Is Rock Music the Devil?

Rock music the devil? No, but I've heard plenty that sounded like it came from his house.

 

For those of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's, this is an old question. Ever since Elvis twisted his hips, people have condemned rock music... And of course, they are absolutely correct except for music by Beatles, Stones, Creedance, Doors, Chuck Berry, Cream, Eric Clapton, BB King, and a few others.... :tongue3:

 

I think we should not be so quick to condemn a style of music, but rather judge the music based upon its content.

 

I think I'm going to write a new rock song. "Play that Funky Dead Horse Beat White Boy." It should sell millions of copies on the Baptist Board.

 

I vote no. In fact, this Baptist preacher is having the Guns N Roses version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" played at his funeral!!!:smilewinkgrin:

 

I voted no, because I don't believe any genre is or is of the devil necessarily.

But that said, I have to qualify a bit. If I gave out my maiden surname and the name of the bands my brother used to play and sing backup in, most of you that are familiar with country music would know them pretty well. I've helped write songs, as has my brother.

And I must admit, any good musician and most bad ones, if they are honest, know music of any genre can be written to inspire militant behavior, or to make people happy, or to make people sad and weepy and sentimental, or to make them easily seduced sexually.

So the question becomes not is the genre bad, but what type of activity does it produce. If a huge number of folks at any kind of concert get drunk, or do drugs, or behave inappropriately physically, or become violent, or whatever, you simply walk away from that music. Note I said THAT music, not necessarily the genre.

But I do also believe sometimes that will mean walking away from a genre because you do not find a "clean use" of it going on.

 

Yes. The devil is bound spiritually to 4/4 time and the music is inspired by African devil drums. And Stratacastors if played right sound like crying angels falling from heaven and look what happened to bands like Petra, Stryper, Deliverance, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Pat Boone, Amy Grant, 2nd chapter of acts, AD, Audio Adreneline, White Heart, White Cross, Delerious, Disciple, Guardian, Degarmo and Key, Canabil Corpse, Casting Crowns, Out of the Grey, The newsboys, DC talk (well partly), believer, Mastedon, Six pense non the richer, and X-sinner.

 

Killing Yourself lyrics


Move up from the table
Stick her arm let her go
Dropped dime on me last time
By morning his blood turned bold
Runnin from the law since Monday
'Cause Suzy went down on time
Got enough to last till Sunday
So I'm burning on down that line
Killing Yourself
Killing Yourself
Killing Yourself
K-K-K-Killing Yourself...

http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/alice-in-chains-lyrics/killing-yourself-lyrics.html


Yea, not of the devil there

 

Oh wait, here we go surely this glorifies God:


Heaven N' Hell lyrics

...You want to write my name in blood
You want to carve it in my arm
You want to make yourself a dream
You want this world under your thumb
You want to make me shout and scream
We know there ain't no heaven

Born to live, live to die
Yeah, we're livin'
Give to try, try to give
Like this is heaven
Born to live, live to die
Yeah, we're livin'
Give to try, try to give
Like this is heaven...and hell...

http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/alice-in-chains-lyrics/heaven-n_-hell-lyrics.html

What do you think? Is this what Christians should be listening to?

 

How about this?


Killer Is Me lyrics

Don't need a gun
Pointed at me
Don't need to run
Killer is me
Killer is me

So the sun
Shines upon me
Havin' fun
Killer is me

http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/alice-in-chains-lyrics/killer-is-me-lyrics.html

By the way all these are songs by Alice in chains.

 

Music is like a gun. In and of itself it does nothing and is just there. In the hands of one it can provide nourishment (as a hunter brings down game). In the hands of another it can bring death and chaos.

The particular genre does not really matter, be it rock, country, blues, gospel, whatever. Any of it can be put to mundane usage, spiritual usage, militant usage, and evil usage. Trying to say any one style of genre is "of the devil" is just ridiculous, just like saying only one translation of the bible is God's word.

 

Is rock music the devil? No more than alcoholism is the devil. Or porn.

 

Two things:

1.) In my experience, Bob Larson does not do honest research. In years past I have tried to follow up on his sources to get more information, only to find he has distorted the original context so much that what he reports is not true. Since there is so much real, legitimate dirt on musicians out there, I can't figure out why he thinks he has to twist the truth to make his points.

2.) Bob Larson's lifestyle has been a scandal for many years. I wouldn't trust him for information or as any kind of spiritual leader.

Cornerstone Magazine article

An assortment of material on Larson

 

Is Rock Rock Music the Devil ?

Dear Aaron,

You wrote: " Is rock music the devil? No more than alcoholism is the devil. Or porn. "

You are correct in your statements. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Our hearts are the seat of evil and corruption in us. The Scriptures say so. And Jesus stated that it's not what comes into a man from the outside that corrupts him but what comes from his heart.

A corrupted heart produces corrupted content (lyrics) in music.

 

Is Rock Music the Devil ?

Dear RevMitchell,

What do you expect from corrupted hearts ? The "world" can only write about what it knows. This is true in all genres of music,not just rock.

As for the "effects" of such music...My wife works at the Womens' State Prison here in Md. as a dispensary nurse.

Part of her job is doing the "intake" of new inmates into the prison which includes interviews as part of the process. After 12 years and over 15,600 interviews,music never came up as the cause for the inmates' involvement in crime, including some really horrific ones. Also,music never comes up afterwards either.

Let's get back to focussing on the evil in the heart and deal with it instead of chasing "straw men" like music.

 

Sigh......


1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." (ESV)