On a related note. Has anyone checked out Justin Marler's band The Sabians?
Not totally my thing, but pretty interesting still. The first song on their albumn is sung to the melody of "Oh Pure Virgin".
Interesting interviews on the webpage about his days at Platina. Very nice, sincere guy btw... we had an email correspondence going about a year and a half ago. He ended up giving me an old copy of Unseen Warfare. That's a nice nice thing to do for someone who's basically a stranger. 
Limp Bizket stuck in your head!? Is there any worse punishment!?
No!
I know what you mean though, I still sometimes get metal tunes stuck in my head and just wish they would finally leave. Luckily, there is an answer (ie. the cleansing of the nous, which can heal even our so-called "subconscious," and keep those pesky songs from popping up)
That is why I love Orthodoxy, it is truly the cure of the soul.
but the Fathers quoted Plato, et al., so I see no problem quoting them when they say something well
I don't see a problem with it either as there is some good stuff out there in the punk world. Perhas that's why there is the link of punk converts to traditionalists?
Peter: I agree with there being trends in punk thought that lead one to Orthodoxy. Similar to something I saw on the web as to why Buddists make good converts to Orthodoxy. The non-conformists attitude gives one no qualms about being a small minority in society (Orthodox Christian). Punk also shows you how falllen the world really is, and thus how in need of a saviour it is. The next logical step then is finding the God-man Jesus Christ.
http://russia-in-us.com/Music/Church/
& scroll down to monk Roman
I got a few of his tapes in Russia, good stuff
I find myself in an odd position. My pre-Orthodox days were filled with music, yes, but it was entirely classical and jazz with little rock, as I was a semi-professional trombonist. I became interested in popular music only a year or so before the year that saw me leave behind the trombone and embracing Orthodoxy.
The opinion I have formed without researching Holy Tradition is this: Secular music, art, literature(hereafter referred to as "art", etc can be a good thing and even show some truth. It can be an excellent stepping stone into finding faith for many secular folks. I can see two problems:
"Art" that speaks to the lowest of human depravity or is even at enmity with The Church. For example Marylin Manson, Anton Le Vey, and that man who made the painting of the Theotokos with elephant dung.
That when those of us who were former secularists find the truth of Orthodoxy, we spend time with "art" that while not bad for us, obscures us from more holy endeavors.
Number two is the more subtle and the more dangerous I believe. I still enjoy rock music, literature, and movies, but I look forward to them slowly fading from my life. It seems that many people here in America define their lives by entertainment. In being an example to turn from the world, I think that we should lessen our dependancy on secular entertainment to the degree that we are able. A "cold-turkey" approach may not be best though.
I think I agree with what you say here David, it would be good to not depend so much on secular entertainment. We should spend more time doing more reading, praying and various things like that. I also agree it may not be good for some of us to do the 'cold turkey' approach because some of us are too weak to just stop quickly altogether that we could become disheartened and just give up and not want to bother trying anymore. Forgive me if I was rambling here.
In Christ,
MaryCecilia
David wrote:In being an example to turn from the world, I think that we should lessen our dependancy on secular entertainment to the degree that we are able. A "cold-turkey" approach may not be best though.
Natasha wrote:I have to agree, "Christian Rock" does not sit well with me. I think it is inappropriate.
Also, we should not forget that classical music also has the same range of emotion (sadness/passion) that other more "modern secular music " has...for that matter, great literature also has similar themes...however, I personally don't think the answer is to narrow your choices to one or another...I think you can be a good Orthodox Christian and still participate in such worldly things..
Well it has emotion ranges, but not the blasphemy or immorality or vulgarity or modern music. One may be able to be a good Orthodox Christian and participate in some worldly thing, but they do not help one become a good Orthodox Christian. We are better off w/o such worldly things indeed!
