WayoutwestUtah said
Having trouble feeling the Spirit when I listen to “straight ahead” Christian Rock & roll.
That’s funny. When I was growing up in the church rock-n-roll was the devil’s music and we were stuck with Fanny J Crosby hymns except at Christmas when my baptist parents would pull out Handel’s Messiah for a couple weeks. What I also find amusing about the contemporary “Christian” music scene is how they claim to be ‘set apart’ for ministry and yet simply copy currently popular secular music styles and add ‘Jesus’ lyrics. Flipping channels over the weekend I came upon a live broadcast of a “Christian” rock concert. Other than the lyrics and frequent interruptions of the music for long boring sermons (worse than commercials), no different from a secular show. Lots of young kids leaping about having a good time.
If I may ask, where do you feel the “Spirit”? And how is it to be distinguished from plain old emotion?
Stephen said
What I also find amusing about the contemporary “Christian” music scene is how they claim to be ‘set apart’ for ministry and yet simply copy currently popular secular music styles and add ‘Jesus’ lyrics.
I liked both Keith Green and David Meece.
Just a bit of expansion on this. It’s amusing that While secular music is evil etc, Christians can’t really seem to come up with anything original just copying; sort of like their apologetics. Here again, the only reasonably decent apologists are secularly trained.
Spiker, you are obviously not referring to hymns! But then many of those are based on tunes from beloved bar songs so that is indeed copied as you say. Still, Amazing Grace, This Is My Father’s World etc. express the experiences and feelings we believers share with one another. They seem very original to me.
And don’t think I am getting into it with you as I do not have such skills. I just want to point out how wrong I think you are in believing Christian music is not original.
spiker said
Stephen said
What I also find amusing about the contemporary “Christian” music scene is how they claim to be ‘set apart’ for ministry and yet simply copy currently popular secular music styles and add ‘Jesus’ lyrics.
I liked both Keith Green and David Meece.
Just a bit of expansion on this. It’s amusing that While secular music is evil etc, Christians can’t really seem to come up with anything original just copying; sort of like their apologetics. Here again, the only reasonably decent apologists are secularly trained.
Grief! I now see this is headed ROCKAND ROLL! Just disregard, please.
Judith said
I just want to point out how wrong I think you are in believing Christian music is not original.
ROTFL! Judith!
The only requirement is intellectual honesty. It seems to me you have that in abundance.
The point about Rock & Roll songs, I think is less about copying, per se than what is being copied.
As Stephen pointed out, for a very long time, and I think still today, it is thought of as the devils music
So it’s ok to copy “the devil’s music” if there’s an advantage to it.
Now I don’t think all Christian artists are like this. If you take Keith Green, it seems he was secularly influenced.
In that context, he’s not much different from any other musician.
spiker said
Judith said
I just want to point out how wrong I think you are in believing Christian music is not original.ROTFL! Judith!
The only requirement is intellectual honesty. It seems to me you have that in abundance.
The point about Rock & Roll songs, I think is less about copying, per se than what is being copied.
As Stephen pointed out, for a very long time, and I think still today, it is thought of as the devils music
So it’s ok to copy “the devil’s music” if there’s an advantage to it.
Now I don’t think all Christian artists are like this. If you take Keith Green, it seems he was secularly influenced.
In that context, he’s not much different from any other musician.
Judith said
spiker said
Judith said
I just want to point out how wrong I think you are in believing Christian music is not original.ROTFL! Judith!
The only requirement is intellectual honesty. It seems to me you have that in abundance.
The point about Rock & Roll songs, I think is less about copying, per se than what is being copied.
As Stephen pointed out, for a very long time, and I think still today, it is thought of as the devils music
So it’s ok to copy “the devil’s music” if there’s an advantage to it.
Now I don’t think all Christian artists are like this. If you take Keith Green, it seems he was secularly influenced.
In that context, he’s not much different from any other musician.
What is ROTFL?
I’ve emailed the priest who gave a program on beloved hymns based on favorite bar songs and will share if he provides. The reason for using the bar song tunes was that everyone already knew them! I guess it would be like writing a new hymn today and using Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places.
I have listened to Christian Music stations with the hope the lyrics would put me in a positive mood. Hoping the lyrics and or melody might keep me listening. My point is; I end up changing the channel within 8 to 10 minutes on average. I will keep on checking it out from time to time. Utah
WayoutwestUtah said
I have listened to Christian Music stations with the hope the lyrics would put me in a positive mood. Hoping the lyrics and or melody might keep me listening. My point is; I end up changing the channel within 8 to 10 minutes on average. I will keep on checking it out from time to time. Utah
You folks out in UTAH don’t know RUSH?
Judith wrote
The reason for using the bar song tunes was that everyone already knew them! I guess it would be like writing a new hymn today and using Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places.
Which of course is exactly what happens. The bands at the concert I mentioned in my original post had taken a heavy U2 imprint. Same style; chiming droning chords with intense over the top vocals. Bono has hinted at a certain level of personal spirituality; the christian rock bands simply make it way more explicit, often descending into straightforward sermonizing.
WayoutwestUtah said
I have listened to Christian Music stations with the hope the lyrics would put me in a positive mood.
The dominant message one tends to hear in so-called christian “praise” music on these stations is along the lines of how great and awesome god is and what a loathsome piece of crap we are. “You are great. I am worthless. Please save me.” This is what passes for humility among these folks. Contrast this to the attitude found in some of the Biblical Psalms. “You are awesome. The universe testifies to this. Let me be a part of it.” The latter approaches a true spirituality. The former ends up just being an effort to suck up to the Big Boss.
If you want self-identified christian artists who make their spirituality a part of their art let me recommend people like
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or
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BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert