Friday, September 21, 2007

Are we so lacking discernment?

One of the things I am finding as I take this journey called the Christian life is that so many people claim the name of Christ and then proceed to drag his name through the mud.



This video has me outraged. When I first became a Christian, I looked to others to discern what was allowed and what was not. I soon found out that Christians are sinners, and it needs to be Christ we look to. The music in this video is nothing more than driving beats and repetitive lyrics that cause a release of certain chemicals in the brain that leads to a kind of rush—the purpose of which is to get one into a particular mind set that leaves one open to influence. The lead singer says he loves Jesus but that he also loves having a good time. Jesus said nothing of "partying" or having a good time. As a matter of fact, he said we will be persecuted, and that we must take up our cross. This young man has changed his name to "Soul Glow Activator", another puzzling action. If one is going to change the name given by one's parents, should it not be something that lets the world know one is a follower of Christ? Mr. Activator had a public opportunity to share the Law and Gospel of God, and all he got out was that he loves Jesus and has pink tennis shoes. I think Christ's words need to be heeded here:

"22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Mt 7:22-23.

We are to be in the world, but not of the world. This is another clear case of marketing a "Christian band" to imitate the ways and sound of a secular band. Just slapping the label "Christian" on it does not make it ok; as a matter of fact I believe this is all the more insidious, because it appears in sheep's clothing. And we all know we have been warned of this.





2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Their music isn't even good. But hey, he's got pink shoes!

- Pilgrim from www.ReformationNation.net

00 said...

I actually have this band's CD. I like it. I think that the problem though is that (at least in America) anything labeled "Christian music" or "Christian band" simply means that the musicians are Christian and the music doesn't have profanity. MANY CDs that you'll find in a Christian bookstore are, in fact, secular music. There is nothing overtly about God in MUCH of what is considered "Christian music" today. I get the impression that Family Force 5 is a band MADE UP of Christians, but they're simply making "fun music" that doesn't have profanity in it. So it's in a sense "clean music," but it still doesn't really have anything to do with God. I'm okay with that, but it does bother me at times that they're labed as "Christian music" when really, it's not Christian music.