Communicator (communicator) wrote,
Communicator
communicator

The music of sin

From slacktivist comes this video. A man named Alan Ives makes a living trying to turn Christians away from “ungodly” music. This is a sermon in which he plays instruments, where he explains the difference between godly and ungodly melodies and rhythms. He's actually got a reasonable musical ear, and he explains what (for instance) 'backbeat' is, and how it differs from 'breakbeat' (while decrying both as sinful). At the end he explains that 'dance music' which 'appeals to the body' is ungodly. Godly music can only have a marching beat. Nothing else. Syncopation is evil, 'Eight to the bar makes a body want to dance', 'Emphasis on beats two and four in the bar does not belong in godly music'.

I think the features which set off his 'sin' detectors are musical forms which originate outside of Europe, music which gives him personal pleasure (I feel he is frightened by his own body wanting to dance, when he says 'it makes the body want' he means 'it makes my body want') and music which reminds him he is rooted in flesh, listening with a body of flesh.

Anyway he's a bit like the Bill Bailey of theology.
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  • Phew what a scorcher

    I see Gove has backed down on climate change and it's back in the curriculum again.

  • GCSE Computer Science

    My book is now for sale

  • LJ Settings

    At the moment I have set up this journal so that only friends can comment. I hate doing this, but I was just getting too much Russian spam.