derkrash-at-yahoo-dot-com
I just wish to interject that music is indeed an important art form, but there is a danger in it if one is not aware of it. I have been a musician since I was 12 years old. I have played the trumpet, French horn, drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and light chording on the keyboard/piano. I even have a home recording studio, I wrote over 25 songs in my life, and I have recorded probably two dozen songs on my studio. I my career, I have learned how to manipulate moods and people. I and my music buddies could manipulate a crowd to do whatever we wanted, usually. I could mesmerize women with music, and get them into the appropriate moods, when I was single. I was an emotional magician. I became a student of people’s moods.
Music induces altered states of consciousness. This, when you really think about it, is the purpose of music. It calms the nerves of lovers taking risks. It strengthens the soldier’s resolve to walk in front of a machine gun. It drives Pentecostals into a state of emotional ecstasy. It makes the adolescent angry and prepared to rebel against his parents. It does many things. It puts us in the mood to do things we would not be prepared to do otherwise. It appears to our non-rational, animal side. It is the barbarian within.
But, if we know its power, then we can use it to our own ends. We can cultivate and tame the barbarian within with love songs that stimulate desire into useful ends, or any other wholesome use of the music. However, I would not pretend that because in a Pentecostal church the music raises emotions to an extremely high level, that I think “God is there.”
Also, for some of you who are addicted to music, I would recommend performing an experiment where you go for an entire week without listening to music and see how it affects you. I have done this, and have found strange things happen. I was addicted to music in my Pentecostal years. I find that when I listen to music on an occasional basis, my creative mind has more “space” to cultivate more ideas. It is like another part of my brain opens up and I can think better spatially, creatively, and with vision – I think this is the so-called “right brain” characteristics; whereas before, with all this music in my head, it pressed down and repressed a side of my mind. A side effect is that when a tune does indeed strike within my memory, I can hear it clearly in my mind much better and distinct, but sometimes I cannot get a tune out of my head without strong effort, whereas before, while listening to a thousand songs, no particular tune could lodge in my head in a repeating loop.
Anyway, I think that this is a fascinating subject that could use some serious study from some big foundation.
JP Istre
2 comments:
ever since i left church i hate basically ALL music...i have a very hard time with it...never really understood why
unless i am angry, then i turn on realy loud angry music...otherwise i hate music
Oh no, music is a beautiful thing to hate. I love classical especially its so calming. Don't let the church ruin music for you. In time you find pleasure in music again, I promise. Music takes us to another place. I can listen to a song and see the imagery that song creats in my mind. It can be wonderful relaxing state. Listen to classical while I paint pushes my creativity to new levels. Music is indeed powerful, just make sure to be aware of the mood of the music. Anger is usually not a very healthy or productive emotion so personally I try to avoid anything that puts me in a negative emotional state. Very interesting the use of praise music in pentecostal services, it does create an atmosphere where its hard to distinguish the motion of the loud music from the actual presence of God. When u think about it, maybe the pentecostals are actually more intelligent than we give credit for. They sure know how to use Jeddi mind tricks to get things to happen whether its speaking in tounges and writing 1000 check out to the church. Im in no way saying giving offering is bad, but it strikes me a bit odd to have an audience who are struggling to just feed their families and they have the nerve to pull out the ol' prosperity gospel trick. Its sad when u think about it.
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