I told you I was going to stir up some controversy from time to time. Here’s your first taste of it.
Have you ever contemplated whether or not music in and of itself could be moral or immoral? Many have argued that music by itself without any lyrics is neither moral nor immoral – it’s amoral. It’s like a kitchen knife; with it you can prepare a meal for your family, or do someone bodily harm. It’s all in how you use it. But is that true of music?
I grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s when contemporary Christian music (CCM) was just starting to become popular. Those in the CCM scene and those who followed it, like myself, took a firm stand against those who condemned CCM as worldly. But in retrospect, I can now see that some of my acceptance of just about any kind of music or group just because it was “Christian” was shortsighted.
I’ll build my thesis by sharing a short story with you.
A few years ago I bought my wife a CD of a popular female CCM artist. I wasn’t familiar with her music, so one day when I was in my exercise room having a workout I put in the CD to give it a listen. It turned out to be what you would call dance/pop. A couple of songs into the CD my daughter Hannah, who was probably 10 or 11 years old at the time, came in and said with a look and tone of surprise, “Dad, what are you listening to?!”
“It’s a Christian CD I bought for Mommy,” I said. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
“It sounds so….lovey-dovey,” she replied, with a look of disgust distorting her pretty features.
‘Lovey-dovey’ is the playful term Donna and I used to explain sexual intercourse to the children without actually using the words, intercourse or sex. So Hannah’s use of that term was the only way she knew how to express to me that the music sounded sexualized. It had a sensual feel about it.
Now, I want to once again explain that this was a Christian artist, and the lyrics were representative of that. But without paying attention to the words, Hannah’s young spirit was even more sensitive of the sensual feel of the music than I was. It was very eye-opening for me. “Out of the mouth of babes….”
So to answer my own question that I posed in the title of today’s blog, no, I don’t believe that music is amoral. Just as much of today’s pop music is sensual in it’s feel, other types of music like gangster rap and heavy metal convey an angry, aggressive, dark feel to it. Yes, music was created by God, but it is man who arranges the notes and rhythms in such a way as to create a specific mood and feel. God is the Creator, but Satan is the corruptor of His creations, and I believe that some of that corruption has crept in to even our "Christian" music.
I'll build my case for that last statement and continue the discussion on music in the next few subsequent posts.
Enjoy your Friday!!
Have you ever contemplated whether or not music in and of itself could be moral or immoral? Many have argued that music by itself without any lyrics is neither moral nor immoral – it’s amoral. It’s like a kitchen knife; with it you can prepare a meal for your family, or do someone bodily harm. It’s all in how you use it. But is that true of music?
I grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s when contemporary Christian music (CCM) was just starting to become popular. Those in the CCM scene and those who followed it, like myself, took a firm stand against those who condemned CCM as worldly. But in retrospect, I can now see that some of my acceptance of just about any kind of music or group just because it was “Christian” was shortsighted.
I’ll build my thesis by sharing a short story with you.
A few years ago I bought my wife a CD of a popular female CCM artist. I wasn’t familiar with her music, so one day when I was in my exercise room having a workout I put in the CD to give it a listen. It turned out to be what you would call dance/pop. A couple of songs into the CD my daughter Hannah, who was probably 10 or 11 years old at the time, came in and said with a look and tone of surprise, “Dad, what are you listening to?!”
“It’s a Christian CD I bought for Mommy,” I said. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
“It sounds so….lovey-dovey,” she replied, with a look of disgust distorting her pretty features.
‘Lovey-dovey’ is the playful term Donna and I used to explain sexual intercourse to the children without actually using the words, intercourse or sex. So Hannah’s use of that term was the only way she knew how to express to me that the music sounded sexualized. It had a sensual feel about it.
Now, I want to once again explain that this was a Christian artist, and the lyrics were representative of that. But without paying attention to the words, Hannah’s young spirit was even more sensitive of the sensual feel of the music than I was. It was very eye-opening for me. “Out of the mouth of babes….”
So to answer my own question that I posed in the title of today’s blog, no, I don’t believe that music is amoral. Just as much of today’s pop music is sensual in it’s feel, other types of music like gangster rap and heavy metal convey an angry, aggressive, dark feel to it. Yes, music was created by God, but it is man who arranges the notes and rhythms in such a way as to create a specific mood and feel. God is the Creator, but Satan is the corruptor of His creations, and I believe that some of that corruption has crept in to even our "Christian" music.
I'll build my case for that last statement and continue the discussion on music in the next few subsequent posts.
Enjoy your Friday!!
2 comments:
Andy, you bring up some interesting points. I do not listen to very much music.. whether Christian or non-Christian, the music changes my mood, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse,and I'm just not comfotable with that. I'd rather stay in control.
Man what a great post! I've always felt that music without lyrics can be what the artist wants it to be and take you where the artist wants to go. So if you are a Christian artist there you go, but the same is true for all other forms of music non-Christian.
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