Posted on 06/30/2004 3:27:30 AM PDT by RaceBannon
What does being "conformed to this world" mean?
Breathing?
Taking a dump?
Eating?
Those are all things that we must do which do as fleshly beings.
On the other hand:
Promiscuous sex?
Drunkenness?
Corruption?
Gluttony?
These are the things of this world which we must avoid, for they pollute our souls.
So, then, which things must we as Christians avoid?
Fortunately, the bible tells us very plainly that we must avoid such things as promiscuity, drunkenness, and corruption.
It says nothing about avoiding music. And it does say you shall not add to the law.
Certain churches, Roman Catholic for instance, refer to "near occasions" of sin. These are the things which tempt us or lead us towards sin for no meritorious reason, and it is considered wrong to frequent the near occasions of sin. If you find rock-sounding music to incite you to lust or to immoral thoughts or even simply away from your concentration of God, then by all means avoid it.
But over two thousands years ago, there were people who could not understand why great evil was visited apon them. They desired righteousness, but found it impossible to attain. Thus, they added to the law all manners of proscriptions to avoid falling in to sin. These men were Pharisees, and their prohibitions only added to the suffering of man.
They still exist, within every branch of Christianity. Do not become one of them.
IOW, your assertion was that the music "caused" the sin.
***IOW, your assertion was that the music "caused" the sin.***
No, my assertion was that the CMM community is reported to be fairly immoral.
I would also say that this is reflected in the shallow spiritual content of CCM.
OK, then again... anyone who trashes Michael W. Smith can't be all that bad.
>>"Now, the industry is celebrity-driven. The song is almost irrelevant.The focus is on the PERSON, and songs have become disposable."<<
This is an honest critique of the institution of CCM. I've heard the same about prayer services. Do you avoid those? I'v heard that said about preachers. Do you avoid them? I've certainly heard that said about politicians. You did vote, didn't you?
>>""My oldest daughter thinks he hung the moon"! ...The Lord Jesus Chri(ƒœPung the moon! (John 1:3) Steve Camp is in the place of the Lord Jesus Christ! "<<
YOu can't seriously believes that he meant that his daughter actually thinks Steve Camp hung the moon. It's a saying. And by the way, The Father hung the moon, not the Son.
So there are flaws in CCM. EVERYBODY sifts through the chaff to find what they are looking for. GO ahead and dump Sandy Patti. I never liked her in the first place. By all means rid yourself Michael W. Smith.
But be careful judging the music as Satanic, because of the foibles of the people who wrote it. Psalms were written down by an adulterous murderer. Listen to each song on its own merits. If you find something objectionnable with a song, move on and find a better song.
heretic
***Well, we all know what happens when we assert.***
I've never heard that. Is it similar to what happens when we assume?
:)
Thank you.
Yeah, pretty much.
Why yes! We make an.....hey, waitaminute. What's an ert?
***hey, waitaminute. What's an ert?***
estrogen replacement therapy
n. Abbr. ERT
The administration of estrogen, especially in postmenopausal women, to relieve menopausal symptoms and to protect against osteoporosis and heart disease.
You complain that I have made a personal attack on you. What have you done regarding every other artist you've mentioned? You have attacked a dear friend of mine, who obeyed God and shared the Gospel with me. How would you like it if I attacked the person who was instrumental in you becoming a child of God?
You say that there's nothing libelous, and yet you attacked a friend of mine, not just some artist whose work is all I know of him. I know Keaggy personally, I know his family, I attended his wedding (and they're still together, 30 years later), and I know the man. What you imply is absolutely 100% not true.
Your accusation against him is nothing more than a twisted personal opinion, because you have a problem with the music, not because the music itself is the problem. If the Lord leads you to stay away from it, that is the Lord's Word to YOU, and you only. When you try to impose it on others, you are taking His place, and passing off His Word to you as His Word to everyone. If you really were concerned about them, you wouldn't be writing this stuff here, you'd be trying to contact them. I suggest that would be a better use of your time.
Here you are, trying to remove specks from our eyes, with a honking California Redwood log sticking out of your own. You deal with your own walk with the Lord, and we'll deal with ours. And those artists will deal with theirs. You're not responsible for my walk, and I'm not responsible for yours. Let's keep it that way.
A holiness evangelist, is the authority for the following:
Edith had a friend who did not believe that the injunctions,
"Come out from among them and be ye separate,"
"Be not conformed to the world,"
and kindred passages, have anything to do with the external appearance of the Christian. She was united in church fellowship with a denomination which does not recognize these things as important, and she had been heard to speak contemptuously of those contracted views that would induce one, in coming out in a religious profession, to make such a change in external appearance as to excite observation.
We should be far from favoring an intimation that Edith 's friend was hypocritical; she was only what would be termed a liberal-minded professor, and was no more insincere than thousands who stand on what would be termed an ordinary eminence in religious profession. The wasting consumption gradually preyed upon the vitals of this friend, and Edith who lives in a distant city, went to see her. Edith, though not at the time as fully devoted as she might have been, was concerned to find her friend as much engaged with the vanities of the world and as much interested about conforming to its customs as ever, and she ventured to say, "I did not suppose you would think so much about these things now."
Her friend felt somewhat indignant at the remark, and observed, "I do not know that I am more conformed to the world than yourself, and the denomination to which you belong regards these things as wrong, but our people do not think that religion has anything to do with these little matters."
The hand of withering disease continued relentlessly laid on Edith's friend, and as she drew nearer eternity her blissful hopes of immortality and eternal life seemed to gather yet greater brightness. Her friends felt that her piety was more elevated than that of ordinary attainment. Again and yet again her friends gathered around her dying couch to hear her last glowing expressions and to witness her peaceful departure. Such was her composure that she desired her shroud might be in readiness so that she might, before the mirror, behold her body arrayed for its peaceful resting place.
Her friend Edith was forced to leave the city a day or two before her dissolution, and called to take her final farewell.
"We shall not meet again on earth," said the dying lady, "but doubtless we shall meet in heaven. on my own part I have no more doubt than if I were already there, and I cannot but hope that you will be faithful unto death. We shall then meet."
They then bade each other a last adieu.
The moment at last came when death was permitted to do his fearful work. The devoted friends had again gathered around the bed of the dying fair one to witness her peaceful exit. Respiration grew shorter and shorter and at last ceased, and they deemed the spirit already in the embrace of blissful messengers who were winging it to paradise. A fearful shriek! and in a moment they beheld her that they had looked upon as the departed sitting upright before them with every feature distorted.
Horror and disappointment had transformed that placid countenance so that it exhibited an expression indescribably fiendish. "I can't die!" vociferated the terrified, disappointed one. "I won't die!" At that moment the door opened and her minister entered. "Out of the door, thou deceiver of men!" she again vociferated, fell back and was no more.
"Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Mat. 7:21.)
Guilt by association. One of the oldest logical fallacies. Looks like there's a few here who have fallen for it...
***Guilt by association.***
Guilt by association
OR
"By their fruits shall ye know them"
???
Group ping to post #73
"I CAN'T DIE! I WON'T DIE!"
(applicable story)
saw him in concert about 3 mos ago - I was reluctant thinking poorly of what passes for musical talent these days - however he was a real gentleman and is one of the greatest players the world has known - I left feeling uplifted and blessed that God had crafted such a wonderful person
honking California Redwood log sticking out of your own
LOL - bwahahahah LOL
I would agree with most of your assessment. The only part I would disagree with is that I think our Lord Jesus is telling us that non-Christians are very clever in how they manipulate one another as the unrighteous stewart did. I interpret this passage to say Christians likewise should shrewdly use whatever means available to send the message out. If that is the case I would say using Christian Rock is using worldly tools very wisely and I would say the Lord would want us to use these types of tools.
I haven't gotten to see him in a while, and I do want to catch him with Glass Harp again. I know all thee of the guys in the band. They're all Believers, and make great music together. If you've never seen Glass Harp live, do yourself a favor and go! You won't regret it!
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