God and Pop Music

In 1977 Aurthur Holmes wrote a book called "All Truth is God's Truth". The basic premise of the book is that it is not only Christians who are able to recognize God's truth, and that if someone recognizes some aspect of truth, even if they are not a Christian, that truth is still valid, as it is God's truth.

I find it interesting to observe how people who are not believers perceive God, especially when they have apt or profound perceptions.
And I think there is a lot of music and other forms of art which reflect spiritual truths even though they are made by people who have no commitment to Jesus.
There is also just as many - if not more - examples of popular art forms saying things about God that are wrong, sometimes even blasphemous.

Robert Frost once said: "Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."
Discerning Christian people should be able to engage ideas, weigh them against God's truth revealed in the Bible, glean from the good and 'spit out the seeds'.

In a way, the whole genre of 'Contemporary Christian Music' is a bit odd, if you think about it. I love music made by Christians that communicates Christian messages and reflects Christian values, and I think that modern worship music is inspirational and even a great tool for outreach and evangelism. However, it is the whole CCM scene that I think is a bit odd.
For example:

• Before Christians started making their own 'pop' music - what music did Christians listen to? Did they ever listen to music that was not made by Christians - and yet continued to love Jesus and walk with Him?
  
• Why do many Christians trust that others Christians are capable of using discernment in regard to what Hollywood films and television programs they watch, but tell them categorically not to listen to 'secular music'.
• If the point of art is expression and communication of ideas and feelings - wouldn't it be more effective to have Christian art forms in the mainstream, rather than creating a sub-genre ghetto in which Christians are making music (and movies) which will only be listened to and seen by other Christians?

Anyway - here are some songs about God that I have run across lately:



This is Dashboard Confessional - one of my favorite bands:



Other examples of God in popular culture?