MUSIC THEOLOGY
LECTURE 2
THE “NON-NEUTRALITY” OF MUSIC
The main point I will make with this lecture is simply this: “Music (non-lyrical) is not neutral or amoral; it is either good or not good; it is either holy or profane; it either pleases God or displeases Him; it is either of the Devil or it is of the Lord.”
I will attempt to prove this to you with the following commentary:
Some questions and comparisons to consider
So, is something as concrete and fundamental as music capable of being evil or good? Most can understand the ‘good’ aspect to music, but the ‘evil’ part is usually rejected, at least in part, for often the person’s favorite style of music is the one being labelled ‘evil’…and that’s just not acceptable to them.
Perhaps some of you are asking yourselves the question, "But how can a musical note be inherently good or bad? Aren't notes just a matter of pitch variation, tonal vibration, compressions and decompressions of air?"
The notes are not evil in themselves, it is how they are placed together and emphasized. Take the English language, for example. If I write the letter “e” , is that a good "e" or a bad "e"? Neither. As a building block of the English language it is a neutral entity. However, I as a creative writer can put that letter in conjunction with other letters and communicate something like …”PraisE the Lord” or “I HatE God.” In both of the above usages I have taken neutral letters and put them together to communicate something to you. However, what I have communicated is definitely not neutral, and my intent is clearly conveyed.
Aspiring artists go to school to study neutral devices used in the creative process of painting--devices such as line, color, shade, perspective, texture, contrast, etc. A stroll through any major art gallery in our country will reveal that some artists use these devices to paint beautiful portraits, landscapes, or still images. Other artists take these same neutral devices and put them together in such a way as to paint nudity and lewd subject matter that would embarrass any decent person. What is the difference between the two extremes? It is what the artist desired to communicate!
Why are we willing to admit these facts when it comes to literature, art, sculpture, or any other form of creativity--but not music? Both the skill and intent of the creator determine what the final product will communicate.
Music in itself is very powerful; very controlling; very manipulating.
Consider what the background music in a movie does; it can cause peacefulness, giddiness, scariness, excitedness, tearfullness…
Music was designed by God to affect the emotions, behaviour, feeling, even thoughts. It isn’t a neutral entity.
Some will say that the music’s style, or beat, is not that significant.
Go to a Death Metal concert and watch what just the beat can do to a crowd of young people!
How about when you have been to a Teen Rally and the music changes to a song with a lot of rhythm and they let the kids clap: they clap, they sway, they move their feet, they wiggle, they…..
Why do Night Clubs always play that sensual, rapid, heavy, syncopated type music? Why don’t they play “Elevator Musick”? It’s because their type of music gets the people ‘dancing’, partying, excited.
It’s easy to see this power of music by examining different concert scenarios: a heavy metal concert – heads banging, fists in air, even violent slamming into each other; a techno-punk (skinhead) concert – jerky body contorting, people jumping off the stage, violence; a rap concert – very pronounced jerking of the body and head to the strong beat, with bizarre hand jesturing, violence; a hiphop concert – wild girating of hips and shoulders, animilistic jesturing, sexual; a standard pop-rock concert – head banging, fists in air, jerky body contorting, bizzare hand jesturing, wild girating of the hips, violence and sexual. Why does the crowd do this? It comes “naturally”. Now, look at a “Christian” concert crowd playing similarly as each of these scenarios, and you will see the same types of movements, violent and sexual!! The kids really don’t care about the words...but they love “the beat”.
Some might say, “Well, just because music has the power to change your emotions or make you want to dance, doesn’t mean that it is evil, per se.” That is a good statement; however, the fact that it can indeed affect us so powerfully in our emotions and physically, means that it is a power to be careful of, for sure. It has the power to influence us negatively or positively; bad or good. Music is extremely powerful. No wonder that Rock stars make millions of dollars every year; no wonder that many young people listen to their favorite music groups 18+ hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It’s addictive, controlling, mesmorizing!
Some would say, “I think all styles of music is fine; I just don’t prefer so and so style.” “It’s all based on preference; it’s up to the individual listener.”
Though some would confidently state that Country and soft Rock styles are fine, but that harder stuff like Heavy Metal and Rap is not ok.
And most would confidently state that the Death Metal with all it’s blood curdling screams and insanely fast bass drum beats is not in any way possibly honoring and glorifying to the God of the Bible.
Are all these thoughts right? Is just one right?
But, what about “Muzack”? or “March music”? or Classical music? Aren’t these basically neutral? Can’t some music be neither good nor bad? It may seem that a boring, meaningless, noize in the elevator is neutral, but I submit to you that it is either stimulating the flesh or it is stimulating the spirit. And, it can’t do both…for the two are contrary one to the other. Classical music may seem harmless, but oh do be careful… Music is extremely powerful!
That giddy little tune on the children’s cartoon might seem fun, playful, and innocent enough, but watch what the kids do when they listen to it; many times they will ‘naturally’ start dancing, wiggling, jumping, having never seen dancing before in their lives. Those that put the music into these programs, full well understand the power that it has, and will try to manipulate the audience, even little children!
[Sound Music: pg. 27-29]
If all musical styles are neutral, why does the Bible specify that believers should sing a certain kind of music? "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19). The word "spiritual" means set apart for God, different from the things of the world. A tavern or nightclub owner would never play sacred psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs over the music system, even if the words were not included. It would create the wrong atmosphere. Why, then, should believers borrow the music that nightclub owners use to entertain and lull or stir the drinking crowd to their lascivious pleasures?
If all musical styles are neutral, that means that the Devil hasn’t corrupted music; but such an idea is nonsensical. The devil hates God and has attempted to corrupt everything that God has created. He is called "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:3) and "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2), and he has corrupted religion, literature, art, fashion -- you name it. Lucifer’s specialty was music and worship in heaven and it hasn’t changed since he was kicked out.
Music is one of the most powerful influences in society. To think that the Devil has not corrupted music to his own wicked purposes and for the enticement of fallen man is contrary to everything the Bible warns us about.
My struggle with the “non-neutrality” issue
Personally, I struggled when confronted with the concept that music might have the potential to be inherently evil. I didn’t like the ramifications of that on my life…my music. I loved Christian ‘rock’ (and all types in that genre).
I argued with my pastor on it; I argued with myself on it; I argued with God on it. But, I finally had to be serious and fair and look at the music I liked and see if the ‘non-neutrality’ issue might be true. And, after months of deliberation, I came to the solid conclusion that the Christian “Rock” music I was listening to did indeed strongly affect my ‘flesh’; it wasn’t neutral. As I focused on what the songs did to me, it was very obvious that my flesh was affected way more than my spirit was (if at all). I knew that the flesh was exceedingly sinful and could not be trusted; it would always lead into sin if unchecked. Thus, I adopted a new conviction on music for myself; if the music stimulated my flesh, it wasn’t right for me; in fact, it wouldn’t be right for anyone.
What do I mean by “stimulate my flesh”? If the music causes me to start focusing on my body, on moving it, on letting it have its way, it is stimulating my flesh. And, thus, it will take my focus away from God. Music, if it is to be acceptable to me (and to God, I believe), must stimulate my spirit towards God, and not stimulate my flesh away from Him.
Does that song make me want to tap my foot, wiggle my head, snap my fingers, get up and move about the room, go slam my fist into the wall, scream……?
This concept correlates well with a man seeing a woman who is somewhat seductive appearing; this will naturally stimulate the flesh to different degrees, depending on the seductiveness, the sensuality, and the unbridled responsiveness from the viewer. A little can go a long ways. A little bit of sensuality is very dangerous. Likewise with music!
The inner battle you have with music
I believe that the music you listen to either is promoting the Spirit of God within your spirit, or it is promoting the sinful flesh within your soul. They don’t co-exist together; there is no music that is partially pleasing to the Spirit of God, and partially pleasing to the flesh… it is impossible.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
If the music stimulates the flesh, then it is stimulating something very wicked indeed. There is nothing good or redeemable in the flesh… nothing!
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
So, we Christians, who want to please the Lord with all we do, need to totally abstain from anything that stimulates this ol’ wicked, lustful, sensual loving, flesh. If we don’t, then we will lose the battle. Today’s music is warring against our very souls!
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Saul’s music lesson
The Bible reveals the effect of music on King Saul in 1 Samuel 16. King Saul had sinned and faced rejection as king of Israel and was troubled by an evil spirit. He called for David, a shepherd boy at the time, to soothe him by his musical art. Verse 23 of that chapter reads, "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."
Please note that the verse does not say that David sang for Saul and that the words were a comfort to him. The Bible says specifically that David "took an harp and played with his hand."
This non-lyrical music was so powerful that it caused devils to flee! It was a style that was very, very good; holy; spirit lifting; God honoring….but not one word.
Purely instrumental music affected Saul in three ways: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I believe that the basic essence of this passage is that the instrumental music had a definite effect on King Saul in these 3 areas; and that it’s not just the lyrics that is powerful in the music.
CCM’s existance is based on the neutrality of music
The foundational philosophy for both Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and Contemporary Christian Worship (CCW) is the idea that music is neutral or amoral and that any style of music can be used in the service of a holy God.
"There is no style of music that can't be enjoyed by Christians." -- Ralph Carmichael
"God speaks through all different kinds of musical styles" --Bill Gaither
If one had the conviction that music was not neutral, and that it is either good or bad, then the very existance of CCM, and all its offspring, is in jeapardy. So know this for sure, CCM performers and fans will fight this concept with great intensity.
Watch out for that beat
Music’s rhythm can either be steady and in concord with the body, or it can be irratic and against the body’s own rhythm. A march has the beat on one and three. ONE, two, THREE, four, ONE, two, THREE, four. Syncopated music is one, TWO, three, FOUR, one, TWO, three, FOUR; with many variations. Syncopation puts the accent on a beat other than the downbeat of a measure or on some portion of a beat other than its beginning. This creates a kind of metrical jerk
It is a “Rumba” style beat with the accent just off the beat, so it “swings”. The “rock” beat comes from African Voodoo rhythms which are basically a “stop and apestic” beat pattern (i.e. 2 short beats followed by 1 long). The “pestic”, non-syncopated, steady march beat goes in line with the body’s and doesn’t create stress.
The rhythms in most of today’s modern music is centered in the ancient pagan voodoo beat in the jungles of Africa. It made its way to America through Haitian and African slaves. They began styles such as the “blues”, “jazz”, “boogie woogie”, “rhamba”, etc. These styles quickly caught on and were introduced into more traditional unsyncopated music of the day.
"Rock is visceral. It does disturbing things to your body. In spite of yourself, you find your body tingling, moving with the music. ... To get into rock, you have to give in to it, let it inside, flow with it, to the point where it consumes you, and all you can feel or hear or think about is the music." (Tom McSloy, rock music performer).
"Rock and roll aims for liberation and transcendence, eroticising the spiritual and spiritualizing the erotic, because that is its ecumenical birthright" (Robert Palmer, Rock & Roll an Unruly History).
"Rock and roll was something that's hardcore, rough and wild and sweaty and wet and just loose" (Patti Labelle, cited in Rock Facts, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum).
Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead, has traveled the world researching the power of drums. In his book Drumming at the Edge of Magic he observes: "Everywhere you look on the planet people are using drums to alter consciousness. I've discovered, along with many others, the extraordinary power of music, particularly percussion, to influence the human mind and body. . . . There have been many times when I've felt as if the drum has carried me to an open door into another world."
"The rhythm is more important than the meaning of the words. Our gods respond to rhythm above all else" (a Macumba priestess in Brazil, quoted in African Rhythm & Sensibility).
“Christian music, of course, should be music that worships and glorifies God and spiritually uplifts the believer .
Rock music by its very nature, however, expresses an unspoken desire to smash such a worship to pieces since its appeal is not to the higher elements of man's nature, including his new nature, but to his lowest. Teenagers do not listen to rock because of its fine quality, but because of its erotic qualities.” (unknown author)
And Bob Larsen said, "Rock makes an appeal to the physical and carnal. Those who live superficial lives spiritually will obviously gravitate quickly to such an approach ....”
The music we listen to all has a “beat”. The question is what is this beat stimulating us to do or feel? Is it going with our own natural rhythm thus creating concord? Is it tertiary in importance (behind melody and harmony)? Do we hardly even notice it? OR is it going against “us” creating stress, violence, sensuality, rebellion? Is it the prominant thing we hear or feel? If everything was removed from the song except for the rhythm, would we be able to distinguish it as “godly” or would it be “worldly”?!
Beware Christian; the music you keep listening to hour after hour is indeed having an affect on you. Most of the time you are not even aware of it. Little by little it changes you. The Devil knows how to get to you. Think about this: Now let’s say we add just a little bit of sensual rhythm to a song. We make it just one degree away from truly spiritual, holy music. It will appeal to a lot of Christians. Then we have some other music that really is boogie, but we call it Southern gospel; and that will appeal to a lot of Christians. They excuse it by saying it is just "down home" music. No, it isn’t. It’s boogie woogie, but some Christians still think it is O.K. Then there is the Contemporary Christian Music, which sounds like it is being sung in a nightclub. But, now we just say it is “contemporary” and “uptodate”. Next, rap, hiphop, and metal will be sung in our holy places of worship because they have supplanted the others and have become the norm!! What will music be like in an hundred years?! What will music be like before the throne of our Holy God??!!