Drums and Christian Music
Extracts from Bible Guidelines for Music with many secular quotes; by Terry Watkins...)

The Bible lists many kinds of instruments (Psalms 150:3-5), yet one instrument is NEVER mentioned! The drum was a very common instrument in Egypt and the lands around Israel. Did the Lord just forget to include the DRUM or is there another reason? Is it because drums are associated with voodoo, shamanism, paganism and magic rituals?

Drums are "played to summon up magic powers" (The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols)... and are "used in shamanic rituals to heal people. It is believed that the shaman can communicate with the spirit world THROUGH DRUMMING." (Musical Instruments). "Pagan dances and rituals are always accompanied by the incessant BEAT of DRUMS." (Satan's Music Exposed)

Robert Palmer, contributing editor to Rolling Stone... advocate and lover of rock music, writes, in Rock & Roll An Unruly History: "Bata drums [drums used in voodoo], sacred to the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Cuba... provided a template for the inner rhythms of rock and roll... serve as conduits for spiritual energies, linking individual human consciousness with the gods... the drum rhythms that make rock and roll can ultimately be traced back to African music of a primarily spiritual or ritual nature. In a sense, rock and roll is a kind of 'voodoo'... Drums are used in "voodoo" possession... drummers tap out their rhythm patterns like signals to the realm of the gods, inviting and enticing them to come and POSSESS their devotees."

Little Richard, the self-professed "architect of rock 'n roll", readily admits Satan's control and influence in his life and rock music: "My true belief about Rock 'n' Roll - is this: I believe this kind of music is demonic.... A lot of the BEATS in music today are taken from voodoo, from the voodoo DRUMS." (The Life and Times of Little Richard)

"The shaman was the original 'long hair', the first rock star draped in leather, dancing possessed to a rhythm banged out on a DRUM... communication with the gods was synonymous with DRUMS... the body can become the conduit for a deity... DRUMS are the catalyst for the whole process... what Westerners simplistically call 'possession'." (Appetite for Destruction)

David Tame writes in The Secret Power of Music: "Today's DRUMMER differs but little from the shaman in his incessant beating out of a rhythm, and likewise often enters into a form of trance while performing."

The DRUM has always been associated with paganism and the devil... When the first blacks from Africa were converted to Christianity they knew the power and evil influence of DRUMS. And the converted blacks strictly forbid the use of drums! They referred to the drums as "the Devil's drum". (Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music) One simple guideline for Christian music is NO DRUMS!
(http://www.av1611.org/cqguide.html)

ooooh brother...... do people sit around and make this stuff up because they have nothing better to do, or becaue they enjoy trying to make other people upset.

were they on something when they wrote this. Well it was not christ. is must be the other.

sooooo stupid.

go here.....this guy directly addresses the idiots who wrote that other article.

http://www.mindspring.com/~brucec/apol.htm

This is a fairly common train of thought in many "fundamental" churches.

I personally think that is stupidest thing i've ever heard in my whole life.... well.. one of the stupidest things. It definetly ranks up there. *shakes head* morons.

I had one christian friend who told me that the drums were of the devil........tho she never explained why it was ok to have them at church...go figure......

Not having drums would mean music like . . .

Gregorian Chants
Opera
Classical and Baroque
Old Country and sometimes New Country
Various forms of folkmusic
Bagpipes
Church Pipeorgan
Celtic (usually)
. . . and so on

So there are some forms of music still accessible, Jenni. If you start listening to Gegorian Chants, you might fall in love with it and decide to become a nun.

Oh, I anticipated a question. What's the difference between country and folkmusic? Folkmusic can include stuff like from the Maritimes. Swedish folk music really rocks.

hmmmm......the Bible also doesn't mention guitars, violins, trombones, french horns, cornets, accordians, saxaphones, clairinets, and I'm sure many other instruments.
This articles reinforces my new motto...."say no to fundamentalism".
seriously though, this kind of rubbish makes people think that this is what Christianity is like, it's really sad

During one restaurant discussion, somebody asked what sort of music a person trapped on an island might want to hear - if he only had one CD. I said, I'm sure it might be Elton John, the Beetles or Chicago. A lot of these songs last forever.

I have to say, given my tendency to dance near the speaker system, one thing drums have done is reduced my hearing ever so slightly.

hmm...one cd i would want on the desert island......probably something by Pink Floyd.

What?!! How really weird, LOL, so sad for them to think that, hmmmm music would be boring without the drums

So i guess i used to play DEVIL music when i played the drums

The only way Jenni would become a nun would be if there was an order that had purple habits

I remember we had a missionary from africa in our church as a guest preacher one Sunday last year, and he told us that his two teenage children were listening to some rock band on their CD player and when one of the men he was speaking with heard it he wanted to know why christian children were playing the devils music - it was the drum beat that he meant. So I suppose in some cultures missionaries might have to be careful what they played. But drums are ok in my book anyhow.

But drums are mentioned in the bible anyhow, it is in Psalms, i will have ta find a scripture My hubby will very soon be learning the drums, tis exciting and me is learning the Bass

I moved from the Deep South Bible Belt to Minnesota and found myself in search of a new home church. I will never forget when I knew I had located my NEW HOME. I was blessed to be visiting on a Sunday when the church was presenting a Skit. This man came running down the isle draped in tensil with a halo and did part of Skit in which he was the Cosmic Angel. Later, when the program was over and the music began, the Cosmic Angel was also the Drummer ( He was also the Pastor of this Church). I have moved after many years from the North back to the South and am seeking another Church. I am looking forward to finding another Church as exciting as this one was. Does this mean when we absent mindedly tap our fingers--we are sinning? Lets not be rediculous!

Music certainly is a "hot button" for many people. It is a subject I usually try to stay away from. I believe people are sincere on both sides. They really believe what they say so they are vehement about it.
Also every generation seems to not like the music of the next generation.
So, where am I on drums? Well, I do not care what others say or think. I do what I believe God would have me do or allow me to do and really it is between me and God. so I bet you think I don't like drums.
Actually if they aren't so loud they split my ear drums , I think they are great. They add to music. I love bands which would not be the same without drums. I like many kinds of music. Admittedly I would probably not like the same music most of you do. But I am of another generation - and I have that right.
I like music that is uplifting, and leaves me feeling peaceful and happy or challenged to be better. I do not like music which makes me feel jumpy, angry or irritable - that brings me up and doesn't bring me back down or just brings me down.
I go to a fundamental church. I have been in some which are really narrow on what music they like and others which suggest a much wider range. There again it is their right. Every fundamental church is not the same. I do not have to go to any church or believe anything I do not see in the Bible or that God convict me about.
One side line about drums -my son had lots of ear infections until age 4. His ears must have been sensitive because I don't know how many times I had to leave a Christian concert with him crying and trying to cover his ears becasue they hurt. Same problems with fireworks and fire trucks. Now thought he is fully rtecovered and could listen to all the groups you mention in your e-mails with the best of you - which is ok as long as he respects that I don't make him listen to "my" music so I shouldn't have to listen to his unless I want. Respect is the key.

So because drums were once used to create rhythyms for pagan festivals and rituals, they say drums are evil. Could not the same rhythmic ceremony be produced using a tuba to keep beat instead of a drum? Obviously that means all rhythym is evil.

Therefore, this lets out not just Rock but pretty much anything else.

If the sheet music says:

4
--
4

or any other indication of rhythym it is, of course, satanic.

Ironically, if a person followed this line of reasoning -- eliminating all rhythym -- any form of music would revert to a series of disconnected notes played at random intervals.** Truly, chaos.


**with the exception of some Avant Garde Jazz, which is already like that.

I still can't believe people still have these kind of IDIOTIC beliefs. Just because something isn't mentioned in the bible doesn't mean it's evil. Legalists are the death of true Christianity and are in full denial of the freedom given through Christ. Jesus in His day spoke out against this very type of idiocy.


Hey everybody, nice to meet you. My name's Barry.
Sorry if any of my reply sounds harsh, but I was driven away from Christ when I was younger by the same kind of people who distort God in this fashion so I can get a little passionate at times.