Quote:
Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord
I've read through part of this drama thread, not all. I've seen enough to know it is the typical go-round... and I too wonder what it is exactly that makes the Holy Ghost work in a person's heart through the music, is the music, the song, the person singing it, the atmosphere, the people??? A combination of all of the above...
Yet when someone sings How Great Thou Art or Amazing Grace or Down From His Glory... how can you not worship the Creator, our Lord?
Myself, I am SO SICK AND TIRED of all the Jesus boyfriend love songs, it makes me gag almost to hear them. And those "Jesus on the mainline" kind of songs from an endless Pentecostal song service will get to you after a while too.
I think that we've got to focus our hearts on the Lord himself, who He is, and not just sing about how he makes us "feel".
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To everything there is a season. I love old hymns. For me, they are timeless. But, I know others who fall asleep, become board out of their minds, and even feel out of touch if that's all that is accompanying worship. The "Jesus boyfriend love songs" are nice at times, but too much of it and I'll start wanting to hear How Great Thou Art and Great Is Thy Faithfulness after a while. Many might find it odd, but Amazing Grace has been worn out for me. Once I hear those familiar chords, I think, "Oh boy, here we go again." lol I can handle the "Jesus On the Main Line" stuff from time to time... especially if it is done with some gravely soulish voice.
I see music as a tool. It opens the soul and strikes a tone that brings the emotions to a place wherein listeners are in one accord emotionally. Lyrics help to focus the mind of everyone present on the subject. Being a tool, it can be used for good or for evil. It can be used to entertain, to manipulate, or to aid in worship. It's used in cinema, in advertising, in quacky cults, and religions. Music can effect behavior. Advertisers have learned that certain styles of music, and even certain songs that left the soul to a specific emotional place can boost sales. A local convenience store that was prone to being robbed and having seedy characters hanging out in front started playing classical music outside the front of the building. Interestingly the seedy characters became scarce and the number of robberies and attempted robberies dropped. I read somewhere years ago that a study played heavy metal for a group of mice. Those mice reacted with increased anxiety and violent behavior increased. They played classical music and they became more calm. I heard of a study that stated that if one plays classical music while a woman is pregnant, it will stimulate areas of the brain during development that can lead to fast development of cognitive behaviors.
And so, music itself is a tool. It is neither inherently good or bad. What makes a given style of music good or bad is it's intended purpose. Is it intended to manipulate or to assist? Is it used to manipulate or genuinely inspire? Is it used to manipulate or to truly motivate? For example, we read in
II Chronicles 20:21 the singers and the musicians were sent marching forth out ahead of the army before battle. Try to picture it with me...
2 Chronicles 20:20-22 King James Version (KJV)
20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
I believe that the music must have been such that it not only focused the mind of those present on praising God for His eternal mercies, but it was probably of a style and tempo that made the average Israelite feel 10 feet tall and bulletproof. If that were so, it wouldn't be a bad thing because that was exactly what God desired of them, for He desired to give them the victory over their enemies.
If a worship service has songs that open the soul up to set an emotional expectancy or tone for deliverance, healing, worship, praise, love and adoration, spiritual war, etc. in accordance to God's will... it is used justly. However, if it is used to inspire people to a place of devotion just so the minister can manipulate the people to give more money, it is used unjustly. The music isn't the problem...it is how it is used.
Me personally, I'd rather meet in a small gathering, sing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" a Capella, and worship the Lord more privately and intimately than meet with a large crowd of what feels like a staged production or concert. But that's just me. Some might feel just the opposite and that's okay.
Music and song isn't good nor evil. What makes it good or evil is how it is used.
That's just my
opinion.
Hybrid Mode
