Secular Music

[chj]

My brother and I were discussing the other day about secular music and I was wondering what you all think about listening to it. I don't think it is anything wrong with listening to it as long as is is not blasphemous. I like country music and some rap music and I was wondering what you all think about listening to it as long as it does not contain vulgar language.

[Not Perfect, But Forgiven]

As long as there is nothing profanity wise or anti-Christian, I can stomach it. When I was very new in Christ, I listened to death metal. The more extreme and disturbing the better. I'm talking to the point where the vocals sounded like a toilet flushing. As I matured in Christ, I simply found it annoying and lost my taste for it. Now, I much prefer bass beats and electronic/techno music. I even got a taste for classical and jazz. I'm starting to like music in it's more simple and purer forms.

I think as long as the music you listen to is not blasting profanity and ideas Jesus taught us not to do, you're good. The reason is, music affects the mind and body, and can even alter mental states. What you hear in your ears goes into your heart. Even though you may not feel it, those beats and words go into your subconscious and can influence your overall mood and feelings. Kind of like how some beats make you sad, and others make you want to break stuff or run around the world. Same idea. Just value your heart and what you put into your ears, and you'll be able to make really good calls on what to listen to.

[chj]

As long as there is nothing profanity wise or anti-Christian, I can stomach it. When I was very new in Christ, I listened to death metal. The more extreme and disturbing the better. I'm talking to the point where the vocals sounded like a toilet flushing. As I matured in Christ, I simply found it annoying and lost my taste for it. Now, I much prefer bass beats and electronic/techno music. I even got a taste for classical and jazz. I'm starting to like music in it's more simple and purer forms.

I think as long as the music you listen to is not blasting profanity and ideas Jesus taught us not to do, you're good. The reason is, music affects the mind and body, and can even alter mental states. What you hear in your ears goes into your heart. Even though you may not feel it, those beats and words go into your subconscious and can influence your overall mood and feelings. Kind of like how some beats make you sad, and others make you want to break stuff or run around the world. Same idea. Just value your heart and what you put into your ears, and you'll be able to make really good calls on what to listen to.

This is pretty much what he and I said when we were talking about it. We were watching a youtube video by Jentzen Franklin and that is how the subject came up and I looked on the Internet for opinions on the subject and I got found some people saying its wrong and some saying what you said.

[LightOfMyLife]

I think we need to be discerning in what we listen to, watch, read, and places we go. The message is very important. I like uplifting music gospel, old time big band music, Chicago, Neil Diamond, and Bee Gee's. The Holy Spirit is your teacher & you will know to turn something off, if it isn't something Christians should be watching or listening to. I like these scriptures Philippians 4:8

[Not Perfect, But Forgiven]

This is pretty much what he and I said when we were talking about it. We were watching a youtube video by Jentzen Franklin and that is how the subject came up and I looked on the Internet for opinions on the subject and I got found some people saying its wrong and some saying what you said.

Yep, you've got the right idea. Just don't limit yourself to particular styles of music. But if it promotes or displays anything against what Jesus taught, trash the CD. You may even find your favorite is a kind with no words? If you limit what you want to hear, you might get bored and start listening to insane or anti-God vomit just for the sake of something to hear. I bought a music making program at Best Buy. I try to keep it fresh by inventing new styles or a genre. I can make my own, or blend songs I already like. It's a great way to stay interested in good clean music that sounds great. As stated above, always trust Jesus; the Holy Spirit will never steer you wrong. He'll let you know what's ok to hear and what to turn off.

[chj]

Yep, you've got the right idea. Just don't limit yourself to particular styles of music. But if it promotes or displays anything against what Jesus taught, trash the CD. You may even find your favorite is a kind with no words? If you limit what you want to hear, you might get bored and start listening to insane or anti-God vomit just for the sake of something to hear. I bought a music making program at Best Buy. I try to keep it fresh by inventing new styles or a genre. I can make my own, or blend songs I already like. It's a great way to stay interested in good clean music that sounds great. As stated above, always trust Jesus; the Holy Spirit will never steer you wrong. He'll let you know what's ok to hear and what to turn off.

If the song says something against the bible I won't listen to it. I have actually been listening to more christian songs lately than I have in the past and less of what I have in the past. I stay away from heavy metal music because of some of the lyrics.

[chj]

I think we need to be discerning in what we listen to, watch, read, and places we go. The message is very important. I like uplifting music gospel, old time big band music, Chicago, Neil Diamond, and Bee Gee's. The Holy Spirit is your teacher & you will know to turn something off, if it isn't something Christians should be watching or listening to. I like these scriptures Philippians 4:8

I agree.

[Titus2]

I mostly listen to CCM and Gospel music, but I must confess - when I exercise I occasionally listen to Dubstep. But, it's mostly electronic music without lyrics, so I figure it isn't so bad.

[IMSAVED]

We have a Christian radio station where I live.I only listen to that.It is family friendly.

[lorenei]

As others here have said, I think as long as the lyrics are not blasphemous it's all good. I kinda go through periods of what music I listen to because I have a pretty awful tendency to play a song I really like over and over and over again until I get tired of it so then I have to switch to something else haha But then after a while I can listen to it again... and again.

My husband and I go on a lot of road trips together and I love nothing more than listening to Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits while driving because every song tells a different story - from being a soldier under Napoleon to a modern Romeo and Juliet, great stuff, plus some of the most amazing guitar music that was ever written

Here is one of my current favorites, simply amazing guitar instrumental 3 minutes in!

[Crazed for Jesus]

I'm a fan of bands like Metallica, KISS, Slipknot and so on, I don't see a problem with listening to those bands.

[PickensSlim]

My brother and I were discussing the other day about secular music and I was wondering what you all think about listening to it. I don't think it is anything wrong with listening to it as long as is is not blasphemous. I like country music and some rap music and I was wondering what you all think about listening to it as long as it does not contain vulgar language.

I agree with what the others have said. I TRY to follow the standard "If Jesus were sitting here next to me (which he is) would I listen to/watch this" It's taken me 30 years to get this far.

Slim

[PickensSlim]

As others here have said, I think as long as the lyrics are not blasphemous it's all good. I kinda go through periods of what music I listen to because I have a pretty awful tendency to play a song I really like over and over and over again until I get tired of it so then I have to switch to something else haha But then after a while I can listen to it again... and again.

My husband and I go on a lot of road trips together and I love nothing more than listening to Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits while driving because every song tells a different story - from being a soldier under Napoleon to a modern Romeo and Juliet, great stuff, plus some of the most amazing guitar music that was ever written

Here is one of my current favorites, simply amazing guitar instrumental 3 minutes in!

I love love love Dire Straits. I have a 6 cd changer in my 14 year old truck and 5 of the CDs are Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler.

Sorry, I'm changing the subject.

What she said

[penbrat]

I agree with what the others have said. I TRY to follow the standard "If Jesus were sitting here next to me (which he is) would I listen to/watch this" It's taken me 30 years to get this far.

Slim

That's a good measuring stick. I mostly listen to a Christian Radio station that plays uplifting praise and worship with some traditional hymns and I will also listen to a lot of southern gospel but I do like some of the "older" country music (70s and 80s country) and a little smooth jazz when I want to unwind.

[Sparkles]

I love listening to music. I don't limit it to just Christian music. If you let the Holy Spirit guide you you can find God in a lot of secular music. This was one of the things I first noticed when I was born again. It was like hearing many many songs that Ive known forever for the first time. God is so good like that! Recently I have been listening to a lot of seventies songs I love classic love songs and rock and roll. If something is clearly blasphemous you can hear it and change the station. I love sattelite radio because there are so many choices.

[IAmForgiven]

While i've always liked just abput all genres of music, I was always a die-hard heavy metal, hard rock girl. Zeppelin and Sabbath were always in my top lists, and I listened to music all day, every day.

I didn't make a conscious decision to stop listening to that sort of music. Not at all! It was months before I realized I had stopped and it really surprised me! Even more than that, once I realized I'd stopped listening, I didn't even feel like I wanted to go back and hear them again.

There's no doubt in my mind that this was something the Lord felt wasn't right for me, and took the desire away. I LOVE when He does that! Every time He does, it confirms once again that I belong to Him, that He is alive in me, that He loves me and works on me in even the littlest things. I always feel a renewed rush of love and gratefulness that He would love me...a horribly flawed me... so much!

[Tall Timbers]

I don' listen to very much music these days, but I've always like country and western music. The country music that borders on or his hard to differentiate from rock music isn't music to my ears. Sometimes the lyrics of songs that I find otherwise pleasant spoil the song for me... but there is a lot of country and western music that I like... especially the ones with heartfelt stories woven into the lyrics.

[Joseph The Carpenter]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...0817728050216#

Back in the seventies I laughed at my father when he called Rock music the devils music.

Don't forget who is the prince and power of the air.

There are not many Christian stations where I live so when I am away from the computer it is country but I do like the memories rock brings me back to.

[Praying]

I am very cautious about what I allow my ears to hear. The problem that I see with so much of the secular music is that it promotes chaos and discord in families. Much of the c&w music my parents listened to growing up were songs about cheating and drinking, almost making it as though it was okay, (such as "Linda on my mind" which I remember being sung by Conway Twitty)and " Does He love You", which I think was sung by Reba McKintyre and another lady,) and the list goes on and on. The same goes with other secular music.
I have felt for a long time that much of the music is actually instigating behavior that is not desirable to G-d. People listen to the songs, relate to them, and next thing you know, are "creating the circumstances the song talks about" in their own lives. Sad, very sad, but unfortunately true.
I tried to make my children aware of the dangers of doing this when listening to specific songs, but the best way to combat it, is to be careful what you let in your head, and that includes much of the music.

I remember a song I learned when I was little, " Be careful little ears what you hear", and it would go on to "be careful little eyes what you see". I think this applies teenagers, and adults as well. We need to guard our hearts, and that means, guarding what we allow to enter into it. Much of what affects our hearts, are things that enter through the eyes or the ears. Just something to think about.

[Acts5:41]

Crazed, check out Theocracy and Disciple. They rock hard, with a great message. Plenty of Youtube videos.

I do what the Holy Spirit tells me to do. If someone asks, I'll share my opinion but everyone is at a different stage of development.

For instance, I would love to listen to my Gospel Metal and Gospel rap during Bible Handouts but it might scare the recipients, so I just sing to myself when they're driving by. No headphones even.