As a Christian, is it a sin to listen to non-Christian music or Christian music that is "emotional" and not "coming right from Bible verses?" Is it a sin to watch non-Christian movies or enjoy culture if it isn't meant to praise God?
I'm just going to go ahead and nip this in the butt..... NO.
This whole mentality is, quite frankly, ridiculous. How the idea that creativity is sin is beyond me.
Now, if said music/movie/art is a stumbling block in your personal walk with God or is blaspheming/dishonoring God, then yes, it is a sin.
However, I find that many Christians who point their fingers and shout "If it has a beat and isn't hymns or choruses, then you are not walking with God!" in their mommy voice are simply just harboring a Pharisee mentality and not Biblically backing up their arguments. At all.
Sorry if that's harsh, but not sorry.
Now, let me start off by saying that just because it's not blatantly "Christian," doesn't mean that God doesn't use it nor does it mean He can't be glorified by it.
My English professor this semester made a beautiful point in class.
People often gawk at the fact that we in a Christian university read, learn and study works of literature that are not written by Christians, do not present Christian messages and often display ungodly ideals and mentalities. So why do we study them?
What he said truly inspired me. "Just because it isn't a Christian work with Christian morals, doesn't mean we can't see pieces of God through man's creativity. Just because there may be mentalities we don't agree with in them, doesn't mean that we can't learn more about God and man from them."
Obviously he is not saying to fill our minds with horrible things or dark worldviews that will corrupt our minds. The Bible says to think on GOOD things.
Here's what he WAS saying: Often times, art (any form) is not created to point to God, but yet it still does. Man is God's creation, and though man may be far from God, man still has within his or her inner being, the knowledge and recognition of their Creator. Therefore, man's insight (whether Christian or not) does, in a way, teach us about our Lord and Creator and also teaches us about the nature of man in comparison to His GLORY.
Example:
Coldplay. Non-Christian band. Secular worldviews presented through their lyrics.
However, through their music and lyrics, I often see their longing for God, man's need for the Lord and their desperation for meaning in life, encouraging me to reach the lost for God. Through their music and lyrics I also can see a beauty of creation, an appreciation for obscure beauty and glimpses of nature, helping me to further understand my Maker and his beauty in creating music, life, human beings and just this world. Such music, though not written to glorify God, brings out in my heart and mind a sort of appreciation for God and his obscure characteristics that DOES bring Him glory.
This is an example of how contemporary culture can point people to Jesus unknowingly.
With that said, maybe it doesn't work like that for everyone. Maybe not everyone is a right-brained nut who sees God's beauty and majesty through tearful tunes and deep, poetic anecdotes, and that is ok. But for people to call those people ignorant who DO find beauty and appreciation of the Lord through those things, THAT is not right and not their place to judge or condemn.
Romans 14 blatantly speaks against judging others based on what they celebrate, how they eat, how they go about certain things...
Obviously, this is NOT in reference to an overt sin. Anything that directly goes against God's Word SHOULD be judged, especially among Christian brethren, because THAT is Biblical, and God is the ultimate judge
.
But, condemning others for certain preferences in what type of culture they partake in is absolutely UNBIBLICAL and arrogant.
Sorry if I stepped on toes, but ya know... welcome to the blog of Daisy Wolf.
I'm just going to go ahead and nip this in the butt..... NO.
This whole mentality is, quite frankly, ridiculous. How the idea that creativity is sin is beyond me.
Now, if said music/movie/art is a stumbling block in your personal walk with God or is blaspheming/dishonoring God, then yes, it is a sin.
However, I find that many Christians who point their fingers and shout "If it has a beat and isn't hymns or choruses, then you are not walking with God!" in their mommy voice are simply just harboring a Pharisee mentality and not Biblically backing up their arguments. At all.
Sorry if that's harsh, but not sorry.
Now, let me start off by saying that just because it's not blatantly "Christian," doesn't mean that God doesn't use it nor does it mean He can't be glorified by it.
My English professor this semester made a beautiful point in class.
People often gawk at the fact that we in a Christian university read, learn and study works of literature that are not written by Christians, do not present Christian messages and often display ungodly ideals and mentalities. So why do we study them?
What he said truly inspired me. "Just because it isn't a Christian work with Christian morals, doesn't mean we can't see pieces of God through man's creativity. Just because there may be mentalities we don't agree with in them, doesn't mean that we can't learn more about God and man from them."
Obviously he is not saying to fill our minds with horrible things or dark worldviews that will corrupt our minds. The Bible says to think on GOOD things.
Here's what he WAS saying: Often times, art (any form) is not created to point to God, but yet it still does. Man is God's creation, and though man may be far from God, man still has within his or her inner being, the knowledge and recognition of their Creator. Therefore, man's insight (whether Christian or not) does, in a way, teach us about our Lord and Creator and also teaches us about the nature of man in comparison to His GLORY.
Example:
Coldplay. Non-Christian band. Secular worldviews presented through their lyrics.
However, through their music and lyrics, I often see their longing for God, man's need for the Lord and their desperation for meaning in life, encouraging me to reach the lost for God. Through their music and lyrics I also can see a beauty of creation, an appreciation for obscure beauty and glimpses of nature, helping me to further understand my Maker and his beauty in creating music, life, human beings and just this world. Such music, though not written to glorify God, brings out in my heart and mind a sort of appreciation for God and his obscure characteristics that DOES bring Him glory.
This is an example of how contemporary culture can point people to Jesus unknowingly.
With that said, maybe it doesn't work like that for everyone. Maybe not everyone is a right-brained nut who sees God's beauty and majesty through tearful tunes and deep, poetic anecdotes, and that is ok. But for people to call those people ignorant who DO find beauty and appreciation of the Lord through those things, THAT is not right and not their place to judge or condemn.
Romans 14 blatantly speaks against judging others based on what they celebrate, how they eat, how they go about certain things...
Obviously, this is NOT in reference to an overt sin. Anything that directly goes against God's Word SHOULD be judged, especially among Christian brethren, because THAT is Biblical, and God is the ultimate judge
.
But, condemning others for certain preferences in what type of culture they partake in is absolutely UNBIBLICAL and arrogant.
Sorry if I stepped on toes, but ya know... welcome to the blog of Daisy Wolf.
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