Modern Christian Music Has DARK Secrets Nobody is Seeing...

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Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2018
4,055
3,166
113
#61
Not just Christians. People in general take a lot of pride in having secret information.

It's one of the reasons conspiracy theories are so popular.
Perhaps, but some things still throw me off among Christians. My pre-CC decades as a Christian were drastically different than what I witness here.

But I point out Christians because so often it's one person, whereas conspiracy theories usually means joining a group that think the same way, usually with no clear starting person.
With Christians doing this it's much more commonly one person with no backers. So it therefore promotes more elevation of self. "See what 'I' figured out/God reveled only to 'me' that thousands of others never saw/God didn't show to".
 

Bob-Carabbio

Well-known member
Jun 24, 2020
1,595
801
113
#62
He's not listening to the same singers I'm listening to.

Every genre and style will have puff pieces, songs and even entire albums that are generated just to make money. That's the kind of music he is talking about. It exists in everything from bluegrass banjo to death metal.

There is still good modern Christian music. In fact there's a lot of it. He's just not listening to the right singers.
I like the story of the fellow who was asked what his ministry was. His answer: "I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music, I write modern praise music".
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
59,884
29,274
113
#63
Do you like chants? Along the lines of Gregorian? This is a modern take on a Renaissance composer
and organist in Seville circa 1522, generally considered to be the most influential Spanish composer:
Cristóbal de Morales'
Parce Mihi Domine, based on the text of Job 7:16b-21. From a 1994 CD called
Officium, by saxophonist Jan Garbarek with The Hilliard Ensemble. (Sung in Latin.)



16b Let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why
hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for
now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
 

MichaelZ

Active member
Jun 11, 2023
116
89
28
#64
We used to support a local Christian radio station. They played 90s stuff like MW Smith, Amy Grant and some contemporray versions of hymns. They shared scripture and the message of salvation, and were prolife.

Then, things changed with new management. They did not allow the prolife activity at the station as in the past. No more scripture on the air nor message of salvation. And yes, the music changed too. But it was more than just the music.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,215
9,288
113
#66
Even that was once "That newfangled junk kids are listening to these days."

And one day, if the world is still spinning in 70 years or so, modern Christian music will be "That old fashioned stuff" that kids turn up their noses at and elderly people get nostalgic about.
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,127
113
#70
Even that was once "That newfangled junk kids are listening to these days."

And one day, if the world is still spinning in 70 years or so, modern Christian music will be "That old fashioned stuff" that kids turn up their noses at and elderly people get nostalgic about.
What is missing in much modern Christian music is truth. That's why so many performers have turned to the classic old hymns. They have content, they are poetic, edifying and enjoyable. Sure, there are thousands of hymns that are dreadful, but they are rarely performed. I prefer things like this:

 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,215
9,288
113
#72
What is missing in much modern Christian music is truth. That's why so many performers have turned to the classic old hymns. They have content, they are poetic, edifying and enjoyable. Sure, there are thousands of hymns that are dreadful, but they are rarely performed. I prefer things like this:

The percentages are the same. There are hundreds of thousands of modern christian songs that are dreadful too.

They will be forgotten just like the dreadful old hymns. Come back to what is currently modern music in fifty years and see which songs have endured.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,132
2,164
113
#73
new treasure as well as old
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
59,884
29,274
113
#75

Chris Tomlin - Holy Forever (Live) feat. Jenn & Brian Johnson

:)
 

Bob-Carabbio

Well-known member
Jun 24, 2020
1,595
801
113
#76
Check out the old Isaacs version versus where they are now. I'm with you.
Yup, I first heard the song with the Issacs, and essentially "covered it". "Days of Elijah" came from Judy Jacobs.
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,127
113
#77
Do you like chants? Along the lines of Gregorian? This is a modern take on a Renaissance composer
and organist in Seville circa 1522, generally considered to be the most influential Spanish composer:
Cristóbal de Morales'
Parce Mihi Domine, based on the text of Job 7:16b-21. From a 1994 CD called
Officium, by saxophonist Jan Garbarek with The Hilliard Ensemble. (Sung in Latin.)



16b Let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why
hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for
now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Wow, now there's a song to brighten up your day...............
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,127
113
#78
I watched more of that video.

Okay, the person who made this video has a definite ax to grind. He has no interest in good modern Christian music. He just wants to complain about stuff, so he cherry picked the Christian puff pieces so he could have something to yell about.
I agree with most of what he's said. Some of Hillsong's stuff is good, much of it is simply feel good emotionalism that has little to no spiritual worth. Brian Houston said, "We scratch where people itch." I rarely mention individuals, but he said what he said in public.

It brings to mind
"For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires."

When the church adapts to what suits people instead of pleasing God, you get what is commonplace today. I'm from a different generation. There never were any good old days, but some of what I see happening is what you get when it becomes more important to please people than to preach the truth in love. It's a way to build huge numbers, but not to build character, holiness and righteousness.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,215
9,288
113
#79
I agree with most of what he's said. Some of Hillsong's stuff is good, much of it is simply feel good emotionalism that has little to no spiritual worth. Brian Houston said, "We scratch where people itch." I rarely mention individuals, but he said what he said in public.

It brings to mind
"For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires."

When the church adapts to what suits people instead of pleasing God, you get what is commonplace today. I'm from a different generation. There never were any good old days, but some of what I see happening is what you get when it becomes more important to please people than to preach the truth in love. It's a way to build huge numbers, but not to build character, holiness and righteousness.
Yeah... That's Hillsong.

How does that bear on Christian music as a whole? I have 10,847 tracks in my collection, ain't none of them Hillsong.

That guy in the video is trying to say ALL modern Christian music is a write-off.

Of course focusing on one bad example makes it real easy to complain, when complaining was what he seemed to want to do anyway.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
59,884
29,274
113
#80
"Days of Elijah" came from Judy Jacobs.
“Days of Elijah” is a contemporary Christian hymn written in 1996 by Irish Christian artist,
songwriter and worship leader Robin Mark. Judy Jacobs says,
“These Are the Days of Elijah” is
a song that has been my staple song for over twenty years. Although I did not write the song
(Robin Mark from Ireland is the author), it seems everyone wants to credit this song to me.


Here is the official lyric video of the song done by Robin Mark .:)