Is it wrong for religious people to listen to secular music?

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I listen to all types of music, but upon returning to faith, I wonder if it's wrong (for want of a better word) to listen to certain types of music, with lyrics that might be too worldly. Thing is, a lot of hip hop and dance music is really fun and has a great beat...so, it's hard to turn it off, sometimes. lol

If you are religious, do you think there is anything wrong with listening to secular hip hop music, or secular music in general?

Certainly not. Secular music can speak to our experiences, can resonate with how we view the world and can help us change perspective. It's not bad simply for not being 'religious'.

 

[LuisDantas]

Come to think of it, isn't the distinction between secular and religious music influenced to a great extent by the ability of the person to attain inspiration from it?

 

[Smart_Guy]

I don't believe it is wrong to listen to secular music (if there's such a thing ). What I believe is wrong to listen to depends on the content, not the genre, or what classification "secular music" goes under . I believe it is wrong to listen to contents that have profanity and sexual imagining. I do listen to those sometime tho, but rarely and I'm not proud of it and I do it alone as much as possible. I also never seek watching video clips just to avoid stupid dancing and awful taste in clothing. When I listen to music, I do it for the music, not to make a fool out of myself or go do something to myself in private later like a loser (ehhm). Oh, I forgot, I am a loser! Different kind tho

I'm not married now, but if or when I do, I'd stop it completely for the sake of my wife. I mean for what I think is wrong above.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I listen to all types of music, but upon returning to faith, I wonder if it's wrong (for want of a better word) to listen to certain types of music, with lyrics that might be too worldly. Thing is, a lot of hip hop and dance music is really fun and has a great beat...so, it's hard to turn it off, sometimes. lol

If you are religious, do you think there is anything wrong with listening to secular hip hop music, or secular music in general?

Going in the other direction, there's religious music I don't believe in, but still appreciate and enjoy.

For instance:

I'm not sure why it has to be any different in the other direction.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Come to think of it, isn't the distinction between secular and religious music influenced to a great extent by the ability of the person to attain inspiration from it?

I wouldn't say so. Plenty of secular music is inspirational.

... unless you're going to tell me that this is "religious" music:

 

[LuisDantas]

Religion is IMO a very personal thing. I should probably have called it religious inspiration, though.

 

[Omega Green]

Actually some of the camp speakers in my old church would often attempt to re-interpret secular songs as pro-christian. Like the way that a preacher might suggest that movies like The Matrix are actually about Jesus - it can be done; it's not really all that abstract, just so long as the source is not explicitly atheistic.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

There is a song by "Disturbed" which has absolutely horrible lyrics -but the music rocks -fortunately, there is an instrumental version.

I've always like Disturbed. Their singer is Jewish, and that was a strong influence on their second album, Believe.

 

[LuisDantas]

There are also those who think we shold not attempt to draw a clear line between everyday life and religious practice. It is a common stance in Buddhism and perhaps in Opus Dei.

 

[Thief]

So you can dance. That's cool

ooooooh yeah......
Travolta got nothing on me!

(well maybe a movie career)

 

[Thief]

I've always like Disturbed. Their singer is Jewish, and that was a strong influence on their second album, Believe.

He has covered ...the Sound of Silence...... by Simon and Garfunkel
good stuff

 

[Sees]

There are also those who think we shold not attempt to draw a clear line between everyday life and religious practice. It is a common stance in Buddhism and perhaps in Opus Dei.

Pretty much all folk religions too. I think it is a good reason to be selective. A holistic approach where all the aspects are integrated means the audio and visual media you flood the brain with should mostly align with your values.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Religion is IMO a very personal thing. I should probably have called it religious inspiration, though.

So uninspiring music about a religious subject shouldn't be considered "religious music"? That seems strange, too.

 

[LuisDantas]

So uninspiring music about a religious subject shouldn't be considered "religious music"? That seems strange, too.

That is not what I said. Instead, it seems to me that religious practice can and should include inspiring certain feelings and behaviors.

 

[Quintessence]

Come to think of it, isn't the distinction between secular and religious music influenced to a great extent by the ability of the person to attain inspiration from it?

I'm trying to figure out what the meaningful distinction is between "secular" and "religious" music is, too. With respect to Druidry, this would
probably be the best way to frame it, given the emphasis on inspiration as a religious experience. Though too, on the whole Druidry deconstructs this odd dichotomy of "secular vs religious" to begin with, and I find myself unable to draw a line there.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

That is not what I said. Instead, it seems to me that religious practice can and should include inspiring certain feelings and behaviors.

If a person feels inclined to do this for themselves, I won't stop them. I do draw the line at others telling me that my own practices or attitudes are necessarily "religious" despite my opinion that they aren't.

 

[LuisDantas]

Fair enough.

 

[VioletVortex]

I'm sure some religions require their followers to listen to only their religion's worship music.

Obviously, it's not inherently wrong morals are subjective, but I could see someone's religion forbidding it.

I listen to a lot of music from my religion (mainly black metal, but also some ambient written for ritual purposes), but I also enjoy a lot of secular music. There is even some Christian music I like.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hindus cannot do without music (of our own classical type). We have beautiful very deep-meaning religious poetry which really substitutes for scriptures for a common man - Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera, Bauls, Sufis (Bulle Shah) and so many others. Love poetry too, thanks to Urdu, Awadhi, Punjabi (I am basically talking of North India but it is the same all over India).

 

[Yoshua]

I listen to all types of music, but upon returning to faith, I wonder if it's wrong (for want of a better word) to listen to certain types of music, with lyrics that might be too worldly. Thing is, a lot of hip hop and dance music is really fun and has a great beat...so, it's hard to turn it off, sometimes. lol

If you are religious, do you think there is anything wrong with listening to secular hip hop music, or secular music in general?

Hi Deidre,

Since we are here in the secular world, we have no excuse to hear a lot of secular music. There are ballads, love songs, rocks, jazz, hiphop,folk, country song etc..., I think it depends on what type of music. Better to check it out the lyrics of the music and the singer itself. There are some music that has hidden meanings and some are purely new age, and devil worship songs. Safer is the praise and worship song to God.

Thanks