Music Orientation
While not trying to be argumentative (as I am well aware that this can be a controversial issue within Pillsbury circles and beyond) I am interested in hearing what some of you might feel about the stringent music standards imposed upon us during our time at Pillsbury. Are you glad to be free from the restraints and able to make your own choices? Do you feel that the teaching in classes like Music Orientation helped or hindered you in the music choices you make these days? To start us off, I feel as though the music standards at Pillsbury were stricter than I cared for, but learning about classical music helped me to develop an appreciation for it, and also helped to shape what music I choose for my daughter to listen to. Please respond with your thoughts by clicking on the comment button below. -- Naomi
posted by Pillsbury Alumni @ 8:32 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I being a music major graduate from PBBC did not mind the restrictions that pills set upon us. I am not saying I agreed with them but I did not think they were terrible. I think that the classes and standard of music that I had to follow while at pills helped me to develop the music standard that I have today. This is very important now that I am in the ministry and teaching children why some music is right or wrong. I am thankful that Pills set a standard that was a little more strikt rather than loose.
Sarah Friesen
During my first week on campus, I was hooking up my stereo equipment and testing to see if the speakers were working and had the station tuned to country music. My roommate (Ben Boldt) proceeded to tell me that Pillsbury did not allow it's students to listen to country music on campus. What a culture shock!
Like Micah, sometime during my stay at Pillsbury I decided I better follow the rules and I turned in all of the music that I had to student life.
The issue that I had with the music standards was that in the five years I was at Pillsbury, I was never presented with a Biblical defense for not allowing students to listen to music that was clearly "Christian". The argument, "It's an institutional standard", was always given. The standard that Pillsbury set really did not influence me one way or the other regarding the music I select now.
It's not just Pillsbury, though. I think most conservative, fundamentalist churches have the same difficulty of giving a good, reasoned defense of their musical position.
Hey everybody,
While the music standards at Pillsbury were much more conservative than my position was - or probably ever will be - I don't think they killed me or hurt my spiritual life. If anything, they probably helped to give me a more balanced perspective. It's so easy to go to extremes with music or to think that it does not affect you. The first couple of years I tried to buck the system, but in the end, I decided that the best thing I could do was to obey the authority over me (and thus obey God) and do my best to live by the standard while at school. God wanted my obedience. Probably one of the confusing things was that the college had to draw a line somewhere, but most of us realize that music is just not one of those areas where drawing an absolute line is that simple!
While my standard is not what the college has, I do use some of the same criteria when deciding what music I should listen to now. For example, does it point me to God or away from God, does it make me do or think things I shouldn't, are thy lyrics good and Biblically accurate, would people confuse my music with something sinful or anti-God, etc. Like Micah, I really don't listen to a lot of music anymore - talk radio, sports, and good preaching are the best!
God bless, Nate Johnson
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