Does Music Affect Who You Are?

[Owlman]

I despise rap music, with a passion.

[Joseph Sweeney]

@Sir Y
So you do feel it will eventually affect you.

You say the song didn't need the F-bomb, but if it really wasn't a problem for you guys, then what's the problem with having it in the song?

Hmm... This is where I will disagree with you. If you are exposed to something enough times, you are desensitized to it. This goes for any medium: Film, video games, etc. For example, there is a Christian song that we used in a presentation at my church that 'correctly' used the word d--n. The first time I realized it, I was shocked. After watching them do the performance several times, I wasn't fazed by it anymore.

I don't think swearing should faze you, after all, you will at some point have to get used to it, a lot of people will use it out in the world.

I know, that when I first started listening to rap, I always listened to the clean version, because swearing did bother me. However, as I found certain songs didn't have a clean version, I slowly moved over to more swearing in my music. Now, I do swear, everyone does at some point, but my friends are all utterly shocked when I swear. Why? Because I just usually don't, I've been swearing since I was 10 (not a lot of swearing mind you, only occasionally. And I don't swear at people) But I've been swearing for around five years, and only have been listening to music with swearing in it for less than a year. So I feel as though music has no pull on people in that affect.

I've been listening to... erm... perverted music for a little over a year, and I haven't touched any pornographic material, and I'm still a virgin, so despite the music, I'm still "sexually clean" so to speak.

@Dysole
So if they understand the reason you are banning the music, you would un-ban it because you would trust they realize the danger?

@Aldin
That 100% makes sense to me, and I agree with you completely.

@Owl Man

Any reason you particularly dislike rap?

And do you feel music affects your moral values, too?

~JS, who notes this conversation has helped expand his opinion a litte

[Dysole]

Originally Posted by Joseph Sweeney

@Dysole
So if they understand the reason you are banning the music, you would un-ban it because you would trust they realize the danger?

Maybe. I mean I can explain the dangers of arsenic to someone but I'm not going to allow them to drink it just because they understand the dangers. I really think it's going to end up being one of those "We'll see when we get there." and I'd really rather not bury myself in a corner before I'm at that bridge.

~Dysole, agreeing with a lot of what Aldin said

[Sir Yeshua]

Originally Posted by Joseph Sweeney

@Sir Y
So you do feel it will eventually affect you.

In a word, yes.

You say the song didn't need the F-bomb, but if it really wasn't a problem for you guys, then what's the problem with having it in the song?

I think it all comes down to the fact that I was raised in a Christian environment without swearing. I believe that when the apostle Paul states:

Originally Posted by Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

It means that I shouldn't use swear words. Also, I'm going to college to become a Pastor, so I have to hold my life to a higher standard than other people do. That means that I try not to swear. Ironically, I've gotten more used to swearing now that I'm at a Christian College. I don't condone it, but honestly, as long as you aren't swearing around little kids, I don't care, as that's between you and God.

I don't think swearing should faze you, after all, you will at some point have to get used to it, a lot of people will use it out in the world.

I was homeschooled most of my life and the above story was the first example of that concept I could think of.

I know, that when I first started listening to rap, I always listened to the clean version, because swearing did bother me. However, as I found certain songs didn't have a clean version, I slowly moved over to more swearing in my music. Now, I do swear, everyone does at some point, but my friends are all utterly shocked when I swear. Why? Because I just usually don't, I've been swearing since I was 10 (not a lot of swearing mind you, only occasionally. And I don't swear at people) But I've been swearing for around five years, and only have been listening to music with swearing in it for less than a year. So I feel as though music has no pull on people in that affect.

Hmm... Interesting.

I've been listening to... erm... perverted music for a little over a year, and I haven't touched any pornographic material, and I'm still a virgin, so despite the music, I'm still "sexually clean" so to speak.

Well, that's your decision. Which reminds me, there was something that I should have said in my last post...

Scruples/Personal Convictions
This is (obviously) coming from a Christian perspective, where we believe that the Bible explicitly states that some things are sinful, such as lying, stealing, etc. However, there are some areas of life where the Bible is not as explicit. We can infer from passages in the Bible that some things are sinful, like porn, but some things still fall into a gray zone. Tattoos, what music you can listen to, what movies you can watch, aren't directly covered in scripture, (There is no commandment that says: "Thou shalt not watch R-rated movies), so in these areas, we turn to the words of Paul:

Originally Posted by 1 Corinthians 10:23

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

So yes, you can do anything, but...

Originally Posted by 1 Corinthians 8:9

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

So for a Christian, you can (get a tattoo/eat pork/listen to music with swearing), but you should restrain yourself if you're around a brother or sister in Christ who struggles with that issue.
The example that I've heard a lot is the deacon who drinks a glass of wine with his dinner every night because he's Italian, and that's something he's done all his life. However, then a recovering alcoholic has dinner with the deacon and sees this. But then that man might go out and think, "So it's okay for me to drink," and gets drunk. The deacon didn't have a problem, but because that man had a problem with drinking in the past, it caused him to stumble.

So to wrap all this up, if you don't have a problem with listening to music with swearing, then that's your decision. Hope that sheds some light on my thoughts.

[Unhinged Manchild]

Wow, Sir yeshua, I almost feel like you are my long lost twin or something. I almost went to college to be a pastor, I'm a fire emblem lover(never played roms for Japanese ones) and my ipod is totally filled with video game soundtracks, my wife laughed so hard at me when she first met me because of it.

I like everything you are saying, couldn't give you more rep, lol. The only thing I don't agree with is the whole "garbage in, garbage out." (Wait that was you that said that, right?) Not saying you're wrong, I bet even the bible alludes to something along those lines, but I have been listening to cursing my whole life, both in music and in the workplace. I keep my mouth clean 99.9% of the year, I'm not perfect, and I pretty much only cuss by total accident when my brain is running way faster than my mouth (I fuse words together and it's bad, lol) or when rich people rub crap in my face (I seriously have an issue with pompous rich people, but I think that has very little to do with what music I listen to)

I might be on my own island, but I feel that I'm basically living proof that you can listen to "garbage" music and not have it affect (at least in a bad way) how you act. It's all about choosing to do the right/wrong things.

[Evar-Scarcarver]

My thoughts on this subject mirror what several other people have posted, that music doesn't effect who you are per se, but it can reinforce/incite feelings and behaviors.

As to lyrics influencing you, here are my two replies:
I don't listen to lyrics.
I don't only listen to carol of the bells around Christmas time. I also don't only here people listening to Taylor Swift when they're breaking up. In my opinion, all the singer adds is more depth to the tune. Unless it's Rap, in which case it's an entirely different ball game. Which leads me to:

Originally Posted by Owlman

I despise rap music, with a passion.

Any reason?

[Sir Yeshua]

Originally Posted by brandonwiker

I like everything you are saying, couldn't give you more rep, lol. The only thing I don't agree with is the whole "garbage in, garbage out." (Wait that was you that said that, right?) Not saying you're wrong, I bet even the bible alludes to something along those lines, but I have been listening to cursing my whole life, both in music and in the workplace. I keep my mouth clean 99.9% of the year, I'm not perfect, and I pretty much only cuss by total accident when my brain is running way faster than my mouth (I fuse words together and it's bad, lol) or when rich people rub crap in my face (I seriously have an issue with pompous rich people, but I think that has very little to do with what music I listen to)

Oh, sure the Bible 'alludes' to it. It might not use those exact words, but I think it states the principle quite clearly.

Originally Posted by Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.

Originally Posted by Matthew 12:35

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

And on the subject of swearing:

Originally Posted by Matthew 12:36

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

So yeah... I'm gonna have some stuff to answer for.

I might be on my own island, but I feel that I'm basically living proof that you can listen to "garbage" music and not have it affect (at least in a bad way) how you act. It's all about choosing to do the right/wrong things.

Agreed. And like I said in my last post, if it works for you, great! Just make sure you don't cause your brother or sister to fall.

[Agent Minivann]

Originally Posted by Evar-Scarcarver

Any reason?

Does anyone really need a reason?

[Rexmax2]

I think that certain attributes of music definitely make you who you are. Also, I want to say any type of music I mention in this argument I am not judging or downing it I am stating it based on general thoughts.

At a younger age, whatever your parents allow you to listen to, will make you feel that you like that music. So you listen to that music, (also agreeing with Sir Yeshua's statement on Garbage in Garbage out) will change the way you speak, act and just change general attributes of your life.

Also, music creates idols, people love them, F.I:the Beatles.
People look up to these people, dress like them, act like them, and do everything like them, thereby changing another aspect of people's lifestyles.

The purpose of music is to create passion, which makes us alive and real. If you do not feel passionate about a certain kind of music, then you don't listen to it. This passion you feel shows up in your daily life, like dancing or singing or maybe even writing your own song. passion for certain things controls us to defend them, share them, and even recreate them. passion makes us alive and real, and when you have a passion for something, it makes you who you are.

Just some of my thoughts, I didnt want yall to read a novel

Rexmax2

[Heroscaper Guy]

Just to actually chime in on the subject, I kind of disagree about the actual thing being argued over here. In my life I've been listening to songs like "I Fought the Law" by The Clash, and other songs about less than good activities that, to be honest, have left my mind at the moment. Do you see me running around, robbing banks, and murdering people? Nope. As for language, I don't really like songs with heavy swearing. Just don't like it for some reason. I can listen to songs with milder words, but no F or S bombs in my songs please.

[Evar-Scarcarver]

Originally Posted by Agent Minivann

Does anyone really need a reason?

Wel, yes actually. I totally understand however if it's as simple as 'I don't like the sound' or 'I think the lyrics of most Rap songs are worthless'. While the second one is pretty much only true about mainstream rap, I'm not going to disagree with your personal preferences.

[Owlman]

Originally Posted by Evar-Scarcarver

My thoughts on this subject mirror what several other people have posted, that music doesn't effect who you are per se, but it can reinforce/incite feelings and behaviors.

As to lyrics influencing you, here are my two replies:
I don't listen to lyrics.
I don't only listen to carol of the bells around Christmas time. I also don't only here people listening to Taylor Swift when they're breaking up. In my opinion, all the singer adds is more depth to the tune. Unless it's Rap, in which case it's an entirely different ball game. Which leads me to:

Any reason?

I just feel like my IQ level drops 10 points whenever I hear rap music playing.