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"I am not talking about commercialized rock in the christian genre. I'm talking about worship, musical, instrumental worship. If you cannot discern the difference then we have nothing further to discuss."

First of all, the article you posted is about Christian rock music. Secondly, you made some derisive comments about those who had criticism of the genre, while describing it as "worship music" yourself:

Call me when the subtle vitriol has played itself out ...

I just thought it was cool in that Rolling Stone did a piece on worship music.

It amazes me that here we are in the year 2006 ... mostly through 2006 actually... and the same arguments against music are still slithering around preaching circles.

The commercialization is only part of my criticism. The other has to do with the nature of rock music itself.

Yes, I can discern the difference between music which is driven by the beat rather than led by the melody. The "worship, musical, instrumental worship" types of music are very vague descriptions and can very well include music which uses a rock beat, and usually does in most modern churches. Whether preprogrammed or spontaneous, beat driven music may produce an emotional high, but it does not produce a Spirit led life.

I am not trying to be offensive. No one likes to be told they are wrong. Most of us tend to get defensive when someone criticizes our actions or words. This is especially true when the thing being criticized is an important part of our lives.

Let me put my point another way. I take you at your word that you love Jesus. If you love Jesus, you will love other believers.

1 John 5:1-2

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Look at how Jesus approached the custom of divorce in His day. The religious leaders tried to justify their wrong doctrine on this subject. He replied by asking what God commanded. Notice that He did not ask what God permitted.

Mark 10:2-9

And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They replied that God permitted divorce. Jesus essentially taught that divorce should only occur when God commanded it. Such was the case with Herod who had married his brother's wife (while the brother was still alive). Not only is divorce permitted in such a case, it is required because of fornication.

How does that apply to music? Well music is an essential part of the life of believers, both in the church meetings and in our personal lives. My question is does God COMMAND us to sing and listen to rock music?

I have never heard anyone who openly claimed there to be a scriptural basis for requiring believers to sing and listen to rock music.

Why is this important? If there are believers who are stumbled by rock music, particularly the use of it in the church meetings, then why is something that is optional being forced on believers who are stumbled by it?

It becomes clear in this case that rock music is being used by those who care more about their love for it than their love for other believers and therefore their love for God. Some believers who sing and listen to Christian rock are unaware of it being a stumbling block to others, and in many cases cannot distinguish between melody led music and beat driven music. This is why it is important to develop discernment, especially for those who are music leaders.