question for you all

[ayin jade]

Some folks prefer Christian music over secular music because of its messages. For those of you who prefer it, I have a question/ series of questions.

Is there any difference to you in music versus radio talk shows/ tv shows? Do you feel that just like you should shun secular music you should also shun secular talk shows/ tv shows? Or is music somehow different? How about books? Do you avoid secular books and only read Christian ones?

This isnt meant to be a judgmental debate. Im interested in a discussion on why folks do what they do lol.

[Guest LadyC]

guess i really have nothing useful to contribute... i listen to whatever music i feel like (which never includes rap or metal, by the way... not to judge, that's just my preference.) it's usually worship music, because well, i don't listen to music much to begin with, and when i do, christian music is usually something i'm craving. but i also enjoy country, some pop, some classic rock, and yanni...

i watch what i want on tv or in movies. the one thing i'm consistent about is hating watching stuff that portrays adultery. sometimes it's in the tv shows i watch, and i'll watch anyway because i'm invested in the series, but i don't rent movies that are about adultery, and have turned off movies that contained adultery that i was unaware of.

and reading? well, i have this condition i call IIADD... internet induced attention deficit disorder. if i have to scroll (or turn a page) it's too long for me to bother reading. except for the bible. i'm reading about 16 chapters a day or so of the bible. funny, i used to love to read. i devoured books. technology has ruined a lot of things for me.

[Isaiah 6:8]

guess i really have nothing useful to contribute... i listen to whatever music i feel like (which never includes rap or metal, by the way... not to judge, that's just my preference.) it's usually worship music, because well, i don't listen to music much to begin with, and when i do, christian music is usually something i'm craving. but i also enjoy country, some pop, some classic rock, and yanni...

i watch what i want on tv or in movies. the one thing i'm consistent about is hating watching stuff that portrays adultery. sometimes it's in the tv shows i watch, and i'll watch anyway because i'm invested in the series, but i don't rent movies that are about adultery, and have turned off movies that contained adultery that i was unaware of.

and reading? well, i have this condition i call IIADD... internet induced attention deficit disorder. if i have to scroll (or turn a page) it's too long for me to bother reading. except for the bible. i'm reading about 16 chapters a day or so of the bible. funny, i used to love to read. i devoured books. technology has ruined a lot of things for me.

yeah I still read but not as much!

[Hunterpoet]

My wife and I decided that network TV shows were not worth watching, so when things went digital we didn't. Even before this we had stopped watching most of network TV.

I used to be a big fan of radio talk shows, but in the end it is just all talk, doesn't offer real solutions and does not glorify God.

When I work I listen to the radio mainly for background noise, most of the time I turn on the local christian station, but if I do listen to music, it ends up being the country station. I used to listen to jazz, but they totally changed the format to the what they call modern alternative, not my cup of tea.

I mostly like christian music now, and it's mostly the message, but some have really good music to them. I don't care for the modern stuff, the music sounds to secular. So I lean towards the older music, country and southern gospel, some contemporary.

Overall what I see coming from the secular side of radio and TV is an escalating contempt for God and mankind in general, and a very covert agenda to keep racism, sexism and class bigotry alive and well.

[Guest]

I have not watched network TV regularly for some time, mainly because the Lord opened my eyes to how degrading much of it was. So called "sitcoms" that are anything but funny, and some I find insulting. As I've spent more time with Jesus I've lost my taste for much of what passes for network TV now.

I still listen to some different "secular" music every now and again, but very little. I usually turn on something for background noise when the computer is on and lately its been Moody Praise & Worship. There are a couple of Christian stations where I live, but I'm not that into the modern music. My tastes have changed quite a bit over the years in music too. I've lost the taste for a lot of the secular stuff.

I can't really say that I made any real decision about changing what kind of TV or music is on, but things have worked out that way over time. More of a change of heart working its way from the inside out I think.

Edited October 18, 2010 by walla299

[MorningGlory]

I listen to Christian contemporary, if I listen to anything at all, and don't watch much t.v. except for the History Channel, TBS when they air Bible stories, a few syndicated sit-coms, some TLC and, of course, cable news. I never listen to secular music or watch things like the Sopranos (tried that once and nearly fainted!) or any of the current crop of shows except My Wife and Kids, George Lopez and What Not to Wear. I guess I shun all of the dirty jokes, sleazy lyrics and hateful stuff; it just doesn't appeal to me anymore.

[georgedrw81]

guess i really have nothing useful to contribute... i listen to whatever music i feel like (which never includes rap or metal, by the way... not to judge, that's just my preference.) it's usually worship music, because well, i don't listen to music much to begin with, and when i do, christian music is usually something i'm craving. but i also enjoy country, some pop, some classic rock, and yanni...

i watch what i want on tv or in movies. the one thing i'm consistent about is hating watching stuff that portrays adultery. sometimes it's in the tv shows i watch, and i'll watch anyway because i'm invested in the series, but i don't rent movies that are about adultery, and have turned off movies that contained adultery that i was unaware of.

and reading? well, i have this condition i call IIADD... internet induced attention deficit disorder. if i have to scroll (or turn a page) it's too long for me to bother reading. except for the bible. i'm reading about 16 chapters a day or so of the bible. funny, i used to love to read. i devoured books. technology has ruined a lot of things for me.

yeah I still read but not as much!

Nowdays falling asleep within minutes. Read secular books or what the tv is showing. The wife and I do find them very funny because they go to great lengths to prove God does not exist. Praying for those that believe such nonesense.

Blessings

[nebula]

Some folks prefer Christian music over secular music because of its messages.

For me, it is not just the message, but how it makes me "feel", or rather how it makes my spirit feel.

There are even Christian songs out there that don't feel good in my spirit, either. For instance, there are artists who sing and record worship songs that don't have the "feel" of worship with it, and I don't like listening to their version of the song.

You see, I have a sensitivity to worship (musically), and I have discovered that not everyone has this. But I don't know how to explain to those who don't what is like and how it affects me. I utilize it when I am worship dancing, my body flows with the worship of the song in expressive ways. I'm not sure how to put into words how I can tell this sensitivity is with my spirit rather than my soul, other than it is something that seems to be sensed more in my gut area than in my brain-chemical area.

There are some secular songs I enjoy, though - like "The Land Down Under" because it's a fun song and I have a liking for Australia or some of Weird Al Yankovic's song parodies. I couldn't take a steady diet of such, but I enjoy listening to them when they are being played.

But for the most part, it is more about what the music does to my spirit.

For those of you who prefer it, I have a question/ series of questions.

Is there any difference to you in music versus radio talk shows/ tv shows? Do you feel that just like you should shun secular music you should also shun secular talk shows/ tv shows? Or is music somehow different? How about books? Do you avoid secular books and only read Christian ones?

I've struggled with this for a long time. Breaking away from TV and movies is hard though. Of course, now I'm in a situation where I can't watch these. But I really don't mind, because more and more, even with shows I enjoy, there is just too much filth coming out of them that it's disgusting me. Most of my life I've just spit out the junk for the pleasure of what else the show had to offer (like spitting out seeds from a watermelon). But more and more the filth has just gotten worse. I've been asking myself if the pleasure is worth the junk. And unlike the watermelon seeds, the memories don't leave my memory. So I'm stuck with the junk I've watched.

The whole "in the world, not of the world" principle is a crazy line to follow, and it seems we all have different convictions on where to draw the line - and sometimes we focus more on certain aspects than others. I don't know why music gets the bad wrap above TV. But people who are called to minister more to the unsaved an young Christians might be better off having their feet more immersed in the culture of society than those called to worship ministries and the like.

Hope my rambling makes some sense.

[Joshua-777]

Some folks prefer Christian music over secular music because of its messages. For those of you who prefer it, I have a question/ series of questions.

Is there any difference to you in music versus radio talk shows/ tv shows? Do you feel that just like you should shun secular music you should also shun secular talk shows/ tv shows? Or is music somehow different? How about books? Do you avoid secular books and only read Christian ones?

This isnt meant to be a judgmental debate. Im interested in a discussion on why folks do what they do lol.

For me, Music has always been something deep and personal to me, a form of expression I used to listen to secular music and Christian. I found the more secular music I listen to the more my mind becomes worldly, the more Christian music I listen to, the more my thoughts are on Jesus. So I decided to give up my music, and meditate on the Lord through music. I also try to stay in consistent prayer through out the day and find it is extremely hard to do so when secular music is playing. Now I mainly listen to worship music, instead of the mainstream of christian music. When I listen to music for me it's a form of worship, and I came to a point where I want my forms of expression to be Jesus.

Now with movies, and video games. They where a distraction, I never was much into watching TV, but I was hooked on watching movies, especially horror movies. I also liked shooting games, and rpgs that involved witchcraft and slaughter. I realized that these things drain your spiritual life. for a 2 hour movie, thats 2 hours your mind is off the Lord. I used to use these as a distraction now God kind of showed me that He wants all my time. Granted on occasion I will watch a movie and I will watch christian movies. My main focus in life now is intimacy with the Lord.

And books, The bible has got enough content for me, also I read alot of Christian books. I don't get into fiction books unless I'm reading a kids book with my son.

A few verses the Lord has put on my heart concerning my personal conduct. I guess the question that swayed me away from music/games/movies ect. is how do we seek God whole heartedly? And also the Lord kept giving me Luke 21 to read over and over again until I got it through my head.

I personally believe the things of this world are against us.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Matthew 12:30 "Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather with me are scattering

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

I will dwell in them

And walk among them.

I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“ Come out from among them

And be separate, says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean,

And I will receive you.”

18 “ I will be a Father to you,

And you shall be My sons and daughters,

Says the LORD Almighty.”

2 Peter 1:10-11

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:23-24

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Luke 21:34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

There's many verses that stick out to me, but live by your convictions, and follow His Spirit. In my personal life I have witnessed the Joys of intimacy with Him that by far outweigh any loss in what I have given up for Him. My personal goal I'm striving for is to bring every thought under obedience to Christ, and to be pure of Heart.

I guess the end question, what does it mean to seek God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind?

[Fez]

I mostly watch documentaries, cooking channel, antiques roadshow type of stuff and the news (BBC, CNN, Russia TV and Aljazeera - get a different bent from the last two that western news sometimes ignores).

Mostly worship music, but some other stuff (was downloading 60's stuff last night - Mama's and Pappa's, Crosby Stills, the Who, Jefferson Airplane and a bit of Janis Joplin).

I read what takes my fancy at the time, just finished the Prayer of Jabez and am now reading Galapagos by Vonnegut (evolution fiction and very satirical)...so sue me