Music to my ears

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Permalink Reply by Online Krish on May 30, 2008 at 10:34am

I love secular music, I love music. I tend to have favourite artists who aren't Christian, and I think through their music I get a good idea of their approach to life and love. For example, Billy Joel doesn't think love will last. But I know this when I listen to his songs, and I can still appreciate his lyrical ability and his moving music.

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Permalink Reply by Anja on June 3, 2008 at 9:38am

Yeah man. My cousin listens to WESTLIFE to worship. She told me she stands in her living room listening to "you raise me up". Good eh!?

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Permalink Reply by Eloise on June 3, 2008 at 9:43am

I think God can be in everything….even listening to Westlife ……

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Permalink Reply by Anja on June 3, 2008 at 9:46am

haha totally but WESTLIFE!

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Permalink Reply by Anja on June 3, 2008 at 9:47am

And yes it does deserve the heavy capitalisation every time.

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Permalink Reply by Online Krish on June 3, 2008 at 11:35am

You Raise Me Up wasn't originally a WESTLIFE song. It's a very spiritual song - I had it played at my wedding! I love classical cross-over songs that can be spiritual. They are great for sharing faith with people who don't believe. A song like You Raise Me Up at a wedding after a sermon pointing people to Jesus could be really powerful!!

I guess the question is - can we use songs that aren't specifically Christian in evangelism?

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Permalink Reply by Anja on June 3, 2008 at 12:13pm

Yeah I agree with you Eloise and Online Krish. Secular music can be really powerful. I used to listen to Lauren Hill and found a lot of encouragement in her lyrics (Although I think she is a rasta???). I also used to listen to heavy rock which my parents worried was negatively spiritual and at this I used to scoff, but looking back I do think music touches a very spiritual part of us all.

I love the song you raise me up!!!!! Just maybe a certain Irish boyband spoilt it for me. Haha although if Blue had sung it.....

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Permalink Reply by Maria Toth on June 6, 2008 at 9:02pm

Ok, i'll be different and say i think we have to be guarded about what music we listen to. Philippians 4 talks about filling our beings with whatever is true, pure and upright, so if the lyrics of a song are really not of God i think that can subtly act as a block to the channel through which the Holy Spirit can enter us. I don't want to clutter my soul with rubbish but keep it pure... Thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Online Krish on June 13, 2008 at 5:02pm

I agree we need to focus on what is good and true! But I don't think this negates the thoughts, emotions and messages in songs written by people who don't share the Christian faith. I would share my thoughts and emotions on life, love, hurt, hope etc with friends who aren't Christian. And they would share theirs with me. In the same way we can hear of the thoughts and emotions of songwriters who aren't Christian. Anyone agree?

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Permalink Reply by sherita d. on June 30, 2009 at 10:25pm

if you think secular music is fine, then do you think ozzy osborne or any other secular musican will be in the heavenly chior

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Derek P. Blake on October 30, 2008 at 9:23pm

Music (the type without lyrics) is a mathematical sequence of harmonics, pitch and frequency probably originally inspired by bird song. Some hold a theory that music is a mathematical language and as such can affect our minds on a subliminal level. When we are sad, humming or whistling a tune can lift our spirits, other music can make us sad, excited or even send us into a trance. So it is not just the lyrics, the music seems to be very important almost, more important than the words even. Here then could be the very essence of the difference between secular and worship music.

I do feel, like Maria, that we need to be careful what music we listen to. Rock music (although I am not really a fan of much of it) can be fun but could be very harmful, there is a well established ling here between sex, drugs and rock and roll, we need to ask, is it the rock-star life-style or is it the music that promotes the life-style? It is quite well known that certain frequencies and harmonics affect the brain, although little is understood of its affects; look what happened to Jericho. If you think worship music is boring Laura, then you are not listening to the right worship music or you are not worshiping.

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