Worshiping God with hard rock music

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I have a persuasive library paper of 1000 words in length, to write for my english 103 class. The paper is due October 18th, 2005. The criteria I was given, for the topic I chose:

“Hell’s Bells”: The debate over worshiping God with hard rock music- God can, or can not, be worshiped with this style of music (NOTE: Our definition of hard rock music is that this style of music is characterized by extreme volume, distortion, and screamed lyrics which are very difficult if not impossible to understand; also, note that the topic is worship directed specifucally towards God, not general evangelism/outreach)

Any thoughts?
 
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josh_lp74:
I have a persuasive library paper of 1000 words in length, to write for my english 103 class. The paper is due October 18th, 2005. The criteria I was given, for the topic I chose:

“Hell’s Bells”: The debate over worshiping God with hard rock music- God can, or can not, be worshiped with this style of music (NOTE: Our definition of hard rock music is that this style of music is characterized by extreme volume, distortion, and screamed lyrics which are very difficult if not impossible to understand; also, note that the topic is worship directed specifucally towards God, not general evangelism/outreach)

Any thoughts?
Interesting topic. I come from a perspective that finds pounding rhythm, screaming, loud volume and distortions to be antithetical to what 6000 years of Judaeo-Christian thought has considered to be “worship.” Jews, of course, introduce us to the concept of the Word, which for us becomes Incarnate in Christ. If the Word becomes unintelligible in our worship, then can we call it “worship”?

Catholics offer sacrifice as worship. Our Sacrifice is Communion with Calvary. Calvary is, to my mind, not a place where the natural human heart would give itself to pounding, distorted volume and unintelligible words.

We rejoice and make music in praise. We offer sacrifice in worship. But when we are present to God, when we are in relationship with him, listening to him, then we are most likely to experience that relationship in silence.

I Kings 19:8-13

And [Elijah went] to Horeb the mount of God. And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.”

And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
 
Good one… my personal opinion is that it has no place in a Mass or in any way should it be affiliated directly with the Church. However, if a band is into religion and they decide to put together some music based on that, sure that’s cool. What better thing to sing about is there than religion?

But I think the main issue here is that ‘hard rock’ tends to remind people of anger, something that is frowned upon in all of Christianity. Anger is a natural response to injustices and the incident of being disrespected. And we know how often that happens in the Christian world.

‘Angry’ music is a much better way of getting those agressions out than other means… say, like the Inquistion.

I’m all for it. Matter-of-fact I wish a good band would come out like that…
 
Any form of music which distracts from the Liturgy of the Mass ought not to be employed be it polka or hard rock. Most of the songs sung for our Masses written by Haugen and company are particularly unsuitable, and yet they are being used every Sunday in most of our parishes. If a hymn or spiritual song isn’t theologically sound or isn’t directed towards assisting us reverence God it should not be used. Period.

Outside the Mass songs can be more diverse. But I can’t personally see how loud, raucous screaming accompanied by whining guitars and pulsating drumming could be in any sense thought appropriate for prayer or praise of God. Most rock music is quite sexual in rhythm, making it unsuitable if not blasphemous.
 
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Constantine312:
‘Angry’ music is a much better way of getting those agressions out than other means… say, like the Inquistion.
Hmm. Equating hard rock music with the Inquisition. Yes! I can see the connection!

“Recant or I will subject you to hard rock music for 3 hours!”

“No! No! Anything but that! Where do I sign?”
 
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mercygate:
Hmm. Equating hard rock music with the Inquisition. Yes! I can see the connection!

“Recant or I will subject you to hard rock music for 3 hours!”

“No! No! Anything but that! Where do I sign?”
:rotfl: “Bring out the comfy chair!”
 
I would say no, but that’s honestly because I hate hard rock music and would definitely find it distracting. I think it depends on whether or not the audience, the people participating in the mass, would find it distracting or not. Atlhough, from my point of view, I have no idea how anybody can enjoy hard rock music in the first place!

But music is not interpreted by all of us the same.
 
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josh_lp74:
I have a persuasive library paper of 1000 words in length, to write for my english 103 class. The paper is due October 18th, 2005. The criteria I was given, for the topic I chose:

“Hell’s Bells”: The debate over worshiping God with hard rock music- God can, or can not, be worshiped with this style of music (NOTE: Our definition of hard rock music is that this style of music is characterized by extreme volume, distortion, and screamed lyrics which are very difficult if not impossible to understand; also, note that the topic is worship directed specifucally towards God, not general evangelism/outreach)

Any thoughts?
I am uncertain what you mean? Do you mean should heavy metal music be played during mass? No, I don’t think so. I can’t imagine that older members of the congregation would be too happy with screaming guitars.😉 Plus, I like the solemn nature of the mass. I don’t want to detract from that.

As far as can heavy metal music have Christian lyrics or is it acceptable for a person to listen to Christian heavy metal during their own private worship. Sure, why not? This just becomes a matter of personal taste in our own home.
 
Absolutely!!! Great idea! Does anyone seriously believe that God only likes classical music, and sing-songy hymns from the '80s?

I bet you that God will get up there in the front row and bang His divine head for a metaler that wants to worship Him with a cranked 200W Marshall amp, blastinging through a massive wall of speaker cabinets! Rock on!

God wants us to be passionate about Him, and hard rock is nothing if not passionate! Direct that passion towards the Lord, and you are truly rockin’ it, brother!

Pete
 
**What I don’t understand is how music that for decades glorified **illicit sex, drugs and alcohol be considered liturgical music by anointing it with a few churchy words. Then there is the suggestive body movements associated with it.


I prefer to listen to the still quite voice of God not have my brains blasted out.
 
When deep in prayer to God, I find that certain types of music enhance that experience. Now if I was terribly upset and needed to cry to God for Mercy maybe rock music would help to enhance that prayer. Not all prayers are quiet, but the ones that revere, adore, and love seem to me to be quiet and more like Vivaldi.
 
tom.wineman said:
**What I don’t understand is how music that for decades glorified **illicit sex, drugs and alcohol be considered liturgical music by anointing it with a few churchy words. Then there is the suggestive body movements associated with it.

I prefer to listen to the still quite voice of God not have my brains blasted out.

Woa, horsie! Not all hard rock and heavy metal glorifies illicit sex, drugs and alcohol. Also, there are plenty of other types of music that have been used to do just that. Many people find country-gospel music to be very agreeable. Yet popular themes in country lyrics are illicit sex and alcohol. Also, I doubt anybody has ever performed any “suggestive body movements” at a Metallica concert.

While I am a huge fan of heavy metal music (among other types of music), I don’t find that heavy metal is very condusive to comtemplary worship. However, since it is an art form, I find that expressions of feelings about God through heavy metal can be quite wonderful. If you (honestly) listen to bands like Living Sacrifice and As Cities Burn, you will find that the sounds they make convey a sense of urgency and repentence and sorrow more than anger. Finally, heavy metal music is quite useful (particularly in the cases of LS and ACB) in recognizing and expressing the brokeness of humanity without Christ. Living Sacrifice does a very good job of doing just this and then presenting Christ as the perfect remedy for this brokeness.
 
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