by pratt1 12 Replies latest jw friends
Since I was an active witness for so many years, I only recently discovered many beautiful gospel and spiritual songs. Can anyone tell me why JW's are so against singing any other songs than Kingdom Melodies.
Most are just, well in a word BAD.
I actually remeber when all of our songs were played on a piano by a tone deaf elders bethelite's wife.
Most are just, well in a word BAD.... ...
I remeber when and Elders wife gave me all of her albums, she said she got the tapes instead.
They left a year later..
The reason they don't use the songs that are used by churches is because they don't wanna touch the nasty thang or have anything to do with satan's naughty world.
Something I discovered when going to a Christmas Midnight Mass was that the JW's have stolen some of the melodies that churches use and replaced the words with their own.
There are rumors that some songs are national anthems too.
Also I just learned at some churches they have praise dancers I have no idea that that is but sounds like a holy cheerleader. I also notice if you make too big a production on the music then the WT writes an article to tone it down, but if your hall stops singing cleary the WT writes a liven it up article.
They don't listen to gospel music because the songs promote other religious teachings/doctrine, ie, Jesus is God, hellfire, immortality of the soul...
If the song talks about going to heaven or such things then they don't want to listen to that type of music. Lyrics tend to stick in your mind and then one would reflect on these ideas. Same reasoning goes for songs they consider to be immoral or violent.
Lest we forget the wonderful, high-quality, moving music provided by God's Channel, take a trip down Musical Memory Lane:
http://www.terra.es/personal2/online/index.htm
My my, those brothers in Spain have a lot of time on their hands!
Hey Quotes...do you know of any reference where the dubbies say WHY they don't have say Amazing Grace, or other religious songs, besides Kingdom Melodies? I looked under music on your site, but no direct reference I could find.
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
This week during the Service Meeting, JWs are encouraged to listen to Kingdom Melodies at home or in other "extra-theocratic" activities. Paraphrasing the Kingdom Ministry May 04, "Much of the music today reflects the worlds values." I guess that would include gospel from the "Harlot" of false religion.
However, gospel has interesting roots and fruits. It is based in African ritual music, designed for trance inducing. Witness modern gospel choirs and thier effect on audiences. It has caused a revolution in modern music and is the basis for swing, soul and rock.
One more tidbit: African JWs do not use the same songbook (with standard Western musical notation) as most of the world does. Their songs are sung without record music or instruments and the music notes are the "so-la" notation. (Think The Sound of Music, "So, a needle pulling thread...")
My personal opinion is the African culture is produces the finest music in the world, such as gospel. Its a shame JWs can't get past the glee-club mentality with "Kingdom" Songs.
I live across the road from a church and on Sundays I hear them singing. It seems like a very soulful church and the singing I hear sounds very heartfelt and beautiful and even while I was still a JW I secretly admired these songs. Many JW songs enfoced the WT brainwashing and didn't have a lot of heart to them--some were a lot like anthems ...a few choice lines: "Let's watch how we walk and watch how we talk and stumble none in our minestry" "They are neat and well prepared and oh so polite" "I do not sit with wicked men of lies...with those who truth despise" " Were Jehovah's Witnesses...Our is the God of true prophesy, what he foretells come to be"
I'm sure you all know the rest....Hate it that I still have all those little dittys floating around in my head.
cybs
