Is it ok for a Catholic to listen to these musicians / bands?

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truetofaith said:
Satan can & does use everything to cause us to sin! He used scripture to tempt Jesus.

Classical music can arouse sinful behavior but it doesn’t have lyrics, which is a big factor in leading us astray.
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There are some lyrics with classical music. You just don’t always hear them. But many times the music tells a story that is actually clearer than hearing the actual lyrics.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
Well, your OP said listen. I definitely do not sing along with objectionable lyrics. 🤷

This is especially problematic for me because I am a fan of early 90s gansta rap. (don’t ask) Where almost all the lyrics are horrid. As I have gotten older I have moved away from the NWA/ Snoop (also rastafarian) and other groups. But, they were a part of my youth.
I was not Catholic then however. Now, as a stay at home homeschooling dad, I find I never have the opportunity to crank out" $%*& the Police" in my minivan…🤷
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How is NWA not offensive to God?! Their songs are about murder, rape, stealing and substance abuse. I know, I used to be a fan too. Sometimes though we need to cast off those dirty rags to don the ‘brilliant clothes bathed in the Blood of the Lamb’.

It’s difficult for me to reconcile with too, but can you see any of the saints ‘rocking-out’ to most of these bands?
 
chopstocky said:
How is NWA not offensive to God?! Their songs are about murder, rape, stealing and substance abuse. I know, I used to be a fan too. Sometimes though we need to cast off those dirty rags to don the ‘brilliant clothes bathed in the Blood of the Lamb’.

It’s difficult for me to reconcile with too, but can you see any of the saints ‘rocking-out’ to most of these bands?
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You are right, of course you are right. It is a hypocrisy for sure. But one that I can’t seem to shake. 🤷

Actually I think it speaks to how we should be more careful to what we listen to. To this day I can recite snoop, NWA, Sublime et all in my head word for word. Once tainted, it sticks.😦 Perhaps we should be more mindful of that. Even MJ gives me a sick feeling when I hear him anymore.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
You are right, of course you are right. It is a hypocrisy for sure. But one that I can’t seem to shake. 🤷

Actually I think it speaks to how we should be more careful to what we listen to. To this day I can recite snoop, NWA, Sublime et all in my head word for word. Once tainted, it sticks.😦 Perhaps we should be more mindful of that. Even MJ gives me a sick feeling when I hear him anymore.
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I am in the same boat, believe me. Lyrics I last heard when I was 14 (a looong time ago) are still very present in my head. I think it’s an example of how slick the Dark One can be.

It really makes me wonder what I should listen to since most of those bands mentioned are some of my favorites.
 
truetofaith said:
Passions of love & good vibes whereas hard rock & rap arouse lustful & violent passions. :eek:
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You know, I don’t know about that. Classical music evokes different emotions in me. Same with Rock but it does not elicit lustful and violent passions in me. I don’t believe that Rock music incites those passions. If it does then those passions were already primed to begin with.
 
chopstocky said:
How is NWA not offensive to God?! Their songs are about murder, rape, stealing and substance abuse. I know, I used to be a fan too. Sometimes though we need to cast off those dirty rags to don the ‘brilliant clothes bathed in the Blood of the Lamb’.

It’s difficult for me to reconcile with too, but can you see any of the saints ‘rocking-out’ to most of these bands?
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They used to say ‘jazz’ was the devil’s music but if you watch Louis Armstrong play & sing with Bing Crosby or listen to Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington etc. it is great …and no worries. 👍
 
truetofaith said:
They used to say ‘jazz’ was the devil’s music but if you watch Louis Armstrong play & sing with Bing Crosby or listen to Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington etc. it is great …and no worries. 👍
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Everybody knows that the devil’s music is in Georgia. There is a fiddle of gold being played by Johnny that proves it.😉
 
truetofaith said:
They used to say ‘jazz’ was the devil’s music but if you watch Louis Armstrong play & sing with Bing Crosby or listen to Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington etc. it is great …and no worries. 👍
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This.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I was wondering if you are serious with this statement. Classical Music has been used as emotion long before rock was even dreamed of. Wars have been won because of it. Movements started, anthems written propaganda spewed, and tears shed.

Do you know the history of musical influence in political areas? It makes “rock the vote” look like the joke it is.
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Again, in general Classical music does not stir the passions. It speaks to the intellect, big difference. I never said that all classical music was virtuous. Classical music does not have the repetitive beat which speaks more to the passions that rock music/blues contains. So yes I am serious.
 
AsceticHermit said:
Again, in general Classical music does not stir the passions. It speaks to the intellect, big difference. I never said that all classical music was virtuous. Classical music does not have the repetitive beat which speaks more to the passions that rock music/blues contains. So yes I am serious.
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I guess William Tell Overture doesn’t fall under classic then. Can’t have that Lone Ranger theme riling up the kids. How about Hungarian Dance No. 5? Guess not, don’t want them Christians dancing like Dracula. Infernal Galop? The can-can!? God forbid the French and their silly dancing music! :eek:
 
I personally try to avoid artists who:
  1. Have provocative or offensive music videos or lyrics
  2. Support causes (and by causes, I mean matters of morals) that I couldn’t ever agree with (such as same sex marriage).
I don’t want my money going to people who will support something like that.

Not that I have a list of criteria, but having to type it up, I thought I’d make it look neat. So pretty much those two things.

I’ve pretty much lost a lot of artists who I would otherwise listen to.
 
Tastes in music are highly individual. We can advice others on what music to listen or not listen to but it remains that, just advice. We must remember that we are not the Magisterium and we must refrain from saying that listening to band xyz is sin or listening to music of genre xyz is sin. We do not have that authority.
 
ag11 said:
Is it ok for a Catholic to listen to these musicians/bands? Is it sinful to be a “fan” of any of these? :
  1. Bob Marley (although he references Rasta-ism a lot – I find it hard to “sing along” to some lines)
  2. Jimi Hendrix
  3. Led Zeppelin
  4. The Eagles
  5. The Who
  6. The Beatles
  7. Guns N Roses
  8. KISS
  9. Pink Floyd
  10. AC DC (i really dont know about this one)
  11. Metallica
  12. Aerosmith
  13. Bon Jovi
  14. U2
Yes or No? Your thoughts?

Thanks
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  1. No. Anti-Catholic.
  2. On a song by song basis only. Clearly, Jimi was part of the psychedelic scene which was influential in promoting the mind-altering effects of illegal drugs. I remember buying his debut album. No one was a better guitar player.
  3. On a song by song basis only. Read the lyrics.
  4. On a song by song basis. Read the lyrics.
  5. On a song by song basis. Read the lyrics.
  6. The Beatles went on a strange journey. Their early work was great, but later songs were promoting illegal drugs (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, a reference to a dangerous drug, LSD). So the early songs, OK, but toward the end, on a song by song basis.
  7. Read the lyrics.
  8. Read the lyrics.
  9. Another psychedelic band. Read the lyrics.
  10. Read the lyrics.
11 to 14. Read the lyrics.

Ed
 
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