The Songs They Hear (2)
Before I venture further into other issues about the songs that young people listen to nowadays, allow me to sidetrack for a while and comment further on the importance of choosing songs that can provide an educational antithesis to the hurried lifestyle that many of us (not just the young people) are embracing today.Listen to the words of Kosuke Koyama:
The context in which most persons live is fast-moving urban life, with its noise, its hustle and bustle, its dominant impersonal relationships. People no longer see one another with faces, but as numbers and replaceable units in productive processes and systems...[Yet] our God, is a three-mile-an-hour God.God came to live among us in order to show us how to live. He was a walking God (three-mile-an-hour is the walking speed of a human). Never in a hurry, he always found time to play with the children, chat with the widows, heal the sick and comfort the downhearted.
If we want to learn to live the way that he lived, we better start learning to travel at the speed that he traveled. We can no longer afford to be careless with the songs that we choose to listen to. Wrong choice of songs, and they will further accelerate our running pace, making it even more difficult for us to be like our three-mile-an-hour God. Right choice of songs, and they will help to decelerate our running pace so that eventually, we can be three-mile-an-hour people, just as God is.
Learn to walk.
Labels: Reflections
posted by Dan at 10/08/2006 02:48:00 pm
7 Comments:
The song selections, according to my experience, could also be based on how the individual feels best related. Well, in this term, it is actually more towards a general genre of songs, not just limited to Christian music.
Frankly speaking, I came from the background of listening to songs other than just Hillsongs, Delirious, Sonic Flood or Skillet. My other genre could also be from some secular music, in which many might not agree with the Christianity principle. Metallica and Iron Maiden are few of those instances that fit the bills.
However, I am not to say that these songs are good as soul searchers... In terms of soul searching our own selves, I believe Hymnals speak alot to us.
But on the same time, I believe the reason why there are some youths who still succumb to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue and Gun n Roses, despite being also putting Sonic Flood, Delirious, Petra and Skillet as their main music library too is that there are certain songs which could also relate to them in a subtle manner. It is like, a person happening to look like a saint on the outside, but he himself knew that he had a growing monster lurking inside his heart waiting to come out, and that the songs of secular existence actually relates to that similar experience he had.
I don't know if this comment of mine is of any direction towards writing what you have in mind, but I want to share this, because I believe it is not just the fast-pacing life that inducted the youths to listen to fast-pace... at least IMHO... Please do correct me if I am wrong.
Hi Ren Kang, glad to see you here. You mentioned that some youths like some of the secular rock bands because their songs "could also relate to them in a subtle manner". Are you particularly referring to the lyrics or the music?
If it is regards to the music (which is what I have been commenting on this post), I believe the youths love it because the loud music seems to be capable of bringing a kind of release of "deliverance" from frustration and anxiety (temporal from my experience).
And yes, you are right, fast-pace life is not the ONLY reason why youths listen to this kind of music, even though I believe it is one of the fundamental and subtle cause of it. Perhaps we could explore further on this issue in finding other causes to it.
Nevertheless, I believe it is very true that this category of songs is capable of hindering us from learning to remain at a composed and calm posture.
Hey Daniel...
Yeah you are right about the music part... I misunderstood your ideology.
For me, there are two matters at hand that makes youth in general like music. One is the fast-paced that you mentioned. What struck me actually is that I believe there are some people who looks into the lyrics rather than the flow of the music.
On that factor aside, I agree with the part about being composed. It brings me back to the reason of the song, 'When The Music Fades/The Heart of Worship'.
IMHO, (this is for secular and Christian music in general), music is something that is subjective to diverse group of people. Some would look towards the lyrics as more important aspect than of the song flow. And of the song flow itself, many people would have different thoughts and point of view. Being fast-pace, being nice sounding, being catchy tune... alot of factors...
Nevertheless, you pointed out the important factor about being fast-pace, and I agree to it. However, IMHO, the lyrical contents come in first to me... Some Christian Comtemporary songs relate to certain people more, which is why they listen to those songs more I believe.
(Thanks Daniel for sharing your point of view on this... I would like to talk about this more ;)
-correction:
1. ... that makes youth in general like (this kind of) music...
2. On (those factors) aside, I...
- sorry, I was nearly sleeping while typing this...
Thanks again for your reply. Guess what, I am planning to comment on the lyrics aspect of the songs that youths listen to in my next post. So hopefully I will be able to respond to some of the feedbacks that you give through that post. If not, feel free to provide further feedback to it.
No problem ;)
I just like to talk about the aspect of the lyrical content of the music elements... so I may not be of any help because it might not stem on a proper ground.
Nevertheless, I will help as much as I can Dan.
i noticed that one of your log you keep saying the son the son and do his fathers will, then in another log your saying that god came and live amoung us. do you believe that jesus and god (Jehovah) are the same. because you said it right jesus did his fathers will. and we reflect god (Jehovah) and i know that my father and his son (my brother) are not the same person.was just wondering what your thoughts were on the subject. you propaly guessed it i'm studing jw. i came across your blog. just wanted to say nice blog.
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