Forbidding instruments

[ena]

I had a thought when I saw this topic...that scripture about "making into laws the commandments of men", something like that. Y'all will know. I think the musical instrument taboo is that kind of thing; a "commandment of men".

It is. God is a spirit that would seem foreign to a human. When he decended on Mt Sinai he was a blight light. When Moses communed him for 40 days he had to wear a veil because he shone so brightly. It is fair to celebrate your salvation. I don't personally like Christian rock but large Churches have more than one service. Classic, contemporary and Spanish. In the classic service you listen to the pastor on a big screen. The sermons are canned and on the web. The covid church was on the web. They take communion at periodic intervals. Not every Sunday. It is in Exodus.

[nivensimani]

I'm so glad you pointed this out. Sadly as a kid I used to try to argue that instrumental music was not biblical and that basically the playing of instruments (an having a choir) is only for entertainment and not for god. I was also told acapella just sounds better. It was to the point where I'd feel a little weird when music was played in the church for functions like marriage ceremonies. But looking back it's funny that clapping, snapping and stomping in my church was okay, but not mechanical instruments. I'm assuming why some CofC's I'd visit were against even clapping and things of that sort. I mean to the point of shutting things down and saying "we don't do that."

Funny enough since leaving (I don't find myself a Christian believer at all) I've found a liking to Kanye West's choir. Its okay to laugh. Of all people Kanye West? But ohhhh my goodness. His choir is so good! And the band is amazing! And the arrangements are so perfect. I'd consider going back to church just to listen to that on a regular basis.

I just say this to say I don't see how they can shun both choirs and instruments especially when it's done "right" because it can be heavenly! And again I've heard no concrete bible verses saying that you couldn't in a CofC.

[FinallyFree]

One time Agricola put a new perspective on this for me. She said the Jews stopped using musical instruments in their services because they were mourning the destruction of the Temple. It was not because anything was wrong with it—music was a sign of joy. They early Christians modeled their services after what they had known. It was just something going on at the time and not a binding commandment. Am I explaining this correctly, agri?

[Ivy]

Interesting.

[SolaDude]

It was not because anything was wrong with it—music was a sign of joy.

I've always enjoyed listening to gospel choirs on YouTube for that reason. I even found Ray Charles singing "Oh Happy Day" with a gospel choir, one of his last appearances, and he rocked it! I'm sure his performances in heaven are always sold out and he can walk and see perfectly now. Here it is:

w*w.youtube.com/watch?v=wv5n_eCGkvM

[agricola]

One time Agricola put a new perspective on this for me. She said the Jews stopped using musical instruments in their services because they were mourning the destruction of the Temple. It was not because anything was wrong with it—music was a sign of joy. They early Christians modeled their services after what they had known. It was just something going on at the time and not a binding commandment. Am I explaining this correctly, agri?

Yes, more or less - there's a side issue about the idea that repairing an instrument that breaks down on the Sabbath is a forbidden kind of work, and that THEREFORE instruments fall into a category called 'muktzah' - not really forbidden to use, but avoided BECAUSE touching them can too easily lead to breaking an actual law.

Some liberal congregations will use instruments of the sort that simply don't ever break, like tambourines, for instance, or those things you shake.

Generally, you will find musical instruments in Jewish worship services only among the very liberal branches, though. By this point, even if people agreed that it would be okay, there is a strong tradition of not using them.

[OneStrike_ur_out]

In the days of Covid Church is at home. You definitely would not want to be one cup in this timeframe.

Watch out, ena, your're stepping on the toes of all those evangelicals who think you're taking away their religious freedom!

It's pretty dumb if the person next to you has covid. The virus stays alive on surfaces. It spreads mainly through the air. Even your cat can bring it home.

Surface transmission not as high as originally thought