greetings AJS,
you have asked a valid question...several in one.
Many like to claim a gift from God in music.... but one needs to ask if what they claim to be a gift does anything lasting for the Kingdom of God. His gifts unto men are for His purpose and glory, and this requires that they, the gifts, bear fruit, lasting eternal fruit, fit for the table of the Lord.
As has been noted, lyrics can be written by near anyone. With a little thought, one could write a song about anything.
At least 90% of all 'music' is garbage, musically speaking, or at best, very amateur...meaning that it does not really classify as music, but rather, an attempt at music, so, as far as heavy metal goes, you would be hard pressed to find much that would even be worthy of consideration, musically speaking, which narrows your search down a lot. From there, one needs to ascertain, prayerfully, whether the maximum of 10% had any Christian credibility.... which would narrow the search down to a very small choice of artists. Now, any Christian musician would surely deny any great claim of their own in respect to the music they played, and would also admit if their music was lifting the Lord's name high in the ears of the hearer... or not. Again, this would narrow the search down to a tiny few.... especially if one considers aspects like counselling, healing, comforting and love, forgiveness and grace.
Again, any person can write songs. Even toddlers write/compose their own songs.
Now, your question about your children. To begin with, they are in your care until they grow and become men and women responsible for their own actions, and are no longer 'children' as such. Therefore, it is not up to them what gets listened to in your home.... that is your decision, and anyone telling you that you must give your children freedom of choice, is wrong. As they grow, you can instruct them with God's grace and help, about different music, just as you can instruct them about different cultures, and ways of life, and one would hope that your instruction provided them with wisdom.
I thought about this topic many times over the years as a Christian. Number one response has always been ..... will it be played in heaven? Is it the sort of 'music' that we can expect to hear for eternity. Would Jesus be 'into it' ? Is He now?
For many, who endorse different styles of music, and for now, heavy metal, the energy can be understood... the lyrics can be understood, and the sound can be understood.... by those who understand where it is coming from.
It's like this... there are drug addicts.... heavy users.... and they have a 'song' about their life and the where/why/who/how and what relating to the drug addict life.... so, do we expect our young children to fully grasp such deep understanding? Not really. Sure, they may see it first hand, and read about it, watch news reports, and even experience it in some sad circumstances, but generally speaking, it is an adult view that needs an adult mind to fully grasp.
Heavy metal is much the same. (I am NOT inferring a connection between drugs and heavy metal... merely using a picture of understanding how little children view things is so different to grown-ups way of seeing things)
So, no, you do not have to inflict your children with heavy metal.... it is hardly soothing to them, nor does it depict the peace of God which passeth understanding.
Likewise, do you think Heavy Metal would be suitable in an old peoples home, and finally... is is good to play really loudly to people with headaches or to quieten a needy baby? I don't think so....., so, again, NO is the answer to your question(s), AJS.
Music sets the atmosphere in a place, and is used for that purpose all over the world.... so, what atmosphere do you want to set for your children?
A lot of people who claim that heavy metal, death metal, punk metal or such like genre of 'music' is OK, are merely excusing their flesh.
All music is an expression, and although life can be expressed with loud electric noise, it is the life of anguish and pain that it stems from, NOT the life of Christ in us. Again, it in itself is not 'bad' or 'wrong' because it is an expression, but 'expression' is mostly the flesh... as is passion and anger. Therefore it is not from above.
You may be familiar with the Scripture,
Finally, bretheren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things. Philippians 4:8
and also....
the peaceable fruit of righteousness
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
And, my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quite resting places Isaiah 32:17 & 18
AJS, can I suggest you also read James 3 ?
Hope this helps brother.
Bless you ...>
Br. Bear
ps...
Heavy Metal needs to be loud to be really as it is meant to be. To quote one of the most famous heavy metal bands, ...."everything louder than everthing else".
Now this may be appropriate for those who wish to be entertained by such loudness, but from the perspective of Scripture, if all the loud bands of the world were playing at once, as loud as was humanly possible, and even if everyone was making as much noise as possible at the same time, it would still be an insignificant mockery of the Lord and His power. When the earth shakes at His coming and presence, it will be something so powerful and awesome, that the heavy metal music industry will look more like mice in a blizzard.
However, the Lord is not really into using loudness from day to day, for reaching folk with His mercy and grace.... but rather, a still small voice... which is rather hard to hear at a heavy metal concert!
And, behold, the LORD passed by,
and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, (think about it! ...my note)
and break in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
but the LORD was not in the wind:
and after the wind an earthquake;
but the LORD was not in the earthquake: (listening? .... my note)
and after the earthquake a fire;
but the LORD was not in the fire:
and after the fire
a still small voice 1Kings 19: 11 & 12
