From: wpr@atlanta.dg.com (Bill Rawlins)
Subject: Re: Is music amoral??
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 17:03:26 GMT
Organization: Data General Corp. ASSD, Atlanta, GA

In article <1992Aug21.204302.7212@eecs.nwu.edu>, phil@eecs.nwu.edu (William LeFebvre) writes:
|> In article <1992Aug20.170543.2441@rambo.atlanta.dg.com>, wpr@atlanta.dg.com (Bill Rawlins) writes:
|> 
|> |> An example I gave of "fleshly" is the urge you get to mash down the accelerator
|> |> in your car when the heavy metal music comes on.
|> 
|> Perhaps YOU have that urge, but I don't.  I usually have the urge to
|> change the music.  But that's because my *personal preference* tends
|> away from most music characterised as "heavy metal".
|> 
|> |>    Spiritual music fills you
|> |>    with the love of God, or peace, or praise.  The bottom line is that this
|> |>    discernment is something that each believer must do - It is a spiritual
|> |>    discernment that can't be defined with rules.  That is why there
|> |>    will always be discussions of what is appropriate music for Christians.
|> |>    - Because we can't define it.  We follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
|> 
|> I must say this at this point.  After much study, prayer, and thought I 
|> have come to the conclusion that there are a large body of things and
|> activities which are not in and of themselves sinful, but will lead SOME
|> people to sin should they engage in them.  For these people, it is wrong
|> to engage in these activities, because they will be led into sin.  Someone
|> who relates hard rock music to the days of his indulgence in sex and drugs
|> should probably not listen to that STYLE of music, because of the worldly
|> memories and habits that it stirs up in them.  So for THAT PERSON, it is
|> wrong to listen to that type of music.  But for others it is not
|> necessarily so.
|> 
|> (Obviously there are still things that are right and things that are wrong,
|> and those are universal.  But there are also, I believe, things that are
|> neither.)
|> 
|> THIS is why we have the holy spirit and why we are directed to use the
|> spirit to discern right from wrong.  Because the answer the spirit gives
|> one of us might not be the same answer he gives someone else.  So for
|> you, Bill Rawlins, the spirit is directing you away from certain types
|> of music because it stirs up unhealty reactions in you.  But for ME,
|> Bill LeFebvre, the same music does not have the same effect.
|> 
|> We are individual beings, and we react differently to the same stimuli.
|> One of the amazing and beautiful things about Christianity is that it
|> IS personal in that regard.  It's not just a set of rights and wrongs,
|> but also a mechanism to help us stay in the right...a mechanism that
|> adapts to the individual in all of us.
|> 
|> I realize that some may not agree with my interpretation of the Christian
|> faith.  I hope that this somewhat liberal view does not hinder anyone in
|> their walk with God.
|> 
|> |>     (Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:16)
|> 
|> 		Peace,
|> 		Bill [LeFebvre]

   Probably the first reasonable response to my post.
   God has empowered Christians with spiritual discernment.
   I acknowledge that God works with different people different ways.
   We all have to answer to God as individuals.  If God is leading an
   individual to give something up, then that person must do it.  I felt
   strongly lead to give up heavy metal because it brought out my "flesh"
   (as I explained previously) - And I mean even "Christian" heavy metal in
   my case.  The point I was making was that we have the ability to be led
   by God - and then to obey or disobey.  I was surprised by the sarcastic
   responses received on a Christian newsgroup.  I guess that's what happens
   when someone gets hit "right between the eyes".  We all have to be honest
   with ourselves.

-- 
             ==========================================================
            //  Bill Rawlins            <wpr@atlanta.dg.com>        //
           //  Data General Corp       "My views are my own"       //
          //  Norcross, GA                                        //
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Newsgroups: rec.music.christian