Do you listen to secular music?

[Premierepearl08]

I teach at a Christian school and for chapel service one day, the principal showed a DVD by a pastor/minister about secular music. Honestly, let me say that I have always struggled with music; there isn't a lot of gospel music I like. Sometimes it seems that there is no originality in gospel, with the exception of a couple of artists. 98% of the time, I am listening to gospel from artists like Lisa McClendon and Kirk Franklin, but every now and again I become bored and flip to a secular music station. Most of the time my spirit is grieved so I end up turning the station.HOWEVER, after seeing this DVD (and, of course, taking somethings with a grain of salt) I have decided to change what I listen to. Check out this website: www.EXMinistries.com and go to the link "the watch" (in frames) and click enter (not in frames). Let me know what you think.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

I just order this DVD last week! They havent confirmed my order A pastor I know told me to get it, this would change my thinking of music. I hope that i will still like snoop and bone thugs. The pastor keeps talking about them because of this DVD.

 

[CandiceC]

I listen to secular music, but not any with a negative message or implies a negative message.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

I listen to secular music, but not any with a negative message or implies a negative message.

Well according to the pastor i met, he says evil is in the beats and language used.

 

[Strive4longhair]

Well according to the pastor i met, he says evil is in the beats and language used.

I would somewhat agree with evil bing placed in the language used but I guess I am confused as to how evil is in the beats when very regularly a secular song has been changed into a gospel song. A song is not created by the beats it is created by the words that you add to the beats.

 

[CandiceC]

I would somewhat agree with evil bing placed in the language used but I guess I am confused as to how evil is in the beats when very regularly a secular song has been changed into a gospel song. A song is not created by the beats it is created by the words that you add to the beats.

That's what I'm thinking. I hum and make up my own music in my mind sometimes and I'm not being secular when I do that. If someone were to track what I'm humming they could add whatever words they want. I think it gets worldy based on the words and the message. Not the music alone.

 

[newme2003]

Well according to the pastor i met, he says evil is in the beats and language used.

If this is the case and the evil comes from the beat then we would also have to evaluate a lot of the gospel music that is coming out these days because there isn't really a difference. and yes I listen to R&B.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

If this is the case and the evil comes from the beat then we would also have to evaluate a lot of the gospel music that is coming out these days because there isn't really a difference. and yes I listen to R&B.

Agreed. Sometimes I turn on the gospel station and check the dial.

 

[Country gal]

I started listening to christian radio weekdays. It really has changed my otulook on things. I have to thank Pebbles for that. Like she says Beyonce and others don't always have the answer we need in fact they make us yearn for the wrong things. I love the station I listen to because it has such great songs. Yesterday I was singing all day long "no way I can make it without you".

 

[CandiceC]

I started listening to christian radio weekdays. It really has changed my otulook on things. I have to thank Pebbles for that. Like she says Beyonce and others don't always have the answer we need in fact they make us yearn for the wrong things. I love the station I listen to because it has such great songs. Yesterday I was singing all day long "no way I can make it without you".

Christian radio stations are the best. Very uplifting. Sometimes they play out certain songs though. But uplifting nonetheless.
I rarely listen to secular radio stations cause they throw on whatever folks request. When it comes to secular music I'm selective of exactly what songs I'm listening to.

 

[Country gal]

Christian radio stations are the best. Very uplifting. Sometimes they play out certain songs though. But uplifting nonetheless.
I rarely listen to secular radio stations cause they throw on whatever folks request. When it comes to secular music I'm selective of exactly what songs I'm listening to.

I use to listen to christian music on Sundays. I always felt so good and strong. Now I start the mornings off listening to it. I also listen christian finance guru Dave Ramsey.

 

[CandiceC]

I use to listen to christian music on Sundays. I always felt so good and strong. Now I start the mornings off listening to it. I also listen christian finance guru Dave Ramsey.

There's a Christan finance guru here too by the name of Ellis Liddell. I love his show.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I use to listen to christian music on Sundays. I always felt so good and strong. Now I start the mornings off listening to it. I also listen christian finance guru Dave Ramsey.

I LOOOOOOOOVE Dave Ramsey!!! I've been to so many of his seminars and this guy is amazing! He's so nice too; he autographed a FP book for me. My dad is a Financial Peace seminar so he got me into the books & tapes when I was 14 and 15. DR is good listening!

I've been trying to ween (sp?) myself off of secular stuff altogether. Truthfully, I've gotten to a point where I almost never listen to rap or anything with sexual and/or misogynistic messages. I made it a point to stop watching music videos about 2 years ago, that has definitely been a good decision. While I don't think all secular music is bad, I do think it takes a very discerning ear to be able to seperate appropriate messages from inappropriate ones b/c there are often grey areas.

I'm going to the music store this weekend with my crush and I had plans of getting the new Kirk & the new CeCe. He's a gospel musician so he can help me choose things that will suit my taste. I'm VERY excited.

 

[Premierepearl08]

One thing that I told my students is to pray and ask God what they should be listening to. I challenge us to do the same. I can always tell you that listening to _________ is okay, but who am I to say that is what God is pleased with. I am really learning this now!

As far as evil being in the beats...mhhm, I don't know about that one. I can't say that I agree with that because gospel music, imho, is classified only by the words. If it shares the Good News, it's gospel. Now whether "gospel" songs were written/performed by anointed people is a totally different thing! There are some songs with a "gospel" beat that seem to hold no anointing, and songs by some of the "looser" gospel artists that had a serious anointing on it. Having said that, I REALLY dislike when gospel artists re-do secular songs. God is the creator of everything; why do we have to "steal" tunes from secular artists.

So who else checked out the website? I want to know what you think about it? One of my students was listening to a bit of one of his DVDs, but I don't know where on the site she visited to get her there. Take a look around and read.

 

[phynestone]

Yes, I listen to secular music and I don't think for one second that all of it is bad. I also don't believe evil is in the music; only in the lyrics of the song. I really can't listen to the "popular" stations that much anymore b/c it is mostly filth and I can't take it like I used to.

 

[sithembile]

I have some from before I became born again, it doesn't have any bad language or sexually explicit; but I just don't listen to it anymore. It just doesn't entertain me or give me joy, I have just grown to love to listen and to sing only what glorifies God. We need to ask God for guidance on such matters, although as Christians, it would be a contradiction to listen to and enjoy anything that was directly offensive to God. The Bible says that friends of the world are enemies of God, so if I love what God hates, there is a problem.

 

[SoniT]

If this is the case and the evil comes from the beat then we would also have to evaluate a lot of the gospel music that is coming out these days because there isn't really a difference. and yes I listen to R&B.

Exactly! A lot of gospel music has the same beats as secular music (ie, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, etc.). I listen to secular music but I prefer old school secular music. I really don't like much of today's music.

 

[Browndilocks]

Growing up in my grandmother's house there was always a simple logic:

If it was not of God, Then it was of the Devil. Simple.

~of God <-> the devil

We were not allowed to listen to secular music at all, of any kind. I do listen to secular music right now though but when I'm going through a tough time or when I just need to clear my head, I cannot listen to it.

 

[CandiceC]

Exactly! A lot of gospel music has the same beats as secular music (ie, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, etc.). I listen to secular music but I prefer old school secular music. I really don't like much of today's music.

Same for me.

 

[firecracker]

I stopped listen to certain types of secular music recently. I listen to jazz, good r & b, oldies and talk radio in the car because we don't have a gospel radio station in Los Angeles. I am sickened by most of todays music anyways .

 

[Chrissy811]

I stopped listen to certain types of secular music recently. I listen to jazz, good r & b, oldies and talk radio in the car because we don't have a gospel radio station in Los Angeles. I am sickened by most of todays music anyways .

Thats me jazz, good r&b and old school and classical thats all I listen to as far as secular is concerned.

 

[locabouthair]

yes i do. i listen to rnb more than i listen to hip hop. i listen to a lot of oldies and today's rnb. i think that it is the message that is in the song that matters. sometimes i don't like lyrics but i like the beat. i do love gospel also.

 

[Honeyhips]

If this is the case and the evil comes from the beat then we would also have to evaluate a lot of the gospel music that is coming out these days because there isn't really a difference. and yes I listen to R&B.

true. he even said this in the dvd's. It bus me when gospel artist borrow beats from secular artist. I think gospel, CCM, praise, worship, should sound totally different than the world. Plus, I keep thinking about the original song, so don't get mad at me if I start jukin' to Lookin' for you? I did run and dig up my old Patrice Rushen Cd's.


I think it depends on the person and where you are spiritually. If you are just saved maybe you do need to cut out all forms of entertainment for a season. Or even if you are a seasoned saint you might have to go through a period whereyou don't listen to it. Or you might have to cut it all together. It depends on the hold it has on you. I absolutely love music and know I need to be careful. But what we listen to, watch, and see can shape our desires. So it would apply to television and movies as well.

I think these rap videos can be harmful. My Dad owns property in some of the poorer black neighborhoods in his city and he says you can see the affects these videos are having on people. He said it is like people are just living a fantasy through the videos. They try to emulate it, but then they don't have jobs. And he is talking about grown folks, people in their 20's and etc.... He says it can be so depressing. But that can be said of anything. I remember when SATC was really popular, I would describe a certain type of woman on the North Side/N. shore (now uptown ) of Chicago as the SATC girl... You could tell the ones who tried to emulate that lifestyle.

The DVD's were pretty informative. Nothing I hadn't heard before though, but it was regarding rock music and not "our" music.

 

[Country gal]

Since upping my Christian music listening time, I feel so much more at peace. Some secular music will have your spirit fantasing or feeling depress because you don't have what the songs are talking about. My mind is so much more clearer.

 

[newme2003]

true. he even said this in the dvd's. It bus me when gospel artist borrow beats from secular artist. I think gospel, CCM, praise, worship, should sound totally different than the world. Plus, I keep thinking about the original song, so don't get mad at me if I start jukin' to Lookin' for you? I did run and dig up my old Patrice Rushen Cd's.


I think these rap videos can be harmful. My Dad owns property in some of the poorer black neighborhoods in his city and he says you can see the affects these videos are having on people. He said it is like people are just living a fantasy through the videos. They try to emulate it, but then they don't have jobs. And he is talking about grown folks, people in their 20's and etc.... He says it can be so depressing. But that can be said of anything. I remember when SATC was really popular, I would describe a certain type of woman on the North Side/N. shore (now uptown ) of Chicago as the SATC girl... You could tell the ones who tried to emulate that lifestyle.

The DVD's were pretty informative. Nothing I hadn't heard before though, but it was regarding rock music and not "our" music.

It's funny, i have had the dvd since the beginning of summer but i haven't watched it yet. It also bothers me when gospel artists borrow from secular songs. Shouldn't the world be imitating the church instead of the church imitating the world? I also believe music affects the way you see things and the way you behave - not just rap. Remember "girl fight" by brooke valentine? I am not a fighter - can't imagine hurting anybody - but anytime that song came on I was ready for a fight. But going to the rhythm of some of these gospel songs. Sometimes the beat is so fierce you don't pay attention to the words so the message behind it goes unheard.

btw, what is SATC?

 

[cocoberry10]

I would somewhat agree with evil bing placed in the language used but I guess I am confused as to how evil is in the beats when very regularly a secular song has been changed into a gospel song. A song is not created by the beats it is created by the words that you add to the beats.

I agree. Sometimes I also think that is part of the problem. Gospel musicians and pastors often condemn "secular" music, but they copy the style and beats from that music. I wish churches would spend more effort trying to work with secular artists to change their overall image. It's unfortunate, but most young people could recite a popular song on the radio more than a bible verse. It's time for the church to bring the bible back to life, and get out of the stone age thinking IMO.