Is it 'wrong' to listen to some kinds of music?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flopfoot
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
F

Flopfoot

Guest
I’m sure this has been done b4 but can’t be bothered looking for it (-:
I asked this on aaa but got no answer, so I thought I’d put it here for general discussion.

My Pentecostal friend says it’s wrong to listen to music if the lyrics are bad - eg lyrics with a lot of sexual immorality in them (common in rnb / hip hop / etc), songs about or encouraging suicide, satanic heavy metal songs etc.
Personally, I didn’t think it was too bad… I can hardly hear the lyrics in most songs anyway. He reckons that it gets to me subconsciously…

Oh, I better mention this here, otherwise I expect I’d get a lot of replies saying this. Please don’t post a reply saying “Why don’t you just listen to Christian music instead.” First, because this thread is not just about me anyway - it’s discussing whether something actually is right or wrong in general. Second, because I have hardly heard any Christian music which sounds good to me, and I’m sure there are others out there who feel the same way. Don’t want to limit themselves to only Christian bands when there’s so much other stuff that sounds great out there.

So, what do you think? Is it morally wrong / a sin to listen to music with ‘bad’ lyrics? Or, if not morally wrong, is it not recommended because it would have negative effects on someone? Or is there no problem with it?
 
Thanks for your reply. However, soon as I saw the ‘going to hell’ counter I decided that the site you posted was pretty bogus. Some Protestants might agree with you, and of course anyone is free to post what they think in this thread. However, I’m hoping to get some Catholic answers to my question.
 
I thought the same thing when I seen that counter. Seems a bit out there for me.

I don’t worry to much about music, because I noticed that I honestly don’t even pay attention to the words a lot of the time. I like the guitars in rock music, I like the beat in hip-hop, and I like a lot of the strong voices in some pop/soul/R&B music.

But this is just my opinion and how it influences ME. This might not be the case with you because it could affect you differently. Plus you also want to make sure you set an example about what is appropriate for impressionable people who hear you listening to it.
 
Something else that made me laugh when on that site is how they are calling some music demonically influenced, and they have Britney Spears’ first cd as an example, where she actually has a song called “Soda Pop”…

Thats just a little silly.
 
I figure that you also have to be ‘Spiritually Mature’ to withstand the attacks of the ‘evils’ of certain types of music.

If you are strong in your faith and know that ‘FOR YOU’ it’s it can’t hurt you, then there should be no problem.
Yes, I like the beat to rap/hip hop for an example (and ALL forms of music), but there are Christian and Catholic Gospel Genres as well.

It seems like for each music genre, there is a Christian and Catholic counterpart to it.
Find the Good News ones and just sit back and enjoy!
 
Just as there are many songs with direct infererence of sex (which I dont like) there are many creative ones done tongue in cheek and use slight innuendo (which depending on the song, I DO like) I mainly listen for the melody and the words second…but if the words are too outragious I’ll skip the song even if the melody is good.
 
The documentary they sell is quite compelling. Satan is definately using secular music to influence people. Just look it over again.
 
Chris LaRock:
The documentary they sell is quite compelling. Satan is definately using secular music to influence people. Just look it over again.
Click to expand...
I watched snippets they had online of the documentary. What’s compelling is how obvious it is that they cut and paste interviews and footage to completely change the context to their point of view.
 
I thought it was all pretty compelling. Especially when they talked about the influence satanic literature has had on some of the most popular artists.
 
Chris LaRock:
I thought it was all pretty compelling. Especially when they talked about the influence satanic literature has had on some of the most popular artists.
Click to expand...
If it’s like the 4 minute clips online, then those are also cut and pasted to push their agenda.
 
Even if the artists are partly influenced by Satan, does that necessarily mean that the music is wrong to listen to?

PS I haven’t seen the vids on the site, I have a d/l limit and so don’t wanna d/l videos.

Eg, lets say a person was influenced by Satan to try to be a show off and act all big headed. He goes and buys some food for a bunch of homeless people and makes a big song and dance about it so that everyone in the street notices him. Even if what he did was wrong (I think Jesus says not to do that somewhere), this doesn’t necessarily mean that what he did had a net negative effect on the world and it certainly wouldn’t make it wrong for the homeless people to eat the food, would it?
 
Here’s an example from the dvd documentary;

A lot of rock musicians are demonically inspired to write songs. Many are inspired to promote occultism in their music. Young people hear this stuff and get into witchcraft. This opens people up to the demonic spirits and influences.
 
Chris LaRock:
Here’s an example from the dvd documentary;

A lot of rock musicians are demonically inspired to write songs. Many are inspired to promote occultism in their music. Young people hear this stuff and get into witchcraft. This opens people up to the demonic spirits and influences.
Click to expand...
Which artists and how were they specifically influenced?
 
If you really think you’re so weak minded that listening to lyrics with bad things in them will lead you to do bad things… stay away from the music.
 
Chris LaRock:
Here’s an example from the dvd documentary;

A lot of rock musicians are demonically inspired to write songs. Many are inspired to promote occultism in their music. Young people hear this stuff and get into witchcraft. This opens people up to the demonic spirits and influences.
Click to expand...
Brother, I’ve listend to a lot of music in my life, and never have I ever said to my friends after listening to some music “Hey you know what I want to do? Sell my sould to Satan.” Seriously, I’ve got no idea where you would get this kind of thought.

Witchcraft is fake anyway, it’s just a religoin called Wiccan and it’s nothing like the common view on witchcraft.
 
Whether or not it’s wrong, trying to avoid voluntarily lending an ear to blasphemy, or glorification of ideas and actions contrary to Christian/Catholic beliefs couldn’t hurt.

What I think is more “wrong” than just listening is promoting, or financially and morally supporting bad messages in songs, though.

I actually enjoy listening to a number of bands who are openly blasphemous, and vehemently against Christianity. I failed in trying to give some of my CDs up back in the spring, but it doesn’t even matter much anymore, because as I get older, I continually lose interest in the childishness of some of lyrics, and the lack of tolerance. I realized that I don’t even listen to many of the CDs anymore that I had such a hard time getting rid of, mostly because I can’t relate to them.

I still listen to the same genre of music, but if the lyrics to a song are silly these days, I tend to lose interest much quicker.
 
40.png
TheBlackGhost:
Brother, I’ve listend to a lot of music in my life, and never have I ever said to my friends after listening to some music “Hey you know what I want to do? Sell my sould to Satan.” Seriously, I’ve got no idea where you would get this kind of thought.

Witchcraft is fake anyway, it’s just a religoin called Wiccan and it’s nothing like the common view on witchcraft.
Click to expand...
You don’t have to believe it to be true for it to be true. It’s scientifically proven that music has a subversive impact on people. It can alter people’s moods and change who they are over time.

Witchcraft isn’t fake. It’s a demonic force that some people embrace - to thier own undoing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top