Tim Challies, on his blog has posted a review of the DVD "Hells Bells 2" - Basically this a documentry (rockumentry, I mean) that attempts to show the evils of mainstream rock music. Part of the intent is to inform parents and leaders of the church of the kind of music that is commonplace in the lives of our kids. I think there is value in this, but I fear that when we draw such stark lines between mainstream and "Christian" music (whatever the latter means) it creates a lot of problems. Read his review and then perhaps consider some questions.
1. What is it that makes a song Christian? Lyrics? Lifestyle? Record label indentification?
2. Does the immoral lifestyle of a certain artist deem his art unworthy?
3. To all those who think that we should only listen to "Christian" music, what about other art forms? Do we only watch, "Christian" dance? Only view "Christian", Thomas Kinkade paintings? Do we only watch "Christian" film starring Kirk Cameron?
4. Would it ok for a person who is a Christian musician to write and record a CD that never mentioned the name of Jesus and just simply talked about life issues of family, love, sex, pain and suffering, growing older, politics, etc? Or does being a Christian demand that you only produce music that directly communicates something about God?
5. Is music as sound amoral? I met a pastor once who believed that drums were "worldly" in and of themselves since they represent "worldly" music. Interesting logic...
6. As and artist is it helpful to only expose oneself to "Christian" art?
7. Is it possible to rejoice in art that does not explicitly glorify the Creator since all creativity stems from being made in His image?
5 comments:
You wrote:
1. What is it that makes a song Christian? Lyrics? Lifestyle? Record label indentification?
***Could it possibly be what lines up with sound Doctrine, reveres God as holy and does not blaspheme Him, His Word and His Son?
2. Does the immoral lifestyle of a certain artist deem his art unworthy?
***I helped bring a Christian artist to my college. Used to like his music until I met him. He was so prideful and full of himself that it made his music as more than filthy rags to me.
3. To all those who think that we should only listen to "Christian" music, what about other art forms? Do we only watch, "Christian" dance? Only view "Christian", Thomas Kinkade paintings? Do we only watch "Christian" film starring Kirk Cameron?
***I like other art forms as long as they are not debasing, immoral and blasphemous.
4. Would it be ok for a person who is a Christian musician to write and record a CD that never mentioned the name of Jesus and just simply talked about life issues of family, love, sex, pain and suffering, growing older, politics, etc? Or does being a Christian demand that you only produce music that directly communicates something about God?
***Our lives are to be summed up in Christ and point to others to Him.
5. Is music as sound amoral? I met a pastor once who believed that drums were "worldly" in and of themselves since they represent "worldly" music. Interesting logic...
***It does not say in the Bible that drums are worldly. I have heard music that used the flute in the background that was very New Age, anti-God. Does that make the flute, which is mentioned in the Bible, now worldy?
6. As and artist is it helpful to only expose oneself to "Christian" art?
***Hard question. I am an artist. But I think that we should refrain from exposing ourselves to art that is clearly immoral and blasphemous. Art that I would not be afraid to show my children or to be ashamed if Christ were to come right when I was observing it.
7. Is it possible to rejoice in art that does not explicitly glorify the Creator since all creativity stems from being made in His image?
***Where does it say in the Bible that "all creativity stems from being made in His image"???
On Number 4 I meant to write:
***Our lives are to be summed up in Christ with the goal to point others to Christ.
With #7 I think I am saying that since we are as humans made in the image of God, obviously one of the major facets of God is that he is creative. It seems to me that is would be correct to say that any spark of creativity stems from us being made in him image and reflecting certain aspects of his character. For sure, sin taints this reality, but what I am saying is the first spark or inclination toward being creative at all point back to God for all of humanity.
Interesting questions!
(Sorry this is long)
I would wager first that entertainment does not appear in the Bible at all! We have become a culture that is "Amused to Death". It is interesting that Neil Postman writes a book of that general theme (Amusing Ourselves to Death) as well as Roger Waters, of Pink Floyd fame wrote an amazing album "Amused to Death" on the same theme.
That being said, moderation would be the better indicator than content at times...and NEVER JUDGE MUSIC BY IT'S SOUND! I have listened to amazingly 'nuetral' heavy metal and folk music that is wicked. I like the balance and culture of these things and it certainly gives me a frame of reference of the mindset for the youth today (I work with children and youth), but if it is objectively wrong, I don't want it to comprise my entertainment.
Now, finding that ratings as messed up, I use a four point system to regulate myu entertainment:
1. Are evil themes glorified?
2. Is there un-needed language?
3. Is there nudity?
4. Is there confusion about who is good and who is evil?
Now, selected answers to the questions:
2. Not neccessarily. An artist may be good at defining a problem..we would be wise to listen, though he may not have an answer (like Neil Postman), or his answer might be wrong.
3. If we are only subjecting ourselves to a discriminated 'Christian' culture, whom are we witnessing to or ministering to? Again, moderation, and always stepping away from evil (I will simply NOT WATCH a movie if the answer to my above questions are yes to two or more, or with frequent violations of any one. You may call this legalistic, I call it HOLINESS)
4. Yes, but if that is all they write about, we would be wise to ask why.
5. No, there is much in the Bible about music, actually, this topic was covered in detail by a recent Tabletalk magazine.
Tom
www.ourwalkinchrist.com
Good post Z, and good questions. As always you have some good insights into how we as Christians are to be in and not of the world. Another question(s): Can we as Christians be blessed by something in art that is made by a non-believer? In order for something to contain real TRUTH or BEAUTY does it have to be done in the name of Christ? How does God use non-believers to glorify himself in their art? (or DOES he?)
What about people like Miles, Ella F, Keith J, Louis A?
Z, i think you should start up a "Christian Jazz" label. :)
keep the good posts coming, and come see me in cali again!
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