Be ye separate...?

There was the beginning of a discussion in a forum I follow over the weekend. Someone mentioned "Christian heavy metal", and my response was that if "Christian heavy metal" is Christian, then I am a Swedish bikini model.

Now, as a point of order, some may disagree on the definition of "heavy metal". (No, really...). When I type "heavy metal" I mean something like this:

So now we are on the same page.

This came back with the response that attitudes like mine are why Christianity is becoming irrelevant, and that I was being short-sighted by dismissing an entire genre of music that might reach out to the world and bring them to Christ. I may be many things, but I try not to be close-minded - after all, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

I know that the ostensible driving force behind music of this type is to "become all things to all men, that [they] may by all means save some", and that is indeed a noble aim (in fact, the more atute readers will notice that I cribbed that directly from 1 Corinthians 9:22 :-) ). Paul states that he becomes a Jew to the Jew, a lawless person to the lawless, and a weak man to the weak so that he might bring them to a saving knowledge of God.

However, this must be balanced with 2 Corinthians 6:17, "[C]ome out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." Other scriptures that come to mind are Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (NIV) and Matthew 6:24, ""No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other..." (NIV). Yes, I realize that last verse is mainly talking about money. :-)

On the other hand, there are people that are involved heavily in the rock culture, that if you asked them to listen to the Gaither Vocal Band would laugh in your face...they're just not into that kind of music. How then can we reach people who are into this music? I suppose that is the thrust of the argument...after all, when was the last time you saw a Goth come to Sunday morning service? :-) And honestly, I think a lot of people would shun someone like that, like Todd Agnew says in the song My Jesus,
"Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud"
But that's a post for a different day... :-)

However my personal feelings on the subject, at the end of the day I believe this is one of the "personal" issues of salvation. While I personally don't believe you can sound like the world and call yourself Christian, in the absence of a clear-cut Biblical mandate on the subject it's not up to me to look into the hearts of others (the performers and the ones that listen to it) and tell them that they are not holy and pure in their intentions towards God. My belief is that if you truly seek God's will on the subject He won't lead you wrong :-)

So, any thoughts on the subject? Let's have it out in the comments...