Thursday, May 1, 2008

Those Teachings of Man Which Add to the Bible. Has God Not Said it All?

Many of you may not be familiar with the teachings of Dr. Frank Garlock. Though it's message was hardly new to me, I was unaware of Garlock until about a year ago. Basically, it's the same message that rock n' roll is evil and will send you to Hell, but this goes a little further.
Garlock has developed a very advanced and elaborate teaching against anything but his own personal favorite music. He claims that music MUST be 3%-4% rhythm or else the players and listeners are held captive by the beat, unable to be saved, because it controls their wills. He claims that most music today is 75% rhythm and beat. (How he measures this, I am not sure. Maybe he has a "Rhythmometer", available for just $19.95!). He has taken his own tastes in music and claims that all else doesn't cut it. He says that rock, pop, country and many other genres are from the Devil. Garlock directs an orchestra, which he says is okay, because the balance is different from today's music. My question is, how does he get around the magnificent percussion sections in much of the orchestra music? Does he disapprove of the 1812 Overture? How can he approve of rhythm and beat used in the music he likes but not in the music he does not? How can he possibly state that it is more pleasing to God to listen to Mozart (whose music I respect greatly), who was a filthy sinner and immoral man, than to listen to Third Day, who cry out in passionate worship of our Lord in music a little different from Garlock's style? How can he say that God is not pleased with songs like, "All I Have to Give", "Anything", "May Your Wonders Never Cease"?
A couple of days ago, I was listening to this incredible worship CD, "Shake Off the Dust", and the first song made me really think about Garlock's theory. This song, backed by a full rock band of electric guitar, drums, bass, the works, cries, "Jesus, You have met these eyes, with tears I don't deserve to cry. There are no words to describe, how I long for You. And I fall, at Your feet. Jesus, You are all that I need." You will never convince me that God is displeased with that heartfelt prayer. You will never convince me that He is more pleased by Mozart's self-worshipping lifestyle and beautiful music than by this song! I just cannot believe it. It is not in the Bible, to start with! It seems that Garlock overlooks the Psalms, where there are found many proclamations to play loud music, to use the instruments that man has to make music on, to sing aloud in praise to His name. (Garlock's followers even disapprove of the traditional Jewish music, such as the Messianic worship by Paul Wilbur. I do not know whether or not Garlock himself opposes this music.)
Garlock's own "ministry" has a cartoon for children, called, "Patch the Pirate". I do not consider pirates to be anything amusing. This series is crude and vulgar, quite despicable, with foul characters such as "Guido Hallitosi", who spreads evil garlic breath, as well as jokes and light references to burping and other crude material. This sounds no different from the world's garbage cartoons for children - they might as well watch SpongeBob Square Pants! I mean, obviously these people do not care very much about being different from the world. I cannot imagine how a Christian thinks it is okay to be teaching children to behave this way - and contributing to the overall moral degradation of society. Just don't let them listen to Third Day.
The fact is, this is a dispute over doubtful things, the likes of which the Bible instructs us not to be carried away with. Garlock's followers compare Christian music with too much rhythm to pornography, using a very weak argument that the colors are not wrong, the lines are not wrong, but when you put the whole picture together, it is wrong. I disagree strongly. What is wrong with pornography, as anyone should know, is that it is made by sinful people, undressed or dressed in a way that will provoke sin. I put forth the case that, just because a color might be popularly used in pornographic photos, the color is not condemned to be a sinful color. Christian worship music with more beat than Garlock is used to is not sinful just because you put together the "picture" or whatever. These people are not using sensual techniques and intending to spread sin. They are simply some people who worship the Lord with a different kind of music.
When, oh when will the church of our Lord be free from such petty disputes and divisions so that it can focus on real issues, like leading people to salvation, like living in righteousness and self-control because of the judgment to come?

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