False Doctrine Beautifully Sung

The more beautiful the music by which false doctrine is sung, the more dangerous it becomes. I appeal to all Latter-day Saints, and especially to our choirs, never to sing the words of a song, no matter how beautiful and inspiring the music may be, where the teachings are not in perfect accord with the truths of the gospel.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-heber-j-grant/chapter-18?lang=eng

I’ve thought a lot about this over the years. I’m a fan of reading the lyrics to every song in my collection, and I really don’t like knowingly singing along to bad ideas.

It is tough because you can have some beautiful and inspiring music out there that can be totally polluted by the lyrics.

This was on my mind because I just deleted a song this morning from a new band that my family and kids have been talking about. Time to investigate my current playlists a little more cautiously.

The song was catchy and was part of several that I selected as I breezed through this band’s collection. First, I grab songs that I like; next, I read their lyrics.

Unfortunately, this one fell short, way short. There were no bad words, just bad ideas – really bad ideas.

I’ve heard my kids listening to the song, and they like it. I don’t tell them not to listen to individual songs; instead, I just ask them to read the lyrics. I’ve admired how quick they are to understand and act for themselves.

It has been inspiring to watch them on their own delete a song from their playlist without giving it a second thought. Not because they thought it would please me, but because they wanted to please the Lord.

Maybe a sign that we are teaching correctly is when they teach us right back with their response.