The Great Debate

Adapted from Christian Berdahl’s presentation “Distraction Dilemma:

Exposing Distractions & Dangers in Music

The Great Debate : MUSIC

Rebellion in heaven led to war… • Lucifer was cast out…(Revelation

12:7-9)• Rev 12:17 – He goes now to

make war with the remnant…• What was his role in heaven?

The questions:

Is music moral or amoral?

Is it the lyrics or the music bed that matters most?

• *Amoralists -It doesn’t matter what we listen to music is amoral(not concerned with the rightness or wrongness of something)*Moralists – It does matter what kind of music we listen to

Sandi Patti“Music is a very powerful force. It has a way of breaking

down barriers…but a lot of artists are taking that very powerful tool and putting negative, horrible lyrics to it and those lyrics are getting into the hearts of the listeners and are shaping their values.

Why can’t we (i.e Contemporary Christian musicians) take that same powerful force – music – put positive lyrics to it and begin shaping values that way?”

What side is she on? Lyrics or music?

LYRICS

David Meece“Basically you have to focus on the lyrics and what the

song is saying. That is my criteria to decide whether the song is right or wrong.

It has nothing to do with the music style. It has to do with the lyrics. What is the song saying ? As Christians we can objectively judge it from that standpoint.”

What side is he on? Lyrics or music?

LYRICS

Professor Marshall Mcluhan*His work is viewed as a cornerstone on media -

“The medium is the message. That is to say, the music: its melody, harmony and rhythm, all by itself disposes man to virtue or vice by moving the emotions.

Therefore, the way in which they move the passions should serve as a principle basis for judgement on whether any given piece of music is good or bad. ”

What side is he on? Lyrics or music?

MUSIC

Brain Specialist Dr. Richard Pellegrino“Music has the uncanny ability to trigger a flood of

human emotions and images that have the ability to instantaneously produce very powerful changes in emotional states.”

Take it from a brain guy in 25 years of working with the brain, I still can not affect a person’s state of mind the way one simple song can.”

Billboard Magazine, Subliminal Power of Music September 1999.

What side is he on? Lyrics or music?

MUSIC

Musical Experiment

Can music alone influence the listener?

Step 1: Listen to this piece of music while closing your eyes

Step 2: Indicate what you are feeling afterward.

Listen to these clips (click to play)

Dr. Norman M. Weinberger Professor of Neurobiology an Behaviour at UC Irvine research confirms that- “…music can rapidly and powerfully set moods and do

so in a way not easily attained by other means”

RH, April 21, 1885

“If the thoughts are wrong, the feelings will be wrong; and the thought and feelings combined make up the moral character.”

*Moral: concerned with right and wrong

RH, April 21, 1885

“When we decide that as Christians we are not required to restrain our thoughts and feelings we are brought under the influence of evil angels, and invite their presence and their control.”

Divide yourself into groups• Think about these questions while you gather your

thoughts:• If Lucifer’s role in heaven was a choir master – Would he

leave music alone when cast out of heaven?• Which is more powerful lyrics or music(melody)?• Can music (not lyrics) change your mood?• Is music a language by itself? Or does it need lyrics (even

a title) to direct the listener?• Did God intend music to be able to change your moods

and thoughts?• Is it possible to have Christian lyrics with unchristian

music?• If that is possible how practical is it to stop such music ?

Listen to how similar secular music and Christian music was in earlier Centuries