From: mueller@owlnet.rice.edu (Ernest Conrad Mueller)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: *Burning*Albums* (Anti-Secularism)
Keywords: LONG, Grips anyone?
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:40:55 GMT
Organization: Rice University

Dave Learn writes:
 (>> = me)
[stuff about meanings of a song deleted]

>> I believe neither interpretation is "correct,' but whatever we
>> individually get out of the song is what counts.  

>In scholarship, this is called "reader response criticism"; it amounts to
>the individual reader/viewer/listener's arriving at her own interpretation
>of the material without considering the author's intent.  This is generally
>irresponsible and can end up with us supporting the ministry of people we
>do not want to support.  I have heard people talk about Madonna in very

[Madonna examples deleted]

>     DON'T just interpret a song the way you want to.  Find out what the
>artist believes, familiarize yourself with her other works.  I don't know
>the song referred to above, but there are plenty like it in Phil Collins,
>Billy Joel, and countless other musicians' repertoire.  Listen to music,
>use it as a springboard to evangelize, but for God's sake, do it
>RESPONSIBLY.  KNOW what you're listening to.  KNOW what the artist
>intended it for, KNOW what she believes and KNOW how she lives.

If I were studying music, or writing criticism of it, this would be sound
advice.  As it is, I listen to music for 1) enjoyment and 2) edification.
To put the above advice into practice, I would have to study the lives
of every musician/music group that puts out music, as well as all their 
other works and their philosophy.  This seems to me to be a fanatically
paranoid view of the world.  I have read books written by people whom
I disagree with - Plato, Nietzche, Ayn Rand, Thomas Jefferson, Descartes, ...
The list is countably infinite.  A book certainly has more potential to affect
your thinking than music.  However I do not consider myself worse off for
having read them.  Some of them do have good ideas, you know.  In fact,
good enough for Western civilization and the United States to be based on
some of them.  

Enjoyment is not affected by such things as what other songs say, or what
the artist really thinks.  And as for edification, if you only look to the
most sacred of sources, you'll be terribly uninformed.  You couldn't
even read the newspaper anymore, because pagans print it!

I defy anyone to show me why it is wrong to interpret a song however
it appears to me.

>> This topic always brings to my mind several different Scriptural concepts.
>> One is the freedom we have in Christ, and that we are, as Christians, able 
>> to listen to at least wholesome and neutral music without it really
>> affecting us.

>I'm not aware of any neutral music except for instrumental music.  Music 
>itself is neither good nor evil, it is (if you will pardon the horrible
>pun) an instrument of tremendous power used by both God and Satan.

How about a song that just sings about love? (Not sex, but love).  How about
a song about the beauty of nature?  How about songs denouncing
racism?  How about an album about traveling into the future (Weird, I know,
but at this moment I'm listening to ELO's "Time".)
You can look at these either of two ways.  One, they do not explicitly
mention Christ or God or stuff, so they're eeeeeeeeeeeeevil.  Two, they
point out some of God's characteristics in this world, and are therefore
valuable as art and beauty.  Some pagans, to our eternal shame, are more 
sympathetic and loving towards the poor than we are ("Another Day In Paradise",
Phil Collins).  We could learn from them!  

And all this "Music is a weapon in the battle between God and Satan for
our souls" is hogwash.  I hate to break it to you, but you're saved!
So am I!  We don't have to cower in fear anymore!
Here's some sacred music for you! "The Prince of Darkness grim / We tremble
not for him / One little word shall fell him."  (Can you tell I'm Lutheran?)
For Christ has established His Church, and the gates of Hell will not
prevail against it!  The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk or words,
but of POWER!  If you think salvation is for the next world, you need
some serious Bible time!  We are saved NOW!  There is no longer any
reason for cowardice!

We only hurt ourselves by discounting anything not of impeccable origin.  Is
it any wonder that God works through pagans nowadays, when the Church is
in such disrepair?  And do not all things work to the good of those who 
serve Him?    

>     Yes, we do have considerable freedom in Christ and I am not going to
>begrudge a brother or sister that.  But don't forget that the freedom Christ
>gives us also demands responsibility.  In the case of music it is to know
>what we are getting into (don't just assume--study the Word, pray, talk
>to other believers, and ask questions) and to act in accordance with Jesus'
>will.  I myself do not buy music that is produced by musicians who 
>deliver a worldly hope--I don't want to use the money God has given me to
>support their ministry.

"Guilty by Association."

Side note: Jesus paid taxes to Rome, which doubtless used them for both
pagan worship and the later persecution of Christians.

>> Another is that of not causing your weaker brother to stumble.  If someone
>> thinks it is sinful to listen to some kind of music, then it probably is,
>> for them.

>Keep in mind that this refers to the STYLE of music (heavy metal, rap,
>polka, waltz) rather than the CONTENT of the lyrics.

Nope - see above.


Ernest Mueller
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian