More thoughts on music

First of all, an interesting Wiki link about contemporary music and the so-called "worship wars."  Of particular interest to me is this quote:

The musical style of contemporary worship is very much influenced by popular music, and the use of modern instruments is commonplace. Objectors feel that this style of music is 'worldly' and associated with an immoral lifestyle.

Now take a close look at the quote, and the argument therein.  Because of Sandi Patti, we are adjured not to listen to any music of the modern day not from our "approved sources."  To put it mildly, this is not a Biblical claim.  On the other side of the argument, advocates of contemporary music might argue

The musical style of hymnodic worship is a pale imitation of musicality and is associated with spiritually and relationally dead churches.  The Muzak in Hell will feature a little old lady warbling "In the Garden."

What we have here is guilt by association arguments instead of a Biblical analysis of music in the church.  Let's illustrate how sinful (yes, SINFUL) this is by applying the principle to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Temple of YHWH in Jerusalem uses an altar and musical instruments similar to those of the Canaanite temples.  In order to avoid human sacrifice and the wrath of YHWH, we must tear down His Temple and rebuild it using instructions other than those given to Bezalel by YHWH through Moses.

Any student of music will be able to list innumerable practicioners of all genre of music whose personal lives were, to put it politely, disgraceful.  Hence, indulging guilt by association will only result--and it has--in split churches and hateful behavior by brothers.  If you've been enlisted on either side of the worship wars, it might be time to desert.