Quote for the day fallac. of philo- Part 8

"There are no rebels in God's kingdom."  Rev. Larry Smith [my cousin thrice removed]  When I encounter a musician that prides himself or herself in rebelling against traditional church music values, which I contend are ancient "landmarks" of musicing unto God, I think of Rev. Smith's comment.

Fallacies of philosophical thought--part 8

       Yesterday we discussed musical styles and whether or not they are equally appropriate for use in religious, and hopefully, sacred music. Mentioning musical style is one of the easiest ways to start a fight, except maybe to make fun of someone's grandmother and her homemade apple pie or better yet her apple strudel! 

        Today we are going to discuss another faulty view that all sacred music comes under the Lordship of Christ (since it is “unto God”) and that all secular music does not come under His Lordship (since the musicing  of secular music is not “unto God”).  On the surface, it would seem that this third view would be a better view since it does cover the whole of music.  Close scrutiny will reveal a major fallacy in this philosophical viewpoint:  it has an autonomous portion--that of secular music.  Since Christ is Lord of all our life, there is no area of a Christian’s life (including secular music) that is free from Christ’s authority.  As I have very briefly discussed before, no type of music is truly "absolute".  I understand that many music philosophers mean by the term "absolute music" merely that it is "music alone" i.e. music without a "program" or words.  Although I understand their definition, I contend that including the word "absolute" is a poor choice of words.  Do not hold your breath, but we will talk about this terminology later--at length!

       Meanwhile, let us return to our topic today. Whether music is or is not directly addressed to God is not the issue here.  Many people believe “you are what you eat” but ignore the fact that “you are what you hear” and “you are what you perform”. How did Christian musicians come to the conclusion that Christians are immune to the effects of the music they listen to and perform?  If any “musing” takes place in a person’s passive or active musicing, then it stands to reason that it will have a positive or negative effect on the whole life of that individual.  Therefore, both sacred and secular music matter very much. 
       Every style, genre, type, kind (or whatever term one  prefers to label it) comes under the ABSOLUTE lordship of God.  No Christian has the right to keep back a part of music as an autonomous portion to be consumed on one's self.  The personal enjoyment of different styles of music, within the limits discussed in an earlier post, is a perfectly legitimate phenomenon in the life of a Christian. However, he or she must remember that secular or sacred styles of music or the act of "doing" them or listening to them is never an autonomous phenomenon.

Fallacies of philosophical thought--part 7

       Yesterday we defined the terms "sacred" and "secular music. Today the topic is musical style!  It is generally believed by a host of Christians that style is only a matter of taste.  It amazes me that so many Christians who are, what I would consider, extremely conservative in matters pertaining to lifestyle, are very liberal in their philosophical view of music styles.  I want to make it perfectly clear at the outset of this discussion that there is more than one style of music that is appropriate in the whole-life of a Christian.  Conversely, not all styles of music are, however, appropriate for a Christian to listen to or perform. A concomitant to the philosophic notion that style doesn't  matter to God  is the further faulty notion that music style is benign.  This faulty view opens the door to another notion that  since music is benign it is therefore incapable of saying anything at all.  The previous set of faulty conclusions leads to the faulty view that ,since music is benign, style is also benign and is of no consequence when it comes to spiritual understandings. 
         It is my hypothesis that all styles of music are not equally suited to use as worship or evangelistic music.  One of the reasons being that all styles of music are driven by some purpose and that purpose will lead to a specific musical conclusion.  It is naive to erroneously conclude that all composer's or arranger's musical works are driven by the same purpose or that all music composers or arrangers are trying to say the same thing with their music.  
        I believe in profundity in music and that some styles of music are without doubt more profound than others.  Since the message of Christ and the worship of the Trinity are very profound experiences, I believe that it makes sense to marry the message of Christ and worship of the Godhead with music that is profoundly suited to the awesomeness and solemnity of worship.  Therefore, style does matter and it matters in many more ways than we can cover in this brief post today.

Prayer on Palm Sunday

Lord today is the Sunday that we remember your triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  This Sunday, as we do every Sunday, we worship you in majesty.  Thank you for coming to earth to live, suffer and die for my sins and the sins of the whole world.  This day we not only remember that joyful day, but we also remember that this is the week  you suffered and died for our sins.  Lord, "lest I forget Gethsemane, lest I forget thine agony, lest I forget thy love for me, lead me to Calvary."   Lord , never let me forget what you have done for me.  Thank you for forgiveness if sins and for the peace that I have in my heart today.  Amen.

Thought for the day-philo fallicies part 6

Christian musicians must realize that"Sacred" instrumental musicing (the act of "doing"music)
 requires passing the tests of suitability, appropriateness, and Bible principles of musicing if a musician is going to develop a unified Christ centered music philosophy.

Fallacies of philosophical thought--part 6

        Today we will discuss the false philosophical notion  that all religious music is acceptable unto the Lord.  We will not only we discuss this notion today but also at length in the future.  I contend that Christians should differentiate between music that merely has religious words and music that is truly sacred.  So in order to do so I will define both "religious" and "sacred" music. 
        By religious music, I mean any music that addresses itself to religious matters.  The song, “God is Watching Us”, is a religious song but it is far from being a sacred song.  It is religious in the fact that it speaks of god.  However, it is the epitome of “new age music”.  It speaks of an impersonal god who sees us only from an impersonal distance through rose-colored glasses.   And ,of course, he doesn't see  us closely or clearly. What kind of a god sees no wars and no disease?  Only a false god fails to see very clearly since he is incapable of being omniscient.  Certainly not the God who  "is", and is the great "I Am".  Not the God who is the judge of all the earth.  My Bible declares in Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin."   
           Sacred music  is spiritual music that  has passed all of these tests of suitability, profundity , appropriateness, theological correctness and Bible principles of musicing.  Religious music does not require passing any tests because it is autonomous music that is the personal property of an autonomous church musician who is free from all constraint of the Bible and the Lordship of Christ.  It has no standard of profundity, correctness,appropriateness, or theological correctness.  So when you see the words “religious music” in this blog beware.  
           The conclusion of considering these two types of music is that the Christian musician should carefully select the music that is truly sacred music that will edify the believer and bring honor to the awesome God we love and worship.  The God who is "high and lifted up" deserves to be worshiped with music that will bring honor and glory to His name.

Thoughts for the day--fallacies of philo part 5

Many musicians believe that being a conservative Christian musician stifles a musician's creative musical progress . Having a Christocentric music philosophy and praxis never stifles creativity since we all know that a train always runs best when it is on a track.  Since a musician with a Christ centered music philosophy knows what he or she is doing, that musician is free (in the Holy Spirit) to develop a music praxis that will be pleasing unto the Lord. It is the autonomous musician that is "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" musically. (See II Timothy 3:7)

Fallacies of philosophical thought--part 5

       Yesterday we discussed our definition of what the word "secular" means when used in these philosophical posts. Today we will discuss whether to include or exclude secular music in the music of the whole-life of a Christian.  Yesterday we established that if secular music is suitable to the whole-life of a Christian it may be included. 
       Although it would be much simpler if musical choices were “either" "or”, such a basis for the inclusion or exclusion of  a particular type of music is much too simplistic and therefore faulty.  Although there is nothing morally wrong with excluding all music except sacred music, it certainly will impoverish the artistic life of all those who perform and listen to music.  Christ said in St. John 10:10b, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  I believe that part of this perissos (4053- superabundance) of life  that St.John was referring to can be  the understanding and enjoyment that secular music (as defined above) can bring to the life of a Christian.
        I contend that God will provide the Christian musician (who follows the Bible's precepts of musicing and keeps what he or she hears and sees and does concerning the fine art of music under the Lordship of Christ)  musical joys and musical understandings that are a part of God's superabundant (perissos) life.  This Christian is then free to fully enjoy the beauty and import of God’s creation. 
        Those who exclude the great classics and other styles of music, of an even lesser degree of import and profundity, only deny themselves some of God’s purest pleasures and understandings afforded to those who enjoy the fine arts.  I believe that a part of abundant living is being able, with God’s guidance, to include many styles and types of music in the whole life of a Christian.  P.S.  Later, perhaps just before Easter we will be discussing Musical understanding in a nine or ten part series.

Thought for the day--philo fallacies part 4

Some people say that "You are what you eat"  I contend that "You are what you listen to musically."

Fallacies of philosophical thought--part 4

       Yesterday we discussed dealing with secular music in the process of music philosophy development. At this point a definition of secular music is necessary.  What is secular music?  When I use the term  "secular music", I only mean music that is temporal or that does not address itself to religious matters.  I never mean anti-Christ music or music that promotes social or moral rebellion or error of any kind.  All of us know that there are types of secular music that are in sharp contrast with living a Spirit filled life.  It is without argument that this type of music appeals to the lust of flesh rather than to pure thoughts.
       If the music itself (words excluded) does not appeal to the lust of the flesh and if it is clean (words included), I see no scriptural basis for excluding it from the life of a Christian.  I am not referring to secular rock music in my definition above.  Secular rock music is so much  a meta-language of filth that it should not be included as a good choice of secular music.
      Some secular styles of music are so associated with anti-Christ beliefs that they should not be a part of a Christian's performance or listening practice .  I contend that  association DOES MATTER in the life of one who is a born again Christian.  It is one thing to give mental assent to a changed life but it is another thing to actually change what we perform and listen to when we have passed from death to new life in the born again relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Any honest Christian will admit to himself or herself that some types of music draw the Christian away from Spirit filled living.  Therefore it is a philosophical fallacy to believe that style and content do not matter.