Does the end justify the means when we music?

There is a common twenty-first century praxis of religious music performance in which attention is placed paramountly on the performer’s “self”.  This may include the use of one’s body to draw attention to the performer.  Many male and female Christian performers use bodily movements, and even sensual innuendos to first draw the audience’s attention to the PERFORMER. 

 

 This Jesuit music philosophy of "the end justifies the means" allows suggestive dress, suggestive bodily movements and the use of microphone techniques is such a way as to place the performer in the intimate zone of the audience.  Remember this pseudo Christian humanism not only allows the performer to draw audiences to “self” but also promotes the “lifting up” of self as first and foremost in Christian music making.  This philosophy promotes self first in order to present the Savior second.  Remember this philosophy of “the end justifies the means” allows almost anything if the end result is the presentation of the gospel.

            Does the end really justify the means?  First of all is it intellectually honest to present the Savior with the sensual?  Is it feasible to excite people with sensuality and then try to switch to the spiritual realm?  Is it possible to draw attention to a woman’s body with a low cut dress or a slit up the side of her skirt or by dressing her in tight leather pants and then hit these needy sinners with the good news of the gospel?  Can a man dressed in tight jeans and a muscle shirt or a shiny silk shirt unbuttoned to reveal his chest hair moving back and forth with sexual like movements suddenly hook the crowd with the excellent message of “Jesus Saves”?

 

I contend that most definitely the end does not justify the means.  It is deceitful to try to sell the sacred with sexual innuendos.  It is an ancient Bible landmark that, in our musicing ,we should always lift up God and never self.