Christian Rock Satanic?

[Guest]

On a long car ride, I found myself listening to Barbershop Quartet-style Christian music. Not sure what the actual name for that sort of music it, but it is really catching and much more interesting to me than most modern Christian music. Also, mewithoutYou has some interesting religious music, but it is not always Christian references so I'm sure some will not like it (off the top of my head I believe the main two brothers were raised by Sufi parents who had converted from Christianity and Judaism respectively, so there's a large swath of references in their religious imagery).

You may be talking about southern gospel, which is the style I like.  That is made up largely by quartets, but it also includes family groups, trios, and even some soloists.  It is not all quartets.  My favorite southern gospel group is a family group called the McKameys.  I also like another family group, the Whisnants.  My overall favorite southern gospel group would be the original Gold City Quartet, back when Brian Free and Ivan Parker were still part of it.  Brian Free has since formed the group Assurance, which is one of my favorites, and Ivan Parker went solo.  I find a lot more spiritual value in southern gospel than contemporary Christian music, but that still doesn't mean I find contemporary Christian sinful, neither do I think it has no value across the board.  I just picked up a CD at a thrift store here in California by Bruce Carroll, one of the few contemporary singers I like.  It is not exactly hard rock, but neither is it southern gospel. 

 

Many of the arguments I have seen against secular artists are the lifestyle they live.  Even in Christian music, you find a lot of compromise and outright sin in the lifestyle of some of the singers.  I remember when I used to work at a southern gospel station back in the 80s, we were sponsoring a gospel sing, and after it was over, someone I know saw members of one of the groups smoking pot.  There have been many instances of adultery among Christian singers.  There are also people that are very devoted to God singing gospel music.  I will make one distinction between gospel music and secular music.  I can sometimes be listening to southern gospel music, and hear a song like "Above And Beyond" by the McKameys, and immediately have all my thoughts turn to God and heaven.  If I am listening to secular music, there aren't that many songs with what I would call positive messages.  In contemporary Christian, the music tends to stand out more than the lyrics, so I sometimes hear a positive message but it doesn't effect me.  It is just entertainment. 

[DeaneRenata]

It's certainly not "devil music." God gave us the ability to play music and sing. Like everything else, the devil has tried to hijack it to edify himself. But he doesn't own any genre of music.

 

I'm surprised that so many churches still sing songs that are 100 or 200 years old and believe that God put his stamp of approval on these exclusively. Even Elvis, the "King of R&R," got old after awhile. I will not go to a church that is going to torture me with that type of music week after week.

 

To me, Christian "rock" music isn't entertainment, but a way for me to praise and worship the Lord. So --- listen to whatever you like if it edifies the Lord. We are not all going to like the same kind of music.

 

Unfortunately, my church teaches that christian rock, is in fact, of the devil...i wonder if being independent baptist will do that to you....they sing hymns from books that are like, over 200 years old -- sometimes the music bores me but heck....

Edited January 10, 2014 by Skillet1

[nebula]

Well, apparently the term "rock n roll" is a 50's ghetto term for sexual relations taking place in the back seat of a car.

I've seen a bunch of sources say that satan was "musical" and that he leads people away from Jesus.

I love the music myself, but I worried about it being watered down/misleading.

 

Hi GTC -

 

I haven't had time to read the rest of this thread, so my apologies if these points have been addressed already.

 

"Rock and Roll" music actually has it's roots in "rythm and blues", along with Country music and even Gospel. I always found it amusing that those who decry rock music never decry Jazz, Blues, or any other form of music style that developed out of the black culture. Yet "rock has roots in African witchcraft." Go figure!

 

In any event, the "rock and roll" tag was attached to the music style, but the music style was not developed from this term.

 

 

As far as Satan being musical, that is actually an interpretation of what is given in Scipture, but not necessarily what Scripture states. If you look at the passages people refer to, and then read them as-is, laying aside what has been interpreted from them, you will see what I mean. So, you can take this intepretation with a grain of salt, as they say.  But one question I had with regards to this - does Satan have the power to create? For if you say that Satan created the music, then you are saying that Satan has the power to create. I am not positive that angels are given that ability?

 

 

I grew up under the "Christian rock is Satanic" theology, but as I was exposed to this music - Petra, Mylon LeFevre & BrokenHeart, DeGarmo & Key, Russ Taff, White Heart, Keith Green (strange that he was included in this category by the decriers), etc.- the messages they gave in their songs really spoke to my heart and my faith. But what convinced me in the end was going to such a concert with a friend and having an encounter with the Lord that I'll never forget through the band's ministry. Experiencing the presence of the Lord is not something that would come out of satanic music.

 

(This was back in the late 80's, so my apologies if you have no idea who these musicians were.)

 

I hope this information helps you. Blessings!

[Guest Butero]

 

It's certainly not "devil music." God gave us the ability to play music and sing. Like everything else, the devil has tried to hijack it to edify himself. But he doesn't own any genre of music.

 

I'm surprised that so many churches still sing songs that are 100 or 200 years old and believe that God put his stamp of approval on these exclusively. Even Elvis, the "King of R&R," got old after awhile. I will not go to a church that is going to torture me with that type of music week after week.

 

To me, Christian "rock" music isn't entertainment, but a way for me to praise and worship the Lord. So --- listen to whatever you like if it edifies the Lord. We are not all going to like the same kind of music.

 

Unfortunately, my church teaches that christian rock, is in fact, of the devil...i wonder if being independent baptist will do that to you....they sing hymns from books that are like, over 200 years old -- sometimes the music bores me but heck....

 

I don't see what the age of the song has to do with anything.  Most hymn books have a large number of songs in them, so I don't see why that would be boring?  What I have noticed is many churches will take about 20 songs from the book of 250 songs, and that can get old.  I personally like using the hymn books. 

[crossFX77]

I have listened to Christian rock my entire life and it has never been a factor in poor choices I have made in life, in the contrary it has always help lift me up.. Especially those who are not afraid to sing the gospel just with more grinding guitars

[Willa]

Humm. It really comes down to personal preference of music styles. I love ancient hymns--the really old ones that often were to music created without rythem, such as, Great is the Lord, the Almighty King of Creation. Or the ancient Irish hymns. The Halleluia Chorus, There are so many, but the ones that exalt God or proclaim the way of salvation are wonderful.

Many of the old spirituals are favorites, too, like I see the Lord a coming. Some contempory Christian is worshipful, like Revelation Song. But the old Rez or Resurection Band hard rock can really preach a sermon about our lack of compassion for the poor and the people ensnared by sin.. I do enjoy Christian hard rock and some of the alternative and metal. Not so much rap because of the monotany. But then I was also around when Elvis and Fats Domino first came on the radio, and liked them much better than the "show tunes" that were popular back then.

But generally I don't like southern gospel. Most sounds too much like country to me and I don't like the old country stuff at all. Barber shop quartets do absolutely nothing for me. Yuk. I also hate minuettes. Mozart is not a favorite either. I love bluegrass and Cajun as long as they don't sing through their noses and are not raunchy lyrics. But that again is entertainment since I have have never heard Christian music in either.

I love Swan Lake, Scherazade, and Die Moldeau, Peter and the Wolf, Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F, and Bugs Bunny in the Barber of Seville. Again, entertainment.

But I would not presume to tell anyone that listening to Southern Gospel is sinful. These things, as said, are a matter of preferance and conscience, and I won't impose my likes and dislikes on others, either. It is all opinion.