The dark side of CCM

separateunion · Post by **separateunion** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:22 am

This is the most amazing site ever! I encourage everyone to send your comments to the webmaster of this site:

http://www.corruptchristianmusic.com

Shell · Post by **Shell** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:33 am

I've seen that site. I think these people have basically taken a scripture out of context, "don't be conformed to the world", and built a whole doctrine around it. There is a place to point out where someone isn't in line with scripture, and there certainly are things about CCM that need to change, but the folks who run this site seem to think they're the leading authority. A lot of the stuff they have here is what they've picked up in articles.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:37 pm

Don't waste your time with those guys. If they see a bunch of people visiting the site they'll think it's successful and wanted. Maybe if traffic dies down they'll give up and go back to fabricating their falsehoods and half-truths in some other medium.

Shell · Post by **Shell** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 2:11 pm

Thank you Michael.

By their definition, I think the artists they're condemning would have to resign from the human race to "be separate".

It's one thing to discuss something you may have concerns about, but these people are not open to that, they're just right no matter what.

They might do well to read what the Bible has to say about being judgmental.

separateunion · Post by **separateunion** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:16 pm

Perhaps there is someone with some legal sense on here, but I've been wondering if some of the stuff that is written on that site could be considered libel, and thus grounds for suing.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:27 pm

separateunion wrote:Perhaps there is someone with some legal sense on here, but I've been wondering if some of the stuff that is written on that site could be considered libel, and thus grounds for suing.

I bet it could, but the resulting question is whether it's really worth anyone's time and energy to sue them. The only place I've heard about the site is on mailing lists and stuff that are commenting on what total bunk it is anyway, and I wonder how much actual resources those people might have to sue off of them. And is it worth the possible black eye to the suing party publicity-wise? And then any publicity of the lawsuit just drives traffic to the Web site. I don't know if it's worth it.

Shell · Post by **Shell** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 6:55 pm

It probably would give them more ammunition and publicity to sue them; they might welcome that in some ways. Besides, stuff like that tends to drag out for years, and in the meantime they'd still be ragging on Christian music. The best way to handle them is to stay away from them I think.

gman · Post by **gman** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 8:55 am

I have seen this site and others like it. My impression is that they don't really deal with what they really believe. Their base belief is tat modern music: pop, rock, etc. are not neutral music forms, they are wordly or of the devil. They don't really deal with that though, perhaps because it is an unpopular idea or it is an argument they can't win. Maybe deep down they don't really believe it, they are just fueled by some bitterness or resentment or something. Anyhow, they don't really deal with that base belief on their site, at least not upfront. What they do instead is resort to attacking the character , actions, decisions, etc. of Christian artists who are, by the way, human just like the rest of us. Christian music is not bad because a band commits a sin or makes a poor choice. That is like saying communion is bad because the deacons or elders play cards, or they cursed one time at their job. These people steer clear of the real issue of whether or not pop music is neutral because the can't attract a lot of attention on that alone, and it's an argument that is difficult for them to win. Instead they want to attack and confuse. The way do it perhaps helps my earlier point that maybe they don't really believe music to be evil, they are just harboring some sort of resentment, bitterness, anger, or whatever over something in the past.

lucasmcgraw · Post by **lucasmcgraw** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 7:30 am

Doesn't it bother any of you that these "Christian" artist get their inspiration from some of the worst secular artists out there? I hold myself to a pretty high standard of music. I came from a background of listening to the world's music and the devil used it to really bring me down. I would like to think that these "Christian" musicians could gain inspiration from each other. After all the church is to build up and edify one another. I'm not saying I agree with the stand of corruptchristianmusic.com, but we cannot ignore the facts that are presented on that website either. Christian music really has been influenced by the world and I think most of us have seen that over the years. It is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between "Christian" music and secular music. Artists aren't as bold as Petra, D&K, and the like. Does the name of Jesus offend? Absolutely! For them who don't believe it is eternal damnation. But for those who believe, it is life and light!

separateunion · Post by **separateunion** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:29 am

lucasmcgraw wrote:Doesn't it bother any of you that these "Christian" artist get their inspiration from some of the worst secular artists out there? I hold myself to a pretty high standard of music. I came from a background of listening to the world's music and the devil used it to really bring me down. I would like to think that these "Christian" musicians could gain inspiration from each other. After all the church is to build up and edify one another. I'm not saying I agree with the stand of corruptchristianmusic.com, but we cannot ignore the facts that are presented on that website either. Christian music really has been influenced by the world and I think most of us have seen that over the years. It is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between "Christian" music and secular music. Artists aren't as bold as Petra, D&K, and the like. Does the name of Jesus offend? Absolutely! For them who don't believe it is eternal damnation. But for those who believe, it is life and light!

What Christian artists were there to inspire such artists as Larry Norman and Petra? None. We are only coming to a point in time now when there is actually enough Christian music to be influenced by, but even that influence has its roots in being influenced by non-Christian artists.

I see nothing wrong with listening to secular music and gaining a better understanding of the music side, and maybe even the way a certain artist writes their lyrics. To me, as long as your heart is serving God, that's all that matters.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:21 am

I was listening to a preacher on the radio this morning and he was talking about being "influenced by the world." He basically said that the thing the World needs to see in Christians... the "marks of the Cross" to use a phrase familiar to those of us here... is love, joy, peace, patience, etc. It doesn't matter if you have Assemblies of God hair or a Baptist suit or whatever. Those things are EXTERNAL. I don't think I'm saying anything that anyone here disagrees about, but I need to lay groundwork for what I'm trying to say.

Music is EXTERNAL. Styles of music are things that are on the outside of a person. If my musical style is influenced by what's going on in the mainstream, that's not a bad thing... that's a GOOD thing. A big part of the struggle Petra is up against right now is that people (erroneously) think of them as a band who plays music that is not the same as what's going on in the world at large. If Petra is not "influenced by the world" in their musical style, they will not have an audience. I think it is wise for a contemporary Christian musician to be as aware as possible of what's going on in the secular music industry; if they are not, they become irrelevant. Part of the reason The Passion of the Christ has been so well-received is because it utilizes the communication methods that the World uses... even including graphic violence.

So artists DO need to be "influenced by the World," at least to the point of being in touch with what's going on around them.

monster machine · Post by **monster machine** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:54 am

I have always found this kind of thing funny.

Here we have a website (and others... www.av1611.org comes to mind) which bashes Christian music because it is worldly and "mimics" a secular medium (i.e. music)

Why then, have these people chosen the internet to spread this stuff? I mean, there's more bunnies, violence and garbage on the internet than any other medium (TV, radio, etc...)

Same with televangelists - why do they bash rock music and yet use television (THE WORST PURVEYOR OF FILTH IMO) to spread their message?

There was once a CCM bashing website run by a woman in Australia. She used an ISP and she had some dedicated webspace and developed a site to bash Christian music. This ISP also hosted a homepage for a local homosexul nightclub. I pointed out the fact that she paying an ISP which was hosting a webpage for this club. Given her logic of bashing the artist because of the medium they were using I should, therefore do the same to her.

Never heard from her again.

Perhaps this kind of thing should be pointed out to the "bash-ers" to let them know they will soon become the "bash-ees" when they post this slanderous garbage on the internet....

Shell · Post by **Shell** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:50 am

Yeah, there is some inconsistency in that isn't there? Cable is the worst, yuck.

You can't reason with them though, their minds are made up.

It's sad they can't put that effort into praying for them instead of bashing them.

The Petra Zone

The dark side of CCM

The dark side of CCM

...

Don't visit

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libel

Yeah...

my take

But...

Re: But...

Influenced by the World

Funny, though

He.

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