Rap Music Does Damage by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2014, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 The Bible says that evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Rap music has become quite popular with some of the American youth. I believe it’s hurting them and the nation. Not so much the actual music played by the musical instruments, but the words that go with the music. I don’t go seeking rap music to listen to, but sometimes you can’t avoid it. Like when walking down the street, you stop at the intersection waiting for the “walk” light. Some guy drives up and stops at a red light and has his rap music blasting out of his car stereo. Some rap music talks about doing violence against policemen. I think some rap music has called the police pigs. Some rap music shows a very harsh attitude toward women. There might be a few women about whom the word bitch could be properly used, but generally, it’s wrong to try to apply that word to all women. The Bible says, “The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Rap music is not patient in spirit, it is proud in spirit. There is a law of planting and harvesting. What you plant, you’ll harvest. If pornography is abundant, you’ll harvest a crop of sex perverts. If you’re preaching violence toward the police, you’ll probably wind up in jail, along with those who listen to that preaching. I believe that listening to some of this rap music opens the door to demons entering the person listening. Those demons want to “steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10) In the United States, we have what is called “The American Dream.” It means success. A good job, a house, a car, wife and family. Prosperity. Rap music goes contrary to the American Dream because it is not patient, it is proud. It wants what it wants, but doesn’t follow the pathway of study your lessons in school, get good grades, get a good education, get yourself well qualified for industry, get a good job, do the job well, get along with your co-workers and supervisors, etc. Another pathway to success can involve the U.S. Military. I didn’t stay for a career in the military, but one enlistment in the Navy got me my electronics training, which served me well in civilian jobs. Of course, it might be hard to get into the military if one has a prison record, and rap music is likely to help you get into that category. And it might be hard to get a good job if you have a prison record. The Bible says if you strive, you must strive lawfully. There was a young Afro-American man living at the place where I was living. He had his rap music on day and night. I found a different dwelling place, but it didn’t work out so well, so I found myself back at the former building. They said I could have the same room, but I declined. I found a room that was not next door to the rap guy. But I suspect that rap guy was also a dealer in illegal drugs. He never seemed to be out working at normal working hours. And people would be knocking at his door at all hours of the day and night. But things came to a culmination. I was hearing a lot of noise from somewhere upstairs. I went out into the hallway and asked a neighbor who was also in the hallway. He referred to shooting. I hadn’t noticed any shooting, I had taken a nap. But apparently what I was hearing was this rap guy practicing his Karate. I went upstairs, and the violence was coming from his room. Thought I’d better tell the manager, so I headed downstairs. I met a small army of police, including people with SWAT gear, and large shields for stopping bullets. It took a while. The Police proceeded with caution, but they arrested the rap guy and took him away. Apparently he got high on some of his drugs, and shot a gun at a policeman, out the window, I guess. So let me ask you a question. That rap guy who was arrested for attempted murder of a policeman, is he closer, or farther away from the American Dream? Well, he might still have a shot at the American Dream after he gets out of prison in twenty five, or thirty years, but he’ll be at a severe disadvantage. Am I saying there’s a connection between the violence against cops on the rap music, and what the young man was arrested for? Yes, it seems very likely. Chapter 2 If you fill your mind up with rap, it’s going to manifest in words and actions. There’s a law of planting and harvesting. What you plant, you’ll harvest. Teachers like Charles Capps, Norvel Hayes, Kenneth E. Hagin, and Joel Osteen show that what you confess with your mouth is going to manifest in your life. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” So put good stuff into your heart by reading and listening to the Bible, and then what comes back out will be good. But if you put junk in, you’ll get junk back out. There’s a scripture about, “You’ve planted to the wind, and you’ll harvest a whirlwind.” A whirlwind is unpleasant, and does damage. People have lost all their belongings in tornadoes. But some people might say, “Well, you can’t stop rap because we have freedom of speech.” No, there are restrictions on speech. You have a right to express your political opinion, but there are laws against, “Inciting to riot.” Some might say, “Well, a young man doesn’t listen to rap, and then immediately go out and assault people.” Maybe it’s not immediate. But what you plant, you’ll harvest. I understand that after you plant asparagus seed, it takes two years to get the asparagus. Nevertheless, what you plant, you’ll harvest. I believe some of the rap music should be classified as inciting to riot, and the makers of it should be criminally prosecuted if they’re advocating violence against the police. The police have a necessary job to do, and generally, American police seem to be doing their jobs rather well. There’s a scripture that says, “All those who take the sword shall die by the sword.” With that in mind, are you sure you want a life of violence? But the Bible also says, “There’s a time for all things.” I believe it’s time to pick up a gun in defense of your house and family if there seems to be a burglar. It has become a style among some of the young black males to wear the pants just below the buttocks. A young black man was asked on TV why he wore his pants that way. He said he was told that if he didn’t they would kill him. By “they,” I think he meant other young blacks in his neighborhood. The Bible says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, he that runs into it is safe.” Be a Christian, and the Lord will help you against bullies. It is not cowardly to be a Christian. Jesus was a man’s man. He took all that beating and crucifixion patiently so that we could be born again, and go to heaven. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood up against King Nebuchadnezzar, and wouldn’t bow down to his idol. He put them in a fiery furnace. The furnace was so hot that it killed the soldiers who put the men into the furnace. The furnace did no damage to those three men, and they came out just fine. So the king made it a decree that no one could speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Some of the young people may have seen some of the movies that glamorize the Mafia. Some have probably said, “I want to be like that.” But Mafioso generally wind up dead or in prison. What’s the advantage to that? The American Dream must be achieved lawfully. Drug dealers tend to have short lives. Across the border from El Paso, TX is Juarez, Mexico. I understand two thousand people have been murdered there in the last two years because of drug cartels fighting over the “turf.” To expect to have a career in illegal drugs is a very bad idea. The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Parents, keep your children away from rap music, and keep it away from them. The words are poison. The Bible says, “We are not ignorant of his (the Devil’s) devices.” One of the Devil’s devices is rap music. Words are things. Spoken words bring things into existence. We are made in the image of God, who spoke the worlds into existence. Jesus said, “Seek, and you’ll find.” If you go looking for trouble, you’ll find it. Rap music sends people looking for trouble. ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.