Is rock music just fun?

[OneLight]

Romans 12:1-2 tell us

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Be not conformed to this world - a strong request I'd say.  Yet, in the past decade or so that church has been doing just that.  They use what people in the world like to attract them into church.  Just in worship alone we now can find fog machines, light shows, big screen monitors, rock music, rap music, and the list goes on.  Does this go against what Paul wrote?  Personally, I say yes it does, but the argument that people make is that God can and will use anything He desires to bring people to Him.  It's as if they are telling me that God will allow His body to go against scripture if it draws people in.  I highly doubt that the Holy Spirit needs rock music to convict anyone of sin, though it may be the sin found in rock music that He is confronting them with.  Yet, the argument of rock and roll style music being used in church worship services is a topic that continues to be discussed with no true answer as scripture does not speak of using drums or electronic equipment.  Though drums had been around for centuries, electronics have not.  Then again, neither are cars, telephones, airplanes, etc.

As far as secular rock and roll music, I have left most of this behind me as their message does not coincide with scripture.  The question I ask myself is, who am I trying to be, a well rounded person in this world or Christ like?  For me, and I speak only of myself here, I was a heavy drug user who used music to enhance the affects of the drugs I took, so when a certain song I use to listen to a lot comes on in the background I am brought back in my memory to the days when I cherished that song, as if I was reliving my drug use days over again.  For me, rock and roll has to be left behind, just like certain movies I once enjoyed.  For me, these changes are all part of maturing in Him.

[Dennis1209]

1 hour ago, OneLight said:

Romans 12:1-2 tell us

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Be not conformed to this world - a strong request I'd say.  Yet, in the past decade or so that church has been doing just that.  They use what people in the world like to attract them into church.  Just in worship alone we now can find fog machines, light shows, big screen monitors, rock music, rap music, and the list goes on.  Does this go against what Paul wrote?  Personally, I say yes it does, but the argument that people make is that God can and will use anything He desires to bring people to Him.  It's as if they are telling me that God will allow His body to go against scripture if it draws people in.  I highly doubt that the Holy Spirit needs rock music to convict anyone of sin, though it may be the sin found in rock music that He is confronting them with.  Yet, the argument of rock and roll style music being used in church worship services is a topic that continues to be discussed with no true answer as scripture does not speak of using drums or electronic equipment.  Though drums had been around for centuries, electronics have not.  Then again, neither are cars, telephones, airplanes, etc.

As far as secular rock and roll music, I have left most of this behind me as their message does not coincide with scripture.  The question I ask myself is, who am I trying to be, a well rounded person in this world or Christ like?  For me, and I speak only of myself here, I was a heavy drug user who used music to enhance the affects of the drugs I took, so when a certain song I use to listen to a lot comes on in the background I am brought back in my memory to the days when I cherished that song, as if I was reliving my drug use days over again.  For me, rock and roll has to be left behind, just like certain movies I once enjoyed.  For me, these changes are all part of maturing in Him.

Well said OneLight!

Music is a very powerful tool that can and does reach the soul. Certain hymn's touch me deeply and emotionally. The dark side works much the same, and no doubt Satan uses music as a tool for his kingdom also.

Just on occasion when I'm working on a project in the garage it gets boring and lonely, so I'll turn on a radio station I can get reception on; some times country, talk radio or oldies. Most oldies takes me back and I remember what I was doing then, the events, where I was, the good-bad-and ugly memories.  

Being a traditionalist and old foggie, I've never been into hard rock and the like. I'm not saying all rock and roll is bad, but it certainly influences the mind and soul of an individual. Like you mentioned; it seems many churches are using entertainment to fill the pews and church coffers [adapting to the times if you will]. I would hope there's a Gospel message tucked in there somewhere? Again, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a church using guitars, drums and loud music; but I'm personally just not comfortable with it. To me, the songs, music and instruments in the Bible may be our examples of worship music. Music and singing are an intricate part of our worship to our Lord. Above all, Christian worship music has to be reverent; giving the Lord all honor, worship, praise, thanks and glory. 

[existential mabel]

some of these rock bands - heavy metal for one are imo  tend to focus on the darkside and some of them have auto suggestion or some such thing (not sure what it is called exactly)  in their music.

[other one]

To me Rock prior to 1980 is just fun listening....   and mostly for the music itself not the lyrics.

[lftc]

Prompted by this conversation, I did a brief search on christians that make aggressive music.  Found this - a recent rock(ish) album that is intended to represent the John Bunyan book "Pilgrim's Progress".  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Similitude_of_a_Dream

[OneLight]

31 minutes ago, lftc said:

Prompted by this conversation, I did a brief search on christians that make aggressive music.  Found this - a recent rock(ish) album that is intended to represent the John Bunyan book "Pilgrim's Progress".  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Similitude_of_a_Dream

Their music is not for me. 

[BeauJangles]

2 hours ago, existential mabel said:

some of these rock bands - heavy metal for one are imo  tend to focus on the darkside and some of them have auto suggestion or some such thing (not sure what it is called exactly)  in their music.

Ah! Yes, it's called subliminal messaging. Some young man back in the 1970's with a reel-to-reel tape recorder, began duplicating numerous popular album oriented FM radio top hit songs of the day, and accidentally discovered backward-masking. It was a hypothesis of his that groups were sending secret and often satanic messages through their lyrics.

By playing back the songs backwards, certain lines to these songs were touted as satanic suggestions. I listened to quite a few of them, as this young man appeared on all the big television variety and talk shows. Some of them did sound very close to what was alleged, and some not so much. In the end, most came to the conclusion that it was merely coincidental.  

[OneLight]

4 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

Ah! Yes, it's called subliminal messaging. Some young man back in the 1970's with a reel-to-reel tape recorder, began duplicating numerous popular album oriented FM radio top hit songs of the day, and accidentally discovered backward-masking. It was a hypothesis of his that groups were sending secret and often satanic messages through their lyrics.

By playing back the songs backwards, certain lines to these songs were touted as satanic suggestions. I listened to quite a few of them, as this young man appeared on all the big television variety and talk shows. Some of them did sound very close to what was alleged, and some not so much. In the end, most came to the conclusion that it was merely coincidental.  

And Satan smiled!

Edited October 23, 2019 by OneLight

[BeauJangles]

2 hours ago, other one said:

To me Rock prior to 1980 is just fun listening....   and mostly for the music itself not the lyrics.

Heavy metal ushered in a group from the UK known as, Black Sabbath in 1971. The lyrics were unquestionably satanic, though later on in the height of their popularity, lead singer Ozzy Osbourne claimed it was only a ruse to get them into popular mainstream FM radio and fame. He did play up the character of the alleged Prince of Darkness though.  

[BeauJangles]

5 minutes ago, OneLight said:

And Satan smiled!

Yes, he most certainly did.