From: will@dekalb.dc.peachnet.edu (Beldin Feldegast)
Subject: Re: Galactic Cowboys, Extreme and King's X
Organization: Mallorea
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 04:57:02 GMT


>Subject: Galactic Cowboys, Extreme and King's X

>Davis wrote:

>Over the past few days there have been debates on the validity of listening
>to "real" world (secular) music vs. christian music. Some have said
>there should be quotas or ratios to how much christian music we must
>listen to compared to secular music. Well quotas and ratios are silly,
>that's like saying a little swearing, or using the Lord's Name in vain is
>o.k., or that a little pornography is o.k.. Like someone said on here
>to be truly christian one must immerse themselves in christianity, so
>therefore we should all choose to avoid secular music all together.

  So, with that, do you propose to avoid anything that's not Christian?

Do you drink milk from a Christian cow? ;^)

Do think you can avoid all things secular, and live in a sin-free world?
Well, it ain't gonna happen. Jesus came to heal the sick, not the healthy.
This was hashed out a few months ago, but what IS CCM for? Is it music
for Christians, or is it to bring people closer to Christ? If it's music 
for Christians, then it'll remain a forum for Christians. Most people who
aren't Christians don't even know that CCM exists, or if they do it's
from people like Amy Grant, MWS, Stryper, The Call, Bruce Cockburn,
T-Bone Burnett, and others who are Christians in the Secular Market, or
one of their friends have shown them a CCM tape of their's. Sure,
their lyrics aren't blatantly Christian, but they are "OUT" there making
good music that has a positive message and who says we can't listen/do/
see/hear/ something positive that's not Christian? Or for that matter,
negative?

  Can't we hear things that aren't positive and learn from them? The people
who aren't Christians don't need to hear "You're a sinner", they need our
understanding and compassion. But if we try to sanitize ourselves from 
all things Secular, are we not turning our backs on them? Dunno, maybe
I'm off track here, but with this guy's point of view, if we choose not
to listen to the world, how can we understand and help people, cause we 
won't know what we're dealing with. Don't just blatantly ignore it
because it's worldly or sinful, learn about it so when someone asks us
we can have a rational argument for it and not a "just because" phrase.


>  In that case I propose the banning of the following bands on here (after
>all you'll never hear them on the local christian stations).

  Who are you to judge? And I suppose you've heard more than just 3 or
4 stations?

>Below is a list with some chrages brought against them....note that these
>bands "confess" to not playing "christian music".
 
So I suppose we're on a "Witch Hunt" here? Again who are you to judge their 
intent. I applaud them for doing so. Bands that are in the Secular market
who do such confessing, get blackballed, harassed to see if the have perfect
lives, and usually forgotten after awhile. Stryper is such an example. They
got sick of trying to keep up the perfect image in front of the media all the
time. Then when they changed their image and  let the press know that they
were as imperfect as the next guy, but had someone(Jesus) that would love
them just the way they are, sinful and all, they faded into the Where Are 
They Now File?

>      1) Galactic Cowboys - not once to they mention Jesus or God in their
>			 songs, as a matter of fact, their lyrics have such
>		        "worlfly" topics as cult killings in Mexico; sapce
>			travel; the moon; oil spills; working in a meat
>			packing plant; and high school...

You mean things that apply in day to day life? My gods, what are we
coming to? 

>      2) Extreme - well for one thing the sure do swear alot; the musical
>		style is definately self indulgent (guitar-wise); definately
>		rebellious lyrics (which was concluded on here as being bad);
>		lyrics about sex; being president; dancing; sex; politics; sex;
>			etc...
 
  I don't think self-indulgency is a fault that can only be applied to
Secular bands. But what's wrong with self-indulgent music anyway? I suppose
this newsgroup has THE final authority on all matters.  

>     3) King's X - their crimes include a public self-profeesion of not
>                   playing "christian music"; and lyrics speaking out
>		   against various groups of christians; lyrics containing
>		  such topics as being in another country; lawsuits; astronomy;
>		  lunatics; not to mention their videos conataining topics like
> 		   dreams, oil spills, beaches, schools, a city, 

   At this point, either he's being very sarcastic, or needs serious help.
I mean, if he's coming from the point of view that music can't deal with
everyday problems, then sheesh, I don't want to listen to music that ONLY
glorifies God. I like that type of music, but it's not all I like to 
listen to. I need to hear that people have problems that I can identify 
with. We're not living in a perfect world, so why try to "avoid" reality?


 
>I reply:
>=============================================================================
>I hope you are being satirical here, David.  It occurs to me that you're just
>trying to make a point, but in case you aren't:
>
>Why should we listen to music at all?  Obviously it has been perverted by
>the Devil (tm) and is not worth much of anything.
 
Uh, where'd you get that one from? Oh, I get it! You're joking! ;^)

>When I hear crap like this (Oh, don't listen to so and so) I have to laugh.
>GC plays some of the best CHRISTIAN music around.  Same with King's X.
>In fact, they're my two favourite Christian bands.  Why? Because they are
>not RELIGIOUS.  There's a big difference, which many ignore or are ignorant
>of, between Christianity and religion.

Bravo!! Encore!!

>One is the best life philosophy going and the other is simply people trying
>to force you to conform to THEIR standards of behaviour.  Granted, the
>Bible gives us many directives.  A ban on murder, a ban on other belief
>systems.  But no real specifics.  It doesn't say in the Bible, thou shalt
>be Catholic or you'll burn.  It doesn't say, thou shouldst be Protestant.
>Simply, it says Whoever believes in me shall be saved.
 
Hey, I like this guy!

>Anyway, the point I'm TRYING to make is that these bands have tried to portray
>something beyond the basic image of Christianity. They're not saying "Sex, sex,
>sex, sex..."  In spite of what you say about Extreme, they have some very 
>powerful music.  And King's X has some of the most Christian music I've ever
>heard ("Summerland", "Over My Head", "Faith Hope Love", "Everywhere I Go"...
>should I keep listing them?  I think just about every song they've done makes
>some kind of reference to God, except maybe "Goldilox" ;) anywhere.
 
I agree again!

>Should we only listen then to praise music?  Should we ignore music that is
>good and go only for that which is shallow and vain but still "Christian"
>lyrically?  If I had to go through life only listening to Sandi Patty and
>Steve Greene, I'd shoot myself.  I despise their shallow, empty music.
>Oh, sure they have talent.  But that vocal talent doesn't speak to me
>as a Christian.  It only makes me say "Damn, I wish they'd SHUT UP!". 8^)
 
Again I agree, and was my point earlier. Though, there are some CCM bands
who I'll always listen to because they speak to me.

>Ok, end of diatribe.  You probably realise all this and were just trying to
>make a point.  But there were no indicators of this anywhere in the post,
>so I had to make sure.  Funny thing, how you picked three of my favourite
>bands...8^)

>Bruce
>==============================================================================
>he wrote:
>I guess I've been wrong the whole time, and probably because as many believe,
>I'm not "Christian" I'm Catholic. So lets go all the way and make this board
>purely "Christian" music.

You're Catholic? So by making it all Christian and not Catholic, do you propose
to leave this newsgroup? Now THAT's an idea!

>==============================================================================
>I do write:
>		Aaaaargh!  A Catholic!!!!!!  Run away! 8^)
>Actually, my girlfriend is Catholic.  It caused some problems at first, but
>now that she's got used to the pentagrams and unside-down crucifices, things
>are going better....8^)  Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding. 8^)
 
You know, Bruce, I really like what you have to say. Although between the
both of us, we're probably going to get black-balled ourselves! ;^)

Beldin

 
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| Beldin Feldegast          Wouldn't it, couldn't it, shouldn't it be nice     |
| Georgia Tech              to be in love? Wouldn't it, couldn't it, shouldn't |
| gt9730a@prism.gatech.edu  it be nice to be above, all of the pain, and frust-|
| If I cared, I'd be        ration of being alone. Nobody, nobody, nobody likes|
| apathetic!!               to be chilled to the bone. - 77's                  |
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| Beldin Feldegast            What do you mean? Do you wish me a good  |
| Georgia Tech                morning, or mean that it is a good morn- |
| gt9730a@prism.gatech.edu    ing whether I like it or not: or that you|
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian