Can Christians listen to GAY artists?

[ResidentAlien]

Let's consider a seemingly harmless and wholesome song like John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." What could be wrong with it?

Overall, it's a song that plays to a person's emotional longing for the "good ol' days." What does Proverbs say about this? "The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth."—Proverbs 17:24 In other words, the fool never stops to consider his blessings in the present but is always chasing daydreams. And Ecclesiates 7:10 says: "Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this."—Ecclesiates 7:10 The NLT renders it: "Don’t long for 'the good old days.' This is not wise."

The opening lyric of the song says: "Almost heaven, West Virginia." Denver wants people to think of West Virginia as "heaven," rather than the true heaven.

Another lyric says: "All my memories gather 'round her." He's writing about his daydreams, something God warns us about in Proverbs and Ecclesiates.

And finally: "Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye." His longing for moonshine makes him so sad as to bring a tear to his eye. Seriously?

The whole thing is about a man indulging himself in self-pity. Is this how God wants his children to think and behave?

So we see that even the most harmless sounding songs from the world's point of view are antagonistic to how God wants us to live.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."—Isaiah 55:8

 

[Twistii]

This thread is from 2015.

I don’t know if this is even worth mentioning, but before I posted my reply (which was in 2021) and before you said, “This thread is from 2015,” I think I saw a reply or post that had the year 2015 on it. The reason I say this is because it’s been bothering my conscience as to whether or not I should bring it up, seeing as how I don’t think 100% truthfulness was reflected in my response to you.

My response to you was “Man, that was like, years ago huh”
[btw I’ve edited this response likes few times now]

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

I don’t know if this is even worth mentioning, but before I posted my reply (which was in 2021) and before you said, “This thread is from 2015,” I think I saw a reply or post that had the year 2015 on it. The reason I say this is because it’s been bothering my conscience as to whether or not I should bring it up, seeing as how I don’t think 100% truthfulness was reflected in my response to you.

My response to you was “Man, that was like, years ago huh”
[btw I’ve edited this response likes few times now]

It's ok. Don't sweat it. The only reason I said any thing is to say that in a thread this old would be posters that are no longer around, and even possible that some folks may have changed their mind about the subject. It's not really a problem.

 

[Thristy_for_living_waters]

Since renewing my faith. I found a super game I could actually get into..it was Harry Potter. Something move in my spirit and I deleted..Same issues with a couple of tv comedies (they had a gay couple with a child)I found them hilarious but again something moved in my spirit and I haven’t watched in over a year..

I’m particular about what I take in or watch. I don’t want to open myself up to allow Satan to slip in .
I think some shows/games/music r used by Satan to slip in unaware.

 

[Blik]

It seems strange to me that this discussion centers on some gay people that many of us have never heard of when Hollywood and the media have put many gay people on a pedestal for people to follow. These people are famous and flaunt their gayness before the nation. Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O'Donald, Anderson Cooper. Oprah has not come out as gay, only that she does not believe couples need to be married.

As the Lord created our world to operate well, the Lord made family the basic unit of civilization. Our basic unit is basic no longer. we should not encourage or help what is tearing our world apart.

 

[EnglishChick]

Some of my favourite composers were freemasons , Satanists and drug addicts including Mozart, Haydn, Purcell. Yet their music, most of it ( I do avoid a.couple of Mozart operas which have masonic links ) but these composers wrote many beautiful Christian works that bless the soul and uplift the spirit.

 

[tourist]

Let's consider a seemingly harmless and wholesome song like John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." What could be wrong with it?

Overall, it's a song that plays to a person's emotional longing for the "good ol' days." What does Proverbs say about this? "The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth."—Proverbs 17:24 In other words, the fool never stops to consider his blessings in the present but is always chasing daydreams. And Ecclesiates 7:10 says: "Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this."—Ecclesiates 7:10 The NLT renders it: "Don’t long for 'the good old days.' This is not wise."

The opening lyric of the song says: "Almost heaven, West Virginia." Denver wants people to think of West Virginia as "heaven," rather than the true heaven.

Another lyric says: "All my memories gather 'round her." He's writing about his daydreams, something God warns us about in Proverbs and Ecclesiates.

And finally: "Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye." His longing for moonshine makes him so sad as to bring a tear to his eye. Seriously?

The whole thing is about a man indulging himself in self-pity. Is this how God wants his children to think and behave?

So we see that even the most harmless sounding songs from the world's point of view are antagonistic to how God wants us to live.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."—Isaiah 55:8

There is absolutely nothing whatsoever spiritually wrong with this song by John Denver. I am sure that he really wasn't trying to have people think of West Virginia as heaven but rather he was singing about a place that was 'almost' heaven to him in a peaceful serene way. Regarding the moonshine he certainly was not longing for moonshine but rather was expressing a longing to be back to West Virginia. You are making a whole lot of something out of a whole lot of nothing. I see nothing in that song about self-pity either, or for that matter, what the bible verse you provided has to do about singing a well-written heartfelt song. I heard him sing this song in a concert in Nashville in the early 80's, along with his other songs. Thank God I'm a country boy.

 

[Blik]

Some of my favourite composers were freemasons , Satanists and drug addicts including Mozart, Haydn, Purcell. Yet their music, most of it ( I do avoid a.couple of Mozart operas which have masonic links ) but these composers wrote many beautiful Christian works that bless the soul and uplift the spirit.

Stephen Foster, Edgar Allen Poe, we could go on and on. The difference is that we are listening to their art and admiring that. In today's world we also listen to their way of living in sin and telling us it is a fine way to live. These people you mention give of their art, not their way of sinning. When we appreciate their art, we are not touching on their sin. When we help today's artists who are preaching their way of life, we are not only helping their art, we are helping them preach sin.

 

[ResidentAlien]

There is absolutely nothing whatsoever spiritually wrong with this song by John Denver. I am sure that he really wasn't trying to have people think of West Virginia as heaven but rather he was singing about a place that was 'almost' heaven to him in a peaceful serene way. Regarding the moonshine he certainly was not longing for moonshine but rather was expressing a longing to be back to West Virginia. You are making a whole lot of something out of a whole lot of nothing. I see nothing in that song about self-pity either, or for that matter, what the bible verse you provided has to do about singing a well-written heartfelt song. I heard him sing this song in a concert in Nashville in the early 80's, along with his other songs. Thank God I'm a country boy.

Your response is typical. I've heard it all before many times. I encourage you to think about this more from God's perspective.

 

[tourist]

Your response is typical. I've heard it all before many times. I encourage you to think about this more from God's perspective.

Since God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts that would be problematic. Rocky Mountain High.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Since God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts that would be problematic. Rocky Mountain High.

It's not problematic at all. He's revealed Himself in His word. The question is: Are we listening to His word or our own mind?

"Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered."—Proverbs 28:26

 

[CS1]

Your response is typical. I've heard it all before many times. I encourage you to think about this more from God's perspective.

You assume that one is not thinking from God's perspective or is it you think you know God's perspective only? I think the responder adequately provided a godly perspective and application. You can disagree, but that doesn't mean his comment could not possibly be a perspective God would take.

 

[tourist]

It's not problematic at all. He's revealed Himself in His word. The question is: Are we listening to His word or our own mind?

"Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered."—Proverbs 28:26

Exactly, why is listening t0o a song an evil act? Again, the verse provided is not relevant to the topic.

 

[EnglishChick]

Stephen Foster, Edgar Allen Poe, we could go on and on. The difference is that we are listening to their art and admiring that. In today's world we also listen to their way of living in sin and telling us it is a fine way to live. These people you mention give of their art, not their way of sinning. When we appreciate their art, we are not touching on their sin. When we help today's artists who are preaching their way of life, we are not only helping their art, we are helping them preach sin.

That is true. Thanks for this .

 

[EnglishChick]

Your response is typical. I've heard it all before many times. I encourage you to think about this more from God's perspective.

Well i think this is an area of personal conviction. All things are lawful not all are helpful. I personally don't listen to some music other Christians can listen to fine , and vice versa. One Christian lady told me even listening a Chopin nocturne was sin and would lead to lose or salvation because it secular music.

 

[EnglishChick]

Let's consider a seemingly harmless and wholesome song like John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." What could be wrong with it?

Overall, it's a song that plays to a person's emotional longing for the "good ol' days." What does Proverbs say about this? "The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth."—Proverbs 17:24 In other words, the fool never stops to consider his blessings in the present but is always chasing daydreams. And Ecclesiates 7:10 says: "Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this."—Ecclesiates 7:10 The NLT renders it: "Don’t long for 'the good old days.' This is not wise."

The opening lyric of the song says: "Almost heaven, West Virginia." Denver wants people to think of West Virginia as "heaven," rather than the true heaven.

Another lyric says: "All my memories gather 'round her." He's writing about his daydreams, something God warns us about in Proverbs and Ecclesiates.

And finally: "Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye." His longing for moonshine makes him so sad as to bring a tear to his eye. Seriously?

The whole thing is about a man indulging himself in self-pity. Is this how God wants his children to think and behave?

So we see that even the most harmless sounding songs from the world's point of view are antagonistic to how God wants us to live.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."—Isaiah 55:8

Nothing wrong with having fond memories of wanting to revisit or live in a place.you once loved. Of course nostalgia isn't helpful if you get stuck in it same as self pity. If things distract you from God yeah then they not helpful . But in itself it's ok to think about somewhere that makes you feel happy. God created is with memories and if What we are thinking of us edifying and gives us joys why not?

I had considered the song lyrics were about driving home to the place he loves and how much he looking forward to be back

I can sort of see that living in that state permanently isn't helpful though. It's important that we don't get so caught up in past or future that we don't enjoy the present . But be honest don't you ever remember a past event fondly or anticipate a good event in the future?.I am going away on holiday, God willing, to a part of the U K which I love passionately and been long I to return to for a visit since before covid. Now my plans are in God's hands. I may die tomorrow or Jesus may come back at any

I don't consider longing or yearning to be a bad thing as long as what we long or yearn for isn't an idol to us.

 

[Twistii]

Hi @TheIndianGirl,
I saw that you reacted with a check mark to a reply of mine (msg #61 in this thread)
Idk if this is worth mentioning, but maybe check out msg #68 (it’s by me) in this thread
(Basically I think what happened was
I thought someone else was referring to a certain thing
But it turns out they were referring to something else, I think)

EDIT: sorry if this sounds rlly weird and strange haha

 

[Aldg19]

I grow up listening to Demi lovato I meet her in 2013 I was a teenager then but recently find out that she is gay and I watched her on Disney when I was little and she used to. Christian. I don’t like her anymore because she on drugs again. She overdosed 2 years ago it was sad because

I though that she stopped doing drugs and I just saw the summer before June 22nd was vey sad day for me I though that she was died. She has a very good good voice.

 

[posthuman]

There is absolutely nothing whatsoever spiritually wrong with this song by John Denver. I am sure that he really wasn't trying to have people think of West Virginia as heaven but rather he was singing about a place that was 'almost' heaven to him in a peaceful serene way. Regarding the moonshine he certainly was not longing for moonshine but rather was expressing a longing to be back to West Virginia. You are making a whole lot of something out of a whole lot of nothing. I see nothing in that song about self-pity either, or for that matter, what the bible verse you provided has to do about singing a well-written heartfelt song. I heard him sing this song in a concert in Nashville in the early 80's, along with his other songs. Thank God I'm a country boy.

@ResidentAlien

i don't know whether it's true or not, but the story goes that he wrote this song in a single day while traveling, particularly trying to write "something that Johnny Cash might sing"

so it's kind of his impression of what Johnny Cash ((who was Christian)) sang about.

i've never really thought of it as more than a song about feeling like you're far from the where you really belong, the people and the place you love, your real home -- and longing to be there. that, in the abstract, is not alien to the Christian life: our home is in heaven, and we go there; we are sojourners and aliens here in the world, longing to be with the Lord who we love, in the place He is preparing for us.

i think it's not wrong to over-analyze lyrics; i do it myself. but it may be important sometimes to realize that the artist doesn't always consciously intend everything that's in their art, much less everything that people see, get out of it, and read into it.

i could sing the line, "country road, take me home" and think about being with my true Husband, Christ. that's not evil.
i could sing the same line and think about something else, lusting after the days of my youth full of carousing and carelessness. and that is evil.
the problem wouldn't be with the words "take me home" but in my heart, what it is i am calling "home"