The Tyranny of the Unasked-For Song A Christian review of John Cassara’s “Loudcasting: The Tyranny of Unwelcome Music,” and a plea for the recovery of quiet ❧ ✦ ❧ Introduction: The Essay We Should Have Written Somewhere this evening, a family is trying to say grace over a restaurant meal while a speaker mounted ten…
Category: Music
I Asked AI to write a Christmas Hymn
Here is the original prompt: Write a 5-stanza XAXA rhyming scheme quatrain, 4 lines each, of original lyrics for a Christmas hymn based on Luke 2:1-20. Claude AI responds: Here’s an original Christmas hymn based on Luke 2:1-20: The Bethlehem Star A decree went forth from Caesar’s throne, That all the world be counted there,…
The Transformation of Church Music: From Heartfelt Worship to Commercial Enterprise
An Examination of How Modern Worship Has Lost Its Way The scene unfolds in countless Baptist churches across America each Sunday morning. Congregants stand, holding hymnals or gazing at projection screens, as music fills the sanctuary. Yet something profound has changed. The older hymns possess singable melodies, logical harmonic progressions, and rhythmic patterns that invite…
Mental Shock and Awe: Music’s Full-Scale Brain Invasion
Music – The Brain’s Universal Maestro In a world of fragmented attention and fleeting distractions, one phenomenon stands apart, a primal force that hijacks the human mind like nothing else: music. Scientists have long puzzled over its grip—why a simple melody can spark joy, a rhythm can compel dance, or a lyric can dredge up…
The Far Side of Jazz: Gary Larson’s Secret Gig Life in Seattle
Who in the world hasn’t chuckled at Gary Larson’s cartoons? Gary Larson’s journey to cartooning stardom began rather serendipitously with a submission to the San Francisco Chronicle. Before “The Far Side” became a household name, Larson was just another aspiring cartoonist, working nights as a lab technician and scribbling his oddball cartoons in his spare…
Navigating the Melody of Faith: The Christian’s Guide to Entertainment Choices
As Christians, the media we consume, including music, is not just a backdrop to our lives; it is an active participant in shaping our hearts and minds. In his article, “Biblical Counsel for Listening to Music,” Darrell Harrison provides a deep dive into why believers should be discerning about their musical choices. Here, we’ll expand…
Can AI Compliment Christian Beliefs and Enhance Spiritual Growth?
As a Christian, are you ready to enter the world of artificial intelligence (AI)? As you read this post, be prepared for some surprises at how this technology may be used to enhance spiritual growth. So fire up your curiosity for an enlightening journey on how AI and faith might work together! For the serious…
The beauty and power of music … a gift from God
Perhaps one of the necessary factors of song is that it brings order out of chaos. Musical notes create patterns that our brains become aware of and enjoy. Our minds observe the patterns of steps and leaps in the musical line, in repeating rhythms, and in the myriad of mathematical combinations that make up rhythm,…