What is music?

Mood, emotion and so on are meaningless and yes-morally neutral without context.

All kinds of sounds can exhibit emotion and mood. Where do you distinguish a stream of audible signals and begin judging sound as sinful or righteous? Rhythm?

Main Entry: 2thought
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English thOht; akin to Old English thencan to think -- more at THINK
1 a : the action or process of thinking : COGITATION b : serious consideration : REGARD c archaic : RECOLLECTION, REMEMBRANCE
2 a : reasoning power b : the power to imagine : CONCEPTION
3 : something that is thought: as a : an individual act or product of thinking b : a developed intention or plan <had no thought of leaving home> c : something (as an opinion or belief) in the mind <he spoke his thoughts freely> d : the intellectual product or the organized views and principles of a period, place, group, or individual <contemporary Western thought>


How is music thought?

 

This will probably shake up some people.

Music cannot change a person. Only the Word of God has the power to do that.

 

Well, hello Aaron:

I see that you are inclined to continue our correspondence. I am really not sure why; nevertheless, I am flattered by your obsession with me.

I did find this reply particularly amusing though. Back on September 2nd, you said:

I guess that this is just like the comment that you made in that thread "Confessions of a Former Worship Leader:"

I didn't "really" believe it would be your last post in that particular thread. Similarly, I confess that I didn't think that you would cease calling me by your affectionate little nickname. How delightful.

Hope you are having a great week - it's slowly becoming Autumn here in the Commonwealth,
BiR

 

I am saying without a context emotion is meaningless. One can say "This music sounds sad", but without something more explicit to give it direction what can you say the music is expressing?

I am happy. Is my emotional state righteous or sinful?

You've made a subtle, ambiguous transition from saying that music communicates emotion and mood to suggesting that music can be constructed in such a way as to entice the heart to sin.

How is music capable of this?


How is music thought?

First you say music is thought, then you say it is conducive to thought, then you conclude music is thought again. I don't understand.

 

Translation:
What we sense is true, and your senses are deadened (since you don't sense what we sense), so just listen to/follow what we say (Even if we can't prove it to you), and regardless of what you sense.

 

I am happy. Is my emotional state righteous or sinful?

Exactly. In order to know the source of happiness one must know the heart which is happy. Music which sounds happy is not in and of itself happiness. There is no point in judging it because it doesn't have a motive.

Which further illuminates my argument.A happy melody sounds the same regardless of who plays it.


You've made a subtle, ambiguous transition from saying that music communicates emotion and mood to suggesting that music can be constructed in such a way as to entice the heart to sin.

First you say music is thought, then you say it is conducive to thought, then you conclude music is thought again. I don't understand.

Thought occurs in the heart and mind. That's right out of Scripture. The definition I posted is even consistent with that. I'm not an etymologist so I can't argue with authority concerning the history of the word "music" but I'm pretty sure no one has ever claimed that music thinks. How could it?

 

Well, hello Aaron:

Actually, my "well-wishing" was sincere.
Have I not done this consistently, even after you wrote what you wrote?

In this thread, I have only responded to you when I was referenced or addressed. Remember: you specifically addressed me. Until you did, we had not communicated for months.

Seriously, I do hope that God is blessing you and your family. I have steadfastly stated this, and I have done it once again. Doubting my sincerity doesn't change that.

Have a great weekend,
BiR

 

Actually, that passage goes on to tell us what it meant for them to be still "babes": They apparently still had not gotten down pact the basic "foundation" or repentance, faith, baptism, resurrection, judgment, etc. (6:1,2. Sometimes we have to look past the chapter divisions. )
The spiritual discernment you discuss would be a form of the stronger "meat", but on the other hand, the way you and other music critics describe these "effects" of music, it would be a universal sense that could be recognized by even the unsaved. Also, since it is not only immature "babes" in Christ who do not make the broad judgment of music you do, then you must be insinuating that every Christian who does not see this the way you do falls into the immaturity described in this passage. So that's exactly what I said, above. Ignore whatever you sense, just listen to what I say. Only I am mature enough to know what is best for you.

So likewise, the negative emotions you associate with certain styles of music, we have to ask whether it springs from the old man or the new man. You assume there that they are all the old man, but that is where you go wrong, and then when one goes further, (in order to make those emotions always wrong) it often gets into a whole philosophy where a Christian is to never have any negative emotions, and be nothing but a docile cheery stepford person. (Hence, the criticism of all psychology among old-liners, and it's new-line counterpart, the "Abundant Life"/"victory" teaching)

 

In other words, once you've determined the context.

While I don't think this is a complete picture I do agree it is more accurate to say that righteousness is manifest in the actions of a renewed heart and sin is manifest in the actions of a corrupt heart. I don't see how this argument is related to music though.

See how you had to demonstrate that the intent of your heart was sinful? You provided context to explain why your anger was unrighteous. Music could never do such a thing.

Music is an abstract form of expression the same as any other kind of communication. It is not the thought, emotion or intent itself. Those things can only exist inside the heart.