From: tk@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Tommy Kelly)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.newage
Subject: Newage Music - Summary
Date: 26 Dec 92 20:59:36 GMT
Reply-To: tk@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Tommy Kelly)
Organization: Laboratory for the Foundations of Computer Science, Edinburgh U

Thanks to all who replied.  The general impression I got from your
replies is that "newage" is a bloody stupid name for this music.

I think I agree.

In response to some of you:

(Bruce Rodean)
>Why the hell worry about what "they" feel?  

They're nice respectable sorta folks.  I respect them, and give them
a hearing the way I give anyone a hearing.

>I would assert that there can be no one definition of what is newage
>music to all people.  To me, it is mostly instrumental, that can either
>be very inspiring or very relaxing.  

This applies to most classical stuff - and I know that my friends
wouldn't have any problems with the latter.

It must be something else - other than being instrumental.


(lllowen)
>'Newage' music dosen't have evils.

Unless "evil" cannot - by definition - be applied to newage music, then
surely that is simply blatant assertion?
It is arguable that some music is harmful to some people - maybe that
is enough to class it as evil? 

>Music does not make a person follow any religion-- that only comes from 
>inside you.]

Some would argue that music can aid (or hinder) the following of a religion.
Music is a powerful (perhaps the greatest) art form, and means of emoting.
Perhaps it is more powerful than some of us give credit.

(Josh Smith)
>What I'm really interested in, though, is why Christian folks mentioned
>Clannad and Enya in their discussion of the evils of "New Age".

A knee-jerk I think.  They had been told that the two artistes were "newage",
and - not liking newage - they criticised them.  I don't think they 
had anything specifically against Clannad or Enya.

>I can see Christians disliking the "New Age"
>religion, but I don't think either of these two fits into the category of
>"New Age" religious music.

Nor do I - but that's 'cos I still don't know what "New Age " music is! :-)

(Alan R Light -- Personal Account)
>I am somewhat angered that anyone would think
>that the music of Clannad and Enya are evil because they are ostensibly
>in the "new-age" category.  

I dislike knee-jerk reactions too, hence my question to this group.

>If they think the music is evil, fine and
>dandy, but that is certainly no reason, and it just shows their ignorance
>that they have not bothered to check out the music to see if it has any
>relation to the New Age religion.  

The trouble is, it seems to be very difficult to pin down exactly what 
the "new age" religion is.

But I, like you, feel that the music should be examined as it is itself,
and not for what it is rumoured to be.

>The New Age religion is a Westernized version of Eastern religion,
>especially Hinduism and Buddhism.

Really?  This sounds very precise to me.
Anyone care to verify this description?

>(some thoughts on technicalities of ethnic musics)

I would really like to hear more on this - I'll start a new thread in a moment.

(Josh again)
>If I said "Hey, you Christian, why do you think Clannad and Enya are evil?" I
>want to know what the queried would say; I don't particular care if it makes
>sense or is rational, as long as it's vaguely comprehensible.

>..."The "New Age religion is bad; new
>age music preaches New Age religion; new age music is bad; Clannad and Enya
>are new age music; Clannad and Enya or bad" chain, though flaky and not at
>all something I agree with, is at least understandable. 

That is a good summary of their views.

>But the original
>poster made it sound as if the Christians in question were citing Clannad
>and Enya as reasons why new age music was bad, not as examples of new age
>music (which had previously been proven to be bad)--in the sense of saying
>"See, these new age musicians Clannad and Enya say bad things, and they're
>new age..."

That was not my intent.  My friends' criticism is of newage - not Enya per se.

thanks a lot,
tommy
Newsgroups: talk.religion.newage,rec.music.newage,rec.music.folk