Please give me advice :unsure:

[Guest alaskan_chick]

I have SO many friends that listen to secular music, and they think that it has no affect on them, but I know it does, bkuz I used to listen to it and the devil can take control over a person just my music. We need to stop this. How? The question is yours to answer... I need to know how to also.

Please give me any advice you have, thanx <//>< GBU all very much

[Crusader4Christ]

Well Alaskan Chick, I suggest praying would be your number one priority. Prayer is a very powerful tool. God fulfills all of the prayers we ask ( except if

the prayers are for vain materialistic things.) The second thing I suggest is that you consult someone ( like a local church pastor ) for some advice as well.

Finally, you should talk it over with your friends. Maybe you can somehow

convince them otherwise?

I hope this helps AC, and may the Lord bless you.

[Guest Happy]

What kind of music are we talking about?

[Crusader4Christ]

I think he's talking about heavy metal, rap, stuff like that.

[Guest alaskan_chick]

hello, ummm I am talkin about lyric wise. I dont think that rap, rock, and stuff like that is wrong, as long as it is christian. I am talkin bout like where they talk about lust, boys (in an unclean manor) , cussing.... and more. Well thanx SO much for all your help.

[angels4u]

I agree, praying is the key!!

God Bless you, Angels

[nebula]

Well, if they are Christians, you can compare the lyrics to what the Bible says. If they protest, you may remind them of the churches written of in Revelation. There were two churches Jesus spoke against for their practice of compromising. The practice was "the teaching of the Nicolaitans." They were all into sexual immorality and other such sins, believing their freedom in Christ to live as they pleased. This was judged by Jesus.

I know music can be a hard issue with people. They love the music so much that they don't really care about what the song is saying. It takes conviction and a desire to please the Lord and live a life worthy of Him to turn away from it. I have heard of some people who after becoming saved developed a discust for the the music they used to love because of the lyrics. If your friends are Christians and don't care that the lyrics are speaking of things that completely go against Scripture, then you are dealing with a much deeper issue of their hearts. This is what you need to pray for.

Now, if they are not Christians, I would advise not pressuring them. I made this mistake with a non-Christian friend of mine. It only served to drive her away. You need to exercise patience with non-Christians in such areas., hard though it may be. You can tell them the priciple of "Garbage in, garbage out," but after that, any pushing on your part will just irritate them. They do not have the Holy Spirit inside of them as you do. So, you would be more effective to pray for their salvation and then let the Holy Spirit work on their hearts, as far as the music goes, once they have received Jesus.

GBWY (grace be with you)

[RGR]

I do listen to secular music and this is an issue I've been through in my own personal life. If the lyrics go against what the Bible says, the song goes off. However, there are so many clean, decent songs that I don't really think you can throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak. Now, if we're talking a situation in which you can't get away from the bad stuff, give it up! Music is such an integral part of our lives that we hear it on TV in commercials and in so many other spots. The biggest thing that gave me a problem during my period of "gospel only" was this-I would watch the movie "Davy Crockett" and the theme song is played on the movie, which led me to question why I shouldn't listen to a different artist sing the same song with the same lyrics just because it was secular? I'd definetely say go where the Lord leads, but I don't feel God has convicted me on listening to secular music, but you do have valid concerns.

[Guest AwaitingHisSign]

We just talked about this at a conference this weekend!

One of the interesting things that was brought up is about how Hollywood wants us to believe that the media can't have any negative impact, it just "reflects reality".

However, they use that same media to RAISE AWARENESS for AIDS, battered women, etc. and throw a fit everytime a homosexual is portrayed negatively, etc.

So why is it they think there is no negative impact, but it can be used to have positive impact?

You are what you eat. That applies to what we watch and listen to as well. You can't go unaffected.

It's hard enough to live a Christian life in today's society. Why add more complications to it by filling our minds with temptations to sin?