by Janice Day Sirman

Created on: May 10, 2008

This is a question that has been around for as long as I can remember. As a teenager growing up in a very strict Christian home,the answer my parents gave was "No"! When mu late husband and I were raising our children, he did not want me playing any music except Christian music. (Our boys, as they grew older, had different ideas)!. I honored his request, although since a young teen, I had enjoyed nearly every kind of music, and knew the words to all the songs that were popular at that time. This is a fact that still amazes my mother, as she insists that we were not allowed to listen to rock roll.

As a Christian whose children are grown and having seen a lot of the world around me change, I think that as long as a Christian does not allow himself to be sucked into the lifestyle and behavior of those singing the songs, I have no problem with them listening to secular music. Listening to the music of the fifties, sixties, and seventies, makes me nostalgic, relaxed and gives good feelings. I avoid songs that are blatantly violent and of sexual nature. However, I readily admit that a lot of the songs makes me laugh.

Another issue we should cover is words versus music. I do not believe that any form of music is inherently wrong or evil, because God gave music and it can only be made evil if men pervert it. I have seen the very face of Christian music change many times over the past thirty years. When I was a teen, anything with a beat was considered evil and from the pit of hell. I got into big trouble dancing to some records with my cousin. My parents were of the persuasion that anything that wasn't a hymn was evil. I attended many meetings with my youth group where it was pounded home to us that any music with rock and roll was sin, and evil.Today, when I listen to those songs, I realize that there really was nothing wrong with either the music or most of the words. There are always exceptions, and a Christian should not fill his head with garbage, whether from music or movies, or books. The idea here isn't whether or not it is right and wrong, but rather whether or not our lives are being controlled by what we are doing.

The apostle Paul tells us that we are to do everything in moderation. This includes reading, eating listening to music and anything we do. Anything that takes the place of Christ in our lives is wrong and should be avoided.

Finally, I want to say that I am a Christian and committed to living a Christian life. I want to glorify God in all that I do, and make my life in line with his teachings. Yet, I find absolutely no harm in turning on the computer and playing some music I really enjoy.

Learn more about this author, Janice Day Sirman.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.