Stealth American Plague 2
Oct 11th, 2008 by Trace Embry
About a month ago, I opened up a can of worms that I intend to keep open for awhile—even as I open up other cans along the way. Basically, I said that music was the most overlooked tool of the devil used against the church and our culture today. I called it the stealth American plague because of its power to destroy us without us knowing it. And I believe this whole-heartedly. So, I’ll give you another paragraph to chew on until next time. First thing we must understand is that a spiritual realm exists, and that music is a deeply spiritual thing. We must also understand that we are in the midst of a spiritual war—a war all around us between the forces of good and evil, as well as the war inside us between our spiritual nature and our fleshly nature. Scripture is clear on this. For those who struggle with all of this, ask yourself a few questions. Why is it that one can observe voodoo priests, head hunters, cannibals, witchdoctors, shamans, and any other number of occult practitioners from the different four corners of the globe and observe virtually the same lifestyles and worship and entertainment forms? With no global form of communication to compare notes, is this just coincidence? By the way, worship and entertainment are cousins. Just ask anyone who followed the Beatles, Grateful Dead or the Insane Clown Posse—just to name a few. Areas of Africa, South America, Asia, Australia, and the Caribbean are some of the more common places that attempt to summon spirits with very similar beats, rhythms, energy, and dance rituals. Are these Holy Spirits? Are these to be considered civilized nations? Is body piercing, tattooing, and body modification a common practice in these nations? Are the beats, Rhythms and energy similar to what America can hear on any given radio station today? According to the people who actually write, produce, and perform the music, they are. In fact, any number of modern recording artists will tell you that much, if not all, of their ideas come from the “mother rhythms” of these various primitive cultures. They appeal to the carnal nature of who we are. They also help fuel our troubled teenagers’ rebellion, anger, depression, anhedonia, apathy, hopelessness, addictions, and suicidal thoughts. Perhaps this is one reason why former Education Secretary, Bill Bennett, was quoted as saying, “America is rapidly becoming the kind of nation that civilized nations send missionaries to”. Could it be possible that Mr. Bennett made this statement, in part, because of what he is hearing so often in American music? Or, could it perhaps be because 54% of Americans are now tattooed? Or, maybe it’s all the piercings and body modifications that seem to be so common today. Could it be because of our nation’s moral decline, the church’s moral decline, or a combination of all the above? What exactly does it mean to be civilized? Why would the idea of an orchestra playing Mozart, Bach, or Beethoven in some of these tribal areas be almost laughable? How many young people have ever gone on a shooting spree listening to music from these three men? Compare this with the number of young people who have killed, and taken their own lives while listening to the music of Silver Chair, The Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, or any number of other contemporary bands. This is not to mention the lifestyles and sinful practices of those who regularly listen to this type of music. And please don’t accuse me of saying that music, or these bands, are the sole, or even primary reason, for these types of incidents. However, it would be hard to deny it has no effect, as the record reflects an undeniable role of culpability to one degree or another. If you were to present a group of twenty men and women in business suits, and then twenty of your garden variety tattooed, pierced, and punk-haired individuals, to a group of nine year-olds, I would assure you that even they would know which group played in the orchestra, and which group played in Marilyn Manson’s band, or Snoop Dog’s, or Eminem’s. I challenge anyone reading this to play 30 seconds of the soundtrack to Brave Heart or Titanic, and then play 30 seconds of Slipnot or Marilyn Manson, to a group of 6 year olds. Then ask the kids, “If you were to die tonight, and the first thing you heard was (one or the other), where would you think you would be? I’ve actually played growling and screaming “Christian” music to groups of all ages, and then played beautiful secular music like Titanic or Brave Heart, and asked the same question. Lyrics weren’t even in the equation. Every group, every time, chose the “Christian” music as the evil music they would hear in hell, and the secular music as the music they would hear in heaven. Why? Because, music is spiritual. All the right words, (though not understandable) without the right spirit (through beats, rhythms, chord progressions, energy, etc) will be more apt to accomplish the enemy’s ends than God’s. Just look at some of our televangelists! Even Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus! It is hard to articulate what we, deep in our spirit, already know, but can’t explain. Can you tell me why the sound track to the Munster’s TV show wouldn’t be appropriate for the movie, Brave Heart, or vice-versa? I have yet to have anyone tell me anything other than, “It just doesn’t work”. We all know that it doesn’t work; what we can’t explain is why. It’s the same reason we can’t explain God. Some things are better accepted than explained. Explanations for some things just perpetuate a debate that is often futile. Perhaps this whole music thing is just as futile in the eyes of some people. But, we see struggling teens and hurting parents dealing with these issues all the time, and coming to terms with it all. We are helping parents and kids work through these things, and finding healing. Yet, some people are going to do with music what they do with cigarettes. Regardless of the mountain of evidence; and, regardless of how much it is destroying them, they are going to do it, because they like it. However, the power of music, unlike cigarettes, I believe is a whole lot more likely to be used by the enemy to bring down an entire culture—not just individuals. Cigarettes do not have the spiritual influence that music does; yet, I will never be able to prove it to those who are determined otherwise. A Christ-centered worldview is what it is going to take. Even Jesus alluded to music’s influence and appropriateness when He said, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn”. This is already more than I wanted to go into for now; but, I have a whole lot more to say on this subject. There is a ton more evidence—scientific evidence—that music affects the brain for good and for ill. I welcome your comments.
Print This Post
I also work in a setting with very troubled teens, most of whom listen to very distructive and disturbing music, so trust me, I understand your concern. However, when I read your article, I was very disturbed by your Western supremicist mind set, which bordered with racism. I was shocked by your “civilized” vs. “primative” dichotomy that smacked of 18th century rhetoric used by conquerors and slave owners alike. Yes, I think that drum beats appeal perhaps to a deeper, more primal instinct as maybe sex and food do. But certainly, although they are powerful things all three can be used for the glory of God. As for your “experiment” as to which music would be heard in heaven, of course music that expresses pain and longing is incongruous with what heaven will be like. Yes, I think that there is a time for peaceful music, but there is also a place in art for the expression of frustration, anger, and suffering. I can find you some pretty angry classical music that no one would imagine being played in heaven. Please be culturally sensitive. Not because it is politically correct, but because God loves and uses people and art of all cultural backgrounds. I am not a relativist, but there are other battles that are far more important to fight, and the battle as you explain it can be just as destructive and damaging as the music my students listen to. God bless.
Natasha.Beljin@gmail.com
Dear Natasha,
Thank you for your response to “Stealth American Plague”. But, since I am approaching this subject as honestly and objectively as I know how, I must take issue with the racist and Western supremacist mind set comment. This is common politically- correct straw man rhetoric that stirs emotion at the expense of logic. My comments were from the standpoint of observation. And many of them were questions that the reader must answer for himself; so, perhaps this scathing indictment of Western supremacy and borderline racism finds its genesis in you, and not me. I can assure you I have no agenda; and, I’m certainly not a racist. The “civilized” vs “primitive topic you may want to take up with former Education Secretary, Bill Bennett; because, I’m not following your connection with the whole 18th century slave owner thing. Please don’t infer what I’m not implying. Most anyone you talk to would probably define grass huts and dirt floors as they compare to NASA and the internet as a clear distinction between primitive and civilized. If the terms I used weren’t spot-on appropriate, then I apologize. I am open to improving my vocabulary skills. You talked about drum beats; but, I never did. Again, perhaps you have a vision or bias that I never intended. I talked about beats, not drum beats—although, since you brought it up, I won’t disagree with you. And I can tell you that there are a slew of contemporary musicians that won’t disagree with you either. So, please cut me some slack. I’m just conveying what I observe, and reporting on what the “professionals” observe and experience as well. You said God can be glorified by sex, food, and drums. You won’t hear an argument from me. I agree totally. And I don’t need to elaborate. You then said, of course music that expresses pain and longing isn’t congruent with what Heaven will be like. But I’m taking lyrics right out of the equation. What determines pain and longing in a song with no words? I’m saying it can’t be articulated, but only spiritually discerned. Yet, even a young child can discern the difference just as an adult can. But neither can articulate why—again, because sometimes spiritual issues go beyond articulation. You then went on to say there is a place in art for the expression of frustration, anger, and suffering. I might agree with that, because about 1/3 of the Psalms are a lament—but not the entire book. But the lament is expressed with a purpose in mind that gives resolution to the lament—it doesn’t fuel it, as does much of today’s “music”! And it does so in language that isn’t gratuitously sexual, violent, or self-serving smut. The hearer or reader is supposed to glean something beyond mere entertainment—unlike much of today’s music, which is a lament for lament’s sake— smut included. Music that glorifies death, chaos, suicide, illicit sex and violence is often the only kind of music kids allows themselves to listen to. They have acquired appetites for it—similar to an alcoholic. Many kids listen to nothing else—bringing no balance and perspective into a young mind that is still very impressionable. How can professing Christians be entertained by, and fuel their appetites with, subject matter and spiritual energy that grieves the heart of God and degrades his creation? If we just focus on lyrics alone, how do we justify it all in light of scriptures that speak of the shame in simply talking about what evil people do in secret? If Bach said, “all music should be for the glory of God and the refreshment of the human spirit”, I have to believe that perhaps much of today’s “music” doesn’t even qualify as art in the first place. Drugs, junk food, and illicit sex can make me feel good for a short time too—exactly what the devil would want for my long-term destruction. Just because I can hold an instrument and angrily scream obscenities into a microphone from a stage, doesn’t make me an artist. You talked about angry classical music. I hope you don’t think I’m making a case that classical music is “God’s” music, and no other music is legitimate. If the devil can do his best work in church, and even better work from behind a pulpit, he can certainly work through classical music too. But, let’s be real; sharks have been found in fresh water, hundreds of miles upstream from the sea. It’s just not common for them to make their home there. You then asked me to be culturally sensitive. Should I say the same thing to you, simply because you might have mentioned that Southerners used to own human beings and perform atrocities on minorities? Or would you simply be stating a historical fact? Did Hitler gas Jews, or didn’t he? Are there atrocities going on in the Sudan as we speak? How do you feel about killing bulls for sport in Spain and in Mexico? Am I culturally insensitive for bringing up these facts? You went on to say that God uses people and art of all cultural backgrounds. Again, we agree. But, don’t be so naïve as to not believe that the devil uses people and art of all cultural backgrounds too—some more than others. Why, I haven’t a clue. Why does Ecuador have more gold mines than the United States? I don’t know that either. You said there are more important battles to fight than music. We agree again—and there always will be. But, just because stopping the killing of babies is more important than stopping their neglect, doesn’t mean we neglect the neglect—because neglect can eventually result in the same death—albeit slower and more painful. You also said that the “battle” can be just as destructive and damaging as the music your students listen to. Please tell me how?! Natasha, it sounds to me like you have a need to justify yourself and/or your kids in this area. It is the same politically correct “peacekeeping” mindset that many Christians own today. Jesus encouraged us to be “peacemakers”– not peacekeepers. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5: 9) A peacekeeper makes no waves; yet unknowingly prolongs an inevitably greater calamity in the future. A peacemaker is willing to confront issues, and fight small battles, so that things don’t morph into a huge calamity later. A peacemaker is like a surgeon. He has to make calculated cuts with short term pain, so that healing can take place for long term peace. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, it is the enemy that multiplies kisses.” I hope that you receive these comments as a friend—even if we have to agree to disagree.
In Christ’s Love,
Trace Embry
There are many topics I could tackle here, but let me try to stick to my main points. Again, I want to reiterate that I share your concern for much of the popular music of this culture and especially the lyrics and worldviews they reveal. I am also sorry if I sounded sensationalist; I did not mean to say you were racist, but that your rhetoric and word choices have been inherited from a past fraught with racial prejudice. For example, slave owners used the term “primative” to claim they were delivering slaves into a “civilized” world in order to justify themselves. You can find similar statements about the Native Americans. The terms “primative” vs. “civilized” as used previously were curtailed greatly after WWI. I agree that there is such a thing as primative technology, however the dichotomy that you really seemed to be pushing in your first post was that primative (including music)=bad and civilized (seemingly the West)=good. When “civilized” nations came together in WWI however and had the bloodiest and meaningless war in all of history, it made people question what “civilized” really meant. It is almost like you are linking civilized with holy and uncivilized with unholy (I know you are not making a one-to-one correspondence, but a definite link). To me, that link is destructive to peace making and downright false.
“Did Hitler gas Jews, or didn’t he? Are there atrocities going on in the Sudan as we speak? How do you feel about killing bulls for sport in Spain and in Mexico? Am I culturally insensitive for bringing up these facts? ” Straw men. It is not talking about these difficult topics that makes us racist but the WAY we talk about them. The words “civilized” and “primative” come with a lot of historical baggage, and we should be sure we are not writing off entire people groups and art forms with them.
“You then said, of course music that expresses pain and longing isn’t congruent with what Heaven will be like. But I’m taking lyrics right out of the equation. What determines pain and longing in a song with no words?” I brought up the angry classical music not to say that classical music has sin too, but that there is a place for angry expression in art and in life. Yes we don’t want to dwell there, but there are times in our life where the unresolved lament is the only true expression of how we are experiencing the world. I am not sure if you were being rhetorical in your question, but there are lots of ways songs can determine pain and longing without words. Minor vs. major chords make a huge difference. The speed, the dynamics, the dissonence of the chords, etc, etc. There is a place for an angry Christian song. I still can’t tell if you agree with me on that point. Again, it shouldn’t be the only musical diet. You are totally right about the “fueling” vs. “expressing” emotions difference. That was well put, and it is sometimes a fine line to walk. I still didn’t understand what you were saying about beats. I only assumed drum beats because that’s where a lot of beats come from.
To be honest, I found your response to be kind of ironic. To me it seemed like “GRRRR….anger has no place in art,” but it does in writing?? I can picture your response better in an angry rap than a lullaby. I will just leave it at that. Thanks for responding to me. That was a pleasant surprise. God bless.
Natasha
Natasha,
I think semantics are our biggest hurdle. I urge you to look up “civilized” in Webster’s. I think your case could be better made against them than me. Even after world wars, the term still makes sense to me. I know terms evolve/ devolve over time, but should they? Homosexuals hijacked a very good term, “gay”. “Intolerance” is no longer tolerated. “Freedom” is now a license to express the profane—a right to fulfill a “want” rather than a privilege to fulfill an “ought”. Love and lust are now indistinguishable. And “hate” is anything that is said or done that I wouldn’t say or do. How do you know the term “slave” isn’t offensive to me? How do you know I’m not a minority offended by the term? And if you assumed I wasn’t, does that make you prejudiced—perhaps racist? You used terms on me like, “Western supremacist” and “racist”, yet seem troubled that I used common terms like “civilized” and “primitive” to make an objective observation. Honestly, Natasha, I’m 52 years old; I never heard of the terms “primitive” or “civilized” being curtailed after WWI. Perhaps I’m living in a bubble. Isn’t America a little touchy today? And, no way am I linking primitive to bad, or west to good. There are/were tribes of cannibals in South America. Voodoo is still big in Haiti. You should meet some of my relatives! These all live in the west. A world war simply proves that civilized nations can still behave uncivilized. I suppose we also need to discern the difference between civilized and uncivilized technologically verses civilized and uncivilized behaviorally. By the way, writing IS an art form; and, I’m not angry, but passionate–though I agree that my response wouldn’t make much of a lullaby. But, for someone who has spent a great deal of energy, time, and money attempting to help and love the very people groups you have accused me of offending, I must admit it was a kick in the chops to be viewed as a borderline racist. I’m not linking civilized with holy by any means; yet, I’m not so sure that I would be wrong to think that I would be more likely to link uncivilized with unholy. You may think it is unfair to generalize; yet, you have done it with me. When a credible man in the media says the Iranians hate us here in America, I don’t email him, and make him qualify his every statement. We must speak in generalities to communicate sometimes—just as you did when you assumed I was a westerner by what I wrote. I could, just as easily, assume you to be a minority around 30 years old by the way you wrote. By the way, I AM a westerner—an original westerner in part. I am the descendent of a Cherokee chief. Yet, the term “primitive” doesn’t bother me at all. And, unless it is wrongly and/or unkindly used, it shouldn’t bother you either. Other than that, I think we are on the same page. I do appreciate different opinions; so, thank you so much for your responses. God bless you too!
Trace