The impact of listening to secular music has been a debatable topic among theologians, scholars, spiritualists, philosophers, and music enthusiasts over the years. However, does listening to secular music affect spirituality or are we just overly concerned about what's not? In this expedition, we'll unearth the complex ideologies within the premises of this question and discuss the likely positive and negative effects of listening to secular music on our spirituality.
Foremost, what is secular music?
Secular music can be referred to as music that is not primarily focused on spirituality or sacred themes. They are also referred to as, worldly music because the themes are specifically derived from everyday life experiences, materiality concerns, and other frivolities of life.
Secular music embodies a wide range of genres including, Rock, Hip-hop, R&B, Country, Jazz, Blues, etc
Spirituality, on the other hand, means the search for purpose, relevance, and connection beyond oneself; It involves experiencing a great power or divine force. People express their sense of spirituality in diverse ways. It could be through;
- Joining an organized religious body (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism)
- Mindful practices popularly known as meditation.
- Philosophising; Questioning existence and reality.
Arguments Against Secular Music
People argue that listening to secular music can;
Interfere into one's spiritual life : Pastors and Clerics oftentimes preach against listening to secular music, particularly not because it is a sin but because listening to it has the potency of deviating their spiritual focus and, in turn, derailing their minds to lust over earthly pleasures.
Hence, anything that doesn't exhort the spirit, soul, and mind of a human can, either way, extort what is resident in him.Abet negative societal values : Some secular music promotes the use of vulgar language, violence, notorious behavior, promiscuity, substance abuse, and nudity. All these, however, influence the behavior and attitudes of listeners negatively.
Arguments For Secular Music.
People also argue that secular music has also contributed to our well-being by promoting an enabling society, and this will be further discussed below.
Fostering of Musical Creativity : The music industry has experienced rapid improvement from what we used to know to what we now embrace and also accept. This change can't be largely attributed to religious music but also owing to the diversity of secular music.
It Enables Catharsis : Listening to secular music helps in expressing one's deepest emotions while offering a stress relief antidote as we go through difficult moments in life.
Back to the question, Does listening to music affect my spirituality? Well, it doesn't.
I must say, I'm really big on religion but my choice to sometimes listen to secular music has not in any way impacted my spirituality negatively because, I go for secular music that has rich tapestry content, secular music that provides deeper oversight of the world and how it works, secular music that I can emotionally connect with and form a bond.
In short, I go for secular music that can educate and also entertain me.
Haven't put all these into consideration, I can say listening to secular music has nothing on my spirituality.
© Medemausi
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I'll like to invite @mikechrist, @storygoddess @youngtari to participate in this week's prompt.
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The problem with this argument for me is that, first of all, I am an emotional being. I get attached to people, to things. So let's say I go for the secular music that has that "rich tapestry content", in no time I'll become attached to the artiste and I will religiously follow their work. Every time I did this, sooner than later,the artiste will begin to slip in "vulgar content," etc. into their music and I'll make excuses for them till I can't no more. It happened with Brymo and Asa, someone said Billie Eilish had always been that way, I just didn't notice because I was captivated by her Ocean Eyes.
So now, I try my best not to listen to secular songs. Whatever I'm looking for, it's also in the gospel.
I can listen to all of Brymo and Asa's songs over and over again. Both of them are very good artists, and their songs aren't bad either. Although,I don't know of the other artiste that you mentioned perhaps,I'll look him or her up later.
I stand to be corrected,you can't find all you're looking for in gospel music because, both secular and gospel music provide different functions.
Thanks for sharing your perspective on this,it is much appreciated.
This is very well written. I've learned a new thing here.
Aw
Thanks for reading through Sis!😘🥰
Interested write-up. Personally music has no effect on my spirituality shaa
It's a two-way thing.
Secular music can affect one's spirituality negatively if certain precautionary measures are displaced.
tHat is so true. We