How Should We Judge Music?
Here’s a question that has perplexed me my entire life: What standards can we use for judging the morality and quality of music? (It's important to me, because I love to listen to music, and I want to be sure that it's good music.) Many people consider music (minus lyrics) to be amoral, but I’m an absolutist and believe that there is only black
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Absolutely agree. Music was originally created for worship (the angels were singing before man was created), I believe, and much modern music is anything but worshipful. Instead, most modern music is man-centered, pride inducing, or sensual in nature. Yet, I'm not willing to say that how music affects me is a good enough measure of whether it is God-honoring or not. There must be much less subjective measurements of that, it would seem.
I think that verse about whatever is good, whatever is holy, etc. is a very good verse to go by here.
Yes, agreed. However, is there not a place for spooky music or tense music, say, for example, in a movie? True, that isn't worshipful music, but perhaps the Fall has made a need for less than worshipful music, as we express fear and other emotions in music. Just a thought...
I have to admit that I LIKE the music they produce
OK, I'm not going to touch that...
All in all, we should have the glory of God as our goal.
Agreed. The next question is, "What types of music glorify God?"
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One interesting thought with which I was presented a little while ago by someone whose biblical opinion I have a much greater respect for than my own, was perhaps that the actualy act of singing...in worship, etc. is a uniquely human creation. That is to say that while music most assuredly existed before the Creation of man, did singing actually exist?
When you talk about spooky or tense music, you seem to be saying that it cannot, for the simple reason of it being powerfully "impending", be godly or good. However, I see a much greater precident in the Bible for God using both the gentle and the remarkably powerful in his ministry and glorification. What first comes to mind is the basic Nuking of Soddom and Gamora and the cleansing of the temple of the moneychangers by Jesus on one hand, and the self sacrifice of Daniel, the Martyrdom of many saints, or the gentle healing of the sick by Jesus, on the other hand. So I would think that there are many forms of music that can and should be used in certain instances. I think that it is important to ensure that it always glorifies God however, or is honoring to him. At the very least, it must not be dishonoring.
And I do not think music was intended to be solely "worship", but there are many times when it was used in celebration, for entertainment, relaxation, healing, and even war.
And as for the next question, that's where I think I begin to get confused and I really can't say much on that. I only hope that the Holy Spirit guides me strongly enough to know those differences. I think some are pretty obvious to most people, but many of the "middle" ground pieces can be very hard to discern, and I do not think there is a very great ruling in the Bibile on this. It seems that throughout the Bible, the music that was good had a purpose, and was merely a tool, the music that was bad was "clashing of cymbols (sp)", and music that did nothing and had no purpose. It was vain, and as it pertains to today, an object of idolatry.
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About music before the creation of man. What I was referring to was Job 38:7, which says, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Many believe that the "morning stars" in that verse refers to angels. But, feel free to disagree; I won't mind.
When you talk about spooky or tense music, you seem to be saying that it cannot, for the simple reason of it being powerfully "impending", be godly or good.
You have a really good point that needs to be considered. Certainly there can be wholesome music that contains disharmonious, dissonant, edgy or tense elements. I don't see any problem with that. As you say, the Bible contains violent and otherwise gory parts, but taken as a whole, it is lovely and good (Phil 4 as you mentioned). If music were composed for various parts of the Bible, I can imagine a large spectrum of music--including disturbing music.
And I do not think music was intended to be solely "worship," but there are many times when it was used in celebration, for entertainment, relaxation, healing, and even war.
If all things are to be done for the glory of God, even eating and drinking, then celebration, entertainment, relaxation, etc. are also to be done for His glory. Our thoughts should always be God-centered and worshipful. Thus, music should always aid in this God-centered and worshipful thinking. I'm basically saying that celebration and what not should be ways of enjoying and worshiping God. So, it would appear that if music is used for those purposes, it is still for the use of worship--though perhaps not directly.
I hope I'm making some sense, I'm getting sleepy. =P I really haven't studied this topic well, so I'm sure that there's a bit of inconsistency in what I'm saying...
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But yes, you're right about worship. That is why I had it in quotes, to represent the "worship" music that exists today as a genre.
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