Joni cleansing

[vaneramos]

...and still somehow,
It's life's illusions I recall...

I'm finally getting to know Joni Mitchell, thanks to LJ friends. As a teenager I hardly listened to popular music, but liked Judy Collins and owned Judith along with Classical records. "Both sides now" has always been a favourite. I didn't realize Mitchell had written it until her new

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[vaneramos]

I'm talking specifically about Christian rock. The most successful artist in the genre circa 1990 was Amy Grant, although the Christian music industry ditched her when she started appealing to secular audiences and (reportedly) had an affair.

The prevalent message it gives youth is "I'm useless and going to Hell without Jesus." That's no different from standard church doctrine of course, but music can be particularly manipulative, appealing to the emotions and distracting people from the irrationality of blind faith. I used to have guilt fests, listening to music to make me feel weepy, needy and sanctified. Christianity teaches that the path to peace lies through repentance, a doctrine I know abhor.

That might explain why, now, I don't spend much time listening to music, even though I love it. Music has always been an intense experience for me, not necessarily conducive to serenity. But I've been unloading some baggage, so maybe it can become more relaxing now.

Incidentally, the church I attended taught that non-Christian rock music was Satanic.