Controversial: Should Christians Listen To Only Religious Music?

Now, I've had this question in the back of my head for a while. We Christians try to keep our eyes, heart and head pure. But what about our ears? I mean, yes, you may hear a curse word once in a while. But I'm talking music. Which brings me to a question: Should Christians Listen To Only Religious Music?

My point of view is, no. Now, you're probably thinking WHAT????? I am a Christian, I listen to good clean Christian music. But....but, but, but, I also listen to Les Mis, Phantom, Newsies and country. Les Mis is a good musical, many songs having good use of the Lord's name, some in a bad way (Master Of The House), but I wouldn't consider it 'Christian Music'. Les Mis, Phantom and Newsies are more like show tunes. Plain and simple. I love country music. The sound, the message. I know there are some extremely dirty country songs. Songs about the artist acting worldly and wild, songs where the artist is flaunting the way they're not ashamed to show a little skin or when they mention drinking beer and whiskey. Now, what if you've been questioning this question for a while? What if you're wondering "All my friends listen to country. I've heard country and I really like the beat of it. But I don't want the songs filled with vulgar lyrics. I want the songs that are clean and good to listen to!" For me, there are three categories of music. No, I'm not talking pop, rock, and hip-hop or whatever. Here's what I'm talking about:
1. Religious music with a good message
2. Songs that have good messages, though not religious
3. Non religious, no good message

Now, I love listening to Christian music. I absolutely adore Tenth Avenue North, Anthem Lights, tobyMac and more. But I also get a good ol' craving for good country music. Now, how do you satisfy that hunger for country music, while still keeping your morals? Well, where I live, there is a radio station and it only plays good clean country music with good lyrics. Since I'm normally the first or second person up in the morning, I listen to it. I haven't in quite a while, for I'm trying to be more focused on school than moving my head to the beat. Ahem. Most of the songs that I listen to now I had heard on the radio. A few of them, I haven't but yeah. Anyways, we can't really 'avoid' worldly music. You hear it in stores, at the checkout line, when you go the a garage sale or the fair. You can hear it anywhere. Unless you were to stay inside your house all day and you were deaf, there's no way to avoid it. Period. But, you can choose not to listen to it in your spare time. I'm a person in a box. I like to stay with Christian, country and show tunes. Pretty much that's it. Hey, people, I don't get out much!! But I ain't complaining about it either. So, let us all choose wisely what we feed to our ears. But, dear readers, don't think that I am perfect. There was a year, about two or three years back, where I have listened to some worldly music before. I shied a bit from my Christian music before. There would be a week that had gone by where I hadn't listened to much Christian music. I've worked to stop that habit and I'm doing pretty well. It's fine if you like OneRepublic or Coldplay, but select your songs carefully. I still listen to "The Scientist" and "Viva la Viva" by Coldplay, and I still listen to "Secrets", "Marchin' On", "Lullaby" by OneRepublic.

So, for all you guys and gals who want to listen to some good clean country music, I've made a y'all a list: By the way, all pictures are mine except the one with the purple flower for "Time Is Love" by Josh Turner. Yes, all of them.

1. Every Storm Runs Outta Rain by Gary Allan
This song is a beautiful song. It has such a good message. The official music video shows kind of the story of a woman waiting for her boyfriend/fiance/husband(?) to come home from war. At the end of the music video it shows them hugging.

2. Time Is Love by Josh Turner
Gah. This song is amazing. The music video.....not so much. I didn't get it. Anyways, about the song, Josh sings in first person, though it should go for everyone. He sings about telling all the guys he works with, and his job, that even though he needs to work, he isn't going to spend every minute of his time there. He's gonna head home to his wife and family awaiting him. What a good message!

3. If I Die Young by The Band Perry
This song is pretty much about appreciating your life on earth, for as ever long as it lasts. Even if it's only a day, or 100 years, appreciate with all your heart. I know you're probably thinking "How can you appreciate your life when you're only a day old?" YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN PEOPLE!! Appreciate your life while it lasts. As they say, you only live once.

4. Free And Easy by Dierks Bentley
I like this because it's clean, number one, and it just talks about living your life free and easy. Just like the title.

5. Change by Taylor Swift
Now we've all seen Miss Swift fall into pop and stuff. I enjoy her older songs by her. No, I'm not a screaming fangirl and Taylor Swift is not all that I listen to. Look down some more and you won't see much more of her. Anyways...... Taylor pretty much is telling us to keep our chin up. Because even in our bad days and bad moments, thing will change.

6. The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert
Ohhhhhh. I love this song!! This is the only Miranda Lambert song I listen to, for I do not care much for Miss Lambert's voice or any more of her songs. This one, though has a nice personal message. She talks about revisiting her home and healing her "brokeness". (I'm putting that in quotations because that's the lyrics, but it's not really a word)

7. Voices by Chris Young
Now this song is brilliant. This has to be one of the greatest country songs with such an awesome message for men and women. He talks about how he hears his dad, mom, grandfather and grandmothers voices in his head telling him everything that they've taught him. And let me tell you, they're some pretty good words. Just a beautiful song, period.

8. Good Girl by Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood. Siiigggghhhh. She's beautiful, talent and is a Christian. "Good Girl" tells young girls and women to beware of "bad boys". That pretty much sums it up, but it's still a good message.

9. Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood
Ahh. Another "Good Girl"-like song. Enough said.

10. Blown Away by Carrie Underwood
This song is a bit questionable. It tells the story of a young girl who lives with an abusive father. Her mama is dead, by the way. Her father is abusive and is a drunkard. A tornado comes and she leaves him to die. Not the best message. Take Proverbs 25: 21-22: "If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread; if they are thirsty, give them water to drink. By doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads, and the Lord will reward you." But I'll give credit to the music video, it shows Carrie trying to get her father to wake up. But she later then ends up leaving him. 
²² 

11. Done by The Band Perry
Talks about leaving an abusive(?) boyfriend. Pretty good. It tells how not to put up with anyone who is abusing you or is disrespectful to you.

12. My Little Girl by Tim McGraw
Oh my goodness. The song. I want this song at my wedding for you father/daughter dance!! It tells about how a dad is letting his little girl go.... It's so beautiful!!!

13. Love Like Crazy by Lee Brice
Gah! Another one of my favorites. Just a great song about what you do in life that will make you successful.

14. Remember When by Alan Jackson
Beautiful. I'll probably play this at my 50, 60 or 75th anniversary. Just talks about how couples grow together and endure the hard times in life and marriage. Just beautiful!!!

15. If I Didn't Have You by Thompson Square
Now, this song is a great song. It tells about how sometime we feel like we can't live without our wife/husband.

16. This by Darius Rucker
Another song that talks about how we appreciate life. Even though the road make be bumpy and there will be quite a few obstacles, we'll eventually end up right where we're supposed to be.

Now, this is a list for all those guys and girls who want to listen to clean country music. Most of them have extremely good messages. Blown Away is probably pushing it a little, but that's as far as I'm plannin' go. Either way, I hope you'll take my list in stride. Have fun listening!!!


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