I Stopped Listening to Music.

Fr. Pine shares why he doesn't listen to secular music and avoids watching movies or shows for entertainment, and why he thinks other Christians would probably serve themselves and the Lord best by doing the same and getting rid of Netflix and Pop Music.

What do you guys think?

💻 LINKS



📱 SOCIALS

[jasonlee]

This was tough to hear, being a former rock and jazz musician. However, I cannot argue with the truth of it. I was raised in front of a television set in the 80's and listened to all the music (which I admit I still enjoy at times), but at 50 I recognize how much this lifestyle robbed me of peace and even material success. As a convert to Catholicism, I along with my wife decided to not have a TV in our home. This choice appalled many people (some people, including my own parents thought we were crazy for homeschooling without a TV in our house) but our oldest is 17 and a voracious reader and I see in my children a confidence, peace, intelligence, and sanity that sadly I will never have. I'm thankful to God for at least giving me a clue to not raise my children the same way I was raised. Children should be raised by their parents, not by technology.

[JamesLeonardnyc]

As a catholic man, everything he says is true. When you avoid the little pleasures that take us away from God, it is easier to say no to any unchaste temptations when they arise.

[mateo]

I used to love music more than anything, especially rap music. I would listen to it all day every day. I even wanted to become a rapper. Then I discovered that the majority of mainstream music artists and even celebrities have sold their souls and pledged to serve evil in exchange for fame and riches. At first I didn’t want to accept this and I kept listening to it, but in my heart I had already realized the truth and I was never able to enjoy it as much because I knew of the evil that was being spread through it. Eventually I cut it out altogether, and this has had a great effect on my life. I’m more focused, less lustful and closer to the Lord now that I no longer indulge in that spiritual poison. Now instead of listening to music when I’m at the gym I listen to podcasts like Pints with Aquinas or Bible in a Year with Father Mike Schmitz. Praise God.

[velmabeattie]

I stop listening to secular music and watching TV. It was the best decision I ever made. It's amazing the time you get back to put positives into your life.

[radiorain]

As a catholic musician, I always consciously make sure the message of my music gives glory to God. It is sad how hard it is to find music like that. I hope and pray that I can contribute to a positive change.

[mariedalzell]

Another factor for me is that music stirs up worldly desires of my past. I grew up being the lead in musicals, I went to college for musical theater, and I always wanted that to be my life path. I wanted to be a star on Broadway. Now I’m a stay at home homeschooling mom of 6. Almost all the time, I am perfectly content in this life and I know it is God’s path for me, but if I listen to musicals or modern music shouting at me that I need to pursue my dreams, those past desires well up and fill me with resentment about my circumstances. They steal my peace. I have avoided most forms of music for years now. I really just listen to sacred music and chant. Another thing that bothers me about music is that it is crafted in a way to force you to have emotions that you didn’t sign up for. You’ll be listening to a sad song and by the end of it your in a mess of tears and reveling in all the sadness of your own life. I have to much to do to get sidetracked by emotional pit stops. Great video!

[giovanniranzino]

This video and the comments make it sound like ALL music is hurtful. If the music you listen to is causing your peace to be disturbed, maybe you are listening to bad/toxic music. There is so much music out there (that would be referred to as secular) that is truly inspired, pure, creative, and without an agenda that is meant for people to enjoy by complimenting their lives not distracting from it. In listening to and discovering good music and playing some myself, I have found a truly edifying and enriching hobby and one of the greatest joys of my life. I think music is one of the best ways God’s beauty is revealed through our humanity. I see where you are coming from when it comes to certain genres, but you shouldn’t and can’t just diminish an entire art form and cultural pillar down to the significance of a YouTube compilation or superhero movie franchise. Turn the radio noise off and enjoy the music that restores your peace instead of writing it off completely.

[wierdpocket]

1. We are not called to retreat from the world, but to help redeem it. Running away from culture because it may harm us may be indicative of fear instead of charity, but ultimately I think whether we engage or retreat is a deeply personal decision. 

2. The reality is that God has made certain people to be artists, and part of that vocation is engaging with other forms of art. The idea that we need to "run away" from any form of culture because it may hurt may be good advice for a select group of people, but for many it's important to be able to discern the good and evil in something, and draw for and even augment the good in it. There are so many forms of music that would not exist if it weren't for Christians listening to all kinds of music, re-appopriating it as sacred or spiritual, and grafting it back into the body of Christ as something good and powerful.

3. The same can be said of film, painting, literature, etc. because all art contains within it something of the good (ie it's not "totally depraved") - There are indeed some Christians whom God calls to retreat from the world in a very visible sense (hermits, monks, etc.) but then there are others who are called to paint chapels, build cathedrals, write symphonies, make films - and all of these people are part of a longer artistic tradition that is right and good to engage with.


4. Because God makes artists, we can also deduce that it is good that people consume art, even if it's not explicitly "Christian" (which is hard to define anyway). A song about a relationship between a mother and her dying child, or about the pink sunset sky, or about the dense fog in the park at night may not be "Christian", but they reflect and image God in unique and personal way, and it is good for us to consume these kinds of things.

[chasehalvorson]

I’m not Catholic by any means. But I really appreciate this content that y’all are putting out, helping me gain a greater perspective on how large and addictive the entertainment industry has become. As Leonard Ravenhill once said “ “You only need entertainment when you’ve lost the joy of the Lord.”

[luvdas]

If the pandemic did one thing for me, its that it took away my desire for entertainment. This world and its true controllers literally took off their mask completely for me!
I was an absolute movie buff. I know my actors directors, genres and history of the industry and never saw myself coming to where I'm now. Same goes for music. I'm reading Luisa Picaretta, the Baltimore Catechism, Timothy Alberino, Padre Pio and more and I'm not looking back. The Lord himself has taken away the desire.

[mht]

After watching this, I don't feel so bad about not being in touch with popular culture for the last 20 years - same number of years since I last cancelled cable tv. No Netflix or modern pop music, either.

[joelanturk]

I'm a Calvinist, and I 💜 this channel!

Thank you Brethren. Pray for me as I pray for you.

#JesusMattersMost 👍🏾

[marjanaavsec]

Gregorian Chants are amazing for our soul❣️

[BeerRunBennyTheKid]

I think the sense of urgency that some of these forms of entertainment elicit in us is called fomo ( fear of missing out). Good video Fr. We can all stand to be challenged a little to take steps to be more present to God and other human beings.

[bigbrowntrout]

I've been listening solely (and soul-y) to classical music and Gregorian Chant for years. It's the purest and highest form of music.

[anthonycostello]

I eliminated all entertainment from my life (music, TV and movies) for nearly 10 years. This was mainly during my time in the military and, in part, before my conversion to Christianity as an adult. Although there was overlap. The goal was twofold: first, to avoid presentations of false realities (similar to what Plato warned about in the Republic) and second, to avoid exciting the emotions in unnatural ways. Military life and stoic asceticism go hand in hand, after all. A few years ago, after finishing my second seminary degree, I started to slowly allow a bit more entertainment into my life. 

Today I consume a very limited amount of entertainment, but I do allow some. I never watch TV shows however, because they are serial in nature and can addict us to their ongoing plot lines (which often just leads to wasted time). Movies, on the other hand, have a definitive start and a definitive end, so they seem a bit safer. The main issues with movies are a) they can just be bad, and b) they can again excite the emotions in ways that are not conducive to spiritual discipline. But with movies you at least know you are or will be done with it in the two to two and a half hours it takes to watch. As to sports, I only watch one sport: boxing, which seems to me the most primal of all sports and also the most cathartic (and, for the most part, the least political).

As to music, I think it is more subtle than movies or TV. Music has great power over the mind and I think it is with music we must be most discerning. That said, the great compositions can be a vehicle to the beauty of God. Bach, for example, has often been heralded as the "5th evangelist."


As an alternative, and I think far more healthy, exercise to music, TV and movies I would suggest playing boardgames with friends or doing crossword puzzles or sudoko (for the more mathematically oriented).

[carold]

I think some music and good films can actually lift our minds and hearts to God. To me, film is an art form and can portray truth, goodness, and beauty, or also just be empty and/or gratuitous. I often pray that God will lead me to a film and I've had profound experiences of Him speaking to me through some films and almost feels like prayer. I have however had the experience of just watching movies and shows that don't lift my mind to God so I think there is a discernment that needs to take place on any media we take in.

[kapitankapital]

I know this wasn't the main point of the video, but "you don't stop doing something by doing it" is such a powerful message.

[shellycuccias]

Worthy topic, thank you! My husband and I stopped watching TV during lent a few years ago and haven’t looked back. It takes time to wean yourself off of it, to be sure. That said, we were amazed by what filled that gap! My husband started painting. I started researching, reading the lives of the saints, learning a lot more! I eventually became a cantor at our church. God is great.

I like to think about the rest of human history, prior to screens. If they could do it so can we! God bless.

[kcc]

I have stopped watching as well. Particularly music and recent films. I also strongly believe what Fr. Pine is saying, time off our devices leaves space for prayer and contemplation and peace in our hearts and families. Many singers and actors/actresses' I believe have sold their sold to evil and I do not want to participate in their occult or pagan practices implied or otherwise. Listen carefully to watch is said or sung. See how it changes behaviour and your thoughts. What songs get stuck in your head? Noise distracts you from Heaven therefore it is evil. I also believe we should be directing our thoughts, words, minds and bodies to continually seek God. Guarding our minds is so important! Defend yourself and your family. Regular mental prayer to Our Lady and St Michael the Archangel will clear your mind and return your peace. I fasted from food and music for Lent, and it was one of the best periods I've had in a long time where I removed distractions and it was so good for me and my peace. Ave Maria.