There is much controversy about music in the church. From my observations, it seems as though there is a disagreement mainly between the young and old in the church, about what kind of music should be sang. Many of the older people in the congregation would like to stick to the tradition hymns and do not enjoy singing small choruses, which I have heard called 7-11 songs (songs that have 7 lines and repeat 11 times.) They feel there is no debt, and if there is different or faster beat, that they are too "wordly."
The view that these new songs should be disregarded worries me alot. Many of the old hymns, were written to the tunes of old bar songs. The argument that the new choruses have a beat that resembles the rock music of today is hypocritical when looking back and knowing that when the hymns were first written, many of the songs' melodies would be recognizable by the town drunks or bar hoppers.
Many of the choruses are simply taken from the book of Psalms. Do the people who argue that these songs aren't deep enough, also think that David's psalms are just useless words that don't have a meaning? When they say we shouldn't sing them because they can't feel the Spirit with the words, or that they just aren't touched, they also must not get much out of reading their beloved Psalms.
I'm not saying that we should totally throw out the hymns either. I grew up with hymns and I love them, but I think their needs to a balance of some sort. It is not good for the church to be constantly fighting between the age groups. I believe that both hymns and choruses have their place in the church today. They both attract different groups of people in different ways. The hymns were new songs once, and the congregation became comfortable with them. It is dangerous to squelch the ideas and writers of today by saying that there music is unacceptable. The church needs to grow in every way to be attractive and adaptive to the communities needs, and this includes the music it allows.
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2 comments:
I didn't know some of the points you brought out, but they are very interesting. I agree with you, and I think you did a very good job writing this. :) -D
As I was reading your blog, I found that there are things that I agree and things that I don't agree with. I personally enjoy singing hymns, and chorus. But I think that when the older people in church says that they feel that the songs are to worldly, they mean that they don't feel that there is a big enough distinction. And the Bible speaks of the difference that there should be between Christians and the world. Another thing that you have mentioned was the Psalms. They read the psalms and are not singing them. They don't have to be sung in order for them to find spiritual help in them. The chorus may be based from then but they aren't them. Just because they don't want to sing them doesn't mean that they find the Psalms worthless. I believe that older people aren't opposed, or feel that chorus is wrong; I think that they just don't know them. It is often said that it is hard to teach an old dog a new trick. I believe that is why the older people in the church don't want to sing the chorus. They want to worship God in song. And it is harder to do that if you don't know the song. I agree with you completely that there should be a balance. The church should welcome the community. But they shouldn't compromise what they believe, or change it so that it is acceptable in their eyes. The truth of God is objective it stands alone. "What does darkness have to do with light?" The unbelievers of the community shouldn't be like the church, even in song. If they are then the church could be in danger. I think that your points were very good. I agree that there should be a balance as you have said, and I also think that you have very strong arguments. I just feel that parts of what you said could be argued.
This comment was made to Lauren’s Media’s Affect on Girls blog:
I agree that the media pressures women to be like you had talked about. I also think that it puts an image into the minds of men that they compare women with. When they consider the hotness of a girl, it is based on how well they have achieved the things you’re mentioned. Such as, perfectly shaped body, flawless skin tone, and the hottest clothes. It is hard to ignore what the media is telling you when regardless of your mindset you are still being compared, evaluated and judged. Which means that it is just are important for girls to have realistic views, and a healthy outlook as it is guys.
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