I knew I'd get around to it eventually. The question that started all of this: Is music inherently good / evil? Are there certain types of music that by arrangement, tone, beat, etc, have a negative effect on our brains and therefore should be avoided by people seeking to honor Christ?
Short answer, I don't really know. I have heard of and even read some studies claiming certain frequencies create certain responses in our brains. Stores have researched the effects of music on shoppers and then pipe the preferred songs through their sound systems to get the desired effect.
However, one of the neat things about being human is that we can make reasoned conclusions about things for which we have limited or incomplete information. Also, given that (1) most people are not going to do extensive research or reading on the issue and (2) surveys and studies are a snapshot of a specific effect on a specific group at a specific time. While maybe useful, I'm not sure studies done in the 'social sciences' can be taken as concrete proof of something. People change and adapt and mature (or sometimes whatever the opposite of mature is).
OK …. all that said, what is the proper response for Christians to certain types of music? I have an opinion … big shocker, huh?
Music vs. Content: I think by this point its obvious we're talking about the instrumental, musical part of songs, not the lyrical content. Obviously, we should not take in songs with lyrics opposed to the lifestyle Christ has called us to live.
I do want to take a moment to mention that lack of cusss words does not qualify a song as 'good'. I once was talking with some youth who, like myself, enjoy classic rock. They mentioned Steve Miller (who I have seen in concert, good show) as not having any bad songs. I asked them to explain to me what was meant by “I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree.” When he was stumped I offered the hint that it's not about fruit. It was a bit amusing as the light went on and I saw he got it.
There is a Katy Perry song that stayed at the top of the charts for weeks, some of the lyrics of which said “I'm gonna disrobe you, then I'm gonna probe you” and the chorus says “infect with your love, fill me with your poison, take me, take me, wanna be your victim, ready for abduction.” And this is deemed “clean” by radio standards because there's no cussing.
Humility: I think a very important starting point is to remember we are called to be humble. To not think too highly of ourselves or be “puffed up.” The core of Christianity teaches we are flawed, corrupt sinners who needed a savior. Let's not forget that. Just because we like it or think it is ok, let's first and foremost be open to the idea that we may be wrong.
Willingness to Change: We all have habits and practices that the Holy Spirit convicted us of, and we knew we had to change. Thieves stop stealing, liars stop lying, womanizers stop womanizing, etc. But oh how we love our music. Our culture is thick with it. The music industry not only makes boatloads of money but is also the center of attention for much of our entertainment. It can uplift, empower, distract, soothe, stir up and calm down. Everywhere we go, we are plugged in to music somehow. For many of us, certain bands and songs are like old friends. We have memories and experiences attached to songs, and we have a hard time imagining that we would need to give that up. I'm not the “throw out all your secular CDs” type of person, but “friendship with the world is to be enemies with God.” (James 4:4) It may be that our music is one of the things we need to let go and flee from so that we can get free from the world and run to Jesus.
That brings me to the main point I want to make.
Awareness: It is VITAL that as Christians we are aware of what different things do to us, how they affect us. Like I said before, I don't really know if particular music types are inherently bad, but whether they are or not, we need to always be aware of what effect ANY music is having on us.
When I was younger, I enjoyed writing fiction, particularly sci-fi and fantasy. Music played a large role in my writing. I would listen to music and imagine the scene unfolding as if a movie with that song in the soundtrack. There was a band called “Type O Negative” that is sort of goth rock/metal that I enjoyed and that really got the creative juices flowing. A friend borrowed my CD and had it for years. When I finally got it back, I was delivering pizza and put the CD in. Within 15 minutes, I was in road rage city. From good mood to short temper in no time flat. I turned it off and put on the oldies station. It was hard for me to be angry while listen to the Beach Boys, The Monkees or The Supremes. That stuff just gets me smiling and tapping my feet (an altogether different problem while driving).
The point is, one music type solicited anger, the other cheer. BUT at one point in my life the angry music solicited creative writing while the oldies solicited annoyance.
Our tastes, moods, likes, etc change over time. Are certain types of music more prone to solicit negative responses. I don't know. Maybe. But regardless of if the effect is inherent to the music or dependent on the individual, we need to be AWARE of the effect any music (or any other outside influence) is having on us and then ask ourselves, “does this help or hinder my ability to follow Christ?” If the answer is not a solid “yes” then we should consider if we need to give up that particular song or style.
We intellectually know Jesus should be 1st place in our lives. But the daily application of that knowledge can be difficult, especially when it comes to something like music that has such a special place in our lives. Perhaps knowing that we would have things like that in our life is why Jesus said we have to “DENY ourselves” to follow Him.(Mark 8:34)
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