From: snorthc@nswc.navy.mil (Stephen Northcutt)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: TANGENT Re: Which music amoral??
Date: 28 Aug 92 13:05:54 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

What you mean TANGENT :-) :-) :-)

>>You feel that this is his point
[ keep harrassing us or we will kill you] (or was it just to make $$$?)

>That's the point of the lyrics.  I don't know how Ice T could have
>expressed the point any more bluntly.  As far as other motivations -
>desire to make big bucks, impress his girlfriend, win fame, glory,
>notoriety - I don't know.  Do you? 

NOPE, that is why I used the "?" mark.

> But I'm curious why you would
>single out this particular song as an example of crass money-making.
>Inflammatory political statements don't exactly have a great
>track record of reaching the top of the charts, you know.

I haven't singled out a group, I just don't know any mgeadeth song
titles, and didn't even put the swastika symbol group name in my memory.
So, that song is ONLY singled out cause I haven't been able to avoid
knowing about it.  I try hard to dwell on things that are pure. :-)

>And I fear the day may be coming when special interest groups
>dictate that Christian books, movies, and albums should be removed
>from the shelves because the Christian belief system offends their 
>sensibilities.  I don't know that it *will* happen.  But there's
>certainly precedent for it, isn't there? 

Well, I expect that this will happen.  I hope to be translated prior
to this level of apostasy and intolerance.  Curiously though, it is
groups like Ice T pushing WAY beyond the bounds of prudence and 
acceptability that will cause the freedoms we enjoy to be constricted.

Do you see how that works?  The gov't or what points to some terribly
socially unacceptable position taken by this or that artist and uses
this to justify limiting of freedoms.

Consider the case of fine arts and Jesse Helms.  Some of the artists
using government grants, were creating very offensive art (by any
reasonable definition) and this factoid was used to justify controls
that can be used to limit even slightly offensive art until we reach
a point where this power of censorship applies to anything not politically
acceptable at that moment.

But the role of a christian in this is somewhat complex.  The question
is how to  be the salt of the earth.  I THINK the correct answer is to
try to modify the position of the Ice T supporter.  Whether that be, 
yeah, kill the cops OR I support his right to say that to something more
like you put in your last post.

"Hey, I agree with you.  You saw music that you deemed to be offensive,
and you chose not to buy it.  Good for you"

Then we have to work the other side of the issue as well, comforting
policement who are antagonized by this, trying to moderate those
who say/think "well if they want killing, I'll give em killing"  

My OPINION is that our duty to be salt of the earth and peacemakers
far exceeds our duty to blindly champion freedom.  My understanding of
scripture tells me we (christians) will lose our freedom to worship in
the last days and that we will be persecuted, but when this is our lot
we are to rejoice in this (easier said than done I'll grant ya :-).

>But in the arena of entertainment
>products (books, films, albums) the issue seems considerably
>more straightforward to me:  if you don't like it, don't buy it.
>It's simple, really.  That was precisely the choice you made at
>the record store, and I wholeheartedly support your right to 
>make that choice.  

Thank you :-)  That is half of the issue.  The other half involves
things like supporting their ministries, trying to get these CDs
bought and available before they are taking off the shelves and
only secular politically correct/biblically incorrect stuff is
available.

>Last time it was Auschwitz and Dachau
>and Treblinka.  This time it will be a kinder, gentler fascism. 

NO NO NO, these were practice runs for the real thing.  It will
neither be kinder or gentler.  I read this extreeeeemly boring
book or various tribulation theories, pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation,
post-tribulation..... hey, I have no idea which is right, but if I
get a vote, I'm voting for pre-tribulation!!!!!

Back to my original point, for ME the answer is:
Elevator music is to be amoral (and boring) listen to it or not.
Praise music is moral and uplifting, actively seek it.
Ice T and all of his ilk is immoral and should be avoided if possible
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