If you're ever concerned about your children's/teens' music choices, or you are looking for a Family Home Evening lesson, here are two good sources to bring to the discussion table. I like that together these combine science and scripture, a servant of the Lord bearing testimony as well as some proof via the scientific method. (Not because I or you or anyone should need science to back testimony or science to back the Spirit--we shouldn't and don't--but because it's really interesting when it does.)
First is an article recently published in the
Deseret News titled "
Literal lyrics? The effects of sex, violence and misogyny in popular music." This describes fascinating studies and results that aptly link song lyrics with increased instances of sex, sexualization, aggression and misogyny, and issues with self-esteem and ends with what parents can do. Here is the last quote, from Jack R. Christianson:
“Music will do exactly what it is written to do. How you put lyrics to music and what music you choose to listen to affects just about every part of your life. The thing I want to do is teach my students how to make their own decisions based on how things make you feel and act. Do they go along with your moral compass? There’s a ton of good in almost all genres, but there are some that are a subculture. They intend to be bad, and they want to drag people to a dark place. It can take you to the highest peaks and lowest valleys.”
Add to this the experience
Elder Gene R. Cook of the LDS Quorum of the Seventy, which he has shared in multiple talks, including
"The Eternal Nature of the Law of Chastity" and
"How Not to be Discouraged." Below is an excerpt of just part of the story.
Sometimes young people have a feeling that the music they listen to doesn’t have
anything to do with chastity. And yet, as I’ve had opportunity to interview many youth in varying countries
throughout the world, I’ve found that is just not so. I believe, without any doubt, that there is music of the Lord. I
also believe there is good music that men have created—some romantic music, maybe some good cowboy music,
and just plain fun songs, etc. Those can be okay. They can cheer you up and they’re fun to be involved with. It
ought not surprise us that the devil has his own music as well. That kind of music is found throughout the world
and has a great impact upon young people especially.
Let me try to bring this principle alive by relating a true story that happened with an individual of whom you
probably have heard. How many of you have heard of Mick Jagger? I think almost everyone has as he is one of the
most famous rock stars in the world. Well, you might be surprised to know that I had about 2-1/2 hours with him on an airplane and it was quite an experience. I’m going to relate part of that to you to try to illustrate this important
point about selecting wholesome music.
Mr. Jagger and I were on a flight that originated in Mexico and were headed, I believe, to either Houston or Dallas.
As I sat down in the plane, the seat next to me was empty. Later a man came and sat down by me. I noticed
immediately that he was reading a rock magazine. I offered a silent prayer as I often do when I try to talk to people
about the Church. I prayed that the Lord would inspire me in what to say as I talked to this man. After the prayer, I
said something like, “My name is Gene Cook, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
What’s your name?” And he said, “My name is Mick Jagger.” Not realizing then who he was I said, “Well, I’m glad
to meet you, Mick.” And then he said, “I said my name is Mick Jagger.” I said, “I heard you, Mick.” And then he
opened up the magazine and pointed to his picture and said, “This is me.” Of course, then I finally realized who he
was. I just hadn’t ever thought about sitting next to him, but it was so.
What I’m going to say is, in no way, speaking evil of Mick Jagger himself. Please understand that. I’m not speaking
evil of the man, but I am of what he represents because it is wrong. It is of the devil himself, in my opinion.
Even before I knew who Mick was, I noticed that his pant leg was pulled up a little on his calf. As I looked at his leg
I thought for some reason, “This fellow looks a little sick.” I’m not sure why, but that caught my attention before I
even knew who he was.
After we visited back and forth a minute or two about what we were doing and all, I finally said something like, “You
know, Mick, I have a question for you that I’d like you to answer for me.” He said, “Well, I’ll be glad to try.” Then I
said to him, “I have opportunity to be with young people in many different places around the world, and some of
them have told me that the kind of music you and others like you sing has no effect on them, that it’s okay, and that
it doesn’t affect them adversely in any way. Then other young people have told me very honestly that your kind of
music has a real effect on them for evil and that it affects them in a very bad way. You’ve been in this business for a
long time, Mick. I’d like to know your opinion. What do you think is the impact of your music on the young
people?”
This is a direct quote, brothers and sisters. He said, “Our music is calculated to drive the kids to sex.” Those were
his exact words. I’m sure I had a real look of shock on my face in receiving such a bold response. He quickly added,
“Well, it’s not my fault what they do. That’s up to them. I’m just making a lot of money.”
Then he told me he’d been in Mexico making a video because he could make it for about one-third of what it would
cost in the United States. He told me this was a great day for them because now instead of just having audio where
they could portray some of what they wanted to about sex and all, they now had videos and could have the people
both hear it and see it portrayed. He said this would have much more impact on the youth, that his music was
selling much more, and thus he was making much more money.
As I said, we talked for a couple of hours. Let me just share a few things that happened because it teaches the
importance of what we are discussing with respect to music. As we chatted, I told him that I was married and had
eight children. He told me that he was not married but that he had three children and was proud of it. He told me
that he had one woman pregnant in Virginia, one in New York, and one in England, as I recall. He told me that it
didn’t matter what you did in life, that you could take whatever you wanted, and that you could do whatever you
wanted. He said there were no commandments, there was no God, and nothing really mattered. He indicated there
was no judgment day and that you could just do whatever you felt like doing. Whatever I told him in our
discussion was white he said was black.
And whatever he said was white I told him was black.
He indicated that he had had the missionary lessons. In the beginning I didn’t believe that, but as we talked further
I think he probably had. He told me he had had two or three lessons, and I think that was probably true because of
some of his responses to me. According to him, he had been taught by missionaries in England.
He said, “As I listen to you Mormons, your problem is that you think you have all things figured out. Life isn’t that simple.” Then he would go on and explain some complex things, some theory of man. I would answer him in a very
simple way from the scriptures, and he would say, “See what I mean?” He was always trying to make things much
more complex than they really were.
Our conversation continued. He told me he believed in evolution and that he also believed he had descended from
a monkey. I told him, with a smile, “That might be the only thing you’re right about.” We pursued the idea of
evolution and the fact that if one is going to subscribe to the philosophy that he did, then he’d have to believe there
was no God and that he must have evolved. And if there is no God, there are no commandments. There are no
rules, and thus you can do whatever you want. He told me the importance, in his view, of freeing up the youth. He
felt that they ought to be able to do whatever they wanted in spite of their parents. He said that parents were
inhibiting them too much and controlling things and they ought not be doing that. It was truly astounding to me.
He told me he was thankful the family, as an entity, was being destroyed. And I gathered from what he was saying
that he was doing his best to help that along.
