Does music affect us at all spiritually?

metaldude wrote:Yes. I agree with d@v!d, but I'll simply answer yes.

spitshockey81 wrote:I think there is strong evidence for it affecting the psyche and spirit. One clue is the evolution of one's look/dress that often occurs once one becomes deeply immersed in a particular style of music. I've never met someone that dresses goth that doesn't listen to goth. Same can be said for people that have leanings towards black metal fashion, punk, whatever. Tatoos that are obviously influenced by a type of music are another example. I've never seen anyone with obviously punk ideology and art fashion/iconography that didn't listen to punk, as an example. Certainly a strong case for music affecting the psyche and spirit.

metaldude wrote:Yes. I agree with d@v!d, but I'll simply answer yes.

bjorn agin wrote:I voted "I don't know".

The problem I have with saying music affects us spiritually is that leads right into the discussions about "demon beats", satanic influences on songs etc. Most of us would argue against that sort of thing.

Lyrically, there is definitely a garbage in, garbage out factor. I had Pandora on yesterday and some really old Aerosmith came on. I never realized how trashy the lyrics are to those songs. Not something I would want to keep meditating on. In that sense, yeah it does affect you spiritually. If you keep feeding yourself garbage, it will have an effect.

Now, back to the music part of it. while I do disagreee 100% to thole demon beat thing, I agree 100% that music has the ability to affect our emotions. Otherwise we wouldn't be using terms like "dark" when we describe certain tunes? "dark" implies an emotional effect.  So in as much as our emotions have the ability to affect our spirit, I would agree there is is some impact there as well.

ThomasEversole wrote:While I certainly think there's spiritual growth to be had with listening to Christian music, I do think my mom is right regarding one thing...

Sometimes, (not all the time, just sometimes) its hard to listen to God whenever you're jamming out.

spitshockey81 wrote:I think there is strong evidence for it affecting the psyche and spirit. One clue is the evolution of one's look/dress that often occurs once one becomes deeply immersed in a particular style of music. I've never met someone that dresses goth that doesn't listen to goth. Same can be said for people that have leanings towards black metal fashion, punk, whatever. Tatoos that are obviously influenced by a type of music are another example. I've never seen anyone with obviously punk ideology and art fashion/iconography that didn't listen to punk, as an example. Certainly a strong case for music affecting the psyche and spirit.

ParaNormaN wrote:
I don't know man. I dress pretty hip hopish with my baggy pants, big shirts and big hoodies. I rarely listen to any rap or hip hop and when I do, its not a full album but a song or 2 that caught my ear. I mainly listen to all metal genre and all electronica genres. I only have 1 band hoodie which is Metal Church, no band shirts, no spiky neon colored hair, chains, spikes, etc. that would present the metal/electronica loving man that I am. People look at me and usually assume I'm into hip hop or gangster rap. I dress that way because I actually like some of their fashion. I don't wear much metal clothes because they're either too small for me or because I don't want to be confronted by some elitist who thinks the band shirt I have on sucks or be called a "poser" or something. You have no idea how people misuse that word.

sentient 6 wrote:Hey DF....

Before I answer I want to make sure what you are asking. Do you mean music as in some guitar chords being played ? Or do you mean when messages are added through words and vocals to the music ? Or...the whole package ?

sentient 6 wrote:

ParaNormaN wrote:
I don't know man. I dress pretty hip hopish with my baggy pants, big shirts and big hoodies. I rarely listen to any rap or hip hop and when I do, its not a full album but a song or 2 that caught my ear. I mainly listen to all metal genre and all electronica genres. I only have 1 band hoodie which is Metal Church, no band shirts, no spiky neon colored hair, chains, spikes, etc. that would present the metal/electronica loving man that I am. People look at me and usually assume I'm into hip hop or gangster rap. I dress that way because I actually like some of their fashion. I don't wear much metal clothes because they're either too small for me or because I don't want to be confronted by some elitist who thinks the band shirt I have on sucks or be called a "poser" or something. You have no idea how people misuse that word.

I think this is all surface level stuff that people tend to grow out of as they mature. Your priorities vastly change the older you get and where you your station in life is.

bjorn agin wrote:

sentient 6 wrote:

ParaNormaN wrote:
I don't know man. I dress pretty hip hopish with my baggy pants, big shirts and big hoodies. I rarely listen to any rap or hip hop and when I do, its not a full album but a song or 2 that caught my ear. I mainly listen to all metal genre and all electronica genres. I only have 1 band hoodie which is Metal Church, no band shirts, no spiky neon colored hair, chains, spikes, etc. that would present the metal/electronica loving man that I am. People look at me and usually assume I'm into hip hop or gangster rap. I dress that way because I actually like some of their fashion. I don't wear much metal clothes because they're either too small for me or because I don't want to be confronted by some elitist who thinks the band shirt I have on sucks or be called a "poser" or something. You have no idea how people misuse that word.

I think this is all surface level stuff that people tend to grow out of as they mature. Your priorities vastly change the older you get and where you your station in life is.

I agree that the whole music affecting the way you dress is an age/maturity related thing. While I've seen plenty of young people wearing clothes that match the scene, I've also been to shows (Stryper is a good example) where the crowd was a bunch of 30-40 year olds dressed in t-shirts and jeans.