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I must admit that when we listen to Steely Dan, and especially when are children are around (they’re getting a little long in the tooth, but not long enough to leave home just yet), I wince over some of the lyrics. Drinking scotch whiskey all night long, then dying behind the wheel isn’t what we’d call edifying. So, often times our family sits around and talks about music, lyrics, and philosophy. One must be careful, and especially around the kids.

That topic alone is worth a whole new thread. In particular, for our entertainment, just what goes beyond the bounds for Conservative Christians?

While it's known to many FReepers that I'm something of a square when it comes to music (Country and Southern Gospel fit my comfort zone), a steady diet of only that would get tiresome. So I veer off into other realms such as big band and some of the crooners as well as some so-called "mob music" (see below).

With movies, the choices we have are more confined since Hollywood is largely (exclusively?) a bastion of atheistic liberalism. As much as I'd like to view only films like Passion of the Christ, Facing the Giants and Atlas Shrugged, some of the product designed for Conservatives is just subpar in spite of its good intentions (American Carol anyone?).

So, admitting my straying from the straight and narrow in movies, under my breath, I'll confess to really enjoying the profanity-laden Goodfellas and the morally-suspect Godfather trilogy...but certainly not when the kids are around. Of course, right afterward, I try to cleanse myself by playing some Happy Goodman, Kingsmen and Bill Gather tapes! :-)

Interesting topic...apologies to all for the thread diversion.

Debauchery and moral breakdown are the high fructose corn syrup, the cheapest "flavor axis" you can get for creating irony and apparent depth in music, or in art in general.

You don't have to make a real contribution, as did Tolstoy or Hugo or Ayn Rand, or (for that matter) C. S. Lewis... you don't have to make a real contribution; you can just use those cheap spices and you can make emptiness sound majestic, you can make shallowness sound deep.

Ya gotta crank it out if you want to keep the paychecks coming.

Believe it or not, we are Conservative Christians. Our children would be the first to tell you that their parents are very selective in what they are allowed to view and listen to.

My children have yet to hear most of the music I have listed on this thread. All of our kids play music. As a matter of fact, one is about to leave and pursue a degree in Music Composition.

We come from a family of professional musicians, although, we do not gig or record full-time any longer. We now dedicate our time to raising the family.

Any veteran pro. musician will tell you that it’s important to listen to a broad range of musical styles. These styles help to enrich and influence creativity in musical ideas and expression.

If an artist, music enthusiast, or just a music fan possesses a very discerning taste in their appreciation, I don’t begrudge them.

We are careful in what we listen to on a regular bases.