Are Kingdom Songs Good for You?

by Englishman 25 Replies latest jw friends

  • happytobefree
    happytobefree

    Venice,

    I'm laughing my butt off, I must admit the Kingdom music is GOD awful. But I do remember one time, my family was attending a dedication of an assembly hall in Chicago. And there was this sister on the keyboards who pumped up those Kingdom songs, I know she was probably a rhythm and blues pianist before becoming a J-Dub. But that was the only time I can say I was looking forward to the Kingdom Songs.

    Another true story, when I first started having periods of severe depression, the sound of Kingdom Songs would make me cry uncontrollable (sp?), so I would go to the meeting later and step outside during the intermission and would leave early.

    Lisa,

    You mention some great music, and I was surprised at a wedding I attended at a church, the lady was singing what you would consider secular music. I was a little shock, but realized, all music is uplifting if it is done with taste and great talents are behind it.

    Happy to be Free (Me)

  • sunflowers30
    sunflowers30

    Englishman-

    I really think that you are on to something. Singing those words over and over
    does have an impact on a person.
    Here's just a few phrases that caught my eye:

    Song #2 Obeying God Rather than Men
    ...the unbelievers think we're odd, but this we do not mind.

    Song #9 Jehovah's blessing Makes Rich
    ...though persecution and hatred abound, and of these we bear the brunt,...

    Song #53 Theocracy's Increase
    Wondrous expansion is now taking place. . . Tell all such men Armageddon is nigh.
    Song #54 We must be Holy
    . ..As a cleansed people, humble and lowly, by all observers may we thus be seen.
    #67 Store up treasures in heaven
    ..use our time and riches and our strength to feed the "poor" Giving "hungry" ones the good news...thereby storing up in heaven treasures..
    .
    ***note their use of italics,,, we don't feed the poor, we feed the "poor" **

    #82 The women are a large army (who wrote this stuff?)
    ...for much they accomplish in preaching, the menfolk with pride justly say.

    #111 The Light gets Brighter (this whole song is terrible- )
    ...true understanding he is now unfolding...

    #122 Conducting ourselves as Lesser Ones
    ...How we should keep self out of sight and love be emphasizing.

    #128 Do More-As the nazirites did (again, I think this whole song is awful)
    ...their lifestyle was simple, self denial was their role...could we too have such a goal. Nazirites they truly were diff'rent....

    #157 Worship Jehovah during youth
    ...but to be popular never do toil, for bad companions good habits will spoil.
    (popular=evil)

    #177 What sort of persons ought we to be?
    ...a spectacle we've come to be, that all men may know.
    #199 The Scene of the World is Changing
    Our foes like dogs keep on snapping. Our strength they want to keep sapping, but hands with joy we are clapping. (my pick for worst rhyme)

    Cheers

    Edited by - sunflowers30 on 15 February 2001 20:57:35

  • thinkers wife
    thinkers wife

    Welcome Sunflowers,
    Oh the memories those lines bring back.
    And on the common thread note, I mentioned this on another thread.
    But had the opportunity to speak to an East German girl, who was in the country before the wall came down. She talked about the mandatory indocrination meetings they had to attend. It made chills go up my spine because it sounded so similiar to the JW meetings. Repetition, saying the same phrases over and over. And yes there was music involved. I must agree with English, these terms are a definite downer. They hurt the self esteem rather than help it.
    TW

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    Thanks Englishman (aka pommie), for your thought-provoking post.

    So many of the Kingdom songs are about the organisation, instructions for right living, or exhorting us in right conduct. When they are about God, we focus not on God himself but on what he has done for us. When we address God in the Kingdom songs, it’s in the third person, not with a direct, intimate speech.

    For example, Song 203 “Jehovah Leads His People”

    “1. True knowledge God abundantly provides.
    His people he instructs and O so patiently guides!
    He graciously endowed us with free will.
    He kindly seeks into our hearts his truth to instill.

    2. And step by step, in his own way and time,
    By means of holy spirit, he reveals things sublime.
    His “faithful steward” keeps us well-informed,
    And by such loving care and guidance, our hearts are warmed.

    3. Instructive guidance clarifies wrong views,
    And righteoushearted ones with strength and pow’r it imbues.
    If we adjustments in obedience make,
    Jehovah God will lead us for his own dear name’s sake.

    4. We gratefully accept his helping hand
    That his advancing light of truth we may understand.
    Jehovah God, he is our greatest Friend;
    Assuredly he’ll guide us in this time of the end.”

    We could look at how many Kingdom songs are like this, such as Song 8 “…Tis a spir’tual warfare, so we have to act as a group, united, close-knit, and compact…”

    Also, Song 31:
    “3. And today we see a people
    With a zeal for righteousness.
    Nothing dampens their fime spirit
    In this world of lawlessness.
    They are spurred on by Jehovah;
    It’s for him they work whole-souled.
    They advance with Kingdom preaching,
    Ever zealous, ever bold.”

    Christian songs SHOULD BE for worshipping and praising God.

    “Let the word of the Christ reside in you richly in all wisdom. Keep on teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, praises to God, spiritual songs with graciousness, singing in your hearts to Jehovah.” (Colossians 3:16)

    So we are to sing praises with thanksgiving and appreciation for what God is, and what he has done in our lives.

    Compare this with today’s most popular Christian songs.

    MAJESTY
    “ Majesty, worship His majesty.
    Unto Jesus be all glory honour and praise.
    Majesty, Kingdom authority –
    Flow from His throne unto His own His anthem raise so exalted,
    Lift up on high the name of Jesus.
    Majesty, come glory Christ Jesus, the King.
    Majesty, worship His majesty
    Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all Kings.”

    SHOUT OUT TO THE LORD
    “ Shout to the lord all the earth let us sing
    Power and majesty praise to the king
    Mountains bow down and the sea will roar
    At the sound of your name
    I sing for joy at the works of your hands
    Forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand
    Nothing compares to the promise
    I have in you
    My Jesus, my saviour
    Lord there is none like you
    All of my days
    I want to praise
    The wonders of your mighty love
    My comfort, my shelter
    Tower of refuge and strength
    Let every breath
    All that I am never cease to worship you
    Nothing compares to the promise I have in you
    Nothing compares to the promise I have in you.”

    Which songs display a personal relationship with Jehovah and Jesus? On the other hand, do not the Kingdom songs reflect a personal relationship with an organisation?

    Ozzie (standing for truth in song)

    P.S. Like VeniceIT, when my family heard the Kingdom songs singing CD we thought it was a spoof. When we realised it was for real, we soon discarded it. No way, Jose!

  • trevor
    trevor

    Yes Englishman,

    As laughter is good for you so are the kingdom songs, especially when played on an out of tune piano by a zealous, poor-sighted, one-fingered pianist. I lost count of the number of times we broke down laughing half way through a tortured song.

    As a teenager I was intrigued by the song that told us to be careful where we spread our seeds lest Satans birds would snatch them away. I cannot put in print what thoughts went through my mind as the young sisters strained to give voice to these delightful lyrics.

    Trevor

    Spell check

    Edited by - trevor on 16 February 2001 8:44:49

  • Gozz
    Gozz

    Song 111 is now featured in many of the large gatherings. The words of the song makes one wonder...sometimes due to imperfection there may seem to be deflection, but truth was refined, and brighter light shines (not perfect, this' from memory!). We sang it at the last assembly. And now can't sing as loud as I used to.

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    I know my ex had a childhood ritual (she developed it with her brothers) of snickering when ever we sang "press on undettered".

    undie terred. I can't read that the same way ever again.

  • Englishman
    Englishman

    Just reading these posts while I`ve been downloading from Napster. I love music of all varieties, here`s the "mood music" I`m enjoying right now:

    For chuckling and boppin`: Big Panty Woman - Barefoot Man.

    To make your heart sing: The Nuns Chorus - Leslie Garret.

    Banned by the BBC: The Soldier - Harvey Andrews.

    Englishman.

  • Englishman
    Englishman

    I don`t normally agree with putting the same post on 2 sites, but this was a gem by a Prominent Bethelite. Please forgive me, PB, I could not resist the temptation. These are excerpts from the Kingdom song book:

    "All his ARMIES.. the world we've left behind, the unbelievers think we're odd, but this we do not mind.. we move ahead triumphant in JEHOVAH'S STRENGTH and MIGHT, many VICTORIES he does grant us in the WARFARE.. we incur the nations HATRED.. filled with confidence in VICTORY, we will MARCH on undeterred, in THIS WORLD we will have trouble.. JEHOVAH does the FIGHTing, fire from him his FOES devours, over the world we are VICTORIOUS.. he who wields the SWORD.. glorious VICTORY we shall claim.. now has come the most high's awesome JUDGEMENT HOUR, soon all the WICKED ones will feel his MIGHTY power, accordingly god's kingdom PREACHERS must not fear but speak out boldly.. the fall of BABYLON THE GREAT, that soon DESTRUCTION by our god will be her fate, and so JEHOVAH god commands that we proclaim his VENGEANCE and the vindication of his name.. and.. HATE.. LOYALLY SUBMITTING to THEOCRATIC order.. they must all OBEY, and remain united, LOYALTY display, LOYAL SUBMISSION.. our leader is in full CONTROL, he equips the SOLDIERS that he does enrol.. WARFARE, so we have to act, as a group, united, close-knit and compact.. LOYAL SUBMISSION.. PERSECUTION and HATRED abound and of these we bear the brunt.. be steadfast, unmovable, as the LAST DAYS move along.. far from THIS WORLD.. SATAN's old SYSTEM abound.. great is the need for our mind to keep sound.. soon these LAST DAYS will have passed.. this SYSTEM NEARs the brink of ARMAGEDDON's coming BATTLE, it's NEARER than they think while men praise their disgusting image.. go tell from DOOR TO DOOR, the good news of JEHOVAH's kingdom.. SHEEP-like ones.. hold fast integrity.. join with our dear brotherhood.. as Michael, he o'er SATAN VICTORY won, soon the DEVIL, dragon, serpent with his DEMONs will be bound.. SATAN wants us to deflect but his wiles we detect he would have us spurn god's orders, and with sly, deceptive speech, how he tries hard us to over reach! with enticements, men of SIN subtly our hearts would win.. APOSTASY we will avert.. yes, we must put up a FIGHT.. dark days are here.. life's darksome night, filled with much fright, none can be denying for all men are DYING, none from the grave his life can save, all man's work is vanity.. PUFFED UP with pride.. with blasphemous slander in SIN's ways meander, SATAN holds sway o'er earth today, WICKEDNESS is all around.. soon there will be JUDGEMENT from JEHOVAH, and then all will see, blotting out of WICKED ones eternally.. our god set us apart.. no part of SATAN's world are we.. in god's own work to keep employed.. this WICKED world will surely HATE yes, PERSECUTION we expect.. fear them not.. tremble not before your foe.. though your FOES be STRONG and many, though they threaten and revile, though they use fair speech and smile, the unwary to beguile, fear them not, my faithful WARRIORs, FIGHT let not your heart grow faint, for I will preserve the faithful keep them free from all restraint.. fear them not, my christian WARRIORs, though men boasting threats may fly.. train our minds, and tongues to WITNESS.. FORWARD, you WITNESSES, firm and determined in this time of the end.. the good news to defend, though SATAN against them he vaunted, in god's STRENGTH they keep on undaunted, then FORWARD, you WITNESSES.. the WICKED seek to ban.. SOLDIERS of JAH do not seek a life of ease.. in the face of ARMAGEDDON's NEARNESS.. never swerve.. from HOUSE TO HOUSE, from DOOR TO DOOR, JEHOVAH's word we spread.. we are not deterred.. the WICKED.. will, like green grass, fade and DIE.. from earth the WICKED soon will vanish, there'll be no place for them to stand.. the days are WICKED, and steps we all must take.. to god's LOYAL congregation we too will show LOYALTY, give it our steadfast allegiance even in adversity faithfully we'll guard its interests, never let them suffer harm, should we see that they are threatened, we will quickly sound alarm, LOYALTY we'll help our brothers whether new ones or the weak.. LOYALTY will be a must.. LOYALTY we will display.. LOYALTY wins.. god's WARRIORs are advancing.. AGGRESSIVE is our WARFARE.. why should we feel dismay? our commander, now BATTLEs for the right, he takes the grand offensive, let's join him in the FIGHT, with god we are advancing, he surely will prevail, so, till his vindication, o may our zeal never fail! since VICTORY is certain, his promised full reward, awaits the tried and faithful, who lay not down the SWORD.. do not stray.. take care to OBEY.. JEHOVAH has shown us today he has a fine CHANNEL that's surely unique, and through it he chooses to warn and to speak, this is the way in which to walk.. FORWARD.. go FORWARD.. we must consider how we dress.. FORWARD moving.. keep stretching FORWARD with god's prize of life in view, forgetting the things you've abandoned.. FORWARD moving, keeping ever LOYAL.. press ever FORWARD.. FORWARD going.. FORWARD moving, keeping ever LOYAL.. sure we are of his reward.. fear inspiring is your righteous power, stilling earth's turmoil in your JUDGEMENT HOUR.. all that is WICKED your son will DESTROY.. though SATAN slaps us.. assigning his work the first place, go forth with rejoicing god's service to do, give thanks for each privilege he offers to you.. we would make daily our delight your 'SLAVE', so faithful and discreet, helps us know what is wise and meet, feeds us with nourishment when due, thus STRENGTHens us your will to do impart to us your active FORCE, that we may keep a faithful course and bring forth fruitage.. hail the THEOCRACY, ever increasing! wondrous expansion is now taking place.. we are being refined, he gives his people truth that's progressive, so there's no need to be looking behind.. we're beset by adversaries who would rob us of the prize, there are SATAN and his DEMONs, and the snares of fallen flesh.. bravely press on.. BATTLE.. FORCE that moves us to action.. zeal.. JEHOVAH, MIGHTY in BATTLE, exhorts us faithful to be till ARMAGEDDON DESTROYs this old SYSTEM and he has gained VICTORY, then let's go forth, bravely press on, advancing.. thus says JEHOVAH, 'I'll STRENGTHen and help you, BATTLE for truth and for right,'.. JEHOVAH's happy people.. we'll WATCH and FIGHT.. keep on enduring.. his judicial rulings do preserve us though all the proud smear us with LIES.. who was the one that overthrew their hosts, that they PERISHED ignominiously? yes, whose was the arm that silenced all their boasts and gave his chosen people VICTORY?.. OBEDIENCE.. SUBMISSIVE you must be.. service.. thereby storing up in heaven treasures for eternity.. they will FIGHT against you, using all their WICKED power, they'll not prevail against you, for you will be a MIGHTY TOWER.. do bold and fearless WITNESSing.. keep steadfast, as NEARs the FINAL HOUR.. there is much to do, our work indeed is not in vain, to us will joy accrue.. stand firm, be STRONG with steadfastness, press on to VICTORY.. even when from HOUSE TO HOUSE we're PREACHing we meet ridicule or apathy.. PREACH god's day of VENGEANCE, warn the WICKED.. with fear and trembling we should serve.. now each day pressures come to test our LOYALTY, the spirit of THIS WORLD, ATTACKS us tauntingly.. our ENEMIES.. soon christ will crush the DEVIL in the FINAL WAR.. mourning, outcry, pain and DEATH.. no greater friends could we now have.. go forth and teach still others this language to speak.. our FOES now abound, they make up a host.. we LOATHE their false gods.. you have held back destructive powers.. patience shown and long to see, the triumph of your sovereignty, your patience we would not abuse.. the women are a large ARMY.. thousands will be falling, yes, at your very side, ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will you betide, you will not need to quake with fear, as though great harm to you were NEAR, your eyes will merely see it, as 'neath god's wings you'll abide, no PLAGUE will e'er befall you, no dire calamity.. a fortress is his great name.. let's earnestly guard.. JEHOVAH is love, his ORGANIZATION, will always, yes, always, unselfishly serve.. the SHEEP-like ones within his pen, JEHOVAH gives us shepherds too.. PREACH with boldness, JEHOVAH's servants need to be STRONG, due to the pressures from SATAN's throng.. never neglect those of tender years.. the WICKED move around.. engage in much.. field service.. we may walk with you in fear.. WICKED works earth wide abound, cold has grown the love of many, very little faith is found.. never let the DEVIL weaken our STRONG faith.. in mental darkness, filled with fear.. move ahead.. JEHOVAH our god.. fear-inspiring, manly in WAR.. we proclaim that he's MIGHTY and STRONG [chorus] rejoice with the sound of the horn.. grand VICTORIES attaining.. hail JEHOVAH's firstborn.. he did not selfishly endeavor to be equal to god, in rivalry, but humbly he descended.. the LIGHT gets brighter.. flashed.. never should we doubt or worry, seek to FORCE the truth to hurry.. then they will know, long have your FOES your holy name reviled, with their deceit your holy place defiled, soon.. SATAN's dominion will be overthrown.. his earthly host, in ARMAGEDDON's WAR, will meet DESTRUCTION and oppress no more [chorus].. keep PUBLISHING my name NEAR and far, prove that my WITNESSES you are.. our's is the god of true PROPHECY, what he foretells comes to be.. WICKEDNESS now is exposed in its starkness, what a sad climax to men who've sinned [chorus] truly we're glad now to learn JEHOVAH's reason why he's permitted gross WICKEDNESS so long, it will be dealt with.. move ahead.. improve in your ministry.. by WITNESSING from DOOR TO DOOR, though WICKED FOES tend to cause you to fear.. the body we must keep our SLAVE.. myriads on myriads of brothers stand at my side to be, each one a faithful WITNESS, keeping integrity, myriads there are on myriads, truly a MIGHTY crowd, in all the nations of the earth.. now's the time.. soon will come the FINAL FIGHT.. some of your seed by the wayside may fall, which SATAN's birds likely will eat, while other seed often on rocky soil lands, to wither from ENEMY heat.. as we face god's WAR of ARMAGEDDON, may we be courageous, carry on as men, manly courage is a sure requirement.. not much longer will it be until you draw your SWORD, here on earth we see, at last.. WICKED men may rant and rave and seek to cause us harm, but your APPOINTED TIME is here to bare your MIGHTY arm.. waiting on JEHOVAH.. o may we ever show a teachable, MEEK attitude while learning.. god is our STRENGTH and our MIGHT, and our MIGHT.. this good news of the kingdom let us PREACH! PREACH the good news of the kingdom on the streets, from DOOR TO DOOR, PREACH this good news with the printed page all nations over.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. o what help JEHOVAH god gave when he sent the FAITHFUL, WISE SLAVE, with whom we serve.. all WICKED ones he will DESTROY.. see yonder through the breadth of earth the sight my heart entrances JEHOVAH's band of WARRIORs in unity ADVANCES, their helmets, bright against the sky, bid ignorance and error fly, they shout aloud their BATTLE cry.. they wield their SWORD.. clear to the DEATH they FOLLOW [chorus].. soon all his FOES shall lick the dust, before him they must cower.. you PERISH in the way, happy are all they that put their trust in him today.. a VICTORY song.. chariots and his MILITARY FORCES he has cast into the sea.. stay awake, stand firm, grow MIGHTY, in the WARFARE that is right, carry on as men undaunted, for the VICTORY is in sight.. soon the BATTLE-cry will be given, putting ENEMIES to flight, stay awake and keep your senses, always ready to OBEY.. as one we serve as an ARMY, ever LOYAL.. our commander soon will tell us when, so OBEY his rules for the BATTLE 'JEHOVAH's SWORD and gideon's!'.. the time has drawn close for JEHOVAH of ARMIES.. great is our joy as together we sing: 'JEHOVAH is STRONG and is MIGHTY in BATTLE,'.. as LIGHT keeps increasing, they wait without ceasing the revealing of god's sons.. they can find good friends among JEHOVAH's people, why should they seek friendship with the WICKED WORLD?.. other SHEEP, who now may chance to DIE, will waken early from the tomb.. all avoiding SATAN's snare.. the signs of the times prove god's rule has begun.. proclaiming JEHOVAH's day of VENGEANCE, the trumpets now are sounding, the call is loud and clear, JEHOVAH's day of VENGEANCE is drawing ever NEAR, we tell it out with boldness, though men may frown and scorn.. the BATTLE is JEHOVAH's, his son directs the FIGHT, VICTORIOUS is the finish.. to carry out our WARFARE, our hands by god are taught.. each stands in his position according to god's choice.. shun the world, leave it alone.. the DEVIL will ever resort to deception.. you'll ward off his blows.. SATAN's wiles are not unknown.. to bad ways do not be prone, if your body members you CONTROL.. you meet stiff opposition.. though men now cause ruination to earth, god's lovely creation, still we live in expectation that god such EVILs will cure, [chorus] our FOES, like DOGS, keep on snapping, our STRENGTH they want to keep sapping, but hands with joy we are clapping, we know our VICTORY is sure, [chorus] though FOES may put in appearance and try to cause interference.. the DEVIL's SYSTEM is ending.. a fate that is APPALLING.. today men heap reproach and shame in many ways on god's fair name, some show god weak, some paint him cruel, 'there is no god!' so shouts the fool.. who'll tell the WICKED what's in store? who'll warn of god's great FINAL WAR? 'lord, here I am! send me, send me, I'll sound the warning fearlessly [chorus].. FOLLOW the WARRIOR king!.. WARRIORs of god, arise, join the FIGHTING FORCE under the captain of god's free nation, take up the.. SWORD, put on the helmet.. [chorus] FORWARD go! yes, go! fearlessly go! fearlessly go! as an ARMY, let us go to COMBAT the WICKED foe, FOLLOW the WARRIOR king, who can never fail, FOLLOWing him, we shall prevail!.. the BATTLE of the great day of JEHOVAH.. keep your eyes on the prize!"

    This was a sequential sampling from the Jehovah's Witnesses' Song Book. Could those who prescribe such WARLIKE, unhealthy, intensively-administered, loaded-language "nourishment" be aware of the academic work of Dr. Pavlov? Misusing knowledge and position to terrify and induce persecution complexes and other mental illnesses and disorders in people whose trust you have.

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    That's an incredible list from the old song book. I'll save that for later. It might help somebody. Thanks Mr Englishman.

    Ozzie ^ ^ ^

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