Started My New Career Today...

I certainly don't think that. Artists write and perform to spread their version of whatever message they hope to get across. They RECORD AND SELL CDs to make money, earn a living, etc. so that they can live another day to keep spreading their message. If you believe that the ends justify the means, then I see nothing wrong with becoming famous, making money, and getting rich along the way.

Certainly most church pastors wouldn't take on their profession if they had to take a vow of poverty.

Don't give up on the idea, because it's true.  God does love us for who we are.  If He didn't we'd all be lost, because none of us could meet His standards. 

Yes, they do seem sincere.  What they say seems sincere.  That they want to "sing for God" is a good thing.  I think God is pleased when His children want to sing for Him.  I just think that the "means" is sometimes a sadness to Him as well.

I think our standards for music do matter to Him because music is mentioned quite a bit in the Bible, not to mention being set apart.  I also think that not enough study is given to what He says about music.

Many Christians who make the arguments for CCM is to quote Old Testament verses out of context and without consistency in the Word of God.  Another thing that isn't done is to go back to the Greek and Hebrew because they just want something that "supports" what they are saying. 

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Psalm 100 

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" Ephesians 5:19-20 

Colossians 3:16 says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." 

And Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

"Whatsoever things are...

"true" = unconcealed, not deceitful, manifest, true to Scripture
"honest" = honorable, nobly serious, grave
"just"= equitable, innocent, holy, righteous, right conduct
"pure" = not contaminated; from the same root as "holy", clean, modest, sacred, blameless
"lovely" = acceptable, pleasing, agreeable
"good report" = fair speaking, well spoken of, reputable
"virtue" = moral excellence
"praise" = commendation, whatsoever is praise-worthy, a commendable thing
"think" = to take inventory, to reckon, to take account.

...think on these things."

Those are just some verses to consider when looking at music.  There's a lot more, too.  If anybody is really interested, I'll see if I can dig up some of the studies by people I know to be true to God and His Word.

If young people look onto hymnal music and find it uninteresting are they not at risk of being lost?
If on the other hand the "meat" is served on a different tasting bread, could not those young people discover a message they had no previous interest in attempting to digest?

I'm saying, what you call distasteful, non traditional, or distracting to the message is simply a derivative of that.  Taste.  It's different for everyone.

Well said stroh.

Sorry E-A-G-L-E/Torpedo.  I can't buy into your position on what qualifies as worship music.  It's what's in the heart that matters.  Not what spills from the lips.

No music makes me feel more spiritually connected than Into The Mystic by Van the Man (many of his songs are very Christian in message but by no means would he primarily be considered a Christian artist).  If, on a sunny Sunday morning, I'm listening to that while riding a chairlift and staring at the beauty of creation I'm about as close to God as I get.  I'm sorry my approach seems lacking in credentials to you.  I'll be honest, I feel both of you are missing something very important on this one.  The position you've presented today seems, for lack of a better word, snobbish.  I think it rubs people the wrong way.  It does me.  Probably no more than some of my language and/or jokes do you though.  LOL.

Anyway, I understand I won't change your mind and I'm pretty certain you won't change mine.

Ere the bonnie boat was won...

Oh brother, how about the 9,999,999 Bush bashing threads? The daily Prokrop bashing threads? The ...

Oh, BTW, congrats on your new job, Seamus! 

Well I for one am glad Miles Davis, Coultrane, Van Morrison etc. used their 'gift' to create such beautiful music even if some people consider them heathens because they use instruments to create musical compositions.  


These art forms are one of our greatest gifts to humanity IMO.  If the devil compelled us to create them, then I say hail satan you rock.  Sorry EAGLE and Torp, I respect you and your opinion but just don't buy it.