hymns “more accessible” to the youth. Why? What was the original purpose of the hymn? Why are we taking what is pleasing to God and making it equally pleasing to us and to our children?

The choice of instrumentation can be found in churches and in symphony halls. The composers of hymn music had what instruments available to them at the time? What musical genres existed at the time the composer wrote their hymns? Handel’s Messiah, without the words; can we call it spiritual or godly? Is there such a thing as spiritual music? I contend that all music is spiritual. We are presented every day with invisible yet very real spiritual influences in music. This to me is the insidious problem we have with “Christian” music. While we get questionable biblical lyrics conveying cultural perceptions of God and Christians, we are also taking in what the music communicates. Here is where music is like smoke. All kinds of aromas, all kinds of shapes and curls, no two wafts alike and yet different smells depending on what is being burned. Hmm. I’ll have to think about that analogy. Music is easy to identify emotionally, I think. What is difficult to examine and judge is context. When music is heard differs from person to person. The reason we listen to music, produce it, play it, or buy it can vary from person to person. Arguments arise when one attempts to label music, endorse, or condemn it. Hopefully I can at least address enough of the controversy here to satisfy myself and provide for you some things to consider for your Christian life.

I like music a lot. My brothers are musicians. I grew up listening to the records my brothers brought home. Music played badly in church is almost a deal breaker for me. It shouldn't be but I’m being honest here. As a Christian though I cannot be concerned with what I want or like. Music is one of the many things I have had to stop to rethink because I am a Christian. I am also, at this time in my life, suspicious of everything I was taught about the Bible and about what being a Christian is and how to live like a Christian. I will try now to look at music and what is being offered today to the Body of Christ in America as “Christian” music.

Purpose

What is the purpose of music in church? What is the purpose of music outside of church? I think we all know but we have been persuaded to believe that music in church should glorify God and also be something we, the worshipers, like. God knows our hearts. The arguments run in all directions. The human response to a human problem is human. What should we do in church to remedy the rock show foisted upon us? I know. Here’s a hymnbook. Sound good? It would do much to refocus the worshiper to the ONE being worshipped. But think of the protest and outcry. Music in the Christian culture in America has greatly hurt our direction as worshippers. We consume the product in the same way the unsaved consume their music. How different are Christian concerts from those of the unsaved. Obviously, most who go to a Christian concert are not getting drunk or stoned, but why are there concerts at all for Christian artists? Let’s be honest. It’s not church, is it? Why do they come and why do we go to see them? I think they come and we go for social reasons, monetary reasons, and for enjoyment; our enjoyment.

I went to a show at a theme park. On the bill: Newsboys, Relient K, Casting Crowns, Skillet, and Mercy Me. I took my youth group there. Have to admit, I liked the music. All the bands were good at what they did. I must tell you that only the lead singer of the News Boys at the end of the night gave an extensive gospel message. I think part of the reason we argue about music in the Body of Christ is that we are not honest about why we do what we do and those in leadership are not clear about what they are doing and why they are doing it. Are we honest with ourselves when we go to a concert that has Christian artists? Are we going to worship there or are we going to be with friends and hear some music we like? Are the artists intending to lead worship or are they there to do their thing and get money and applause? I think we all in a fuzzy way try to do both and avoid guilt. We Christians do serve the Lord and seek to please Him. When we do something that pleases us and only us, we incur guilt, real or imagined. We then try to justify our choices by spiritualizing them. I think the young Christian is not in the habit of examining his own heart and is easily persuaded to go with the popular flow. This is true for young people in this world too. The difference of course is that God does exist and He did put His Spirit in us. We no longer live just for ourselves and so we are not served well by assumption.

Music is a major expression and component in the Christian culture. I have trouble with it because I really enjoy music. We can get into heart and conscience about it. We can analyze and talk it to death. I will relate some of my struggles and hopefully you will benefit from my experiences. We are different from the world because we now have God living in us. We cannot pretend that The Holy Spirit inside us does not have any presence in our lives and in our choices.

I grew up liking Yes, Genesis, the Beatles, Todd Rundgren, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Journey, and the Moody Blues. When I listen to music, I listen because I like it, period. Music is dramatic and enjoyable. Some music is a memory marker or an emotional transporter. I have never been a “words” or lyrics guy when it comes to music. Only recently I looked at some Black Sabbath lyrics and decided not to listen to BS anymore. I became aware of the content or “ideas” being communicated “during” the music and was compelled to act. The music brought me back to junior high. The words I never really paid attention to and the album cover art, although disturbing, didn’t really affect me back then. This brings up again the issue of “Christian” music and “Christian” lyrics. There are some Christian hardcore bands like Skillet whose music is as raging as the headlining secular groups. I would have to read a lyric sheet of theirs because I can’t hear the words most of the time that they are singing. They sing in a style that some call “screamo.” So I have a question. If I cannot hear the words, then how am I being affected? My mind is not getting a concept or a doctrine. I am left with the music. What is the heavy screamo music doing to me? What is uniquely “Christian” or godly about Skillet’s heavy screamo music? I am specifically talking about their MUSIC, not them or their words or their personal testimony. Why would I buy their CD? Why would I go to their concerts? This then boils down for me to the basic human thing I talked about before. I would buy the CD, go to the concerts, and listen to the music on my way to work because I LIKE IT. Another question then pops up for me which we will discuss later: Is there such thing as a “music ministry”? Are music ministries in the Bible? I don’t mean Choirmasters or those who compose poetry and play skillfully on a stringed instrument. I mean is there something in the bible that resembles what Christian artists are doing today?

The separation of music and language is simple. Try this idea. I’m a guy. My wife comes to me and gives me a big hug. As she is kissing me and rubbing my back she tells me how much she hates me. Her touch, her actions are affecting me and would have a single, clear interpretation but for the fact that her words don’t line up with her actions. I posed this at the dinner table and my son came up with about 5 ways to interpret this little allegory. Music and language have this same duality that can produce multiple interpretations. And if one adds to this confusion, context, then you have more layers of meaning and possibility. We as humans who are Christians also have a duality. We believe in Someone. We believe things about this One. We also feel. There is the new nature and the old nature, the flesh and the Spirit. So in this new math we are spinning 7 to 15 plates. I think.

For me, music falls into 2 categories: Pleasing to God or pleasing to me. I think I am able to enjoy pleasing God with music but that is different from being pleased or served by the music that is meant for God. There are all kinds of styles of music. There are biblically sound lyrics in “Christian” music today and there are the writings of poets and wordsmiths who approximate something that appears to be “Christian” in nature. I go back to my partly serious solution to this music problem. Old hymns are excellent because they are the combination of music and lyrics: music that is not distracting to the worshipper; music that is respectful in emotion and reverent in tone. It is the best a believer can do in the way of worship in music. The words in hymns are unmistakably focused on God, His glory, and His great salvation. I know what some of you will say. Hymns are boring. The music drags on from stanza to stanza. May I say that hymn-style music was not written to entertain those who worship God but for the worship of God. This is, I think, one of the reasons current artists believe they are justified in writing music that rivals the secular. I understand that a musician is a creator and a craftsman, an artist. It takes skill and talent to produce a thing of beauty, of truth, of goodness. God knows the heart of the musician when he makes the choices he does to create a song for the “Christian” music genre. We cannot as worshippers of God judge whether or not a musician’s heart was righteous while he wrote a particular song. We can though look at the soundness of the lyrics, whether they are scriptural sound. If the artist is giving his own testimony then we can vet the veracity of his self- examination. I believe we who are in the body of Christ need to acknowledge current artists who write for the glory of God. But we should also reject music that mirrors the world in mood with only the mild distinction of god-words piggy-backing the tunes.

My Want, His Will

When I want to listen to music to enjoy myself, I pull out my secular stuff. This is honest. I like it. When I intend to worship God I would hope to find, and hope the music minister would choose, music with words that keep the focus on God. I thought again about the store that matched the secular with the “Christian” music and it seems for some that they want their cake and not feel guilty about eating it. I like YES music but most of the members of Yes are not believers and their lyrics do not glorify God. So in order for me to still get my jollies and still be a Christian while I’m getting my jollies, I’ll listen to this other YES-like “Christian” band and so God will be happy because they mention Him in the lyrics and I still get what I want. It’s weird. It’s dishonest. It’s a kind of hypocrisy.

I think that music for God, about God, to be performed to God needs to spiritually and/or emotionally align with true lyrics about us and sound teaching about Him. Hymns, I find, are not distracting, musically. I am able to sing the words to God or sing the words about God without feeling some conflicting emotion. Are there examples today of non-hymn music that glorifies God that is contemporary in sound. Are there examples of music and lyrics that are harmonious in purpose? I think Darlene Zschech’s “Shout to the Lord” is a great example. No confusion there. How about Michael W. Smith singing, “Here I am to Worship.” Are there songs on Christian radio today that are just as unambiguous? I will charitable say yes but I only find bits and pieces, here and there. And even when I think the words are acceptable, the music is of a kind that I can find on secular radio. Is that a problem? Yes and I’ll tell you why. Our young people who are believers in Jesus are getting words that might be biblically close with emotion that is decidedly secular. The music acts as a desensitizer to distinction. When a female artist is singing about/to Jesus/her boyfriend to music that can be found one station over, we have a problem.

Aren’t the many arguments for today’s “Christian” music coming from a core of self love and narcissism? My mom once remarked that she didn’t like the new music because the words seem to be all about us and not about God. The “me” centered lyrics along with the music one can find also in the world, well it’s a wonder our young people have any chance at true worship of God with music. They are being influenced by the Christian cultural spirit and even the lyrics of their songs encourage narcissism.

I heard a song today on the radio, “That’s What Faith Can Do.” Not knowing the lyrics and only hearing the song once before, I tried to listen with fresh ears to the message and the feel of the song. Very uplifting. The music was like a “you can do it” kind of inspirational ballad. After the song was over, I thought of a few things. One, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were not mentioned in the song and two, I felt like the next song on the radio was going to be “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston. Any second now the “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for” dancers will start a kick line in my living room. Let’s look at the lyrics:

"What Faith Can Do"

Even if you fall sometimes You will have the strength to rise

It’s well written music, well produced, but you can find the same words in a football locker room at half-time or in a high school graduation commencement address. And if you put this song in the context of Christian radio, with Christian Dj’s promoting the song, then there is a subtle approval given to the “teaching” on faith in the song as well which I think most listeners won’t bother to test. Here is another song I heard today:

Spent today in a conversation, In the mirror face to face with
 Somebody less than perfect.
I wouldn't choose me first if 
I was looking for a champion.
 In fact I'd understand if
 You picked everyone before me.
But that's just not my story. True to who You are, 
You saw my heart
 And made
something out of nothing

I don't need my name in lights. 
I'm famous in my Father's eyes. Make no mistake.
He knows my name.
I'm not living for applause. 
I'm already so adored. 
It's all His stage. 
He knows my name oh, oh. 
He knows my name oh,

Once again, music is pleasing. The female artist sings well. Can I ruin everyone’s fun by pointing out that this is more of a self-esteem song for the believer and not really a praise to God. The music is positive. In fact the slogan for the “Christian” radio station playing this song is “positive, encouraging, K-LOVE.” Well, Yippie! A bit far from, “What is man that thou art mindful of him” and “ He knows our frame and remembers we are but dust.” And what scripture conveys the understanding that we “are famous in God’s eyes” ? You might tell me to stop over-thinking this. I would ask you and every Christian in America to START THINKING about what is being offered to you as godly. What your eyes see, what your ears hear, what you choose to accept and believe directly influences your understanding of God. This includes music and the accompanying lyrics.

I brought this song up at dinnertime too. My son, who is 18, gave me much to think about and I will now try and represent some of his points here. He said that music is neutral, neither good nor bad, in essence. The lyrics could be a help to someone who has low self-esteem. There are some really broken people out there and this song might give hope to the believer in God who still struggles with her past. I countered this by saying that the song is still within the context of human emotion and psychology and that to address a Christian with some answer not unlike what the world offers is not of the Holy Spirit, not in the Bible, and therefore not of God. Of course it would be heartless and unkind to come to someone who thinks he is a loser and tell him that he is a filthy sinner and God thinks he’s just a speck of dust. I believe that this is where the wisdom of God is able to equip the brother or sister to help the weak without clobbering them with truth. I think again this is why Christians argue and the world mocks: we fail to speak the truth in love. We fail to stand for what really is true and then bring it in love. It is a crude form on one side or the other. Justice is cruel and mercy is mushy. The music from Christian artists today seems really well written and well produced. I can hear a “Christian” version of Mumford and Sons” if I want to. Michael W. Smith reminds me of Richard Marx. Musically, the Christian can match the secular, note for note, so we Christians can and do consume without examination the words and their meanings because we like the music.

Does The Who Count?

Should we care about the words in the music we listen to? I said before that I am not a “words” guy when it comes to music. I am only a words guy in church where, on the jumbotron, the lyrics to the worship songs appear in 950 pt. font. Do words matter? Let me try this one on you:

Love Is The Answer"

Name your price A ticket to paradise I can't stay here any more And I've looked high and low I've been from shore to shore to shore If there's a short cut I'd have found it But there's no easy way around it

Light of the world, shine on me Love is the answer Shine on us all, set us free Love is the answer

Who knows why Someday we all must die Were all homeless boys and girls And we are never heard It's such a lonely world People turn their heads and walk on by Tell me, is it worth just another try?

Tell me, are we alive, or just a dying planet? What are the chances? Ask the man in your heart for the answers

And when you feel afraid, love one another When you've lost your way, love one another When you're all alone, love one another When you're far from home, love one another When you're down and out, love one another All your hopes run out, love one another When you need a friend, love one another When you're near the end, love one another We got to love one another

Light of the world, you got to shine Love will be a means, yeah, yeah Shine on us all Know that love can save the day Just give it one more chance Lord you just cant let it stop lord Love is the answer Got to be free to let love into your life Let it shine

Here we now get to the smoke-like nature of music and lyrics. I hope I can be very clear here and not further confuse or conflate the problem. Here’s the Wikipedia entry about this song:

"Love Is the Answer" is a song written by Todd Rundgren for his band Utopia. It is the closing track on their 1977 album Oops! Wrong Planet. Although Utopia's version did not reach the music charts, a cover version by England Dan & John Ford Coley reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[1] in May, 1979[2] and spent two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart.[3] John Ford Coley was quoted as saying: "Of all the songs we released as singles, that was my favorite. The song first of all had a classical base, and the middle had a gospel section which I loved."[3]

The song has been covered by several times by Christian artists. Sheila Walsh recorded it in 1988 for her album, Say So, and performed it on her very first The 700 Club appearance as co-hostess. Bill Cantos & Justo Almario covered it in 1995 for his album, Who Are You. Cindy Morgan covered it in 2000 for her greatest hits album, Best So Far. Bob Carlisle and Bryan Duncan recorded a gospel blues version in 2001. Filipino singer Gary V. also covered the song on his 2001 album, Revive.

Tough, huh? Okay, Todd Rundgren wrote the song. I think Mr. Rundgren would not identify himself as a Christian. Last time I checked he made overtures toward Islam. In the 70’s Rundgren produced an album called RA, the name of the Egyptian sun god, I think. On his Initiation album, his song “Eastern Intrigue” sings in a mocking, vaudevillian/childlike tone:

Chapter six and verse eleven , If you wanna get to heaven
, You've got to ask the man who owns the property
, Ya gotta dance your dance
, And do your act, And get his big attention that's a natural born fact.
 I'm on my knees, one question please
, Will the real God please stand up? Jesus and Moses, Mohammed, and sri krishna
Steiner, gurdjief, blavatsky, and bhudda
Guru maharaji, reverend sun myung moon

Can someone who does not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still write music that is pleasing to Him? I am speaking about music only. Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky practiced immorality with men and yet composed Romeo and Juliet, the 1812 Overture, and his three ballets: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty. Yes, I’m being choppy and blunt right now. We could look at the morality and virtue of many composers of music and find that there is not necessarily a correlation between the quality or “goodness” of the music and its composer. Mozart was said to be a fan of bawdy humor and revels and yet is heralded as one of the greatest classical composers in human history.

Getting back to Rundgren’s “Love is the Answer,” why do you think so many Christian artists covered it? Did Rundgren purposely tap into a style of music or composed musical notes that caused everyone who listened to “feel” inspired. The Christian artists did not change the lyrics of the song or the music. Now, tell me, what does the believer in Jesus take away from this song and what does the non-believer get from the same song? Does the Christian sing this song to God? Yes, we have the word “Lord” in the song and “light of the world” in the lyrics. Is Rundgren singing to Jesus? Did he mean to? I heard that the music of “A Mighty Fortress” by Martin Luther used to be a drinking song in Germany. This account has been discredited in some places but what if it was really music sung in a bar? This knowledge has no bearing on the music for us today or the context in which we each experience it. I think those who have a weak conscience may, upon hearing information about a song or an artist choose to reject both because they believe they are either supporting or partaking in another man’s sin.

Music is tricky when one tries to define it, its purpose, and its effect. I think musically “Love is the Answer” for the Christian in America sounds like spiritual/inspirational/gospel music. The original recording has clapping and vocals one could easily imagine in a church setting. You can find a similar feel in the Foreigner song, “I Want to Know What Love Is,” because of the gospel choir employed near the end of the song. U2 used a gospel choir in the Rattle and Hum movie for a remake of “I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For.”

U2, Still Haven’t found What I’m Looking For” with Harlem gospel choir

John Michael Talbot

This is an insert since I only thought about it after I finished writing. I became a Christian in 1975. I had no idea what kind of music to get and my intentions back then were to get music that was pleasing to Jesus. My brothers and friends found Keith Green, Lamb, and John Michael Talbot. I had heard snatches of Larry Norman and musicians in his circle. I think I liked John Michael Talbot the most. His album, The Lord's Supper was amazing. Not only were the songs solid but the lyrics, most of them, were what I believed about God at the time. But there was a problem. Yes, even back when I was 16, I had my ears up. John Michael Talbot became a Christian and released 2 albums of music and lyrics that were main stream evangelical doctrine attached to folk/rock music. His wife divorced him and he became a Franciscan monk. The Lord's Supper was his first music release since becoming a monk. I found myself on one song, with my handy tape recorder editing out the Catholic stuff or in my mind trying to steer any Catholic lyrics into what I currently believed. Talbot's next albums' lyrics were mostly right from scripture. Here and there the catholic doctrine appeared and I would make collection tapes omitting those songs.

One of my most favorite of Talbot's songs is "Holy Is His Name." The lyrics were taken from Luke, what Mary said to Elizabeth at their meeting. It is musically, for me, absolute perfection. The music and the emotion of the music support the words and they are direct worship of God. I know that Talbot is a Franciscan monk and that perhaps writing from Mary's point of view in the song might be a tip of the rosary in Mary's direction but I was and am able to take this song and sing it full blast to God and know that my heart is true to my Father. This is a good example of words conveying ideas and doctrine. In this case, depending on what the listener knows or understands about the words and the artist, he may elect to censor or eliminate what is being offered. There are other cases where Talbot writes glorious music but his lyrics are directly not sound doctrine. I do not believe as most Catholic do that Mary is worthy of worship. I believe that if Mary were here today she would going on a speaking tour to all the Catholic churches pleading with them to stop their idolatry of her and for them to worship God and receive her son Jesus as savior. Scripture says that Mary is blessed. We who are believers in Jesus consider her and call her blessed. But to pray to her, worship her, ascribe deity to her is not scriptural. It is flat wrong and it is idolatry.

Context

I ran across an article on line when I was searching for the lyrics to a "Christian" song. My daughter said the artist first wrote the song about her “snuggie” ( the blanket with sleeves, sold for 19.95). She then converted the lyrics to mean Jesus and not her blanket. Context, right? If I heard this song on the radio, I would turn to something else. Perhaps I am not in the right demographic. The song is popular. Toby Mac formally of DC Talk is in the music video, "Hold Me" by Jamie Grace

Looks like fun! When we hear a song; time context can play a part. How old we are at the time can play a part. The words in the song can play a part. The actual music can make us feel a certain way. What is happening in our lives at the time we are hearing the music can produce a memory marker. Here is a personal example of music and context. I used to live in a bible-based cult. Our membership and our attendance to meetings was inextricably tied to our faithfulness to God. In 1981-82, my brother invited me and my two other brothers who were in the cult, to his wedding. We ex-members of Cobu remember well how difficult it was to secure a home visit with family. The leadership would rain scriptures down on the person or persons discouraging the requested time away from the group. I still remember the anxiety and anguish I experienced when I made my intentions known. My other brothers were living in different fellowship houses and they experienced the same resistance from fellow members to our temporary departure. Why do I bring this up? Well, at the time, Vangelis’ motion picture soundtrack of Chariots of Fire was getting a lot of radio play. My mom loved the theme song. As I sat 3000 miles away from the only true fellowship of God in the universe, I was treated to this song on cassette over and over again. To this day I cannot hear this beautiful piece of music without my guts hurting. The music had become a memory marker for me. Now, it would be wrong to interpret my context of this song to mean that everyone who listens to Chariot’s of Fire will throw up. It would be equally wrong to blame the music or the artist for my context, memory, or psychological and, in my case, physiological response.

They’re Playing Our Song

Music is powerful in context. When we hear it, why, and how we hear it affects our perception of reality. You have heard the phrase, “They are playing our song.” It is true that music can have context for you and another person. This can be planned or just happen. My wife and I remember the song we played at our wedding for our first dance. We do not have the song on CD now. We never owned a copy of this song in any form. When we hear it on the radio, which is rare, it’s only meaning for us is our wedding. My wife and I have been married for 23 years and intend to finish out our lives together. Let’s just suppose, for the sake of this subject, that she and I split up. Let’s say, 5 years from now, I am on the road in the car and the radio plays “our song.” The memory and the effect of the song would be different from it is now. The music and words would be the same; not a note or syllable changed but I would be in a different position in life. Let’s look at another “context” for music.

The Singing Nun

I was at work and one of the televisions was on. There was a news/entertainment show reporting that a nun was covering Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.” This was interesting to me because I thought of the very questions the newscaster was posing and of course I arrived at different answers. Let’s look at this. Her name is Sister Cristina. She was a contestant on one of the TV talent shows. She either won the contest or got close to winning and so someone gave her a recording offer. She recorded and produced a video of Madonna’s song. I watched the video and read the lyrics at the same time. The words were not altered. The presentation of the music and lyrics were dramatically different from the original. The music was slowed down and treated with piano and strings. The whole video was shot in gray and white. Sister Cristina appears to be singing to God. She is raising her hands and singing on church rooftops and in the corridors of buildings with stained glass.

What comes to mind for you? What comes to mind for the 15 year-old girl catholic girl who has never heard of Madonna and does not know the original version of the song? It would be easy to condemn the song and condemn anyone who performs it. Should I pepper you now with all the considerations this one little video inspires? Okay. Why this song? Why did the sister do it? Was this her idea? Is this effective? Does this inspire worship of God? Does this inspire others? Is there no way to NOT associate this song with the original? Does this please God? Does Madonna get money for the production of this version of the song? Should the sister or whoever produced this recording and video have altered the words? Will this help the Catholic church? Am I supporting a false view of God, a false teaching of God? Should this song be sung in church now that a nun has made it a worship song? You can see that music is easy to hear passively but if one is guarding himself against false teaching and false spirits then things should be looked at in the light of truth.

Why are some radio stations making a living playing music from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s? Why are some stations playing the best hits of the 80’s and today? They are offering the listener a transporter. The music is the soundtrack to a better time in the past. We want to feel and remember something better than what we are currently experiencing. Music is complex enough, to compose and to hear. When we add context to our listening then music can take on dimensions the composer did not intend and consequences for which he is not responsible. There were various court cases in America where the artists were called to account for their music and lyrics which some claim inspired suicide and murder. My short answer for this is that we are responsible for what we allow to inspire us. The composer is responsible for what he or she produces either in truth or in error, in quality and skill or in the lack of discipline and creativity. Judas Priest lead singer Bob Halford made a court appearance to defend the lyrics of one of his songs which the plaintiff claimed influenced her son and his friend to commit suicide. If I remember correctly Halford or his lawyer remarked that millions of kids own his music and they are not committing suicide. Music is very powerful and truly affects the human spirit. Lyrics play a different role and I would argue that words are piggybacked onto the power of music which makes the message easier to accept or ignore.

Context influences our experience with music. I thought of something related to influence: endorsement. What if Billy Graham endorsed so-and-so as truly a music minister after God’s own heart? What if your pastor or someone you respect points to a musician or artist and encourages you to listen to or patronize this “music minister”? There is a sense of leadership endorsing or shepherding the flock toward something or someone. My question is this: does this endorsement influence or change our context on the music? Does it influence our acceptance of the music? I thought of Hitler being a big fan of Wagner. Did Hitler’s personal approval help or hurt Wagner listeners? Did he influence others to listen to Wagner, perhaps against their personal preferences?

Christmas Music

This came up when I was trying my various ideas about music on my family. They are so long-suffering with me. My son brought up Christmas music and it hit me hard. To me the parallels were like a 6-lane super highway. Christmas music has all the dimensions I have been trying to get across about “Christian” music. So let me tackle this idea here and see what you think.

Man, it’s like trying to land a whale with a tugboat. Where to start? Do you like Christmas music? I do. Well, not all Christmas music. I hate “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” One Christmas I heard them back to back and I nearly drove off the road. ON PURPOSE! Can I bother you again by separating things into 2 categories? Can I say truthfully that Christmas music can be divided into the Christ-centered and Christ-less lyrics attached to various genres of music? Here again we would be sloppy to say that because there is talk of mistletoe and Christmas trees, of presents and ornaments, that this thing we are listening to is Christmas music. The words help identify the music but the music is a world of emotions unto itself. We also have lyrics that speak of the Christ-child, the manger, the star, the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels. This, to we who believe in Jesus, is the true meaning of Christmas. So we have two camps. Well, in truth we have a combination of camps and satellites and oh goodness let’s try and keep it simple. I once saw a statue of Santa Claus kneeing before the Christ child in a manger scene in a Hallmark store. How do you feel about that? Maybe there is a 3rd camp.

Now we get to the music of Christmas, which has its accompanying words. Content either has Christ or it does not. When it comes to the music we are again faced with what is the appropriate musical choices for what we intend to communicate. Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas”: your thoughts? I don’t like the music or the lyrics even for a secular “Christmas” song. “Please Come Home for Christmas” sung by Don Henley, or anybody, inspires me to embrace silence rather than endure this pathetic sentiment. Now so far you have heard my dislikes, my personal preferences have not yet been offered. I could go on to tell you the list of the songs I do like, the ones that give glory to God and the ones that I have enjoyed all my life at Christmastime. We see the natural division again of “what pleases me” and “what pleases God.” It is much easier to define these categories with Christmas music because of the lyrics and the musical genres in place. With “Christian music” we are hopping around from pleasing God and enjoying ourselves and dodging guilt at every commercial break.

Every year in America there is a fight at Christmastime. You have heard that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” You have also encountered other religions trying to share the starlight with their holidays or take away any light with their atheism. The politics of “recognizing” religion in public or equalizing representation of religions is shown at the stores and parks every December. The misunderstanding, “Separation of Church and State,” crowd tends to interfere with our getting on with things at Christmas. All of this plays a part in fooling with the context of how we did and do Christmas. Hold that thought.

We have heard all our lives about the Christmas spirit. We have in bits and pieces, culturally, been taught what it means and what it feels like. How then does one capture the Christmas spirit with song? My head is about to hurt because it seems to me a chicken and egg conundrum of sorts. Did we foster a kind of culture around Christmas and music was then composed to meet the culture or were the ideas of Christmas (secular) evolving and forming and music helped shape this culture and, with time, give us Christmas “traditions”? I am still whirring about this. Let’s leave that for now. Let’s just look at what has happened in the past and what most likely will happen a few months from now.

Most of us will buy a tree this December. We will decorate it. We will decorate the inside and outside of our houses, apartments, huts, tents, or mansions. We will buy presents and cards. We will get time off from work. Family and friends will visit or we will go to them. At Christmastime there seems to be an agreement among our fellow human beings; to treat each other with a little more kindness and patience, with charity that is rarely seen the rest of the year. The Christmas spirit is felt and people tend to be animated by it to acts of love and giving which for most is not their normal modus operandi. Let’s now look at the music.

You have Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. You can hear Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams at Christmastime. I grew up with the standards: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, the Christmas Song, It’s the Most Wonderful time of the Year. I experienced Christmas each year, for the last 45 years, coherent, with all the trimmings of Christmas and this music. If you play these songs to me in July, I will get an inkling of what is coming at the end of the year. Likewise, I’m sure that if you played Tennessee Ernie Ford’s Yeehaw Christmas Hoedown on the Victrola you will get a tear in the eye of someone who was raised in a culture that played this kind of music every year without fail. Music is powerful. It transports, recalls memory, evokes emotion, and provides context. Music is like a drug or a drink but much more complex in its composition and influence. Hard liquor used to be referred to as "ardent spirits." I wonder why? The music brings context and comes from the context and is a part of the context and culture of the season. We have a choice at Christmastime in the American culture. We have freedom as citizens of this country. We can celebrate Christmas completely giving glory to God,worshipping Him for giving His Son to save the world and/or put our energies into percentages of attention and acknowledgment. We can do the whole tree, presents thing and we can make sure we go to a midnight church service or the Sunday service closest to the 25th. We have the freedom in America to totally ignore Christ and celebrate x-mas and go to all of the x-mas parties and get hammered. We can be cynical and pessimistic and deny the Christmas spirit entrance and sulk and rail at all the commercial madness surrounding us. We can politicize, moralize, spiritualize, or fertilize any, all, or part of the time before New Year’s. There is music for all our choices and music helps us, supports us, and even animates us in our choices of celebration or celibacy.

This brings us back to the intent of our hearts. Self-examination is not fun and it tends to poop on any party. No one wants to hear someone raise moral questions at hootenanny. I think the time for questions is before the shindig. If you decided to go to a gathering of revelers then shut yer yapper when you get there. If you decide not to go, don’t bore your family with your self-righteousness.

As with Christian music, Christmas music has a money element. If I, or anyone, stands up to say that things should be different or eliminated, there is, of course, an economic impact. If my words are carried to 5 people in a country of 300,000, 000 then no one will try and silence me. If my ideas spread locally then I might find pitchforks and axe handles at my door. If, however, this writing on music really takes off and my counsel about what we Christians should do is heeded by many then I might have to go on the lamb. Paul the apostle preached the gospel and the silversmiths in Ephesus were getting nervous:

23 About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship."

I see some similarity for we who believe in the true God and do not want to make money or a living at something that resembles the things of God. Christmas is big business. Christian music and media is also big business. We can pretend that money is not a consideration but we know scripture and we know our own humanity. I think that we who believe in Jesus need to return to what is directly in scripture and what the Spirit tells us is pleasing to God instead of doing our own will and then slapping a “jesus” sticker on it.

How do we do Christmas as Christians? Isn’t this the same question we ask ourselves about church, music, really everything that makes up a human life? We are Christians because we in Jesus Christ. He put His Holy Spirit inside us. He now wants us, desires us, to LIVE in Him. It’s a whole life and not just that; it’s a whole new life in the Spirit. “You are not our own, you were bought with a price so glorify God in your bodies.” So now our small little choices about the music we play, compose, or listen to are simple. It is only hard if you have strayed from your first love in Christ. I do not think the Christmas spirit is the Holy Spirit and I dare say the “Christian” culture in America has tried and mostly succeeded in blending the idea into our thinking and feeling. I leave your examination of these things up to you, Christian man and Christian woman. I must do what I am convicted to do. Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Are there Christmas songs which glorify God? Sure there are. Am I now going to censor for you the approved list of possible “godly” songs? The point of all this is for you to go to God yourself with your heart and then learn from Him about yourself and about your life with Him. It would be wrong for me to prescribe a playlist or judge your actions. Christmas music is divided into what glorifies Him and what pleases us. “Christian Music” also is divided or blended with the same two ideas. There needs to be clarity in the Christian culture which I hope will bring about its demise.

Bible Music and Lyrics

How music is used is different from what God created it for. It is the difference between the flesh and the Spirit. What is music for? Are there examples in the bible of music for the glory of God, poetry or lyrics for the glory of God? We have the Psalms of David, the Maskils, and the Songs. How is heaven described in the Revelation to John? Is there any confusion as to who is being worshipped? Is there any sense of divided praise or purpose in heaven? The Sons of Korah. The Choirmaster, yes, music is in the bible, duh! But I want to know how music exists in the bible. I want to know how godly people used music. Rather than look up all the verses, I went online and found a site that did this for me.

http://www.dianedew.com/music.htm Diane Dew’s page on Music in the Bible

While I see this page as mostly correct in presenting music in the bible, I will disagree about one of the comments made about Saul and his evil spirit being soothed by David’s playing of music. She calls it “prophetic” music and I would like to know how she defines the term. You can read how instruments are used, why, and when music is employed. She cites only one reference to someone in the bible listening to music for his own enjoyment, Solomon, Ecc 2:8. The reference is slight. The Bible clearly shows what music is for and what musical instruments are for.

When I think of the Psalms as lyrics to songs, I again divide up the subject into 2 categories. I said before, music is either pleasing to God or pleasing to man and that sometimes I enjoy the MUSIC that is played with words about God to God. Here, I am saying that I divide the WORDS into two categories: words about God and words about us. The Christian artist should confine himself to the biblical model. The Psalms are full of David’s personal struggles and he testifies of his own troubles and of God’s deliverance. We find in the Psalms, words about us and our human life here and words about God: His glory, His deliverance, His attributes. If you look at the bible and how words and music are presented and then look at what passes for “Christian” music today, well, one does not know whether to weep or be enraged.

We will talk later about the “utility” of music: what it is used for but you see it on the Diane Dew’s web page. Music and musical instruments are used to call, to signal, to worship. Music is dedicated or devoted to ceremony and event. I think we need to look at everything in our Christian life and consider its purpose.

“Christian” Radio, Music Ministries, and the Christian Music Industry?

What if I took a CD of Marilyn Manson music and turned all the words into bible verses? What if I changed the LANGUAGE in the songs? Okay, and what if I toured the music wearing the same make-up and clothes Manson used to wear on tour? Wouldn’t I be “becoming all things to all men?” Wouldn’t I be attracting some unsaved to the gospel? Wouldn’t I be offering music that some really enjoy and they can listen to guilt-free now because they are getting the bible with the music they like? You can see this absurd justifications fall apart. I remember years ago hearing that there was a stripper who believed she should continue her career, taking off her clothes, because she was stripping for Jesus. Is she not reaching an “unreached” people? So much license has been taken in the Christian culture in America in the name of “becoming all things to all men.” I think that it is the responsibility of composers to write music that supports emotionally the words of praise to God or compose music that is not distracting or counter to the message they wish to convey. Sometimes performance of a song can change our perception and reception of it. I remember listening to a "Christian" artist in one of the mega-churches I attended sing in such a contemporary, R&B, and pardon me, sexy way that I did not stand up and did not clap after she was done. Who knows what words she was singing and who knows who she was singing to. It wasn't God.

My Brief History of "Christian" Music

Coming out of the 1960’s we had the Jesus movement. We had hippies for Jesus. We had anti-establishment people getting saved and creating new groups, churches, and some created cults. “Christian” music, back then, was really what some would call now “light” rock or “easy listening” music with Christian or biblical ideas and words. Much more direct use of scripture accompanied the music in the 70's. There was some country, some rock, and some folk music with Christian lyrics. The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Evie, The Res Band, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Keith Green, and John Michael Talbot were among the new Christian artists. There was a general complaint that most of the music was milk toast. The “Sing only Hymns” crowd did not think the new music was right. Some churches took a stand that, in their music programs, there would be no percussion except the piano. Okay, so what did the Christians in music do? They started improving their production and product. The music became heavier, better written, and more diverse in style.

Some groups and artists looked similar to their secular counterparts. One group, which epitomized this new direction, was the group, Stryper. They looked like a prettier version of Van Halen. They wore make-up, spandex, and dyed hair. I have no idea what their music or words were like. I was clinging to my John Michael Talbot cassettes at the time. I remember seeing some 14 year-old girls on TV being interviewed as they waited in line to buy Stryper tickets. They were giggling and gushing about how cute the lead singer was, Michael somebody. Okay, what was I suppose to do with that? Was this the fruit Stryper was bearing? Was this the unintended consequence of such a “music ministry?”

Moving on from Stryper, Christians listeners were now getting well-produced, well written music and lyrics. The Christian music industry took off. Not clear if the idea of "music ministry" entered at this time. Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman came on the scene. Later the Newsboys, Skillet, Relient K, Third Day and others hit the charts. Please do not think that I am suggesting that none of these artists are putting out music and lyrics that are pleasing to God or to His glory. I am showing the progression of what we call “Christian” music and what it has become. It is now a major influence in the “christian” culture today. This brings me back to our discussion about language. I told you that I am not a word person when it comes to music. Most of the secular stuff I listen to has interesting stories, clever lines, or nonsense poetry that I do not regard. Even if I sing along, I do not see this to be detrimental to my belief in God. I do however argue that today’s "Christian words" that are found in music played by Christian musicians can and do shape false belief or replace sound doctrine in the minds of young believers in Christ.

Should there be music “ministries”? Should there be a Christian Music Industry? Hey, this is America! Who am I to tell someone what they can and cannot do? Who am I to tell a composer that he or she should not make a living at what he or she does? This might be where I should insert the illustration of Jesus tipping over amplifiers, knocking over drum sets, and make a whip with old microphone cords. This is one of the hardest parts of this piece to write because it involves money.

Why do we have music “ministries?” Why is there a whole industry devoted to “Christian” music? Why do the musically talented believe that they are “ministers”? To whom is the musician ministering? Are there examples of music ministers in the bible who get their living by being a “music minister”? I think we have been slowly talked into and have talked ourselves into the creation of "ministries" that are simply something we want to do to have purpose and to make money within the context of the church culture. I have heard language used in the Christian culture: I am gifted at “x” or “I believe God has gifted you with “y.” If someone is not good at something or is failing to perform well then the comment is, “I don’t believe this is your gifting.” In plain language, we humans possess aptitudes, skills, talents, and yes, gifts. We are good at things. Some of us are not noticeably “good” at anything or particularly talented with a specific ability. We who believe in God, believe He gave us “gifts.” Even the unsaved use the phrase, “God-given talent.” This sets up for us a meaning, an interpretation, and a belief.

The fact that some among us can sing, can play an instrument well, can compose, is indisputable. Let’s say Christian Brother Bill can sing. I mean, since he was young the guy could wail on key. Bill has an obvious talent. This is a fact. Bill sings to himself and when he goes to church he belts it out in worship to God. Nearby, a visiting music industry executive hears Bill and is impressed. After the service, the exec. approaches Bill and tells him he could make a living with his voice. Okay, let’s make him a Christian music industry executive. “Bill, you could minister to a lot of hurting souls with your voice.” What does Bill do? Roughly speaking, he is being offered a job, a potential career. Bill is being asked to consider his talent and what to do with it. Someone who is skilled or talented at music has questions to answer, whether he is Christian or not. In Bill’s case, “What does God want me to do?” It is not unreasonable to assume that the non-believer who makes the decision to sign a recording contract does so without any consideration to a godly calling or purpose.

Our Christian culture tends to mirror the secular except we spiritualize and label our parts. We have Christian music, Christian radio, Christian jewelry, and Christian businesses with the little fish symbol next to the company logo. We have Christian rock concerts, Christian comedians, and Christian theme parks. We see Christian self-help books, Christian diets and cookbooks. We have Christian Sea Cruise packages. Our fictional Christian brother Bill is being offered the chance to make a living using his talent. All the aforementioned “Christian” activities are mirrored in the world. Would Bill actually become a “music minister” if he signs the contract? What’s the motivation of the recording executive? How will Bill’s singing voice “minister” to the many hurting souls or edify the members of the Body of Christ? Does the Bible have anything to say to Bill about his choice?

What if Bill doesn’t know how to write music or lyrics? No problem. There are plenty of Christian artists who are willing, for a price, to provide Bill with songs he can sing. What if Bill decides not to sign with a record label? What if Bill only wants to sing in his local church to the glory of God and does not want to be paid for his time and talent? I ask, wouldn’t Bill be “ministering” more directly if he confined his musical ability to glorifying God in worship only, say at his church? Isn’t this the essence of ministering with music? Wouldn't Bill have more control over what he considers music and lyrics that glorify God instead of what will sell? What then are the musicians in the music industry really doing?

What about the thousands of singers, songwriters, musicians, and poets who currently make up the Christian music industry? Should they go home? Should they “go local” and give up their “music ministry” job/career and just join the rest of us in the pews? From our perspective on earth this seems a waste of talent. From God’s perspective doesn’t it seem like one path does not glorify Him and the other does? Should a Christian who is good at music make a living at it? I say yes, but be honest about what it is you are really doing. There is a culture in America that is lying to its participants. I do not think there is such thing as “Christian” music as previously stated and I do not think that the majority of the musicians/songwriters in the music industry are “ministers.” Honestly, they are music artists making a living putting out a product. I also don’t think the bible equates ministers and music ministers thereby giving both the provision to “get their living, by the gospel.” If the Christians in music are honest about what they are doing then the listeners perhaps will be honest about why they are listening.

The content or lyrics an artist, a radio station, a movie production company has control over is, in fact, a teaching. The words spoken or sung are either true and scripturally sound or they are everything else. My problem is with the “everything else” as we can find "everything else" in the world, which is contrary and opposed to God. Whoever is writing the words to these songs is teaching. If you are speaking about God, you are teaching about Him and your music either directs or misdirects the emotions of the listener.

The Power of One on the Other

I thought about the effect music has on us. Separately, I thought about the effect words have on us. But then I thought about the effect music has on words and vice versa. Of course the resulting effect is still aimed at us. Think of the lyrics to Amazing Grace. I do not think there is a Christian alive today who would argue the soundness of those words in that song. Many, as you have heard have manipulated the music to, I believe, mixed success and reviews. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” To now illustrate the power of music, I will now call onto the stage the M.J. Monty Dixieland Jazz band. Okay, we are going to do Amazing Grace; same words and tune but let’s really jazz this thing up! Now tell me honestly, just reading this idea on paper, aren’t you cringing? Can you see how if I give an almost comical, musical treatment to a truly powerful hymn to God, I diminish it? What does that say about music? If I were to write music that is, by all accounts, spiritual and “godly” but my words were less than honest about myself and hardly biblical in truth, and then place this piece in the context of “Christian” radio, with a Christian DJ promoting it; well, I have contributed to the Christian culture but have not edified my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ.

My concern today is that Christian artists are making music that is so similar to the spirits in the world that even if they do have a testimony of God or a praise for Him, they water down the power of their message or desensitize us to the Holy Spirit with the music they wed to their words. We listen to Mumford and Sons-like music with lyrics about Jesus and we come away thinking Jesus regularly attended barn dances. Like I said before, there are examples today of contemporary Christian artists who have written music and words that have little resemblance to the world. They are truthful about themselves and true in worship to God. If the Christian artist wants to produce something other than what glorifies God then he or she should be open and clear about this. Amy Grant was clear enough about her departure from the Christian music industry. Whether or not you agree with her decision is another matter. What I am driving at is that without clear definition about what we are doing, especial with music, we end up displeasing God.

The Philosophers

I said at the beginning that my writing is primarily for myself. I try to think for myself away from sources before I check in to what has already been written. So I will now turn to the philosophers and learn something their take. Here are some quotes from the web page The Philosophers Talk Music http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-music_philosophers_culture_plato

Aristotle: “Music directly imitates the passions or states of the soul...when one listens to music that imitates a certain passion, he becomes imbued with the same passion; and if over a long time he habitually listens to music that rouses ignoble passions, his whole character will be shaped to an ignoble form.”

Plato: “Any musical innovation is full of danger to the whole state, and ought to be prohibited. When modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the state always change with them.”

Plato also spoke about the contribution music made to the moral decline of ancient Greece: “They were men of genius, but they had no perception of what was just and lawful in music...And by composing licentious works, and adding to them words as licentious, they have inspired the multitude with lawlessness and boldness, and made them fancy that they could judge for themselves about melody and song...in music there first arose the universal conceit of omniscience and general lawlessness; freedom came following afterwards, and men, fancying that they knew what they did not know, had no longer any fear, and the absence of fear begets shamelessness. For what is this shamelessness, which is so evil a thing, but the insolent refusal to regard the opinion of the better by reason of an over-daring sort of liberty?”

Socrates also extensively studied effects of music, recognizing its potential as an instrument of indoctrination and character development:

“Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated graceful, or of him who is ill-educated ungraceful.”

Early Christian philosopher Boethuis said this:

Music is part of us, and either ennobles or degrades our behavior.

Yeah, what they said! Can I say generally speaking that the great philosophers are testifying to the power, the affect, and the scope of influence music possesses? Reading this and then considering what is being offered in the name of God in music and lyrics today; how careful we must be in our listening and how careful and precise we must be in our creations. One more Socrates for the road:

”The emotional excitement it [music] affords may act in tandem with its imitative function to develop the wrong kind of character, rendering people susceptible to beliefs and actions that are morally bad. Immoderation and hedonism are at odds with rationality, and indulging in musical pleasure for its own sake disposes people to value personal pleasure over the broader social good, sensual gratification over reason. People ruled by pleasure are disinclined to defer gratification for seemingly austere values like truth and justice, a state of affairs that poses a serious threat to social stability. […] The possibility of sense taking the upper hand from reason, feeding and watering the passions instead of cultivating the higher values of mind and reason is obviously of great concern. Like mimesis, music’s esthetic power can serve forces of both good and evil. It can strengthen the soul, individual character, and society at large, or it can weaken them.”

The Youth

Youth groups in churches in America, Yikes! What a nightmare for a youth pastor. You have to entertain. You have to “relate.” You have to jump through hoops, have pie-eating contests, whip-cream fights and hopefully get the bible in there somewhere but not too much or you will ruin the retreat. Can I guess that the main consumers of today’s “Christian” music are our young people. The music is geared toward them. My counsel or answer to the young about this music problem is terrible. How do I know this? Because it is the solution I will very shortly impose on myself: Unplug! Read on.

What do we Do?

This is the hard part. Let’s say you agree with me that music is powerful and that the Christian needs to shed his ignorance about the effects of this phenomenon. What do we do? I have tried the “unplug” answer and got some results. I realized that when I took the ear buds out I still punched, flipped, or dialed the music on in the car. So I stopped punching, flipping, and dialing and found that my head still played songs. I noticed that my head rarely repeated talk radio monologues but it was capable of sustaining most of a 20 minute Yes song. What do I do? What do the young people around us do ? They have a "plugged in" problem. It’s not just music but phones, pics, texting, dvds, tv, radio. Adults have the same problem only curtailed by the lack of time to invest in the same sensuous experiences. I think I personally rival any teenager when it comes to time logged in, plugged in, screwed in, bolted down. I listen to talk radio from 6am to 6pm. I listen to music at intervals throughout the day. When I am home, I put the TV on, get iheart radio on the laptop while I Facebook. When I turn everything off I can actually feel silence because it is so rare to me. So not to be a hypocrite but to practice what I preach, I will turn off the radio right now. Okay, mark your calendars. Oct 24, 2014, 10:53am. See, I knew it. I hear a high-pitched, whistling kind of tone. Now, don’t worry. I’ve done this before. Okay, I will try to not listen to anything for a least a week. The Facebook thing is gonna take time. My answer is to unplug, at least, for a while. I counsel you to find out the level of your addiction and emptiness. I will not go into a diatribe about the youth today because I am just as bad and maybe you are too. How much do you accept things into your life, into your senses simply because the label says, “Christian”? Music affects us. Music is real. You might think that music is not powerful in your life because it does not seem to have a DRAMATIC presence. My belief is that the effect music is having in the Christian culture is not obvious or dramatic. I believe the music is letting us enjoy the world, the flesh, but guilt-free. I think we are being misled and misdirected and we can only fight this by returning to God and listening to the Holy Spirit, which we cannot do if we are plugged in.

Can we agree that all these sources of entertainment are communicating something to us? Yes? What is being communicated and is it godly and sound? I know the arguments. I have defended my life for years. I can’t tell you what to do. I can’t determine for you what is right and what is wrong. My role here is to speak up and speak out to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I will say what I think is ungodly and you must judge and test my words. If what I have discovered for myself is true (about you and for you) then you need to take action. Yes, you have freedom in Christ, but scripture says not to use this freedom as a pretext for evil. We Christians take such license with verses pertaining to our freedom. This is what gave birth to the “Christian” culture in America and the departure from true fellowship in the Spirit. I urge you to pray about this and consider what you are allowing through your gates. Turn the lights on and see that your enemy has not stopped his campaign to destroy you or diminish you.

I think I am following Jesus into the church to turn over tables. For some, the Christian culture has brought them gain. The Christian culture has made the house of prayer, a house of show, of society, of entertainment. Everyone needs to look with fresh eyes at everything that is called Christian and listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. Why and how do churches go wrong? How do whole societies fall? We who believe in Jesus must guard the gates of our senses and only allow what is holy and true to pass through.

For Personal Use Only

Recently, in fact, during the writing of this paper, I decided to unplug. I needed to demonstrate my own conclusions about music. Well, “my money where my mouth is” lasted about 4 days. I will attempt again to abstain because I know it is the right course for me. During this time of abstinence a curious thing happened. My wife who rarely listens to music found the wonders of Pandora. After 23 years of marriage, the day I try to stop listening to music, my wife fills the house with it.

I did learn something. Music is much more harder to define than I thought. What I mean is, much harder to define its purpose. I think I did my best in this writing to handle some specific aspects of music but there is certainly more to explore and examine. What I recently learned was that music can be for personal use and not be an offense to God or my conscience. The scripture I mentioned before applies to all of us,

13Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God.17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

also

23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 (But if some one says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then out of consideration for the man who informed you, and for conscience' sake -- 29 I mean his conscience, not yours -- do not eat it.) For why should my liberty be determined by another man's scruples? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Both passages speak of freedom with self-imposed limits. We are free and yet we are slaves of Christ. To live as though we can do or say anything without consequence is foolish even to the ungodly. To act as though we can say and do anything as Christians is to say with our lives that either God does not exist or that our version of God is arbitrarily permissive and not true and holy. We learn from the Apostles’ writings, from the Holy Spirit how we ought to live in this world and how to live within the body of Christ. Each of us considers our heavenly Father, our Savior Jesus, and we have the Spirit of God in us. There is a “me” and there is my heavenly Father. We are in a relationship. I no longer live for myself. I cannot if I tried, look at anything or anyone without The Spirit of God within me enlightening my heart.

So the small question about music presents itself. I have the freedom to listen to any music I want, when I want, and for any purpose I like. My wife put her phone down on the nightstand and went into the other room. Frank Sinatra was singing a standard and I thought, “hmm, I enjoy this and my wife likes having this on, so what’s the problem.” If I were to make a romantic dinner for two and invite my wife to sit down, would I pick praise and worship music for a mood setter? Paul talked about those who get married how they are divided: how to please the Lord and how to please their wives. God knows that we do things on earth to please others. Paul’s goal or aim in pleasing others was that people would be saved or inspired by his actions to become believers. Scripture speaks of “not pleasing ourselves” but always looking to the good of the other person.

We make choices. Paul made choices and was criticized for it. Look at the scripture above on “eating food sacrificed to idols.” I see a lot of parallels in this passage with our discussion on music. There is the person whose conscience is clear and he can go ahead and eat meat. There is also the person who can only eat vegetables. There is the idea that idols aren’t anything and God owns everything including music. We have context for meat eating. It didn’t bother Paul, eating meat offered to idols because he didn’t believe in idols. Paul also believed that God owned everything and so if he thanked God for his meal and had no pangs of conscience then everyone should not bother him about what he eats. But Paul does point to context mattering for the other person. “If food is a reason for my brother to fall, I will not eat it.” Out of love Paul was willing to abstain from something he enjoyed if it injure might a brother in Christ.

What about music? Can’t the same be said and done about how we think of music. The mistake I have made and others make is to try to pin music down with some universal judgments and guidelines. My criticism of “Christian” music is that it has become less and less distinctive. The artists are not precise in their choice and honest about their purposes. They have their problems and we have ours. We are the believers who make the decisions to obey, to listen to, to disobey, to turn to, or to turn away from God our Father. We are being offered plenty from the world, plenty from the evil one. We are tempted. We have our flesh. Each of us is called individually and will give account to God as individuals. When it comes to music, I must consider everything I have written here. I cannot do your work for you and I must not insist upon anyone what I alone am aware of about myself.

The mistake I mentioned before is seen when someone stands up and says that a particular kind of music is evil or that all music should always glorify God, all the time. This person should do what he has made up his mind to do. PERIOD! If this person is a pastor then his counsel should be to truthful observation about the matter with counsel for each person to test for himself or herself what is true. Do I think music in church should glorify God, always? Yes! What is the purpose of church? Why are we there? In whose name do we gather? Most Christians would agree that what we do in church should most definitely glorify God, start to finish. Our music should be crafted with precision to direct our attention to the Holy One in praise and worship.

Our personal use of music is personal. We bear our own load. What I listen to and why will affect me. Even if I play my music for others or in the company of others, with all their accumulated thoughts, feelings, and the context of all their experiences: they will receive the same music in their own unique way. If I play secular music because I like it and it doesn’t bother anyone then I have not offended anyone on earth or God in heaven. If what I play injures someone near me or offends, then I will refrain, for his or her sake. I would not decide against music for myself because someone told me it was evil or sinful. On my own, I must scrutinize everything I receive through my senses. I need to be honest with myself and before God, what I like and why I like it. Before I take any action I must receive counsel and wisdom from God and from trustworthy brethren. Sometimes I am left with no clear counsel or way and with no earthly help. At these times I must do what I know is right based on what I already know about God and about myself. I should rethink my record collection, the shows I watch, and the places I go. I need to do this for me, knowing me, knowing God, and wanting to live a righteous life. What should you do? I urge you to do what The Spirit counsels and convicts you to do. The best teaching from the best pastor is the one that directs and guides us to The One.