No, really I want to know. Were our grandparents right even though certainly wrong on a number of things? Was this a time that they were "spot on"? Sure they might have sounded fanatical, old fashioned and prudish, we have to at least consider the argument that they were right, if we don't consider every opinion then we are fools. Even if the opinion requires only seconds to consider then dismiss.
I love listening to my Beatles, Doors and all the classics as much as anyone, but the more I listen to it, the more I run across a re-occurring scriptural theme "eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die." "Live for today and don't worry 'bout tomorrow." "Rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun, only the good die young." "The world is your oyster so get high and get whatever you want to." It seems like they bombard their listeners with encouragement to be selfish and don't worry about anything but their own carnal appetites and people eat it up. Whatever makes us happy in the moment is acceptable, no matter whom we had to trample on to get it or if it is offensive to God.
Rap is obviously the worst example of this (except for apparently Tupac who was instrumental in my brothers conversion to the Savior). The other day, a member was moving. She is the only member of the Church in her family. Her son had head-phones on and was listening very intently. He was ignoring his fathers pleas to help load the truck and he was wandering around in daze, muttering the lyrics to a rap. It struck me so strongly that it was almost like the chants of a Monk, kind of a religious mantra. It kind of scared me, because I thought, "man this kid is really internalizing this stuff, he is having a quasi-religious experience with it or should I say irreligious experience." It begs the question, how much are we all effected by the entertainment we subject ourselves to? As was said in the last conference, Babylon effects us in ways we don't even realize.
But rap isn't the only culprit of "artists" stealing men's attention from the true God by dishonesty and cunning. Ok, this was one of the weirdest "rockumentaries" that I've ever seen, but at least it was refreshingly honest, not like the usual crap about how happy they were, "but then, tragedy struck again and their life fell into the crapper, again, but then, they were the happiest they'd ever been, again, and so on and so on". I mean, come on, if the precepts and methods to happiness that they constantly prescribe bring such stability and happiness, why is it the same story in all of them- no one, drunk, someone, drunk and stoned, no one, rehab. But I digress, the Black Sabbath Rockumentary made me think of writing this post. I think it was on VH1, but it might have been MTV, its all pops and whistles to me. I stopped because they were doing a piece on Black Sabbath and Ozzy looked so different so it piqued my interest. The drummer started going into how he used to be big into the occult and witchcraft, he had upside-down crosses and pictures of Satan hanging on all his walls. One night, he woke up with a hideous nightmare and looked down to the end of his bed to behold a "very malevolent dark form" and could feel rage and hatred and it scared him. He went and told Ozzy and the group thought it would be great to write a song about it. After that, the group felt inspiration that they should write songs in the same vein to scare people. So by their own admission their songs were inspired by a dark spirit and witchcraft! Think about that for a second. They admitted to being inspired by the devil and yet me bringing up this subject will probably make me a fanatic. I remember growing up as a young child in the 80s and religious groups accusing these bands of this very thing. In turn they were scoffed and marginalized, but it turns out, at least in this case that they were right. Maybe I'm overreaching a little, I don't know, but I would love feedback on this issue. Do you think rock musicians are the "ravening wolves in sheep's clothing" we were warned about that sing about a twisted brand of love and tolerance, or am I out to lunch on this one?
Hey why don't we ask the McLaughlin Group if they agree with you guys.
WRONG THEY WERE ALL INSPIRED BY THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS!
NEXT ISSUE!
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7 comments:
I've tried to write McCartney-esque ballads but they always come out sounding EVIL
I think you've got a good point there is a certain attitude that goes with Rock'N'Roll - and those behind the musics are almost comical - almost formulaic - you can predict the story because they're all the same - Then there is Arthur Kane bassist for the New York Dolls who joined the church and worked for the church in LA for 20 years - and VH1 had the show that re-united bands - can't think of the title but there was a drummer that literally just walked out and the rest of the band didn't hear from him until VH1 tracked him down - he became a preacher somewhere in the mid-west - then theres always Johnny Cash - him and June Carter went to Bible school from playing in the "Devil's Band" remember that from Walk the Line? - George Harrison pretty much walked away from it too and followed the eastern ways and tended his garden for a decade before he passed.
Yeah you're right cc, I'm not claiming that I think musicians are un-redeemably evil. I'm just wondering if they have to live a certain way to be accepted by "the world". I mean look at the Osmonds, everyone makes fun of them for being "fruity", his manager actually counseled him to have a scandal. I think, once they get going down that road, they are more suseptible to unsound "philosophies". They can change and repent, and they're still loved by Heavenly Father, but I think its very difficult at that point to get out of bad habits and get the spirit back with you.
What are you talking about? Tupac turned me to accept Christ as my personal savior. RIP Tupac.
You smart butt. Is that what they taught you at Timpview? To be smart?
I've had similar experiences to what Black Sabbath had when I listen to Janice Capp Perry and Lex DeAzevedo.
hey clint,
I'm not about to drag you over coals, i just find the argument a bit arbitrary. Do you suggest a remedy to be isolation from these modes of entertainment?
The type of lifestyle portrayed by rock'n'rollers is one that they translate into their works, a lot of the time whimsical and self-indulgent. But I think that that is actually far to broad a generalisation. Take "Imagine", or other songs by the Beatles, or Eagles, or others that ask for tolerance and love amongst humans. Not necessarily an "evil" sort of message.
Likewise, how do you justify comparing entertainment with a religious (or semi-religious) experience? I think there is a certain amount of inherent awareness between the difference in religious and entertaining experience. Is monotonous mumbling and chanting of words the manifestation of religious experience?
I feel like the argument you base your post on should actually be inverted. I don't think people have a religious experience and internalise things from listening and repition in a "daze". I think religious experience comes from the message (that strikes true internally), and is then manifested, if you will (or if you so choose), in that sort of "chanting" or any sort of expression of belief (be it singing in a church, or the mumblings of a monk).
Just a few of my thoughts. I had more but I've forgotten now. I'll try and remember.
Cheers,
Lily
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