Like many churches, mine has a rather large collection of tapes. They went digital with the recording about the same time that I started to attend it, and I’ve taken an interest in some of the old sermons. The only problem is that I left my tape player behind during the last move so transferring them to computer has been at the church and has been slow.
A couple weeks ago I managed to finagle for a pretty nice tape recorder and have been able to record the tapes at home much faster (I’ll probably return the tape deck after these tapes are converted). The computer can record while I’m working and editing only takes a couple minutes. In the last two weeks I’ve converted about 30 tapes, so I found this article on the BBC website to be pretty amusing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8117619.stm
It looks like the Sony Walkman has been out for 30 years. Impressive, isn’t it? A writer convinced his 13 year old son to trade in his iPod for a Walkman. It was only to be for a few days but here are some of the valuable lessons that the son learned:
It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape.
I’m relieved that the majority of technological advancement happened before I was born, as I can’t imagine having to use such basic equipment every day.
To make the music play, you push the large play button. It engages with a satisfying clunk, unlike the finger tip tap for the iPod.
Oh how I wish that I could teach him that there is life without portable music players. In the last four years I’ve gone from always playing music while driving to hardly ever turning the radio on. It gives more time for thinking and learning how to stalk. Music dominates and controls our thoughts entirely too much (see my post on The Crowd for a quote).
Incidentally, I have not listened to most of the tapes that I’ve recorded yet. In time I’ll pick out some of them and will plan to upload the rest to a server for others to download. The last two weeks have been pretty busy.
Comments
Submitted by Odin on
and life without music is dead.
Submitted by Abi on
Wow. Way to make me feel OLD.
Thanks.
Submitted by Chris on
Is that what God created on the 8th day? Music?
Submitted by Chris on
Anytime.
Submitted by Kayla on
I remember having a Walkman. It died while I was listening to a Mack the Muskrat tape. But I’m very glad for an iPod. It sits upstairs, plugged into computer speakers, so Katie and I can listen to Inkheart, which was synced onto it.
As for no music, I can not agree. Music is so important in our lives, as is evidenced by Ephesians 5:18-20. It is a way we can fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit. And 8th day? What makes you think the angels did not sing to the glory of God before we were even created? The stars sing, nature sings, heaven sings. It’s God-glorifying, after considering many of the elements (particularly lyrics and beat). Just read Psalms, especially 147-150.
Submitted by Odin on
Now I don’t have to say anything. :D
Submitted by Chris on
I did not say that I avoid all music. Please. Some of the tapes that I have recorded were of people singing at the church. But for most people now music cuts them off from the world. It is a way to tune out everything else. “And they have their own iPods so that they don’t have to bother me.”
As much as music is to be used in the church and among Christians, there may also be times when we should avoid it. In some revivals of the past, music during the after-service prayer was avoided because it was a distraction for the people. The lyrics that went with the music come to mind instead of the conversation that they needed to have with God. Kids from larger families tend to have fewer problems with this but it is still possible even for them to be distracted by it.
The bit about the 8th day was a joke. There are some references in church writings to “the 8th day,” but it means the resurrection day (which we worship on) and is a type for when we dwell with God and are resurrected as Jesus was.
I’m also pretty sure of what Kayla meant, but it is God who fills with the Holy Spirit.
Submitted by Kayla on
I figured you were joking.
It was mostly in Kim’s defense. I don’t like music during group prayer, but soft music while I’m praying on my own often helps me to think more clearly, because I can focus. If there’s nothing, I tend to start talking to myself.
And yes, it is God, but he wouldn’t have mentioned music if it wasn’t important.
Submitted by Chris on
Interesting. The music now distracts me more and keeps my prayers shallow rather than going quite so deep. I do find that my mind can wander more easily when I’m sitting and praying though. Kneeling or standing seems to help with focus, but I would not ever make it a hard-set rule.