To fellow Christians. Do you play your Christian music loudly?

Well…............the kids sure do at out church. REAL LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no clue what the words are over the amplified git-fiddles.

Well to my credit my laptop doesn’t really go all that loud so I can still distinguish words. xD

It does not matter that it is christian, it matters if it is good or not.

Amazing Grace = Soft & mellow
Spirit in the sky = Let it rock

Well, I’m not Christian, but I play music at whatever volume I feel is appropriate for that music. Spirit in the Sky? On loud (and expert on Rockkkk Band!). Christmas carols? I’ll take the louder, cheerful ones on high volume, thanks. I generally like perky, loud music. Be it Christian or not.

There are almost as many different styles of Christian music as there are types of music. Some I play quietly, like Shaun MacDonald. Then there is White Heart, Third Day, Audio Adrenaline, etc. which requires a very high level of energy volume wise. And I always comply with that directive! heh

Why does the genre make a difference? If it’s so loud that it can reasonably annoy your neighbor, be a good neighbor and take it down a notch. It’s great that you’ve never been so happy, but you may be making your neighbor miserable.

Playing any music at a volume sufficient to irritate the neighbors would seem to me to be a rather un-Christian thing to do.

I prefer that people know that I am a Christian by the Fruit of my Spirit, not the volume of my stereo.

When I listen to music, I generally don’t have it blasting. I’ve got my Christian music mixed in with my secular music, and since I don’t listen to music with crap-lyrics I don’t agree with to begin with, it’s all appropriate and the same to me.

So no, I don’t have to hide when I listen to my music, Christian or not, because all the music I listen to is just that—music.

actually I think that at the risk of sounding like a music snob (guilty) with few exceptions “christian” music tends to be peddestrian and banal its like they are exploiting the fact that they are chritian artists and have stifled their creativity. they should pray for some chops or a good muse.

actually could some one reccomend exceptions to this rule?

@ignorantsavage ;
Here’s an exception Under Bridges I don’t think Brave St Saturn are still together, but this is still my favorite song.
I had not see it with that video before, I haven’t processed the images yet, I’m not sure how I feel about that paticular set of images with that song. I am trying to figure out what the person was trying to say with the pictures.

I think Flyleaf would also fall under the “exceptions” list. Though they do proclaim themselves as a Christian group by principle, their music is not explicitly “Christian” and I, at least, don’t get the feeling they’re trying to shout this fact in my face with their music. (I don’t listen a a whole lot of Christian music, but I tend not to listen to Christian groups that do do this.)

Flyleaf is very clear about what they stand for, but they leave their lyrics open for many interpretations, which is what makes them one of the more “creative” Christian artists out there. I like the groups because they’re really…raw. I feel like their lyrics are genuine expressions of human emotion, Christian or not.

TobyMac, Kirk Franklin, yes,,,,casting Crowns, sometimes.
Drives my kid crazy

Have you ever tried to play Norma Jean, Underoath or The Chariot quietly? It doesn’t work out well for some reason.

@ignorantsavage: Shawn McDonald – songs(Take My Hand, Take This Life), Newsboys – (He Reigns, Million Peices), Brandon Heath – (Give Me Your Eyes, Listen Up, Wait And See), The Afters – (Beautiful Love, Never Going Back to Ok), Superchic[k] – (Get Up, Stand In The Rain), Jars of Clay – Dead Man(Carry Me)

Just some of what I have on my mp3 player right now.

Oh yeah, I love my music! I blast away with it, but try not to be annoying for anyone. But sometimes I feel like the song I’m playing has a great message any maybe someone needs to hear it, so I won’t turn it down much if someone pulls up next to me with windows down.

Audio Adrenaline is a “in your face” kind of Christian band, which is one reason I really like them. Any Christian, in anything that they do, or create should have no worries about trying to be subtle. Besides this, I think their lyrics are often very deep, and strikes chords in my spirit that can bring me to tears (in a good way!). Yet they also can be VERY light hearted and have FUN with their music. Shawn McDonald is also deep, and I LOVE how his voice blends in with Kera’s! Jars of Clay have some poetic imagery in their lyrics that evoke such thoughts, feelings and desire to worship God that its almost like having church!

So what I’m hearing is that they type of music dictates most people’s volume level. But that’s not the question realy.. What I wonder is if you feel as if you need to hide from the world.. not let them know you’re a christian and you listen to inspirational music instead of something like.. cannibal corpse or something…

I don’t see why you’d need to hide the kind of music you like. I’m not into Christian music, and I don’t hide my preferences. Why should you? Hiding from the world is different than blasting the music you like and forcing it upon everyone around you. That’s rude and inconsiderate, no matter what you’re listening to.

and really, there’s a whole lot of choices between Christian music and Cannibal Corpse

I ask because there have been times in my life when I wanted to hide that I was a Christian.. just like Peter denying Christ those three times. I know there are some out there who have hidden.. and I wanted to know why they did it.. or still do it

When I was younger I took quite a bit of flak for being a Christian so I started to hide it.. luckily I don’t have to do that anymore.

@NaturalMineralWater Well hey, good for you. No one should have to hide who they are. But your question was about the volume of music. You said you were “blasting” music and you were thinking your neighbor might complain. Being respectful of your neighbors and those around you =/= hiding.

@Likeradar that was just a little sidebar note in the question.. why are you fixating on it?

How can you say it was a sidebar when it was the question? If you’re asking if Christians feel like they need to hide their beliefs, it’s pretty obvious by the answers you received that you weren’t clear about your actual question.

@Likeradar I can tell we wouldn’t get along in real life. xD

I agree, the question didn’t accurately reflect his real meaning, but when you read the details it’s possible to catch onto it.

But he’s clarified himself already, so okay: what he really wants to know is why some Christians feel they have to hide the fact they are Christians. He’s made that clear now, so let’s move on.

@NaturalMineralWater: perhaps it’s a fear of being put down or looked down upon by others. It’s human nature not to want to do things that make you feel pressured or uncomfortable when you them.

Personally, I don’t feel the need to hide that I’m a Christian, but at the same time I also don’t feel the need to make it blindingly apparent to others. Actually, a preacher might call me a “luke-warm Christian.” I’m not “on fire” but I’m not exactly a “whimp.” I’m somewhere in between, for various reasons.

But to be honest, I’m not looking to be an “on-fire” Christian. What does that really mean anyways? I’m not a go-out-and-spread-the-word-by-mouth missionary; I know that’s not what I’m supposed to do with my life. I traveled to Guatemala when I was twelve on a mission trip, and it was cool and rewarding and maybe even did something for the people there, but I knew that wasn’t my thing. Actually, I probably do more good sharing my faith with others online and through email than I do in person because the written word seems to be my medium of choice for communication. Bad/good? I don’t know, but I actually don’t care at this point, lol.

What about you, @NaturalMineralWater? You said you don’t feel the need to hide the fact that you’re a Christian anymore. Why did you feel you needed to before, and what changed that you don’t feel that way anymore?

@Introverted_Leo Great response .. we are very similar actually.. I still consider myself a luke-warm Christian as well…

As cliche as it is.. after almost losing my wife I had a sort of wake up call on life and I began to realize just how awesome God really is.. it made me re-evaluate my abashedness and while I know I won’t ever be a missionary either it made me want to share this peace that passeth understanding with others .. it made me realize I was hiding probably the most precious gift a person could have in the joy of salvation..

There will be no miracle cure for my luke-warmness .. but with work I think I can become that on-fire Christian.. then perhaps more will hear about the gift

@Likeradar I didn’t mean to offend you with my last comment I just wasn’t sure why you were persisting after I had re-explained my question. I apologize. =)

@NaturalMineralWater: I just learned something: lukewarm is actually one word! :O Yeah, I just learned this, lol. So I’ll stop using the hyphen in between…

Anyways, I think I’m a “lukewarm” Christian because I’ve come to a point where I have a lot of questions about my own faith and how it compares to other people’s. I don’t actually…fit in at the church I go to, or any other church I’ve gone to. I’ve got faith in God and what Jesus did, but there are other details that I still have to turn over in my mind. Sometimes, the answers I get from other Christians aren’t enough for me. They don’t always seem…right, or complete. Like certain things are being ignored. And sometimes asking questions scares people. Some don’t like it when you don’t agree with them as a whole body because it means they’re not like you and you’re not like them. And suddenly you’re not a “Christian” in their eyes anymore because you don’t agree on one interpretation of the Bible or another.

That doesn’t sit well with me.

An example: I often wonder what life was like for people who believed in God before Christianity actually became a word and the religion it is today, before there was Jesus and only prophecies about him. How did they live out their faith? Was it generally different, or even more genuine, than people’s faith today? Because sometimes I feel like some religious people today can be so fake. I may not be able to put my finger on why, but that’s how I feel. And I wonder were people who believed in God in the Old Testament like this. Sure, they had their struggles, but what was religion like in their day compared to ours? We don’t get apostles like Peter and Paul walking around with Jesus, giving advice he’d approve of and performing miracles all the time like they did. Things have changed.

Idk, these are just some of the things that go through my head.

You don’t have to be a missionary or preacher to be “on fire.” It’s all about how you live your life. Other people in the world seeing you and wanting to get what you have is part of it. But the daily walk of having a hunger to be close to God and talking to Him and spending time with Him is more of how I would define being on fire.

@Introverted_Leo Some people definitely don’t like the questions because they can’t answer them! But I believe we each have to find our own faith. And it is hardly ever exactly like anyone else’s. And for your example, I think the old testament people were so much more fake! Sure they truly believed, but only because they saw the miracles, they lived through them. We have to have real faith today when fires don’t burst out of nowhere. If a bush is on fire, it’s going to burn down fast! But also it’s easier for us because the blood that Jesus shed, sets us free in ways that they could never get to experience. Maybe you should find a few people like you and form a home group and study and worship and have service at your own home? My family used to do that.

@z28proximo: Hm, that’s an interesting way of looking at it… Actually, it seems like sort of a flip-flop. Maybe back then it was easy to be fake because they did have amazing miracles, and today it’s easy to be fake b/c we don’t have crazy miracles.

<sighs> Yeah, I should get a group together, but practically all the people I seem to agree with I’ve only meet online! lol. Sad, but true.

I haven’t found a church body that perfectly matched yet either, nor do I think I ever will.. but luckily God can work with anything. =)

In the old testament times they doubted even after seeing a miracle with their own eyes! It would seem their faith was rather weak indeed.. yet I doubt too sometimes.. even after seeing the personal miracles in my life.. all just evidence of our sinful nature

As far as being on fire.. I agree that we don’t have to be missionaries per se to be on fire..I think God knew exactly what He was up to. He gave us all different skill sets with which to contribute… not everyone can accept the truth from someone behind the pulpit..

Yeah, I guess it isn’t right to think you can ever find a “perfect” church, but I should at least be able to feel like I fit in at the church I attend. My mom and I were talking about a home group, but my dad is so adamant about our, or his, current church…it’s an odd situation. We’re not so sure what to do, or how to go about it. I guess I should pray and look more into it.

Anyways, I don’t mean to go off on such a tanget. I guess it was just on my mind, so I spoke it. Carry on! :P

@Introverted_Leo IMHO I think you should follow the leadership of your dad… I know that might be difficult being that you don’t feel like you fit in.. but you should be very thankful that you have a dad that is insistent on church at all.. many don’t have the luxury of a dad who cares that much about his family.. I also think your mom should be more supportive of your dad .. but I don’t want to stray to far into my personal opinions here.. lol.. I don’t want to break out the soap box because then it might not ever get put away again xD

Oh and btw, I’m perfectly ok with it going off on a tangent.. that’s how conversations go. =) If there were no tangents then conversations would be very short.

Heh. Yeah, well, we go along with it for now, but eventually he’ll have to see that everyone else in the family is pretty much against his decision. No one else feels like the church is appropriate for us as a family, and either he’s completely blind to this or he’s just ignoring it. I’m convinced he’s just ignoring it, and I have no idea why.

Techinically, being an adult, I could go off and go to another church if I wanted to. Problem is I don’t really know where to go. I think I need to be with a smaller home group instead of a well-established institutional church because I don’t naturally connect with people on a larger scale. I don’t even know if I have the courage to do this because I’m not naturally so defiant that way towards my parents, and I still live with them so I have some obligation to live by their rules. It’s one of those “as long as you live under my roof, you’ll live by my rules” kind of thing.

And I have to play things smart for now—I’m a full-time student and my parents are helping me somewhat with paying for my education; I’ve got one year after graduation to get on my own two feet, and then it’s the boot. And I’m not gonna be stupid and just move out and start paying all of my own expenses b/c I want to do things my way when I know there’s no way I’m even ready for that right now. Not when they’re giving me the opportunity to graduate and start a career before kicking me out the nest. My cousin, who was living with us before he graduated, went his own way and is sure paying for it alright. But boy, that’s a whole ‘nother story…

I guess I don’t really have the right to complain. I just need to do something about it—figure out what and how to do it and just do it. It won’t happen over night, though.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. =D

Nope won’t hide it from the world. My ipod first 8 artists on the list – Jars of Clay, TobyMac, Aerosmith, AC/DC, michael Buble, Casting Crowns, Earth Wind & Fire & the go-go’s!

It’s a playlist for the times, and it rocks.

That’s about how my mix goes too. heh

I love Michael Bublé‘s voice…

<melts and drifts off into dreamland>