The Message in Music??

WTWizard

I have seen and heard many times where witlesses are supposed to pay attention to the lyrics in the Kingdumb Maladies. They are supposed to sing them out, and enjoy the "music(??)" before the Grand Boasting Session sessions.

Now, I have seen one suggestion by an independent-thinking group. They mentioned a couple of songs by KISS (Knights In Satan's Service, according to the Watchtower Society) that have coded messages about the condition of the world and its source. I downloaded them, and the songs were decent (they came out in 1992). Another song that I have noticed laments the condition of the world, and the stagnation found therein, is the Meatloaf classic Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back. (This is off the Bat Out Of Hell Part 2: Back Into Hell CD). I am sure there are so many others.

The problem with the Watchtower Society is that they have blacklisted those songs. Why? They reflect the condition of the world, but do not point out the solution that is Watchtower approved. The Kingdumb Maladies, on the other hand, are nothing more than advertisements for the Jehovah's Witless cult. They are poorly written and performed. I can remember TV ads from the 1970s and 1980s (from before the prescription drugs started dominating) that were better written and performed than the Kingdumb Maladies!

I would rather listen to Knights In Satan's Service than those Kingdumb Maladies any day. The songs are Paralyzed and Thou Shalt Not, off the Revenge CD--which I downloaded from Rhapsody, and are recommended listening if you like hard rock. No, they are not demonized the way the Watchtower Society suggests--and they are not going to tell you that you need to get dedicated to the witless religion and then go out in field circus all the time.

willdabeerman

On that topic. AC/DC (anti christ- Devils child) was banned. So I did not get to listen to them growing up, but now I love it. Same with Slayer. Slayer was demonized and I could not listen to them ,but now they are one of my favourites. Now from what I understand, they are leaning on Rammstein as being devil's music. Whatever. To me the Kingdom melodies ere hack pieces thrown together by wanna be composers. I know this because there was a brother in our hall who thought he was the shit, composed 4 songs for the society. Last joke is on them however, because as it turns out this guy was a closet homosexual and he wound up contracting hiv (this was in the late 80's) behind his wifes back and they both ended up d/f'd and dead.

Gotchaby

Music is constant. It's just sound waves.

"I go to the hills/ With the sound of music/ With songs they have sung/ For a thousand years."

Just change the lyrics, and the meaning will be totally different.

So, I go for songs without words, like the one below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGmIlMS60c0

Gopher

WTWizard,

Do you have any sources to show that the WT blacklisted any specific songs, or that they stated that the meaning of KISS was Knights in Satan's Service?

Certainly they railed against various forms of music, including disco, rap and heavy metal. But I never saw a blacklist. There were certain conservative / evangelical religions that tried creating "don't listen" lists for their young ones (as if anyone really paid attention).

And the KISS thing was an urban legend going around society, not just in JW circles.

We need to be accurate in our assertions about the WT Society, in order to prevent people from saying former members distort the facts.

5thGeneration

Strictly for the sake of accuracy:

The WT never officially condemned bands by name (mentioned a few on occasion) nor did they ever state that KISS was an acronym for 'Knights In Satan's Service'.

Certain 'do-good' Brothers started putting out lists of bands on their own but that practice was actually shut down and discouraged.

The WT never puts out "blacklists" of songs.

And most importantly....

"Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back" was NEVER a classic!

BTW: I'd rather CRANK 2112 than go in field service any day too!

Hope4Others

As a doof, that crap caused me to through out my Eagles Hotel California album & Zepplin/Stairway to Heaven, we had an "visiting annointed" give a talk

and he gave quite a list including kiss. Still makes me mad at my self for buying into that. Since I've downloaded them again. Thats quite a number of years ago now I was in my 20's.

Hope4Others

The Oracle

***

g9512/22pp.17-18ShouldIAttendRockConcerts?***

To be honest, much of rock music likewise promotes bad things—sexual immorality, drugs, rebellion, spiritism. This does not necessarily mean you have to swear off music, but the Bible does tell Christians to "keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:10) So you have to be selective and discerning when it comes to music.

How does your choice of music affect you? Does it make you feel happy, calm, or peaceful? Or does it make you feel angry, rebellious, or depressed? One Christian man in Denmark recalls the days when he was a fan of heavy metal, a form of rock music. He says: "I would listen to it while working. And if I made a mistake, I would get so mad that I would crush the thing I was working on and throw it away in a fit of anger!" Another youth admits: "I listened to much rap and heavy metal that glorified sex and a worldly life-style. This music fed my mind, and the result was a craving for the things they sang about." Now if a mere recording can have such an effect, think of the power of a live performance!

Consider too: Just how loud will the music be? Granted, people have different preferences in this regard. And the Bible does not rule out reasonably loud music. Why, at the dedication of Solomon’s temple, the trumpeters alone numbered 120! (2 Chronicles 5:12) That must have been impressively loud! However, there is a world of difference between a loud shout of praise to God and earsplitting rock music. In the latter case, the loudness is often used to stir the crowd into a spirit of wild abandon. But the Bible condemns "revelries," or "wild parties." (Galatians 5:21; Byington) And respect for your body would rule out listening to music at a level that is so loud that you risk damaging your hearing.—Romans 12:1.

momzcrazy

And respect for your body would rule out listening to music at a level that is so loud that you risk damaging your hearing.—Romans 12:1.

I really thought I had heard it all. So loud music is on the same danger level as bungee jumping or skydiving. Hmmm.

Might I mention that my 2 yr old sings along to Kid Rock, and he likes it "noisy" in his words.

momz

5thGeneration

momzcrazy,

Actually, I'm convinced, at almost 40, that I really damaged my hearing when I was younger from really cranking my music all the time. Maybe it is good advice?

Oracle,

Good article. Of course, we all knew that the Society disapproves of 'worldly' music. They don't put out lists though.

ROCK ON!

Leolaia

*** g81 2/22 p. 29 Watching the World ***

According to The Weekend Australian newspaper, Kevin Jacobsen, the Australian promoter for America’s rock group Kiss, once declared: "I have known them for two years and I am still scared of them." For a flight from the U.S. to Perth, he said that he booked the entire first-class compartment of a jetliner because he "was afraid their Ouija board and seances would frighten the other passengers."

I wouldn't be surprised if they were mentioned by name in circuit or district assemblies as an example of the horrors to stay away from.

The Message in Music??

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