This Monday, I promised a post on music and legalism. This is it.
I listen to quite an eclectic variety of music. This caused offense to a certain legalist I know, and so, since I’m better in writing than in person, and since I can write without being rudely interrupted, you are now the recipients of this post.
My favorite music, which I’m convinced is nearest thing on earth to what will be played in heaven, is from the late baroque period. Handel and Bach will no doubt head up celestial music department. If you disagree, well, you’re entitled to your opinion, but you’re going to feel awfully silly when (or should I say if?) you get there and learn the truth. But that’s only a narrow slice of my listening range. A quick glance at my mp3 library yields the following names:
That’s just a partial listing of the classical and pop sections, without going into the religious end.
You’ll notice I don’t say Christian music, but religious (or sacred). That is because I object to the separation of the sacred and secular. All things are under the lordship of Jesus Christ, and no exceptions; but only redeemed souls are Christian. Things and activities are not Christian. Under the umbrella of the lordship of Christ exist both the secular and religious. Both exist for the glory of God.
Here is where the legalist said, “There is no way secular music glorifies God,” to which I am inclined to answer that everything and everyone glorifies God, but not necessarily in a positive way. But I know what he means. He is thinking that only specifically religious expressions can glorify God in a positive way. For the person who is determined that this is true, it’s nearly impossible to convince them otherwise; so I’m not going to try. I’m just going to proceed as though, as any reasonable person knows, it is not. After all, if we are going to forbid secular music, are we also going to forbid all other forms of secular media? What about movies? I don’t know how many times I could stand watching Fireproof! Should our wall hangings be limited to Thomas Kinkade and the like? God help us! But that is where this thinking leads us.
What I am going to do is answer this question: Are there any limitations on what we should listen to? Yes, absolutely, and before I’m finished, you might think I’m a legalist; but I think I can avoid that charge.
My legalist friend was annoyed at my secular listening habits, but what really caused his apoplexy was my “double standard”: I hold religious music to a different standard than secular music. I hold this double standard for both lyrics and music. What follows will be an attempt to explain my basis for judging these things. It is not my intention to lay out any rules, but only to offer for your consideration my attempts at being a discerning listener. I am going to deal first with lyrical content, and then with musical composition.
On Monday . . .
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7 Comments:
#1 || 09·04·03··12:38 || Daniel
Where, sir, is your Stevie Ray Vaughan? No music collection is complete without SRV - who I am told became a believer before he left this world.
#2 || 09·04·03··13:03 || Kim in On
You like Gordon Lightfoot? Cool. I saw him quite a few times in the 90s before he got ill.
Gotta love "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," and "Canadian Railroad Trilogy."
#3 || 09·04·03··14:12 || David
Kim,
No, I don’t really like Gordon Lightfoot. I’m just pandering to my Canadian readers. But seriously — I play “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” repeatedly every November 9th.
Daniel,
Jimmie Vaughan, Stevie Ray’s brother, was the original lead guitar for The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Is that close enough?
#4 || 09·04·03··15:55 || Kim in On
"Four Chord Gord" as my brother loves to call him can be an acquired taste.
I remember being in 5th grade and learning all about the E. Fitzgerald in music class. Mr. Brown, my teacher, was a huge fan.
#5 || 09·04·03··18:58 || Andrew
Is something missing here? Sorry this seems to be an incomplete post.
#6 || 09·04·03··19:52 || David
Is something missing here?
Indeed, there is. Please note the final ellipsis.
#7 || 09·04·03··21:07 || Andrew
The ellipsis is a dead link.
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