evergreen Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 My brother has just finished his first year of university. He's a smart guy, he was thinking of doing some sort of Engineering degree. Anyone who knows him, though, knows his passion is music. He loves it. He hasn't said anything to me, but my parents told me he says he's feeling unsure of what to do, and might take some time off school to think about it. No big deal, right there. Happens to a lot of people. I did it, and I'm not in school now because I'm on a waitlist for a program. But my brother feels that "GOD" is leading him to pursue a career in the Christian music industry!!! ACK! About a month ago he met these two Christian musicians, and they've been jamming together a lot, and this is what they are talking about doing. Travelling around trying to get gigs, trusting some god to lead them. Ohhhhhh dear. I'm afraid he's going to screw up his life hoping some imagined deity is leading him somewhere. (While I wouldn't say I'm an atheist right now, I can say that I do not believe in the Christian god). And my parents are feeling wary about it, but they don't want to discourage him from listening to god..... Ugh. I'm hoping he just takes some time to think, and then decides he was just hearing what he wanted to hear. I mean, come on! This guy just had a tarot reading done about two weeks ago! Jesus hates people who do such things .... And he sleeps over with his girlfriend .... And he plays poker, and everyone knows gambling is evil, even if you're only betting about $2 just for fun. Anyway .... Just wanted to rant. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Mother Atheist Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Sheesh. Good luck for him getting into the music business and making enough to support himself. It is very difficult, and I would think especially so in the Christian industry. I've known a lot ot artists in Christian music who are somehwat known and they still don't make very much. Maybe approach it from the angle that most artists can't support themselves doing that. Encourage them to maybe lead worship services or play at churches in the area to get their music fill. As a former praise band participant, I know how band stuff goes. If they've only been playing together for a few months, they need to play for a few years and become good enough to even get noticed and also to get used to one another. I hope it goes well for you. My younger brother has a band and think he is the best thing and that they can tour and all. I keep telling him it takes a lot more work to even get close to being able to be succesful at music for a living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgnosticBob AtheistPants Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Sounds like maybe he is using the "God is leading me" thing as a ruse to throw the parents off kilter. If he just pursued secular music, they could complain and tell him no. Tell them God told him to do it and...well, looks like he got the reaction he wanted. Just my 2 cents. If he wants to be a musician, let him! If he screws up his life, it's his life. I wish I'd have had the nerve to do what I WANTED to do from the beginning. Maybe I'd be poorer now, but maybe I'd love my job too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueGiant Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 I'd suggest he get the engineering degree, mostly as a fall skill. Yeah, music scenes of any type are hard to break into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 .... But my brother feels that "GOD" is leading him to pursue a career in the Christian music industry!!! ACK!.... Ohhhhhh dear. I'm afraid he's going to screw up his life hoping some imagined deity is leading him somewhere. .... You're right to be concerned. "Voices" and "feeling the stirrings of the holy spirit," oh please. It seems to me that christians use these psychological gimmicks simply to try to find some structure in their indecision. Hopefully you can give him some sound, common sensical advice. At least I hope. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evergreen Posted June 20, 2006 Author Share Posted June 20, 2006 Thanks for the replies, all. I know he has to do his own thing. I'm not going to tell him he shouldn't pursue music. My biggest beef is not that he wants to take some time off school, but that he's doing it because he thinks a god is telling him this is his destiny! And my family doesn't know of my non-belief, so I couldn't just say, "Well, this obviously is just him wanting to validate his desires." I did tell my parents that I am doubtful that this really is "God's Will " for his life. And mom yelled over the phone because apparantly I'm always very negative about anything concerning Christianity. (Heh - maybe she'll figure it out eventually). It's just ... I know Biblegod is not up there directing my brothers life. And I know if he tries to pursue this it's going to be extremely difficult, and there's a good chance he's going to end up flat on his ass with no money. But, I guess, at least he's young. He turns 19 in September, so even if he does take a bit of time to play with this gods-will bullshit, he's young enough that it won't put him too behind.... If he brings it up to me, I might just encourage him to have some type of schooling to fall back on. Education can't hurt. Even if he tried to get into the School of Music at the university... Actually, Dad said he suggested that to him, but Brother thinks he doesn't need that, because lots of musicians make it without formal training.... *sigh* Ah well. Better for him to figure things out early, than he end up like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sage Nabooru Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 You could just remind him that there is no Christian music industry, only a Christian music song that has been recorded over and over again with the same instruments, voices, and words. I remember sitting next to my grandmother in her car as a wee child and saying to her, "Granma, when is this song going to end?" "I don't know, in a couple minutes, why?" "Because, we've been listening to the same song ever since we got in the car!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosingMyReligion Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Oh god, the horror...The HORROR! We don't need another Christian ROCK artist! ***BLEAH!*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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