26 Nov 07
Christian rock is an effort to make church 'mainstream;' if church is 'cool'
then people will go. However, the fact that one cannot distinguish the
musical sensibilities between what they hear in the bar on Saturday night
and what they hear in the pew on Sunday morning is lamentable. The
church should be striving to demonstrate that it is a cut above the rest
of society, not picking over the dregs in order to show that it can be
just like it.
Church should have the best of literary traditions, the best of homiletic
traditions, the best of musical traditions. If you can't tell at a glance
whether it's church or karaoke night at the local club, then all church is
a way towards entertaining yourself, not bonding with the Sublime.
That's not to endorse a specific kind of music, mind you. There's bad
classical music, bad Renaissance music, and bad rock music. None of
it has any place in church.
Nemesio
27 Nov 07
Originally posted by NemesioOh please, Christian rock is a natural out come of people who like rock
Christian rock is an effort to make church 'mainstream;' if church is 'cool'
then people will go. However, the fact that one cannot distinguish the
musical sensibilities between what they hear in the bar on Saturday night
and what they hear in the pew on Sunday morning is lamentable. The
church should be striving to demonstrate that it is a cut above ...[text shortened]... naissance music, and bad rock music. None of
it has any place in church.
Nemesio
becoming Christian and keeping the style of music they enjoy in their
praise and worship. It wasn't a plan to make the church mainstream
by anyone, it is just people sticking with what they know and like.
Kelly
27 Nov 07
Originally posted by Nemesio"None of it has any place in church."
Christian rock is an effort to make church 'mainstream;' if church is 'cool'
then people will go. However, the fact that one cannot distinguish the
musical sensibilities between what they hear in the bar on Saturday night
and what they hear in the pew on Sunday morning is lamentable. The
church should be striving to demonstrate that it is a cut above ...[text shortened]... naissance music, and bad rock music. None of
it has any place in church.
Nemesio
I always under the impression that each person would like or dislike
different things according to their taste, you with this statement makes
it sound like you are the final say in what is or is not good music. The
church is the body of Christ, the church is the people within in it, they
say what it is they like and dislike when it comes to personal taste not
you.
Kelly
28 Nov 07
Originally posted by KellyJayThat's exactly right. They keep what they enjoy irrespective of whether it's any good or not.
Oh please, Christian rock is a natural out come of people who like rock
becoming Christian and keeping the style of music they enjoy in their
praise and worship. It wasn't a plan to make the church mainstream
by anyone, it is just people sticking with what they know and like.
Kelly
They turn the worship service into self-entertainment rather that other-adoration.
You are absolutely right.
Nemesio
28 Nov 07
Originally posted by KellyJayWow. You really think there is no such thing as 'bad rock?' You think that there are no objective
I always under the impression that each person would like or dislike
different things according to their taste, you with this statement makes
it sound like you are the final say in what is or is not good music. The
church is the body of Christ, the church is the people within in it, they
say what it is they like and dislike when it comes to personal taste not
you.
Kelly
judgments about music whatsoever?
All I said is bad music (and bad sermons, badly-phrased prayers, bad theology) have no place in
church. There's good rock music, to be sure, and I respect it as much as the next guy. However,
the vast majority of Christian rock -- like most contemporary music -- is crap, just like most
Baroque music is crap, most Classical music is crap, and so on.
If you look at what was being published in 1730 (say), the vast majority is garbage. The reason
you don't hear any of that stuff on the classical music station is precisely because it is garbage,
the passing fads of another era. The stuff that lives on is the best of the best stuff.
If you look in a hymnal from 1875, 7 out of 10 'new' hymns are crap. The other 3 are still
in your hymnal. That's the way it works. The crap floats to the bottom after a period of years
and the cream stays at the top.
Is there stuff that is unrecognized and forgotten that's good? Yes. Is there stuff that really
stinks that survives? Of course. But, by and large, good stuff survives and bad stuff disappears
from view.
As for personal taste, this has no place in deciding music (or sermon topics or liturgy or whatever).
It's because of personal taste that most Christians don't have an ounce of responsibility when
it comes to charity (Christians and non-Christians give the same amounts to outside charities).
It's because of personal taste that most Christians aren't committed to the social projects
in their communities, or continue to support institutions that take advantage of poor folk (such
as clothing stores which have an open record of child labor).
A text should be selected because it's good, not because it makes you feel good, just like
charity should be done because it's good, not because it makes you feel good or earns you
an eternal reward (it doesn't!). Music should be selected because it's the best possible,
not because you like it. Taste has no place whatsoever.
Nemesio