Fundamentalist Christian Music, Some Questions II

In My Humble Opinion
1

Many of my business partners are, or have been, fundamentalist Christians. When I ride with them I have the opportunity to listen to typical on-air Christian music programming. Some questions, please:
Why is it impossible for the stations to play an instrumental piece?
However pivotal Jesus or God is in their life, is that the only topic worthy of thought or consideration?
What is so repulsive about any other form of music like jazz, blues or world beat?

I will freely confess that these questions are, for me, rhetorical. My answers;

So many fundamentalists I have met reached their religion through desperation. Either self abuse through drugs or bad relationships seemed to drive them to their faith. As Dennis Miller says, “Nobody ever finds Jesus on prom night.”

I can only say that the strident and too often insistent tenor of the lyrics in Christian music are indicative of great insecurity. Quite the opposite of the message that they contain. In services that I have attended, there is a pervasive motif of constant self-reassurance and reinforcement, more akin to brain washing techniques than any sort of artistic expression.

The complete absence of instrumental pieces, or even instrumental passages further supports my own sense of the fragility of faith that must exist for people who require such constant reaffirmation of what should be a given.

The total void of foreign language lyrics or different musical styles also strengthens my perception that fundamentalists are pandering to a narrow market of mindsets. Whatever happened to the all-inclusive nature of religion?

What has become of some of the most beautiful passages ever written in the name of God? J.S. Bach’s instrumental work, all of which he dedicated to his creator, is so moving in its artistry that I am often inspired to consider the tennets of his faith as well. How is it that these magnificent works are incapable of transmitting the less complex message contained in the repetitive content of modern Christian music broadcast media?

I know that there is also Christian “rock” music but that too suffers from the strident nature mentioned above. Why is it that gospel, which centers heavily upon blues and semi-jazz formats seems to be so unacceptable to fundamentalists? How is it they are seemingly unable to acquire any inspiration from these styles as well?

Anyway, I welcome the input of everyone here, religious or not, about this odd facet of modern fundamentalist religious music.

[End Of Original Post]
The original posting ocurred at the GQ forum in this thread.

PS: PLDennison and Rastahomie, please feel free to crosspost your input from the locked thread, it was very enjoyable. For those of you who think that this is pit-worthy I asked Manhattan to please clarify in this thread.

2

My favorite Fundamentalist Christian songs:

“My God Can Beat Up Your God”
“God Told Me to Tell You to Tithe”
“God Hates Fags”
“Let’s Go Bomb an Abortion Clinic”
(Note for the Fundies: I am being sarcastic here. There are no songs with the above titles. Unless I get around to writing and recording them.)

Any other suggested titles? :wink:

3

Tracer, let us know if you actually write those songs. Unfortunately, you could probably find an audience for them.

Zen, Tracer’s tongue-in-cheek titles actually suggest one answer: I suspect a teeny weeny bit of cynicism in some Christian artists. Shocking, I know, but it’s just possible that some groups don’t want to stay in that niche market. Such groups don’t use straightforward lyrics (like Tracer’s would be), but they go all metaphorical in hope of a little cross-over play. Would the Beatles (for example) have been able to hit the big time with “HE loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah…”? I think so - and I think that accounts for the flabbiness of the fundamentalist lyric sensibility.

Aside from simple crass commercialism, though, fundamentalist Christian thought focuses on saying and doing - the whole witnessing and tithing scene, e.g. - rather than being. That could account for the lack of instrumental music (too intellectual, too internal) and the prevalence of good, plain, normal language (i.e., none of that minority-world-cultural stuff for me, bub).

So - maximum accessibility to the majority culture, high emphasis on talk and results, low emphasis on essence and means - plus some yearning for material success. Got yerself a winning combo.

Really an excellent set of observations, Zenster. Thanks for the quandaries.

4

Actually, I’ve already written the lyrics and melody for “Let’s Go Bomb an Abortion Clinic”…

5

Presumably your song has to do with essence qua essence and justification by faith rather than works - so it seems only polite for a humble newbie to say Hey, Tracer, will you sing us a song?

If Zenster doesn’t mind the digression?

6

Since they’re not beating down the doors here, sure, go ahead tracer,

Somehow, I’m very sure that neither these boards nor the world in general are ready for my weirdest songs. Imagine Hitler writing lyrics to Mussolini’s favorite Italian operas and folk songs and you’ll know why.

7

And digressing back to a tangential point relating to the OP, does anyone who listens to Christian music actually take Carman seriously? His stuff (that I’ve seen) is bombastic, “wow-em-with-fireworks”, cliched, slick showmanship that causes me to click away from the station even more quickly than Christian contemporary normally would. I mean, I like Sandi Patti (even if I don’t necessarily follow her faith), and I love some of Amy Grant’s older music (especially El Shaddai), but Carman just makes me laugh.

8

In the Christian music field, there is every genre covered. Instrumental to Heavy Metal to Fusion to Jazz. I’d imagine the Blues are covered too, somewhere. So don’t worry, you just didn’t get a station that played it. Why? Simple, money.

Right, it takes money to run a station, and ad dollars support success, just like in secular radio. I’ve seen secular stations change format in a flash to follow the popular music trend (AC to country to AC to country to Top 40/Rap to Country, in one or two cases locally.) And since Adult Contemporary is one of the most popular genres, that’s where most artists end up. Now all this may sound awfully money grubbing. But I’d say in all cases, it’s not. They are in this to support their families (or themselves, if single) and serve the Lord.

The rest of my post hinges on what you’re asking/wondering about. Why this certain type of Music seems to dominate or the nature of Christian Music?

[sub]Getting people to believe that not all Christians are “Fundamentalist” is next to impossible.[/sub]

9

Because that wouldn’t be semi-melodious preaching, which is really all they’re interested in.

Do you even need to ask this question. We’re talking about fundamentalist Christians. To them, it is.

In my fundamentalist Christian upbringing, I was taught that any music with a beat is evil. I exaggerate not. The explanations ranged from, “The beats are designed to be opposite your heartbeat, causing health problems,” to “The beats are the same as Satanic African jungle beats.” One makes no sense and the other is just breathtakingly racist.

And the fundies I have experienced say that Christian rock is just as evil as garden-variety rock. Maybe worse.

10

Christian music, in general, bores me, and I’m a Christian. Don’t get me wrong, gospel intrigues me (I love spirituals), the classical religious pieces I love, and I can tolerate and even sometimes enjoy Christian rock.
It just seems Christian music only focuses on one thing:
COME TO JESUS!!!
I mean, there are so many things a Christian music artist could sing about that indirectly relate to God without beating it into someone’s skull and boring them. My goodness, if God gave you the talent to play an instrument, then do some instrumental work.
Then again, I was raised on rock–the devil’s music.

11

I understand your frustration. That is specifically why I did not post this as being about “Christian” music in general.

Personally, I rate the thinly disguised musical preaching right up there with the half hour children’s shows that are really 30 minute commercials.

As a musician who tries to bring some sort of content into my compositions and lyrics, I find such transparent pandering to be really offensive. It saddens me that so many people of reasonable faith have to defend themselves against the way certain elements of the church warp public perception with their incessant bleating.

I reiterate that such constant and strident proclamation carries with it an intrinsic undercurrent of insecurity and over-reliance upon consensual reality.

12

Hate to break it to you tracer, but there’s already an unironic (!) Christian song about blowing up abortion clinics.

Lyrics to “I Blew Up That Clinic Real Good,” by Steve Taylor, can be found here.

13

It’s called “I blew up the Clinic Real Good”. And the point of the song, for those who don’t read english, is that ends don’t justify the means. He’s making fun of the mindset that thinks that resorting to killing people in Gods name will make you a hero. One of the commandments does say thou shalt not kill.

Did you read the liner notes below the lyrics at all?

14

Listeners to Christian radio stations are the target audience, Christians. Just like country music fans are more apt to listen to country stations and classic rock fans are more apt to listen to classic rock. It’s just what they enjoy.

I really doubt that your co-workers feel that other music is “evil.” It’s more likely that they are listening to the station they like. I’ll bet that when a song comes on that they don’t like, they change the station.

I disagree with all Christian bands being interested in “semi-melodious preaching”. Three examples spring to mind right off the bat.

  1. Jars of Clay had a hit in the mid-90s with “Flood,” a song stating their reliance on God when things get overwhelming. The video was even played on MTV.
  2. Sixpence None the Richer is a group played often on Christian radio. They also had the hit song “Kiss Me” and a hit with the remake of “There She Goes.”
  3. Creed is very outspoken about their Christian influences. Next time you hear “One King” on the radio, listen to the words.

So, all Christian groups do not play exclusively Christian music. As for Christian radio playing only Christian oriented music, if they were to mix in secular music, it would be akin to a country music station mixing in a Backstreet Boys track every now and then.

FTR, I am a Christian, but I really don’t like Christian Radio.

15

If you think that song is unironic, then you don’t know anything about Steve Taylor and didn’t read his notes below. Shame on you, Gad.

As I said in Zenster’s original GQ thread, if you want an example of a devoutly Christian musician who can handle many different genres (classical guitar, jazz, fusion, pop/rock), pick up a Phil Keaggy album. And his lyrics are rarely if ever preachy; unless he covers a gospel song or hymn, I don’t even recall seeing the word “Jesus” or “God.”

Heck, for that matter, pick up something by Moby. He’s a born-again Christian vegan, and he’s on MTV!

16

Carman has a niche ministry, and a rather narrow focus within in his ministry. In my opinion, his goal is to reach out to folks who normally wouldn’t go to a “Christian” concert – and the way he does that is by putting on a highly-entertaining, high-energy show. Incidentally, he’s touring again, after four or five years off the road. I attended the opening night of his concert tour in Memphis a couple of months ago, and while it wasn’t my ideal idea of how to spend an evening, it was enjoyable, and the folks I was with were entertained. Do I take him seriously? Yes. Do I listen to him for pleasure? No.

Now, I know the OP specifically referred to fundamentalist Christian stations, and for the sake of keeping this thread manageable, we should probably limit ourselves to that. Some posters are not doing that, though. In the process, they’re stereotyping ALL contemporary Christian music.

For just a couple of examples of Christian music that is both poetic and deep, check out Nichole Nordeman (click listen for lyrics). Or try Caedmon’s Call. Both of these get play on contemporary Christian stations.

In every genre, there are crappy musicians and there are great musicians. Christian music is no different. As to why some stations play only songs that mention Jesus and God every other word – well, the people listening to those stations respond to that. Perhaps they feel that they can get everything BUT that on any other station – love songs, comedy songs, etc. – so they pick their Christian station to fill in what they perceive as the gap – namely, songs about Jesus and God.

17

Sorry, Phil and SZ; you’re absolutely right. I was basing my recollection of that song on a Christian friend of mine back in high school who listened to it unironically. I was tired, so I did a quick Google search, made sure it was vaguely the song I remembered, and went to bed.

Bad research on my part; thanks for setting the record straight.

18

Gadarene wrote:

Damn! Somebody beat me to it. By over a decade, it seems.

Well.

Since I’m obviously not going to be come a sarcastic-Xtian-music-parody superstar now that someone else has beaten me to the punch, I might as well post the lyrics to my song here.

This song is copyright patented registered-trademarked by me, tracer, yours truly, and may not be disseminated without the express written consent of Major League Baseball and a note from your mother.
(And since I already have the entire melody worked out … Cue music: A riff in the background, strongly reminiscent of the guitar intro to “Eve of Destruction”.)
Let’s Go Bomb an Abortion Clinic

*Ev’ry day, sev’ral thousand
Little cute, helpless babies
Are all killed while they’re in the womb still.
Don’t they know that getting pregnant
Is God’s mandated punishment
For getting laid against His holy will?
We can’t let them get away with this,
They’ve got to pay the price –
The time has come to act,
The time is past for being nice…

Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic!
Make the world once more Huckleberry Finn-ic.
With some primer cord and some C4
We’ll keep 'em from killing any more;
Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic,
Come with me, don’t be such a cynic,
Stop the killers by killing them ourselves!

I’ve been all through the bible
But I can’t find a place where it says
Abortion explicity is wrong.
But my pastor says that Moses
Only meant unborn babies
By that “Thou Shalt Not Kill” thing all along.
And if it’s good enough for Moses, well
It’s good enough for me!
God help the doctors I send to hell
For all eternity…

Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic!
While they’re still inside with their next-of-kin-ic.
We’ll park a rented truck out front
Like that Oklahoma City stunt;
Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic,
Come with me, don’t be such a cynic,
Blast them all, they deserve it for their crime!

With the fear of getting blown up
They won’t dare go near a clinic
So they’ll have to have their babies like God said.
Now you may begin to wonder
'Bout all those unwanted children
With a mother who would rather they were dead.
Well, frankly, I don’t give a damn
About them once they’re born –
God says we’ve got more bombs to plant,
We’ve got no time to mourn!

Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic!
We’ll keep them from committing a mortal sin-ic.
And don’t worry if one of our caste
Or an unborn baby’s in the blast;
Let’s go bomb an abortion clinic,
Come with me, don’t be such a cynic,
Kill them all, and let our God sort them out!

Boom boom boom boom, ka-blam!*

(tracer bows deeply, acknowledging the roaring applause of the audience.)
Thank you, thank you, don’t forget to tip your waitstaff!

19

ST has that effect on people. His mission seems to be make them think. Which, as we all know, is a thankless task in and of itself. But in an area which teaches most of it’s principles are based in faith, it’s harder to make people think and understand what their religion is based on.

Oh, and you’re welcome. :smiley: