Are Rock & Jazz Music Forbidden?

[Humble Disciple]

Quote

11. Exercising great care in the choice of music, shunning any melody
partaking of the nature of jazz, rock, or related hybrid forms, or any language
expressing foolish or trivial sentiments...
Adapted from the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 1986 revision, pp. 141-151.
https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1989/10/church-standards-today-where-are-we-going

If Adventists are forbidden from listening to anything influenced by rock and jazz music, then modern music in general is banned from Adventist homes. Furthermore, this does a disservice to the contributions people of color have made to Western music, since the roots of rock and jazz are from Africa. 

In the words of The Desire of Ages, "We should never give to the world the false impression that Christians are a gloomy, unhappy people." 

[Gregory Matthews]

Jazz as a form of music has developed over a period of 100+ years.  In its present form   it has many styles of music.  The result is that some "experts" define the word in different ways.

From this perspective, some forms of jazz music may be played in SDA congregations and performed by SDA choirs.

In addition, Seventh-day Adventists worship in many nations of this world.   In some countries, the typical music found in a SDA congregation may be considered to be a form of jazz by people in other places.

My personal position is:  God asks us to consider our personal relationship with God and God does not ask us to pass judgment on   the fine points of how another person worships.  The basic points may be found in Scripture.  We do not have animal sacrifices today.  But, Scripture leaves a lot up to the individual congregations to decide.  

[GHansen]

Dylan's "Slow Train" and "Saved" albums are gospel music in a rock genre. I saw him in concert during his Slow Train era. After he was finished playing, a large number [~2000?] of people in the audience went forward as if they were responding to an altar call at an evangelistic meeting. I might also mention the  music of Blind Gary Davis, an ordained Baptist minister. His song "Death Hath No Mercy" gets right down into the bones of some people, such as myself. Even the Rolling Stones cut a gospel song on "Exile on Main Street." It's called "Shine a Light."

[Puhovpeny]

Wow, an interesting thread. I’m not an Adventist, and it was new to me that you have some forbidden music. I liked Gregory’s response. If you worship God, it doesn’t matter how you do it.  Are there any popular artists that are Adventists? Do you do artist pr in your church? Like, listen to Mike because he’s so talented and says the right things. I know Sufjan Stevens, but he’s not an Adventist as far as I know.  PS. Gregory, why don’t you make animal sacrifices anymore? As far as I know, the Bible talks about it in the Old Testament.

[phkrause]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:50 AM, Puhovpeny said:

Gregory, why don’t you make animal sacrifices anymore?

I'll let him give you his answer, but I thought I'd give you my reason! The reason we don't do animal sacrifices anymore is: First, Jesus died for all, he is what the animal sacrifices looked forward too; Second, we are not Jewish! We do have many Jews that have converted to being Adventist Christians; Third, as far as the Jews are concerned, they need the Temple and as of right now there isn't one, but again there is no need for anymore sacrificing because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, now we go directly to the source by prayer! We ask for forgiveness of him, we don't need to sacrifice an animal anymore!!