Is all Religious Music Objectionable?

[truce]

I find that I am drawn to classical music (Handel, Bach, etc), some old hymns, negro spirituals, and things like these. Last night I listened to some of such music and it was, to say the least, relieving. Helped a lot with my insomnia and stress.

Am I alone in this regard?

[Witness1970]

The objection I would have to religious music is that it is associated with Babylon the Great.  The words of many of these songs are not objectional, but their association with false religion is objectional.  What would be wrong with a song that says, "I am going to a beautiful garden"?  I see no fault with those words, but if someone hears us playing the song and they had heard the song in a Babylonish church, they might get the idea we are a part of that Babylonish religion.  I don't want to give any reason for doubt about where I stand.

[truce]

1 minute ago, Witness1970 said:

The objection I would have to religious music is that it is associated with Babylon the Great.  The words of many of these songs are not objectional, but their association with false religion is objectional.  What would be wrong with a song that says, "I am going to a beautiful garden"?  I see no fault with those words, but if someone hears us playing the song and they had heard the song in a Babylonish church, they might get the idea we are a part of that Babylonish religion.  I don't want to give any reason for doubt about where I stand

Thanks. 

[truce]

I appreciate your input, Brother Witness70. I would really appreciate more comments on the matter. Don't know if I posted this in the wrong section. 

[Prism]

36 minutes ago, truce said:

I would really appreciate more comments on the matter.

There was a discussion about this in 2021, you might want to check it out: 

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Prism

[truce]

5 minutes ago, Prism said:

There was a discussion about this in 2021, you might want to check it out: 

 

Why, thanks!

[Dhanyel]

It's good to ask yourself, would Jesus Christ listen to this type of music? What if we are having fun with our brothers and we put on a song like that? religious songs belong to Babylon, be careful, whoever is standing is careful not to fall, the order is clear, come out of it my people, Christians must not have any ties with Babylon, our songs, the songs have the help of the holy spirit, they are like prayers, why should you be interested in listening to songs from Babylon? I know people who studied the Bible and the first thing they did was stop listening to these songs, the change began there, and today they are our brothers. The answer to your question is yes, all religious music is questionable,It may have beautiful words, but remember that Satan persists in transforming himself into an angel of light to trap Christians. 

[Friend of Peace]

Here’s something I found quite balanced.

 

In the link below, Brother Gerrit Losch in the talk “Being Happy Despite Challenges” at 10:13 opens with the lyrics “Oh, Happy Day, when Jesus washed my sins away.” He actually tries to sing it a little bit as well! That is a staple song played and sung in many gospel churches over many years. Yet, he stated that we agree with such lyrics in that the forgiveness of sins is what makes us happy:
 

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=share&wtlocale=E&lank=pub-jwb_201712_1_VIDEO

[Hope]

Blew my mind when Bro. Löesch sang, "O Happy Day!" My dad had that song on a 45 record back in the day... I used to hear it all the time. 

 

Towards the end of this video (at 3:20), our "Searching for Friends of Peace" is arranged in a gospel style- with vocals! It was amazing to hear and I'd love to hear a complete rendition. 

 

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&lank=docid-502018114_1_VIDEO

 

One of my favorite bits about the New World is that Babylon the Great won't have all the good music anymore. 🎶 😊

[Miss Bea]

6 hours ago, truce said:

Why, thanks!

Many, many years ago. Łike i told someone, “If you go back far enough, you may find yourself celebrating Christmas”. 
Lets just do what we can to keep up with the chariot!

[truce]

3 hours ago, Hope said:

Blew my mind when Bro. Löesch sang, "O Happy Day!" My dad had that song on a 45 record back in the day... I used to hear it all the time. 

 

Towards the end of this video (at 3:20), our "Searching for Friends of Peace" is arranged in a gospel style- with vocals! It was amazing to hear and I'd love to hear a complete rendition. 

 

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&lank=docid-502018114_1_VIDEO

 

One of my favorite bits about the New World is that Babylon the Great won't have all the good music anymore. 🎶 😊

Watched the clip. Sounded even more like a Negro Spiritual.... I expect that in the new system, some of the music currently used in christendom may become acceptable for worship, with some adjustments. 

[Sete]

13 hours ago, truce said:

Watched the clip. Sounded even more like a Negro Spiritual.... I expect that in the new system, some of the music currently used in christendom may become acceptable for worship, with some adjustments. 

I think music is something very beautiful, a true gift from Jehovah to us. Music as it's nowadays is quite complex (for us), but whenever I hear a beautiful melody I imagine that it's not the person who wrote that melody, it has always existed, we just discovered this combination, since God has already knew it. Many songs are very good, but they're dirty with Babylon. It's like a beautiful diamond that's on a ring with an old plastic base, no one would throw the whole ring away, we would take the base off, but we would take the diamond and put it on a new base, made of some worthy material.

[truce]

3 hours ago, Sete said:

I think music is something very beautiful, a true gift from Jehovah to us. Music as it's nowadays is quite complex (for us), but whenever I hear a beautiful melody I imagine that it's not the person who wrote that melody, it has always existed, we just discovered this combination, since God has already knew it. Many songs are very good, but they're dirty with Babylon. It's like a beautiful diamond that's on a ring with an old plastic base, no one would throw the whole ring away, we would take the base off, but we would take the diamond and put it on a new base, made of some worthy material.

Na so! (Nigerian Pidgin for: Exactly!)

[Pabo]

15 hours ago, Sete said:

I think music is something very beautiful, a true gift from Jehovah to us. Music as it's nowadays is quite complex (for us), but whenever I hear a beautiful melody I imagine that it's not the person who wrote that melody, it has always existed, we just discovered this combination, since God has already knew it. Many songs are very good, but they're dirty with Babylon. It's like a beautiful diamond that's on a ring with an old plastic base, no one would throw the whole ring away, we would take the base off, but we would take the diamond and put it on a new base, made of some worthy material.

 

If you look at the history of songs, you will find that songs, melodies, rhythms and such does get influenced by other songs from the past. Thus I wouldn't be surprised that a lot of songs may have had some religious influence in some for or another.

 

Even some songs of the Kingdom songs may have certain traces of songs that can be linked to other religious songs, if you listen really carefully.

[GeordieGirl]

There is one of our original songs that always reminds me of a Celine Dion song when it starts. Can't think which one off the top of my head, but I know it everytime I hear it.