One of the rationalizations used to justify "Christian rock" was, "What about Martin Luther? He used the secular music of his day, so why can't we do the same?"
This rationalization breaks down under both logic and research: As believers, we are to pattern our lives after Christ, not after men.
The folk music of Martin Luther's day was melodious. Therefore, to use this in an analogy is not only inaccurate but also deceptive.
Much of the folk music from which Martin Luther drew his melodies was religious folk music of the pre-Reformation period. Some of these songs had been sung as early as the ninth century.
Of the melodies in Martin Luther's thirty-seven chorales, fifteen were composed by Martin Luther himself, thirteen came from Latin hymns, four were from German religious folk songs, two had originally been pilgrim songs, two were of unknown origin, and only one came directly from a secular folk song.
The one secular song came from a popular folk song, " I Arrived From an Alien Country" and was first used in a chorale as a melody for Martin Luther's famous Christmas hymn for children, "From Heaven on High, I Come to You."
This song appeared in Martin Luther's first hymnal in 1535 but was replaced by an original tune in his 1539 hymnal. Historians believe that Martin Luther discarded the secular tune after only a short time because of people's associating it with its previous words.
The goal of Martin Luther in music was to replace the world's music, not to duplicate it. He used four-part harmony because he wanted to attract youth away from the world's songs.
A former rock addict from Detroit, Michigan, states "The Rock Beat Is a Greater Addiction Than Crack or Cocaine."
Cleanse your heart and home of any music that has the rock beat (a heavy or subtle beat on beats two and four in four-four time- also called backbeat). In melodious music, the emphasis is on beats one and three (in four time). Another sensual technique in rock music is called scooping, and it involves vocalists starting just below pitch and slicing up to the pitch.
Join the thousands of young people who have conquered their addiction to rock music and begin now to replace it with melodious music.
References: How to conquer the addiction of rock music- Institute in Basic Life Principles, Box one, Oak Brook, Ill. 60522, and W.B. Squire, "Luther," Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, V, (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1955), Page 446. Also, Ephesians 5:19 The Holy Bible.