The Corruption of Music - Part 3

In my last post I began outlining the negative affects of popular secular lyrical music. I mentioned that there are usually five major themes communicated in this kind of music. The first two I addressed in that post. They are number one, illicit sex and sexual perversion, and number two, drug abuse (including alcohol). As always, if you have not read the posts leading up to this one, I would encourage you to do so.

Some of my readers have begun to send me helpful information that I have added to my research on this subject. One of those is an article on the web about a recent study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh that relates directly to the first of these themes. The research concluded that teens that listen to music with “sexually degrading lyrics” are more than twice as likely to be sexually active as those who do not. Now remember this is not a Christian research organization. Of 711 teens interviewed 31 percent were sexually active. Of those who did not listen to sexually degrading lyrics the rate was 20.6 percent. But of those who did listen to such music, the rate went up to 44.6 percent. You can find that article at http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.219a5c1741da6257d5cf13c9a2890518.361&show_article=1

Now lets look at the other three themes found in a large portion of popular secular music.

III. REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY

Rebellion is the spirit of our age. And from the pelvic gyration of Elvis and the long hair of the Beatles, to the Outlaw music of Willie Nelson, music has done its part to foster this philosophy.

Bands with names like "Above The Law" give an indication of what their music is about.

Dave Matthews band, Album "Before these Crowded Streets", Song, "Don't Drink the Water", includes lyrics like these. "I live with my hatred, I live with my jealousy... I don't need anybody but me."

Pearl Jam tells their listeners, "I'll do what I want but irresponsibly".

The Spice Girls cut, "Do It" tells young girls to "make your own rules to live by", which includes defying parents and having sex.

By the way, God has an opinion of rebellion too. "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft", I Sam. 15:23. Witchcraft was one of the sins in the Old Testament for which the death penalty was required. Ex. 22:18 " Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

IV. VIOLENCE, including bar room brawls, crime, murder, suicide.
Part of this is an extension of the aforementioned rebellion and much of it is because of the fragmented post‑modern culture. Hopelessness and uselessness of life is portrayed in much of this music.

On a quiet Louisiana night in early May 1996 at 2:30 in the morning, while the rest of his family lay sleeping, 16 year old Clay Logan stood in his bedroom listening to "The End" a song by the rock band The Doors. He waited for his lyrical cue from the lead singer Jim Morrison. Then to wake his sleeping family, Logan cranked up the volume.

The lyrics said, "The killer awoke before dawn" the stereo blared. "He put his boots on and came to a door and he looked inside."

James and Connie, rose slowly, wiping the sleep from their eyes.

The music continued, "Father"? "Yes, son"? "I want to kill you. Mother I want to kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill...

At that point James and Connie were fully awake. They started down the hall to find out what was going on. That's where Clay met them, brandishing a handgun. He fired several times, killing his mother and wounding his father.

Lyrics by the death‑metal band Slayer have been connected to the 1995 rape, torture, and satanic sacrifice of a 15-year‑old girl

"Hate is what I feel for you/I want you to know that I want you dead". Those lyrics from Silverchair's Frogstomp album have been put on trial along with two teens, accused of murdering one of the boy's parents and five year old brother.

In 1994 a police officer responding to a call for assistance was murdered by two teens who claimed to be taking cues from rapper Tupac Shakur’s album 2Pacalypse Now. They simply wanted to kill a police officer for amusement.

Listen to some statements from some interviews with modern music makers.

Popular folk rocker Tori Amos said in Rolling Stone magazine, "Our generation loves our pain, and if you dare _____ing take it away from us, we're going to kill you. We like our pain."

Rob Zombie lead singer with the heavy metal band White Zombie told USA Today, "I remember looking at the outline or dead bodies and pictures of Charles Manson in my mom's copy of Helter Skelter, and I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever seen..."

The song "Amnesia", by the British band Chumbawamba describes the dismantling of a human head. And "Outsider" portrays life as miserable, bleak and pointless.

Ice Cube threatens shootings bombings and other forms of violence against designated targets such as the LA police chief. His music also approves of looting and is riddled with the basest profanity.

LL Cool J threatens censors with grisly violence. "I'll wake you up with an axe...I'll leave your bullet riddled body on the curb".

Rage Against the Machine's song "Down Rodeo” encourages the have-nots of society to lash out violently against the haves.

Alan Jackson's single all "American Country Boy" glorifies irresponsible living and "rowdiness". In "Hole in the wall" he vents frustration by damaging property.

Joe Diffie, a country singer from Oklahoma, sings of a lovesick man beating up another of the girl’s suitors in his song "Junior's in Love".


V. Anti-Christian and Occultic Philosophies

John Denver, said, "Rock has a greater influence than Christianity".

John Lennon, said, "Christianity will go. "We're more popular than Jesus".

Did you ever ask yourself why some of these people don't pick on Buddha, or Allah, or Krishna? The reason is because Satan is already in charge of false gods and counterfeit religions. And it's always been the goal of the devil to destroy the cause of Christ.

Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones said that the goal of the music industry has always been to control the minds of their listeners. It's interesting that the Bible says in II Cor. 4:4 "The god of this age (small g, speaking of Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." And one of the ways he is doing it is through music.

Folk rocker Sara McLachlan said, in a 1998 interview, "I think the Devil has gotten a bad rap. The Devil is the fallen angel, the one who was willing to embrace his dark side, whereas all the other angels were in total denial. The Devil is more like us - we're all the Devil and we're all God".

The music of Beastie Boys promotes reincarnation and other Buddhist teachings.

Sheryl Crow's song "Maybe Angels" speaks of Christians who she addresses disrespectfully and says they "don't know nothin' bout saving me".

New Age contemporary artist Enya wonders if the "stars sign the life that is to be mine". a reference to astrological predestination. The song, "China Roses" speaks of being lead by the moon.

Other songs and albums produced over the last 40 years include: Hells Bells, Speak of the devil. Black Magic Woman, Goat's Head Soup, Satanic Majesty's Request, Sympathy for the devil, Dancing with Mr. D., Running with the devil, Black Sabbath, Highway to Hell, FrankenChrist.

Now let me ask you. Are these the values that we are to embrace or to which we are to expose ourselves as Christians? The answer is self evident as well as clearly revealed in Scripture.

II Cor. 11:3 "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

Phil. 1:9-11 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ‑‑to the glory and praise of God."

Phil. 2:15 " so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe"