Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World"I've watched Christians dramatically encounter God and then gradually revert to sinful patterns because they failed to change their music listening habits. Sadly and predictably, they were seduced by the world's empty promises communicated through the music they listened to."
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Morning Reading
An interesting quote from, "Worldliness", Edited by CJ Mahaney
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Susan, Have you read the book? And what did you think of it?
Hard work is involved for us in Jesus in not being conformed to this world, but instead in being transformed by the renewing of our minds. And taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. And it's hardly instantaneous, but involves a process and is over time. And again, it isn't easy, but can seem odd and hard. But it's the only way.
I do believe a steady diet of music with bad lyrics should read with it for us Christians: this may be hazardous to your spiritual health, and I think in time it is. We need to listen with discernment for sure.
Amost done reading it, Ted. And yes, sanctification is a process that will not end until we are with and like Jesus.
All things need to be approached with discernement, though. Some things are bad for all (let there be not even and appearance of evil), other things - different for different people.
NOTE: the comment below has been edited by removing a descriptor of the pastor. As stated before, name-calling, rude or otherwise offensive language will not be tolerated in comments. However, I would like to address the point that the commenter makes - so please see below.
"I think this is totally ridiculous. If a politician suggested that, there would be an outcry about curtailment of liberty and freedom of expression. But because some pastor says it, it is supposed to be meaningful. Land of the free? I think not! Land of the indoctrinated, more like!"
To the commenter, please consider this scenerio:
While in a restaurant, you detect a horrid, putrid smell coming from the kitchen. Do you continue on an order? I think not. If your nose is stuffed, you would welcome the caution of your companion as well. That seems to me to be proper use of common sense, not "indoctrinated" or a loss of liberty.
In much the same way, the author is espousing discernment in the music we feed on. Sometimes we can hear "putrid" and reject it quickly. However, sometimes our ears are clogged, and in those times, it helps to have a more discerning friend.
Halfmom, I'm not sure that I agree with your analogy, on a couple of counts. Firstly what may be considered "putrid" to you or me may seem the most appetising thing in the world to those in poverty and the starving parts of the world that appear to have been forsaken by your own invisible friend in the sky. Moreover we are free to decide and make the choice for ourselves without exhortation forn the state or church.
More pertinently, music and other art forms are a defining characteristic of human culture. Freedom of expression in art should be inviolable by either church or state. It is society that decides of art is good or bad. The good endures and becomes classic and the bad descends into obscurity.
The church has shrieked out against many forms of art which are now classical components of our cultural heritage. If it had had it's way, we would not now be able to enjoy performances of Stravinky's The Rite fo Spring or Debussy's Afternoon of a faun .
1) We're still responsible for what we feed on, Maalie, whether food or music. You can feed on porn if you want to, but that doesn't make it right or healthy. Do you think the US is doing something wrong by having laws against it? I don't recall which of our Supreme Court judges said it, but his thought was, "it's hard to define pornography, but I know it when I see it."
2) I don't call your friends names or speak disrespectfully of them, so I don't expect you to speak disrespectfully of mine. If doesn't matter a whit whether you believe He exists or not, you will not be allowed to be disrespectful. Another of those comments and I just will refuse to publish any of it - period - no more warnings and no more clarifications. You're bright enough to know what is offensive.
>You can feed on porn if you want to, but that doesn't make it right or healthy.
As I said it is society that decides on what is or is not acceptable through the democratic process.
You have shifted the topic away from "music" to pornography. There have been a number of tyrannical states (Russia notably) that have attempted to stifle artistic expression but it has never worked.
My original point was a very simple one: it is not up to religion to say what is good or bad art (music in this case). Not only is it wrong, it is also futile.
Actually, no, I didn't steer the conversation away from music at all as I had music in mind. Perhaps I didn't make the connection very well for you.
I has in mind what is referred to in the States as, "gangsta rap". The lyrics are indeed pornographic (and a host of other horrible descriptors). I was thinking of the Supreme Court Judge's quote that I may not be able to define it but I certainly knew it when I heard it.
Sometimes "religion" as you call it, is the very entity that puts forth a clarion call to society to take a look at what it is allowing its children to feed upon.
Post a Comment