Socrates once said, "when the soul hears music, it
drops its' best guard." That, for me, is one of the best
descriptions of the power that music has. With music it is
possible to open a door in the heart of the listener. Once
inside, the musician can either beautify the interior of that
soul, or desecrate that most holy of places. Often if you can
get someone to sing something, you can get them to believe
it. This has been used both for good as well evil throughout
history. All this is to say that music is a powerful key.
Today I asked my son, Will, what he was feeling as
he listened to a piece of music. "It feels like I'm flying on
wings," he said with his eyes clamped shut. His description
points to another power music has; the power to transport
us. Once again this power can be used for good or evil.
How many times, in the midst of worry or
grief, has a song lifted you out of that dark
place and left you in another better place, a
place with more light and air. Conversely,
how many times have you witnessed the
grimaced faces of young and sometimes not
so young people as they listened to the often
torturous music variously described as heavy
metal or death rock? These poor people seem
not to be in their own skins as they
experience the cacophonies. And indeed
many have chosen suicide on the advice of
the lyrics of this dark music, or simply
perhaps as a way of ending the despair and
pain in their souls which the music so
gruesomely magnifies.
Often, while I'm on the road, parents ask me about
the effects of rock music on their children. Usually they
themselves are a product of the generation, the era of rock,
so I sometimes get the feeling that they are asking as much
for themselves as their children. After giving the matter a
lot of thought over the years, I have concluded that the
greatest long-term danger of rock/metal music is not the
worldly value system it represents, or even the often dark
associations it has that affects its' listener. The worst lasting
effect it has is that it teaches kids not to listen at all. It
conditions them to tune out the words in favor of the
overpowering music. That can have a devastating effect on
the soul.
Music can cause us to drop our best guard; it can
unlock a door into our soul and it can transport us to
another place; it can rob of us the ability to listen to the
words. Music also has the power of shaping our lives and
value systems. By this I mean music can be so powerful andconsuming a force that we can give our lives to it. This I've
seen too many times in my experience as a musician. A
person’s language, dress, style of living and values, all
dictated by a style of music. Once, while I way paying for
some gasoline, the teller asked, "You're a musician aren't
you?"
To which I replied in horror, "How did you know?"
"You just looked like one," he said with a smile not
knowing he had just ruined my whole day!
So what are we to do with this power, this dynamite
that can be used both to destroy lives as well as blast away
stubborn mountains that may stand in our way? Once again,
as with any important question, we turn to the life of Jesus
for the answer. The Word tells us that everything must be
brought under submission to Christ, and this especially
applies to the power of music.
But what does it mean to say that we are to bring the
power of music into submission to Christ? Essentially it
means that we are determining to make
music, like every other area of our lives,
subservient to Him. That we will not allow
this area of our lives to detract or in any
other way take away from the purpose of
the gospel. At the same time we are also
committing to the notion that music can
be, indeed must be, made to serve Christ,
His kingdom and His people.
This translates into the world of
homeschooling as we seek to use music to
enrich the lives of our children, to teach
them that the beauty of music can speak as
well of the beauty of God, that they must
be aware of the power music holds but at the same time,
they need not fear it as long as it keeps its' proper place.
Finally, the greatest power inherent in music is its'
ability to facilitate worship. Again, this power is often
mishandled, even sadly by Christians, and used to focus
worshipful attention towards the musician and away from
Christ. This we must maintain is betrayal of the darkest and
most severe kind. A betrayal of the beauty of God, an act
of idolatry.
Therefore, we must pass on to our children a biblical
value system which is shaped by an awareness of the power
and true purpose of music. We must listen along with them
to the music of their generation and help them make
responsible choices in terms of what they will listen to and
why. Above all, we must, by the witness of our own lives,
demonstrate to them how music can be used to serve Christ
and worship Him in Spirit and truth.
From the Study is a monthly syndicated column by Michael Card. For more information about Michael Card, please
visit www.michaelcard.com.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Characteristics of Music
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Thursday, May 16, 2013
The Psychological Effects of Heavy Metal Music
Heavy Metal Music Fans always blame
that, “Heavy metal is often needlessly blamed for causing psychological
problems”. There must be something behind this arguments between two sides. Simply,
we learn from here that there must be the truth from a certain side.
Heavy metal is a harder, more
intense form of rock music. The term was first introduced in the late 1960s but
the genre only really came into its own in the 80s with bands like Slayer,
Metallica and Guns ‘n’ Roses at its forefront. Many have voiced their concern
regarding the potentially negative psychological effects that listening to this
form of music has on the development of adolescents.
Limiting
Factors
As with many psychological
questions, the problem of cause and effect rears its head. A 1994 study by Took
and Weiss cited by the Connect Seward County website found that adolescents
with a taste for heavy metal were more likely to perform poorer in school and
engage in sexual activity and use of controlled substances. These behaviors
would happen anyway, but also the intensity of soundtrack may be concerned in
high amount.
Another study, cited by the MUSICA
website, supports this idea. It found that low-performing, rebellious
adolescents who listened to heavy metal had exhibited behavioral problems after
being introduced to heavy metal music.
Negativity
Listening
to heavy metal may reinforce existing depressive or anti-social feelings and
thoughts, reports Iowa State University, and cause those feelings and thoughts
to reoccur in the future. A study by Wooten in 1992 cited by the Connect Seward
County website reported that participants with psychiatric disorders who were
fans of heavy metal were healed after being exposed to the classical music.
Relationships
According to the researches from
Universities and Institutes, there is no evidence that fans of non-heavy metal
feel socially isolated. But the main problem is for all fans of heavy metal.
Mostly the heavy metal music fans tend to engage in sexual behaviors very early
before the planned time. (SONG OF
SOLOMON 1:7)
In general, the quality of relationship of adolescents in their peer groups
is mainly affected by the type of music they are used to listen when they are
gathered. Compared to other adolescent groups, the peer groups of heavy metal
fans exert a more powerful influence in bad relationships.
Release
According to the last posted lesson
(last post), classical the music reduces the blood pressure, is the medicine
for the heart and helps in psychological problems for the fans. This
subconsciously helps them to cope with the stress and demands of daily life.
According to a studies and researches of State Universities, many fans of heavy
metal music, tend to show high level of hungry and taking heavy actions to
minor things. The classical music fans listen to it when they feel angry. A
research found that heavy metal fans show higher levels of anger after
listening to this music.
Other studies from Universities
suggest that music can normalize whatever emotional state a listener is feeling
at the time of listening.
Growth
In a 2003 study carried out by researchers, classical music was found to have a beneficial effect on plant leaf growth. Maize corn exposed to the high sound levels of playing Piano loud speakers showed an 86.2 percent improvement in leaf area. The measured fresh weight of the corn also improved by significant amount. Researchers found the same effect on kidney beans and green beans. The shocking results were obtained from the reverse action by using heavy metal music! It was reverse results!
Germination
Some plant seeds, like those from
kidney beans, also benefited from what the researchers termed "slow
music." In fact, the kidney bean seeds exposed to this slow music
germinated at least 60 percent faster than their control group cousins. This
effect was also noted in green beans, though maize corn germinated slower than
the control group seeds.
In general heavy metal music is very destructive for human
health and all living things in general.
Not only for human, but also for other living things, as we
have seen the examples above.
The warning is given; try to stay away from this type of
music!
It is destructive for sure.
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