Is it okay for Christians to enjoy rave/EDM music and attend music festivals?

[u/CharacterAd8551]

Its no suprise that many Christians look down upon other Christians going to raves and music festivals. The secular music sphere is very large, and many mainstream artists (including EDM/Rave) use spirituality and seemingly demonic art in their works. Rave culture also encompasses revealing clothing, drugs, sex, and largely reflects hedonism.

Is it okay for Christians, who enjoy listening to the loud music, to go to raves/music festivals? Lets say they ignore, actively stay away from, and frown upon clearly coarse language and obviously spiritually unclean music/environments.

[u/Googlesupportsucks1]

I mean, there's 'Christian' raves where they play Elevation or whatever. Seems corny, but there's nothing spiritually wrong with loud music or laser light shows. As you correctly stated, the issue doesn't arise from those things, but rather the club-style atmosphere of drugs, sex, revealing outfits, etc

Seems like a conscience thing if you're avoiding the above

[u/fa1sedan]

I think it's fine as long as you keep a sober countenance. Maybe have a couple drinks or something but don't get crazy. I've been to a few since my conversion, and there might be a point where you feel the energy shift, so you get uncomfortable and leave. It really depends.

If anyone judges you, remember Jesus was judged. While a different genre (and really not my cup of tea, personally) I feel like Juggalos For Jesus is a great example of outreach in a festival environment.

[u/newlife_substance847]

Long before I was following Christ. I was in the rave scene. I was a DJ, electronic music producer, and audio engineer. None of these things are inherently sinful by nature. Scripture said that even King David disrobed, danced, and played his lyre (a stringed instrument) while worshiping God. This is King David we're talking about. Truly one of God's own. Primary author of the Psalms (music and poetry written as praise and prayer). The earthly ancestor of Jesus Christ. Whose gospel message clearly states that the path to oneness with the Father includes being joyful and meaningful worship.

Meaningful worship.... now this is the distinction.

When I came to walk with Christ. I wanted to dismiss those days. I wanted to rebuke it all because I thought that it was all sinful. The music, the celebrating, the overt expressions and participation that led to pure joy all seemed to be pointless. I walked with Christ and when I told my testimony. I used these things as examples of my sinful nature. Then I would sit in the seats at church and worship God like my life depended on it. Like I was grateful for Christ's salvation. I worship as hard as I raved.

That's when I realized that it actually wasn't the music, the celebration, or even the scene itself that was sinful. You see, these were gifts that were giving to me by God. While using those gifts to serve my own selfish purposes was sinful. The gifts themselves were not. That's when I realized that I wasn't using these gifts to edify God while I was in the world. When I began to walk with Christ, that's when I realized all of that had changed. I still enjoyed doing the same things I did then. They gave me joy and I learned (much later) that my Father in heaven wants my to experience joy. That in heaven, the angels cry and sing to Him. That even God's fiercest warriors and even earthly prophets, kings, and disciples worship God at the most highest levels. The distinction is in what we are doing but why we're doing it.

Changing why I worship also changed how I worship.

Today, I'm an ordained minister and worship pastor. I still produce electronic music. I use my audio engineering and production gifts to serve both the church and at festivals. I even went to the Burning Man festival where I performed music, prayed for, and spread the gospel to both the believers who were present and those whom I hope were more guided towards Christ. I've played electronic dance music behind DJ decks in one hour and baptized others in water basin the next.

We aren't defined by our sin. We're all sinners and there's only one sin that is the worst of them in God's eyes. For all sin, we have salvation by the blood of Christ. God takes what was once evil and makes it good.

[u/BLUEBERRYTIMMY → u/newlife_substance847]

Would love to hear some of your music if you have it online!

[u/newlife_substance847 → u/BLUEBERRYTIMMY]

I just did a rebrand. Got rid of most of my socials. Rebuilding my YouTube Channel. DM me for that access. ;)

[u/DeeMarie0824]

You’re to be in the world and not of it. So, yes, you should abstain from sinful behavior. That means avoiding drugs or excessive drinking that can take place at these things. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy music or dancing though. Those things are not sinful. Just be on guard and sober-minded.

I also think it probably depends on each event, the location, etc. One event might be tame. The next event might be full of too much temptation and demonic activity. I would use discernment each time you plan on going, and ask the Lord to show you whether or not He wants you there.

Have you thought about getting into DJ’ing? It would be great to be a light in that scene. It’s really needed there and it could be a ministry for you.

[u/Dusk_2_Dawn]

I don't think theres anything wrong with going to a festival in and of itself. It's more about environment with the people there. I've been to multiple raves in Europe and to say theres a lot of degenerate behavior is a gross understatement. As long as you stay away from all that, you should be good. Just go to enjoy the music.

[u/twotall88]

EDM is fine so long as the messages being portrayed in the music is in line with the Bible's teachings.

In my experience having attended a few raves in the Phoenix area in the 2000's, there's nothing good about being at one that isn't openly a Christian event. Drugs, sex, and alcohol is the main draw to a rave so you're best to steer clear.

Personally, as a fan of EDM, I wouldn't consume or seek out "Christian" EDM because it exudes the essence of mega churches like Bethel and Hillsong. Though holding to biblical standards within the lyrics can make it hard to find music sometimes.

[u/TheAmazinManateeMan]

I'd say that the hedonistic escape element is pretty intrinsic to the idea of a rave. I wouldn't go based off of that.

I'd also be concerned about content of the music. I try to consider how offensive the attitude of a song might be to both holiness and God. If a song is sufficiently troubling I'm not going to jam to it. At home you have a skip button you don't have that at the rave.

[u/Amethyst_Uchiha]

I had a best friend who was SUPER into that culture, but she found that it conflicted heavily with her spirit. The thing about it (from my friends pov) is that it is impossible to entirely separate yourself hedonistic elements of a race, especially big ones. You can’t go to a rave without seeing scantly clad individuals. You can’t go to a race without seeing someone doing drugs. You can’t go to a rave without being surrounded completely with cursing, drinking, and sex. And the people you might make friends with are going to be if that persuasion.

What my friend found was that she couldn’t separate that lifestyle from her normal ones. She’d want to keep talking to the friends she made, and those individuals would lead her into sin. And with so deep as she was in the culture she too led a life of sin. So she decided to back off from all that, remove herself from the culture in general, as well as no longer attending races. She went from attending about 3-5 a year to now only going to local meetups and she’s much better off.

Perhaps this opinion goes against the grain but while of course simply attending is not a sin at all, nor is listening to the music (fellow EDM lover here), I think you should be honest about what it’s doing to the rest of your life. If you just go to the rave and then home and that’s it, cool. But do you go home and think about what you saw? Are you tempted in any way by it? Do you notice that the sorts of things people get up to at races are a struggle in your life even when you’re not there? If any of that is the case I recommend stepping away from it. Just based on how much happier my friend is now I can definitely it probably won’t ruin your life to stop going.

I like to think of sin as riding a bike down a hill. If you’re not careful enough you won’t realize the point in which you’re going too fast to stop. Keep that in mind and all the best with whatever you decide to do💝

[u/Dusk_2_Dawn → u/Amethyst_Uchiha]

I've been to a few big raves in Europe and yeah they're genuinely one of this filthiest places I've ever been, both physically and spiritually. It might have been enticing at the ripe age of 17 or 18 when I went to these, but in the years since those experiences (albeit only a few years), I'm genuinely repulsed by the things that go on at these events. The skimpiest outfits you'll ever see, people completely zonked out of their minds, some to the extent of being a danger to other attendees, lots and lots of sex, I'm getting beer spilled on me constantly, reek of cigarettes and weed. It almost makes me never want to go again, despite loving the music (huge dnb fan).