even though this is the starting point of this topic, i will use the term bottom-line...;)

bottom-line, if it isn't glorifying and praising God..then what is it
glorifying and praising? there is no grey area here..it's black and
white, it's either God-inspired and holy, or its satan-inspired and
unholy.

no matter how the recording industry packages and promotes it, no
matter how bubblegum and innocent it may sound, or appear..if it's not
of God, it's dangerous.

in almost every genre of music, whether its hip hop, pop, rock,
country, heavy metal, dance, whatever it is..there are Christian
artists who seek God in their lives, and are inspired by Him and their
walk with Him to reach others through their music. on the flipside,
there are secular artists whose lives are full of pride, immortality,
hate, occultic practices..and to whatever degree, are self-serving and
inspired, or deceived, by the enemy and seek to draw consumers into
their belief systems by sometimes blatant and sometimes subtle lyrics.

when an artist in the music industry isn't walking with the Lord, the
enemy uses those around them (fans, promoters, club/venue owners,
managers) to fill their heads with all kinds of wrong and evil
things..drug and alcohol use is alot more widespread than they would
have you believe, as well as fans that more often than not become the
artist's sexual partners, even if only for a night.

if you're defensive about yer choice of music or the artists you listen
to, ask the Lord to reveal the reasons to you as to why yer defensive.
the enemy has used music for a long time to touch the hearts and souls
of people, unbelievers and Christians alike..keep in mind, too, the
reason why satan packages some artists so innocently is that it can
lure us in without even realizing what we're buying into, and open the
doors to other things, or desensitize us to many things.

i was a nightclub dj in the south sound area for 23 years, spinning
pretty heavy music ranging from alternative to nrg to electro to disco
to rock, etc...i played a number of venues, and to thousands of people
during that time..and that all came to an end this past june, when the
Lord laid it on my heart to give it up and give it to Him. having been
a part of the music/club industry for so long, i'm pretty aware of the
whole music scene, and the spiritual dangers involved..whether it's the
immorality and decadence of the scene and the lifestyle that
accompanies it or the music that's filled with some very dark(and
deceiving)spirits and messages...which is one of the reasons that i got
rid of over 500 discs at my last dj gig..the one band i gravitated
heavily towards for almost 25 years was depeche mode, the one band i
was fanatical about. i was always trying to justify hanging onto their
music and merchandise, even during previous "walks" with the Lord, by
digging deep to find some kind of "religious" quality in their
sound..and then God brought to my eyes the fact that i'd set them so
far above everything else in my life, especially Him..and had created a
form of idolatry in my heart towards them. i had spent countless
thousands of dollars over the years building my collection(s), and in
july...i threw it all away, and gave those desires to Him.

the reason for this topic is that in each of my networks, including the
Christian ones, i keep seeing questions as to why rock music is so
wrong to listen to...

remember, ask the Lord to show you the things that could be keeping you
from enjoying a full-on relationship with Him, especially those that
may be tucked way in the back of our hearts and minds, just clinging
onto us, hoping that they aren't discovered...

what i'm trying to hit on here is that there are a number of people
that are really wondering about the pitfalls of secular groups..and as
to whether or not secular music is even that influential; music speaks
to our innermost areas, and if its dark or negative or whatever it may
be...its being taken in on some level.

i was just trying to give some input as to how the enemy CAN use music
to plant seeds, and that there are artists who may not come across as
being necessarily bad, or evil..it just takes a bit of discernment as
to the lyrical content, or paying attention to what they're portraying
in their image. people don't see anything wrong with artists like
fergie, and i used to spin alot of her music in the clubs..yet, when i
hear it or watch her videos now..i hear subtle lyrics about lust,
debauchery, and pride...and the videos contain alot of things that most
Christians or even people with a moral fiber would find questionable
and objectionable, including scenes of sexual permissiveness(showing
this is normal and ok). there is also a strong theme of "one world, one
people" that suggests that the mappleses can "find the power and answers
to life inside themselves" and that as "the human family, we have the
ability to change the world"..its got a very mild "new age"mentality to
it all. there are bands comparable to coldplay that use this message in
their ideology and lyrical content..

i'm not judging , i'm pointing out that there are dangers involved in
some genres, and people should be aware if they're wondering if there
are hidden meanings..

if this doesn't pertain to you and yer choice of music, then that's great..

its somebody else i was trying to reach..er, please don't take that the
wrong way, cuz i sure didn't mean for it to sound negative;)

i am frenz with numerous artists in the industry that share my beliefs,
and that's what they are..my beliefs, not absolutes, not set in
stone..i just know what the Lord laid on my heart, and that's why i
shared what i did.

the Holy Spirit doesn't always put the same convictions on each of us,
as our lives are individual, as are our walks..even though we are all
part of one body, namely His.

what may cause me to stumble, may not be the same for you..and vice-versa.

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