From: krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu (Ted Krueger)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: Returning to secular music
Date: 11 Dec 92 17:34:16 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson AZ

In article <1g00vbINNdb1@transfer.stratus.com> markc@eomer.hw.stratus.com (Mark Christensen) writes:
>IMO, Christians would be a lot better off if their "heart was touched"
>by GOD's word and not the lyrics of men.  How many out there spend
>hours listening to your music and minutes (if that) reading your Bible?
>Just a question to ask yourself...no response is necessary (or desired).
>
>mc

I have begun to deal with this question myself lately, but from a different 
perspective.  About 1+1/2 years ago, a problem developed between me and my 
church.  It was learned by my pastor that I was involved in something that 
he thought was anti-christian.  We got together and talked about it, but it 
was clear that his mind was closed, while at the same time being logically 
inconsistent.  At that time, I chose to step down from the staff, as an 
alternative to submitting to counseling which must eventually end in my 
philosophical agreement with him.  From the congregation, I heard him say 
many things about the way christians should deal with other that were not 
the way he had dealt with me in the private meeting.  Well, after several 
months of sitting in the congregation, honestly attempting to be a 
productive member of the church, I finally just could not go anymore.  We 
found another church, and were comfortable there for a time, but after 
a few months, we began to see that the same requirement which had caused 
so much trouble at the first church were also present at the new church.  
We were expected to agree with the pastoral staff on the most minute 
matters.  In order to avoid the previous heartache, we left that church as 
well.  Currently I am not going to church often (although my fellowship 
and relationship with God and Jesus are doing alright), and when I do, I 
usually bounce around from one church to another.

At this point the reader is probably thinking "Where is he going with this?"

With that background out of the way, one of the point that was brought up 
at that first meeting with my pastor was, "Why do you feel you need to do 
that?  Does it bring you closer to God?"  To which my response was, "Does 
golfing bring you closer to God?"  I am close to being convinced that God 
knows that we will waste time, and that we cannot be exactly right about 
very much.  With that in mind, He set up the Great White Throne Judgement 
to remove all of that wasted time (dross) from us.  Listening to unedifying 
heavy metal (or C&W) music will burn away, reading fantasy books (my vice) 
will burn away and playing golf will burn away.  They are all of the same 
cloth, and God knows that we will "waste" time.  In addition, since He 
knows that we cannot, by nature, be exactly correct about very many of 
the judgements we make, He set up a plan where we would only have to be 
fundamentally, exactly correct about one thing, Jesus.  To a great extent, 
I am becoming convinced, not much else is essential.      

Now, let me see if I can draw all this together, and restate the main points.
God knows (knew) that we will all waste time, not directly serving Him.  
To God, there is probably no difference between listening to rock music, 
playing golf, reading fantasy, or even posting or reading non-christian 
news.groups.

Nuff Said.

Ted

-- 
So the Maples formed a union, and demanded equal rights, "The Oaks are just 
too greedy.  We will make them give us light!"  Now there's no more Oak 
oppression, for they passed a noble law.  And the trees are all kept equal, 
by hatchet, axe and saw.     -  Rush, The Trees