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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 18, 2004 18:49:17 GMT -5
A TEENAGER'S APPEAL TO REJECT THE"ROCK BEAT" BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A POWERFUL ADDICTION
"I started to listen to 'Christian rock' when I was eleven. Each time I heard it, I felt rebellious and had sensual thoughts. The feelings grew stronger as my music got harder. I finally realized this music was wrong, and I tried to get rid of all my music tapes, but I would always slip back into it. I am seventeen years old now, and I still struggle with this music. It is very addictive and so easy to slip back into. I pray that as you read of my struggles and of the struggles of other young people, you will want to keep this damaging tool of Satan out of our lives, our homes, and our churches."
- Susanna Dressler, age 17, Indiana
ANOTHER TESTIMONY OF HOW ADDICTIVE THE "ROCK BEAT" IS
"In the summer of 1989, I purposed that I would listen only to music which is glorifying to God. However, Satan had a stronghold in my life because I listened to rock music for many years. As a result the sounds and words were embedded in my memory. As the teachers at school lectured, or as I ate lunch or walked through the hall and heard any word that was in a song, I would begin singing a song that the word reminded me of. Every conversation brought a song to my mind. Thus every day, evil lyrics were embedded deeper into my spirit. Only as I recognized the demonic nature of this addiction was I able to deal with it in a Scriptural way."
- Brandi Brace, age 19, Kansas
"Reaching teenagers" with "Christian rock" music is like giving out liquor with Bible verses on the bottles.
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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 18, 2004 18:51:40 GMT -5
THE "ROCK BEAT" OPPOSES GOD'S COMMAND NOT TO MIX LIGHT WITH DARKNESS
Most of those who promote "Christian rock" music would agree that the rock music of the world is evil. However, they reason that by putting Christian words to the same beat, the world's music is somehow made right.
This human reasoning is directly opposed to the instruction of Scripture. "...What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).
In the days of the prophecy Haggai, the priests were called together and asked some very pertinent questions. The answers which these priests gave have direct application in the matter of mixing Christian words with an ungodly beat. "If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil. or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No....If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean" (Haggai 2:12-13).
If a priest who had been cleansed would touch something unclean, he would not purify the unclean; however, the unclean thing he touched would make him unclean.
Similarly, the thought of making unclean music acceptable by putting Christian words to it is in direct violation of the following command: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17)
The chief justification for combining the pure words of Scripture with the unclean music of the world is that this is the method by which we will reach non-Christians. There are several fallacies to this reasoning.
GOD ORDAINED PREACHING, NOT MUSIC, TO REACH THE LOST
There are two primary purposes for music in the life of a Christian. The first is to praise and worship God. The second is to edify other Christians.
This is the clear teaching of Ephesians 5:19: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."
When it comes to the reaching the lost, God ordained preaching, rather than music, to accomplish this goal. "...It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21). (See Also 1 Corinthians 1:18)
Based on these points, the commands of Ephesians 5:6-12 are pertinent:
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light....Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them...."
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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 18, 2004 18:58:45 GMT -5
HOW A TEENAGER RESTORED PERSONAL WORSHIP BY DESTROYING THE "ROCK BEAT"
"I have listened to 'contemporary Christian' music all my life. My parents listened to it even before I was born. When they began listening in the early 1970s, the beat was much softer than it is today. However, both secular and Christian contemporary' music styles have changed. The beat of the music has gotten much harder and faster. The changes were subtile, so only in retrospect can I see where that wrong music led me. My parents would never allow me to listen to secular rock music. However, I disobeyed they and listened to it when they weren't around. This was partly because of peer pressure. It was also because I was used to the beat of the 'contemporary Christian' music. I felt that some of the 'Christian' music had a harder beat than some of the secular so there must not be anything wrong with the softer secular music. Listening to this music was feeding my growing rebellion toward my parents by putting wrong thoughts and attitudes in my mind. this music also led to lowering my moral standards. In 1987 I stopped listening to secular music and focused totally on 'contemporary Christian' music. This did not correct my wrong attitudes, because I was still being fed by the wrong music. Then my pride increased. I felt I was better than a lot of people because I didn't listen to the world's music. In 1989 my parents became increasingly aware of how this wrong music was affecting my life. They began to try to change my views on it. I listened to the Striving for Excellence tapes, and our family read through the Bible and researched every Scripture that dealt with music. My parents prayed that I would give up this wrong music. During this time, God was working in my heart. I knew that 'contemporary Christian' music was not what my parents wanted for me, but I was afraid to give it up. It had been a part of my life for so long. In January of 1990, I met a large group of Christian young people who did not listen to any music with a rock beat in it. I was tremendously impressed with them. They had a peace and a joy that I didn't have. On February 13, 1990, I gave all my music to the Lord and burned all of my 'Christian rock' tapes. The results have been amazing! God has given me a new desire to know Him better. I have a peace in my life that I never even realized was missing. For years I had a stuttering problem that is now completely cleared up, and I have a new relationship with my parents that I have never had before. It was very important for me not just to get rid of the wrong music, but to replace it with right music. It is my prayer that every teenager will experience the freedom that I am now enjoying." - Christiane Quick, age 19, North Carolina
Introducing the "rock beat" into Christian music is like establishing a pluralistic society. It is simply a transition from one controlling religion to another.
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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 18, 2004 19:04:46 GMT -5
A COMMITMENT TO REJECT THE DECEPTION OF THE "ROCK BEAT" IN ANY FORM:
"Almighty Father, based on the authority of your Word and the testimony of others, I now purpose to remove from my life any music that contains a 'rock beat' and to replace it with melodious music that glorifies you and edifies others."
Signature:_______________________________ Date: ________________________________
Rock and Roll Documentation:
The following is information for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the subject of rock and roll. You have to send away for it. You will receive 2 cassette tapes and a study booklet in a case. I bought one May 1989 and it cost $17. The price should still be around the same amount. Rock and roll - all rock and roll - is imbalanced music. It violates laws of melody, harmony, and rhythm. If you want in-depth evidence then I would suggest that you send away for the course.
DESCRIPTION
How to Evaluate Music
If you have been looking for precise information by which to evaluate music and if you are striving for excellence in your Christian life, then this training course is a must for you! Those who have viewed this material have exclaimed, "There is nothing else like this in the world. We've needed this for a long time."
Dr. and Mrs Ronald Jay Cannon
Inge Pohl Cannon earned two degrees in music education. She has taught for fifteen years on the elementary, secondary, college, and graduate school levels. Inge has worked with youth as a Dean of Women and has enjoyed fourteen years of experience as a church pianist. Since 1984 she has devoted her time to developing educational curriculum.
Dr. Ron Cannon holds five college, university, and seminary degrees. His primary interest has been in Bible exposition and theology. He has had twelve years of health service administration in medical centers and has taught courses on the university and Bible institute levels. Ron has had ten years of formal training in music. He plays three instruments and has conducted seminars on the principles of music.
This course can be orderd from: Institute in Basic Life Principles Box one Oak Brook, Illinois 60522-3001 U.S.A.
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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 18, 2004 19:17:08 GMT -5
May this be well recieved by all who read these articles on the wrong beat in music. It is my soul desire to relay the truth about this much needed area of teaching.
As children of light, we must ask God to give us eyes that can see the hidden works of darkness.
We must study this topic out to make sure we do the right thing not only for ourselves, but for our children.
What we do in moderation our children might do in excess
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Post by funnyd on Sept 18, 2004 20:24:28 GMT -5
The question that must be asked is, what constitutes the "wrong beat" in music?
The use of the term "wrong beat" presupposes the existance of a "right beat", unless one is predisposed to state that any beat, especially that played with drums or percussion instruments, is improper. If that is the case, it must be pointed out that there is clear precedent for the use rhythm and percussion instruments in Scripture.
1Sm 6:5 speaks of several such instruments. Modern terms for the "timbrels, cornets, and cymbals" are identified as tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
In verse 14 it states that "David danced before the Lord with all his might", and in verse 16 records Michael observing "David leaping and dancing before the Lord". Such acts are not practically possible with purely melodious music.
Psalm 150 states that we are to praise the Lord with " the sound of the timbrel {tambourine} and dance...loud cymbals...high sounding cymbals" in addition to many other instruments, wind and stringed.
There is nothing wrong at all with promoting melodious music, but to dismiss any form of rhythmic music doesn't seem to square with Scripture.
Respectfully submitted - David
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Post by sarahd on Sept 18, 2004 21:55:01 GMT -5
I went down the rock music path. Started out with soft rock, my first concert was Air Supply. Then got to the point of when I was angry I listened to hard rock. I always used to say that I just listened to the music and not the words. Ha! My main goal at age 18 was to move to Los Angeles, be in a rock band and live on the beach. I still have songs stuck in my head from that time of my life. Then I listened to country music about 10 years ago. I don't have to say what those songs are mostly about. But as of 3 years ago I got rid of all of my collection of music unless it was Christian. I am at the point now that I don't much care for Christian 'rock' or much contemporary. I like tastefully done worship music. But shouldn't we worship God in everything we do? I think the most beautiful music there is is the human voice ......singing acapella. There's just something majestic about an acapella hymn.
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Post by Brother Ben on Sept 18, 2004 22:11:50 GMT -5
Dear Bro. David, Thank you for your honest and kind inquiries about the beat articles. I tried to pick out the areas of interest in your post and will do my best to answer them. 1. What constitutes the "wrong beat" in music? First of all I would like to point out that all music has rhythm. There have been many beats used throughout music history, but there have been some similarities cross-culturally that must be pointed out. Whether it be the jungles of Africa, Southeast Asia, or those of Celtic origins. The word to be pointed out here is syncopation. Traditional music of a safe and melodious nature all have rhythm. The melodious sounds of some classical, march music, and waltz music all have the strong or emphasized beat on the down beat, i.e., ONE, two, three, four, in a march, or ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three, in a waltz. A syncopated anapestic beat moves the strong down beat for example, one, two, THREE, four, one, two, THREE, four. You probably know this from sports events, or the wicked Queen song, 'We will rock you.' Interesting, this same beat is characteristic in tribal music for calling up the spirits (demons.) In Haiti this spirit is the vodoom (sp), where we get the devil worship called Vodoo. By repetitious pounding away, the spirit (vodoom) is called up and comes upon its subject. This beat has been seen and noted by missionaries in many cultures. 2. There is clear precedent for the use rhythm and percussion instruments in Scripture. Yes indeed! God seems to many great things in threes as a testimony of His trinitarian nature. One of these is the area of music. We have harmony, melody, and rhythm. Rhythm can be heard in the meter of a poem. It is evident in the "lub-dup" of the heartbeat. I have no problem with the presence and practice of rhythm, it is in all music. Rhythm in and of itself is not evil, it is the use, or perhaps I should say, misuse of it. 3. "David leaping and dancing before the Lord". Such acts are not practically possible with purely melodious music. Spirited music does not have to have a beat that is wrong. When I think of a stout waltz by Strauss, you can't miss the beat. When we think of David dancing, we also need to make sure that we are not "Americanizing" David's dance. We don't exactly know what kind of dance David was doing, but we do know that he was a man after God's own heart and according to the Psalms he hated the works of wicked pagan practices. David was jumping for joy. 4. There is nothing wrong at all with promoting melodious music, but to dismiss any form of rhythmic music doesn't seem to square with Scripture. I am in no way dismissing all foms of rhythm, this was never the premise of the earlier posts, just that the "wrong beat" had lead many into hurtful carnal practices and backsliding. Is there any scriptural information about the a pagan beat? Yes, the Bible says, "Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel." II Chron. 28:3 "And they have built the high places of Tophet, which [is] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded [them] not, neither came it into my heart." Jer. 7:31 "And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods." Jer. 19:13 Tophet is the Hebrew word were we get tabret or tamborine, a precussion intrument. The Valley on Hinnom (Tophet) was the place where Molech worship was done. Molech was a huge metallic god in a sitting position. There was a place in the bowels of this metal god where a fire could be kindled till the god became glowing red hot. As the the percussion instruments pounded away the people were riled into a frenzy. The pagan priests would take, usually, babies and throw them into the red hot lap of the horned god, Molech. The screems of the children would be drowned out by the howls and the people and the beating of the drums. Today, unknowing, parents throw their children into the hands of Molech as they take music out of the the realm of good or evil, how God judges, and put into their hands, and term it, "amoral." God does not have gray areas, and if we will plead with Him for truth and keep a tender spirit, He will lead us unto all truth. Bro. Ben Smith Here is a link to look at: www.momof9splace.com/goodbadmusic.htmlwww.chick.com/bc/1999/rockmusic.asp
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Post by funnyd on Sept 18, 2004 23:02:31 GMT -5
Bro. Ben
Thank you for your information and clarification. I am going to go off and read more on Molech. Having to stoke your own god's fire might be a hint that he isn't exactly a god!
One of the things I am really looking forward to in Heaven is to hear the Psalsm set to their original music!
- David, the more you learn, the more you've yet to learn!
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Post by Brother Ben on Sept 18, 2004 23:17:28 GMT -5
Amen, Brother, That is a good point about stoking your gods fire. I heard an Evangelist once, name Preston Bunnell and in the midst of his sermon he began to sing a Psalm in a very Jewish manner. It was great. Have a good evening. We need to hit the sack, moring comes early. Bro. Ben
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Post by benshelpmeet on Jun 17, 2005 19:47:27 GMT -5
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