"I" is for Interpretation

sec·u·lar

/ˈsekyələr/

adjective

denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis

sa·cred

/ˈsākrəd/

adjective

connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration

What I’m about to say may come as a surprise to some but I don’t believe there is such a thing as secular music.

But Denise, what about all the songs about sex, drugs, and hate? You can’t possibly say that music is sacred!

Yes, I can. It isn’t the music that is secular. It’s the lyrics. I’m a big believer in the power of words. Words mean things. I like to look up the definitions of words to make sure that I am using the appropriate words to convey what I am meaning. I don’t want there to be any room for misinterpretation. Words are powerful. A well place group of words can change someone’s day for the better. They can let someone know what you are thinking and feeling about any given situation, person, or event. They can break down a person and strip them bare. They can break a heart or help heal one.

Words are powerful.

Therefore, lyrics are powerful. Lyrics can turn a heavenly sound into an earthly exultation. They can lift someone’s spirits or deepen a depression. They can help you see the face of God or connect with worldly desires. Lyrics are simply one person’s interpretation.

The music itself is made up of notes, melody, harmony, chord progressions, time signatures, and dynamics that are interpreted by various instruments that add different colors and shapes. The listener becomes the interpreter of the music as it evokes certain emotions and memories. The music itself is sacred, but the lyrics can bring an interpretation that is not.

Let me apply this to another area that is rather important to me. I had someone refer to secular psychology the other day. At first, I just read over it and did not think too much of it. Then I thought about it some more. The term psychology is not solely a secular concept. Just because the parents of most modern theories were developed and made famous by secular theorists does not take away from the sacredness of the concepts.

For example, Carl Rogers is one of the most well-known fathers of psychology. Though he grew up thinking that he was going to go into the ministry, Rogers became an atheist and was quite evangelical about it. One of his big concepts is that of unconditional positive regard (UPR). UPR is not a secular concept! It took an atheist to tell the psychological world about taking care regardless of class, age, race, economics, or even personality.

Again, it’s a matter of interpretation. Psychology, or any kind of science, is not a secular field. It is the people involved in it that interpret it as secular or sacred. As a Christian counselor who has worked for secular companies, all I do is Christian counseling.

Does that mean that you can only see people who are Christians? Does that mean if you see someone who isn’t a Christian that you spend your session trying to convert them or just talking about the Bible?

No, the answer is no. Throughout my career, I’ve seen atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, homosexuals, transgender, active drug users, rapists, those on parole or probation, and pretty much any other category that you might want to drop someone into. I can help someone through the skills of psychology and the love of Jesus without proselytizing. I can use psychological concepts and skills from a Christian perspective. I stand firm to my beliefs and my Jesus and I allow the Holy Spirit to do His thing. I have never had someone leave my care because they thought I was pushing Jesus on them but I have had many client tell me that they left one certain therapist because they felt that they were being preached to. I can also tell you that I have had the opportunity to share my faith with a client on numerous occasions simply because I showed them unconditional positive regard even while having an opposing belief system.

Interpretation is the thing.