Music in the Balance

                  December 29, 2009
                  Book notes
                  Music in the Balance
 
    The statement on the back of the book under the title of 
"Paradox" seems to be an underhanded attempt to 
psychologically manipulate the reader and cause the reader to 
be intimidated into agreeing with the author.  It goes similar 
to this, if you are stupid you will disagree with the author, 
but if you are smart you will agree with the author.
 
    I take the position that if you are smart you will separate 
the principles of God from the teachings of man.
 
    Music in the Balance Chapter one, was not as good of a 
start as I had hoped. The first proposition was that everyone 
should agree, after all there are "more than five 
hundred references to music in the Bible" the authors 
feel like Christian should come to consensus. #Php 2:1,2,5 
The authors seem to miss the point of this passage as being 
a reference to suffering along with Christ and being like 
minded with Him. Here is the same passage with the context 
out-dented:
 
 Philippians 1:29 - 2:11 -AV
 
    For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only 
to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having 
the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear [to be] 
in me.
 
     1) If [there be] therefore any consolation in Christ, 
     if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, 
     if any bowels and mercies,
     2) Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the 
     same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind.
 
    [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; 
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than 
themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but 
every man also on the things of others.
 
     5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 
     Jesus:
 
    Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery 
to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, 
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in 
the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, 
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even 
the death of the cross.
    Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given 
him a name which is above every name: That at the name of 
Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and 
[things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] 
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father.
 
This syllogism is the basis premise of the book "Music 
in the Balance"
 
"Since music is an emotional language, and since some 
emotions are wrong for the child of God, then some music is 
wrong for the Christian."
 
The book uses #Dan 3:7 to show that music is a "
universal" language 
 
    The music was not universally understood, there was 
first a decree which gave the music meaning. After that 
it communicated that all who heard it was to bow before 
the king. #Dan 3:4,5,6
 
         Daniel 3:4 Then an herald cried aloud,
         To you it is commanded,                 
         O people, nations, and languages,-AV      
 
Some quotations from the book is:
 
         "Music is communication and communication is music,"
         "Music is a form of non-verbal communication"
Here is a good one:
         "Music is more than a language. It is the language 
         of languages"
 
     If music is the language of languages, I guess that 
mankind all spoke music before Babylon when the Lord 
confused the languages.
 
    After reading the first chapter I was left feeling a 
little disappointed in the book. In the first chapter 
there was a lack of biblical foundation and way to much 
conjecture based on pop culture and tradition. This is a 
lack of objectivity and I will not allow this line of 
reasoning to have the ability to change my views on music.

At this point I probably point out that I suspect my views 
on the topic of music to be not that dissimilar to the 
authors views, however I believe in balance and am hoping 
to find balance in the remainder of the book.