As I have been learning and growing in becoming a youth pastor, I have been struck with the idea multiple times that popular music reflects the beliefs of today's youth. Whether the song is about partying, drugs, sex, or what have you, it seems to be in response to the culture, rather than creating culture.
Take the song "Hangover" by Taio Cruz. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:
I got a hangover, whoa!
I've been drinking too much for sure
I got a hangover, whoa!
I got an empty cup
Pour me some more
So I can go until I blow up, eh
And I can drink until I throw up, eh
And I don't ever ever want to grow up, eh
I wanna keep it going, keep keep, keep it going, going, going, going....
Let's take a look at the ideas that are being described here.
1) Clearly there is a sense of going too far into drinking, but an apathy toward it. There can only be the sense of drinking too much if one has the knowledge of what an appropriate or "right" amount would be. This lyric greatly influences the second half of the chorus...
2) "So I can go until I blow up" and "I can drink until I throw up" shows that this person knows the consequences of their actions, but does not care. Apathy, not ignorance, is the theme here. This strongly reflects the youth culture. Many teenagers live their lives in a way as if they will not have any consequences for their actions. This destructive, and/or self-harmful pattern is made manifest in activities such as partying, drinking, bullying, cutting, porn, premarital sex, etc.
3) Lastly, "I don't ever ever want to grow up." For some reason, this culture is absolutely obsessed with being young. Never before in history have people from every stage of life try to look like a teenager. They dress like them, get plastic surgery, are constantly trying to stay fit to the end of having the body like a young person. We idolize the stage of youth. It is being sold like a new car; who would ever want an old 91 Ford Tarus when they could have a 2013 Lexus? (Consequently the Ford is what I drive.)
Let me respond to each of these ideas using scripture and Biblical principles. For full effect please look up each reference. (This section is directed specifically to believers in Jesus. If you do not believe in Jesus, shoot me an email and we can talk: Reng91@gmail.com)
1) "Apathy" is suuuuuuch a buzz word in Christian circles. I get annoyed with how much is it used myself. But let's not get apathetic about apathy. One of the biggest tools that the devil uses to disable believers is to get them to not care. If he can convince you that sitting on your butt and playing video games is a better use of your time than to read your Bible? He's won. If he can get you to church on Sundays and Wednesdays, you hear the message, but you don't care enough to apply it? He's won. If you are disabled as a believer, you're worthless in the Kingdom. Don't be worthless when it comes to the work of Christ.
Romans 12:11, Ephesians 5:15-16, Psalm 51: 16-17
2) What goes in comes out. What you set before your eyes you will think about; what you think about you will act on. When have you ever done something good and tried to lie about it? When you bought a homeless man a meal, did you cover it up and say you were just out for a stroll? When we sin, we hide. When we do good, we are not afraid. Whether or not we flaunt it or keep the good you did you and God, you don't feel guilt over good things. But you do over sin. The list from point 2 above that I gave, comes from the heart. What is going on in your heart that is leaving you trapped in sin?
Galatians 6:7, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Matthew 6:22-23, Romans 6:11-14
3) Finally, I cannot think of a better way to make this point than to say what my girlfriend said. "Enjoy every stage of life." I love that. I remember watching The Land Before Time when I was little, and all Little Foot wanted to do was be older so he could do more stuff. But then his grandparents said something when he wasn't there. They said something like, "when you're young, all you want to be is be older. But when you're old, all you want to be is be younger." We are never content with where we are at, or what we have. Read Ecclesiastes for Pete's sake! But when we get older... grow up people. Youth is great, but it is just one stage of many on life's great journey. If you're stuck in the future or in the past, you'll miss the present!
Ecclesiastes 1:8, 2 Timothy 2:22
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