Music question

[Carbon]

Being a Christian do you all still listen to secular music?

I can remember at first, I wanted to give it all up. As time went on, I listened to secular music but it was filtered. There are certain songs or bands I won't listen to any longer.

However, I personally believe much contemporary Christian music is not Christian.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

Being a Christian, do you all still listen to secular music?

I listen to everything, and I mean that almost literally. The only exception I can think of is Polka.

Whether it's secular or Christian, I listen to Rock (e.g., Skillet), Country (e.g., Carrie Underwood), Pop Rock (e.g., Daughtry), Adult Contemporary (e.g., Richard Marx), Metal (e.g., Disturbed), Industrial Metal (e.g., Blue Stahli), Movie Scores (e.g., Hans Zimmer), Hip-Hop (e.g., Meek Mill), Rap (e.g., Lecrae), Rock Rap (e.g., Papa Roach), Pop (e.g., Backstreet Boys), Contemporary Christian Music (e.g., MercyMe), Worship/Inspirational (e.g., Stars Go Dim), Classical (e.g., Tchaikovsky), as well as Jazz, Blues, Folk, Disco, and instrumental music, mostly piano (e.g., Paul Cardall) but also guitar (e.g., Kfir Ochaion) and piano/violin/cello (e.g., The Piano Guys).

I don't know what genre they are—symphonic metal?—but one of my favorite bands for almost a decade was Within Temptation (e.g., "Stand My Ground").

I have so many playlists in Spotify. So many playlists.

And I am not worried about the influence of secular on me because I am practically immune to lyrics. I can listen to a song for decades and be utterly incapable of telling you what it's about.

However, I personally believe much contemporary Christian music is not Christian.

Just to be provocative (as I like to be), I believe much of contemporary Christian music isn't Christian.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I don't think very much of even so called Christian music is Christian.

Half the time there's always something wrong with the lyrics, some misrepresenting of something.

But I get crazy picky too. Like one song that I have a more difficult time with is due to the song author using the word "holy" 4 times instead of 3, so perhaps overly picky there on my part and I admit this. It's only bothering because the persons of the Trinity are 3, so, three holies, not 4 when discussing what the Seraphim are saying before the Throne.

But very nearly every song has something slightly off with it, and authors often run into their denominations beliefs which aren't universal to everyone.

If I'm going to listen to a song which indicates the Seraphim said holy 4 times, as If there was a 4th holy before them, I may as well listen to ye old hillbilly saying bad words in a song...

That's just kind of been my thoughts, to use an example only.

I generally as a result listen to songs whose lyrics don't grate my nerves, and that I find nice to listen to when I'm cleaning house or such. I don't pay attention to the who at all, mainly just the what is being said.

If the what is not offensive to me I'm good with the song, but I don't expect perfect, just not grating and irritating...

But I don't think it matters if the music has a specific Christian theme, but it should be a theme that's likewise not grating and irritating.

I don't like the sex and drugs type music because that's just as grating as saying holy 4 times, but I like a lot of the music that touches life like some of country music does, as well the Christian music that's decent.

But apparently, they run around playing some of that Christian music in their churches which I find crazy. But it works for entertaining music I think.

 

[David Lamb]

Being a Christian do you all still listen to secular music?

I can remember at first, I wanted to give it all up. As time went on, I listened to secular music but it was filtered. There are certain songs or bands I won't listen to any longer.

However, I personally believe much contemporary Christian music is not Christian.

I wonder what you mean by "Christian music." Obviously if it's vocal music, the words can be biblical, but can notes and chords, timbres and tempos, be Christian?

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

Can notes and chords, timbres, and tempos be Christian?

Johann Sebastian Bach would say so. "Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit," he once said. Interestingly, at the end of his music manuscripts, Bach routinely initialled the letters SDG ("Soli Deo Gloria," to the glory of God alone).

 

[David Lamb]

Johann Sebastian Bach would say so. "Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit," he once said. Interestingly, at the end of his music manuscripts, Bach routinely initialled the letters SDG ("Soli Deo Gloria," to the glory of God alone).

Yes, I believe Bach was a Christian, and he tried to do all to the glory of God. However, he didn't (as far as I know) suggest that one particular sequence of notes, or one particular harmonisation is inherently more "Christian" than another note sequence or set of harmonies.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

Yes, I believe Bach was a Christian, and he tried to do all to the glory of God. However, he didn't (as far as I know) suggest that one particular sequence of notes, or one particular harmonisation is inherently more "Christian" than another note sequence or set of harmonies.

Brahms did, in the year before his death. Writing to a journalist, he said (emphasis added):

I will now tell you and your young friend here about my method of communicating with the Infinite, for all truly inspired ideas come from God. Beethoven, who was my ideal, was well aware of this. When I feel the urge, I begin by appealing straight to my Maker … Straightaway the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eyes but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies and orchestration. You see, the powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach, and Beethoven drew their inspirations is the same power that enabled Jesus to do his miracles. I know several young composers who are atheists; I have read their scores and I assure you, Joseph, that they are doomed to speedy oblivion because they are utterly lacking in inspiration. Their works are purely cerebral. The great Nazarene, Jesus, knew that law also and he proclaimed it in John 15:4, "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine." No atheist has ever been or ever will be a great composer.

​

 

[Hazelelponi]

No atheist has ever been or ever will be a great composer.

I'm noticing some of that in some of this new AI generated music. There's something off with some of it. I can listen to the AI generations that have a decent amount human guidance that went into the compositions, but the generations with little human guidance is creating music that grates and irritates. Or at least some of it seems so to me.

I've not understood why, but there's probably something to it.

 

[Carbon]

I wonder what you mean by "Christian music."

Yes, I can understand why you would ask such. I think as a base, Christian music is church Hymns. So, Christian music should be (according to that) somewhat in line with hymns, music, instruments, and vocals wise.

Obviously if it's vocal music, the words can be biblical, but can notes and chords, timbres and tempos, be Christian?

That's really splitting hairs, but I like it.

 

[makesends]

Being a Christian do you all still listen to secular music?

I can remember at first, I wanted to give it all up. As time went on, I listened to secular music but it was filtered. There are certain songs or bands I won't listen to any longer.

However, I personally believe much contemporary Christian music is not Christian.

As for secular music, I have even in the last twenty or thirty years finally listened to stuff like AIC and others, and found myself enjoying some of their stuff. Used to be it was mainly 70s music, anything from the Carpenters to Blood, Sweat and Tears. I grew up in a family where I had to hide my records of even the Carpenters for fear my parents would find me listening to that Devil's Music.

Some contemporary Christian music, to me, even in the churches, is just mindless noise, or vanity and showmanship. But then, I grew up on classical music and old hymns. I remember the first time I heard, "How Great Thou Art" and being scornful about this upstart campy-sounding new stuff (new to me, that was ). I remember when I was young, specially when secular country music stars sang gospel, the feeling that their hypocrisy and reputation disqualified them. Now I see none of us are qualified.

So I pretty much listen to whatever has good musical value, and I am pretty picky. Categorically, I can admit to considerable talent on the part of some hip-hop and rap 'musicians', but I can't stand listening to that. But, I can't criticize those who do. I've never thought much of music, (even with good words), that are musically amateurish-sounding compositions —y'know, the kind with some campy-sounding lack of musical progression, for instance, or pretentious attempts at greatness. And that is what a lot of Contemporary Christian is like.

When we were in our 20's and had just moved, my wife and I debated which church to join, and, invariably, the ones she liked, to me lacked spiritual maturity and teaching, and the music showed it. I told her I liked the heavy old hymns, and not "the little ditty songs". My 3 year old daughter chimed in, "I want to sing little ditty song, Mommy!" I turned to my wife, "See?"

 

[makesends]

Yes, I can understand why you would ask such. I think as a base, Christian music is church Hymns. So, Christian music should be (according to that) somewhat in line with hymns, music, instruments, and vocals wise.

That's really splitting hairs, but I like it.

@David Lamb I suppose you are aware that some of the better old hymns were drawn on barroom music and other secular sources.

I disagree vehemently that there is a genre of music (not words) that is specifically Christian, but that all beauty glorifies God. (And by that, I do not at all pretend that, beauty in the hands of the reprobate absolves the reprobate.)