Are Modern Christian Songs Shallow?

When I was little, pastors used to preach against modern Christian music because the lyrics in them were too "lovey-dovey." The argument was that the words in them were too shallow, words that you would sing to your girlfriend or boyfriend, and certainly not something you should be singing to God.

As an adult, I have come to think differently on this subject, primarily because a short dissection of modern secular love songs proves to show exactly the opposite.

Think of popular lyrics in love songs: "You are my destiny." "You are the air I breathe." "You mean everything to me." "I'd die without you." Actually, those words seem shallow because they are words of worship. When the subject of those words is a human being, the philosophies behind them seem trite because they are suspect.

Early in our marriage, my husband and I agreed that we love each other dearly, but never in any sense of the word are either of us the other's "destiny." That is too high a burden to put on another person, because neither of us can handle being worshiped. In order to receive worship, one has to be incapable of failure, otherwise he will eventually betray the worshiper. When I understand that I should worship God but give my husband a break for being fallible, I can actually love my husband more. That's called "freedom."

Now if we apply those quotations above to God, they make all the sense in the world. God is the air I breathe. God does mean everything to me. These words are no longer trite because they now can be sustained by a non-failing Subject that is worthy of them.

Humans in love can and should sing love songs to each other. I'm not saying they shouldn't. However, the problem is not that Christian music has become shallow. The problem is that modern secular music has become worship.

Psalm 135:15-18 = A Modern Cautionary Tale

15 

Psalm 135:15-18 (NIV)


The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

made by human hands.

They have mouths, but cannot speak

    eyes, but cannot see.

17 

They have ears, but cannot hear,

    nor is there breath in their mouths.

18 

Those who make them will be like them,

    and so will all who trust in them.