In my last blog I addressed the issue of whether or not music is “amoral,” or without moral implications in and of itself apart from lyrical content. In other words, are there any styles of music that could be considered immoral just based upon the beat, rhythm, and feel of the music? I used to think the answer was no, but now I say yes.
People who have known me for a long time know me as a person who likes guitar-driven music, so it may come as a surprise that I don’t accept just any music simply because it has a cool guitar riff or because it is “Christian.” I think it goes without saying that there are certain styles of music that are used to arouse sexual passions, and others are used to convey a tone of anger and rebellion. You never hear “M&M” (a popular rap artist), for example, singing his sexually charged and violence-soaked lyrics over a beautifully melodic concerto. There is a reason why artists use the sounds they do, and it’s because the feel of the music fits what they are attempting to convey. That should also tell us that maybe we should consider NOT using some forms of music for Christian entertainment or “worship.”
Musicians often refer to the “feel” or the “groove” of a song, because they know that certain rhythmic structures illicit specific emotions. That fact can be used to create an atmosphere of worship, or it can be used to create dark desires. The confusion is when we attempt to use the same sounds that some use to elicit dark desires for purposes of worship or evangelism. Using certain musical styles dripping in sexualized overtones – such as Donna Summer’s song from the disco era, “Love to Love You Baby,” which is known by its erotic feel – for Christian entertainment or worship just doesn’t compute. But that’s exactly what much of contemporary Christian music (CCM) has tried to do - use musical arrangments very similar to Love to Love You Baby, but just insert some churchy lyrics in order to relate to a certain crowd. But I don't think oil and water mix very well.
I’m certainly not saying that any music with a beat is wrong or sensual or rebellious, as some would have us believe. However, I do feel that there is a danger in attempting to jam a square peg in a round hole by trying to Christianize certain styles of music. It’s almost like hiring a prostitute and partaking of her services in order to try to evangelize her.
I also feel that there is a danger in trivializing the glorious message of Christ by bringing it down the level of a three-chord dance song. Have you ever seen the T-shirt that says, “Jesus is my homeboy”? That’s what I’m talking about. Jesus is not anybody’s ‘homey’ or whatever sub-culture term you want to use for your ‘pal.’ He is the awesome Creator of the universe Who sits at the right hand of the Father enthroned on high, and any T-shirt or song that lowers His mighty status to that of a ‘chum’ is blasphemous. Jesus is also not “cool,” as I have heard some Christians artists say of Him in their songs. He is too glorious to be cool. He is King of kings and Lord of Lords, not a back-slapping, high-fiving god. Yes, He is also our Father – that is true. But that “Abba” relationship with which we are privileged must be balanced by our awesome respect for Him, and too often that kind of reverence is simply not represented in a lot of CCM.
I also feel it conveys a very bad message when the Christian artists we listen to and expose our children to cannot be distinguished from worldly, godless music artists. Somehow our Christian artists have forgotten the command to “come out from among them and be ye separate.” I agree that there needs to be forms of music that sing God’s praises and convey the gospel in the ‘languages’ of the various hearers, but that can be taken too far, just like popular fashions can be taken too far because of issues of modesty.
I think it’s sad that so many Christian artists try so hard to copy the world rather than setting their own wholesome trends. “Can’t you see that we’re just as cool as the world,” seems to be what is being conveyed. Too bad. Honestly, I’m almost to the point that I would rather listen to some instrumental classical piano or family-friendly country music from an artist that doesn’t even necessarily claim any devotion to Christ rather than to support any more copycat CCM that is so often devoid of real substance and reverence. At least I can get some honest and original music with classical and country. I feel that so much of Christian music is not honest. CCM portrays itself as “glorifying God,” but in reality what it really does a lot of the time is glorify the artist, just like secular music does. When was the last time you saw a CCM CD sleeve or an artists’ website that wasn’t plastered with multiple photos of the artist? So just who is being promoted here? “God is cool, and by the way, look how good-looking and hip I am,” seems to be what is being communicated. I think it sends a message of self-promotion and pride to our children who are not yet discerning enough to recognize the worldliness behind the “Christian” mask.
And what about those Hollywood-style Dove Awards? Don’t get me started! There have only been two Christian artists in the history of CCM that I felt took a proper approach to the Dove Awards. The late Keith Green, who many consider to be a modern-day prophet, was invited to the Dove Awards because of his incredible music and convicting writing, and he declined the invitation. And Larry Norman, an early pioneer of CCM, accepted the invitation and took the stage to accept his award, and then promptly threw cold water on the crowd by condemning the whole idea of the Dove Awards as worldly and exalting of man and not God. The response? He was black-listed by the CCM industry and could no longer work in the States. He had to do most of his recording and touring overseas and spent most of the rest of his career barely making ends-meet.
I’ll bet you didn’t know that most Christian record labels are now owned by secular firms. That is perhaps one reason why Christian music has become so commercialized and watered-down and, yes, even worldly. The enemy is so crafty that he knows exactly how to mix in just enough corruption with the nice Christian stuff that few ever notice when they begin drifting off course of what is holy and acceptable in God’s sight. There IS a line that needs to be drawn, but because much of the music we listen to is labeled as “Christian,” we don’t seem to recognize where that line is.
I realize that I’m really rocking the world of some people, because many, many Christians I know have no lines whatsoever when it comes to their entertainment choices. I am shocked at the godless music and TV and movies that some Christians put in their heads and allow their children to hear and see as well. And hey, I’m not a prude. I played guitar in rock bands most of my young life, but by the grace of God I have begun to recognize the destructive nature of trying to justify living one’s life for one’s own fulfillment rather than constantly asking the question, “Does this please God?,” and then seriously evaluating our choices accordingly. There is a price to pay for having no discernment, and there are rewards for drawing distinct lines in the sand because you want to please God.
People who have known me for a long time know me as a person who likes guitar-driven music, so it may come as a surprise that I don’t accept just any music simply because it has a cool guitar riff or because it is “Christian.” I think it goes without saying that there are certain styles of music that are used to arouse sexual passions, and others are used to convey a tone of anger and rebellion. You never hear “M&M” (a popular rap artist), for example, singing his sexually charged and violence-soaked lyrics over a beautifully melodic concerto. There is a reason why artists use the sounds they do, and it’s because the feel of the music fits what they are attempting to convey. That should also tell us that maybe we should consider NOT using some forms of music for Christian entertainment or “worship.”
Musicians often refer to the “feel” or the “groove” of a song, because they know that certain rhythmic structures illicit specific emotions. That fact can be used to create an atmosphere of worship, or it can be used to create dark desires. The confusion is when we attempt to use the same sounds that some use to elicit dark desires for purposes of worship or evangelism. Using certain musical styles dripping in sexualized overtones – such as Donna Summer’s song from the disco era, “Love to Love You Baby,” which is known by its erotic feel – for Christian entertainment or worship just doesn’t compute. But that’s exactly what much of contemporary Christian music (CCM) has tried to do - use musical arrangments very similar to Love to Love You Baby, but just insert some churchy lyrics in order to relate to a certain crowd. But I don't think oil and water mix very well.
I’m certainly not saying that any music with a beat is wrong or sensual or rebellious, as some would have us believe. However, I do feel that there is a danger in attempting to jam a square peg in a round hole by trying to Christianize certain styles of music. It’s almost like hiring a prostitute and partaking of her services in order to try to evangelize her.
I also feel that there is a danger in trivializing the glorious message of Christ by bringing it down the level of a three-chord dance song. Have you ever seen the T-shirt that says, “Jesus is my homeboy”? That’s what I’m talking about. Jesus is not anybody’s ‘homey’ or whatever sub-culture term you want to use for your ‘pal.’ He is the awesome Creator of the universe Who sits at the right hand of the Father enthroned on high, and any T-shirt or song that lowers His mighty status to that of a ‘chum’ is blasphemous. Jesus is also not “cool,” as I have heard some Christians artists say of Him in their songs. He is too glorious to be cool. He is King of kings and Lord of Lords, not a back-slapping, high-fiving god. Yes, He is also our Father – that is true. But that “Abba” relationship with which we are privileged must be balanced by our awesome respect for Him, and too often that kind of reverence is simply not represented in a lot of CCM.
I also feel it conveys a very bad message when the Christian artists we listen to and expose our children to cannot be distinguished from worldly, godless music artists. Somehow our Christian artists have forgotten the command to “come out from among them and be ye separate.” I agree that there needs to be forms of music that sing God’s praises and convey the gospel in the ‘languages’ of the various hearers, but that can be taken too far, just like popular fashions can be taken too far because of issues of modesty.
I think it’s sad that so many Christian artists try so hard to copy the world rather than setting their own wholesome trends. “Can’t you see that we’re just as cool as the world,” seems to be what is being conveyed. Too bad. Honestly, I’m almost to the point that I would rather listen to some instrumental classical piano or family-friendly country music from an artist that doesn’t even necessarily claim any devotion to Christ rather than to support any more copycat CCM that is so often devoid of real substance and reverence. At least I can get some honest and original music with classical and country. I feel that so much of Christian music is not honest. CCM portrays itself as “glorifying God,” but in reality what it really does a lot of the time is glorify the artist, just like secular music does. When was the last time you saw a CCM CD sleeve or an artists’ website that wasn’t plastered with multiple photos of the artist? So just who is being promoted here? “God is cool, and by the way, look how good-looking and hip I am,” seems to be what is being communicated. I think it sends a message of self-promotion and pride to our children who are not yet discerning enough to recognize the worldliness behind the “Christian” mask.
And what about those Hollywood-style Dove Awards? Don’t get me started! There have only been two Christian artists in the history of CCM that I felt took a proper approach to the Dove Awards. The late Keith Green, who many consider to be a modern-day prophet, was invited to the Dove Awards because of his incredible music and convicting writing, and he declined the invitation. And Larry Norman, an early pioneer of CCM, accepted the invitation and took the stage to accept his award, and then promptly threw cold water on the crowd by condemning the whole idea of the Dove Awards as worldly and exalting of man and not God. The response? He was black-listed by the CCM industry and could no longer work in the States. He had to do most of his recording and touring overseas and spent most of the rest of his career barely making ends-meet.
I’ll bet you didn’t know that most Christian record labels are now owned by secular firms. That is perhaps one reason why Christian music has become so commercialized and watered-down and, yes, even worldly. The enemy is so crafty that he knows exactly how to mix in just enough corruption with the nice Christian stuff that few ever notice when they begin drifting off course of what is holy and acceptable in God’s sight. There IS a line that needs to be drawn, but because much of the music we listen to is labeled as “Christian,” we don’t seem to recognize where that line is.
I realize that I’m really rocking the world of some people, because many, many Christians I know have no lines whatsoever when it comes to their entertainment choices. I am shocked at the godless music and TV and movies that some Christians put in their heads and allow their children to hear and see as well. And hey, I’m not a prude. I played guitar in rock bands most of my young life, but by the grace of God I have begun to recognize the destructive nature of trying to justify living one’s life for one’s own fulfillment rather than constantly asking the question, “Does this please God?,” and then seriously evaluating our choices accordingly. There is a price to pay for having no discernment, and there are rewards for drawing distinct lines in the sand because you want to please God.
* * * * *
I will devote one more blog to this topic tomorrow, focusing on some of the problems not yet resolved in using CCM for Sunday worship.
Blessings until then.
1 comment:
Keith Green stood head and shoulders above any of today's "artists" in the Christian music industry. Whatta testimony!
To obey is better than sacrifice!
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