the great music divide

I have a hard time with people who think they know everything. I have a hard time when people think their opinion is the actual truth. And I have a harder time when I am one of those people. I'll admit it. Sometimes I am. But I don't like that part of me.

But in this case, I'm noticing how differing opinions about music can cause such a great divide. It happens when we discuss our favorite bands, whether a concert was good or not, what style of "worship" music we like best, how we should sing in church, whether we should sing in church, etc. I even notice how people seem to be classified by the music they listen to. It happens all the time.

Do you see it? It's just something I've seen recently... I've seen it in those who I tried to talk into coming to see Matt Wertz Thursday night, and I'm not saying he's the best ever (though he may be in my opinion), but so many people would not give him or his music the time of day. And that's fine. I'll allow room for opinion, even though I wish everyone loved Matt. And I saw it in Chapel this morning. Dinelle Frankland led in the college chapel through a medley of older hymns, modern choruses, etc. in a very simple, piano-led way. There were no drums, no guitars, no bass, etc. Some loved it, others were bored, and I couldn't decide. I hate that these things cause such a great divide.

We've seen it tear apart the church in the past, with instrumental or non-instrumental. Traditional or contemporary. Contemporary or emergent, for that matter. Boring or exciting. Meaningful or pointless.

i'm not sure, even, what my point is in posting this, b/c I'm trying to flesh out my thoughts on this topic. but I do know that music tends to be a subject of great divide, and I wish it weren't. But then again, without differing opinions on stuff like that, where would the creativity be in the body? As scripture says (in my own translation), the eye cannot say to the hand "I don't need you!" Maybe this is a stretch, but I'd like to say to Britney Spears that I don't need her crappy singing. I would like to say to Third Day and Jeremy Camp, "I don't need your re-done versions of worship songs that a million other people have done." I'd like to tell hard metal bands that I don't need their screaming. But nevertheless, I will suck it up and accept that their creativity (or lack thereof) may somehow benefit another. Perhaps it's just not me.

And without some creative, well thought-out conclusion, this is the end of my post about music. It's just a few of the frustrating thoughts about music that were running through my head today. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are. Maybe you'll help me figure out what it is I'm trying to say!