> They haven’t shed the faith; just the faith industry.
Exactly. I was very ready to disagree with the writer, who took awhile getting to the point (“disorienting…being a Mute Math fan. Do we listen to the music…”)
Music of beauty, truth, power, creativity and awesome rhythm should not be ignored. Mute Math is one of the greatest bands in years, there’s sure no question for me: listen deeply.
Plus, it’s just too cool they did the “Transformers” theme remix.
peace,
joshMshep
http://www.mypspace.com/joshmshep

I’m sure that Mute Math is waiting for the day when articles such as this one won’t be as ‘typical’ as they are now – not that there is anything wrong with the piece – it’s just sort-of perpetuating the issue. At any rate, Mute Math is the most exciting live band I’ve seen since ….well, since Earthsuit. Escaping the ghetto of the CCM industry has worked for them, and I expect to see them get a lot more good exposure in the coming year. This is a band to watch.
….and to listen to.

I’m always amazed at how truly uninformed many musicians and music fans are about Christian bands and bands who happen to be Christians when this subject comes up.I haven’t yet listened to much Mute Math,but I did see Earthsuit several years back at the country’s best true alternative music festival,Cornerstone in Bushnell,Illinois.A trip to C-Stone would clear up the difference between Christian worship music and music being made by Christians for most(both are presented there).While I can see Mute Math’s point,and have followed their trials and tribulations about their categorization,to me this is just another discussion about what someone thinks is good music and what is not.Which is after all just about opinion anyway.One person’s ultimate music may be Sex Pistols,someone else’s Jimmy Buffet,the next’s Charlie Parker and another’s Mozart,the latest trance artist or Sioux Indian drum music.If it hits anyone in the heart and mind in the right way,it’s good ,maybe even great music to them.Calling any music scene a ghetto is comparable to music racism to me.I follow and love a myriad of different types and themes in music as diverse a the world is.That’s what I think is special about music.While I might enjoy arguing about who is the worlds best guitarist,or not always entirely accept the validity of some rap and pop artists,I always end up saying “It’s your right to love whatever music you want to,because in the end,it’s all about the emotion it stirs up in you”
When it comes to music,we all need to get over ourselves and have fun.

I think the idea that a band can hold a strong belife and not have that belife tied to there music is unrealistic.
Music is and emotional thing, and the emotions that come with a belife will always come through.
so if a band happens to have all “christian” members, then they happen to be a “christian” band! end of story.
if for some reason a band manages to have all christian members and no christian content then are they really “good christians”? I mean doesn’t “god” want them to “spread the good news”? or is “god” okay with them putting “him” on the back burner so they can make more money, or reach a lager demographic?
I doubt it…… read the book, that guy is an egomaniac!!!!

thats really funny. I am a Christian, but Atheist made a really good point. As a Christian musician myself I find it hard to write about mindless things or things that don’t in fact “promote” my beliefs or creator. Music is an expression that comes from emotions, experiences and trials. As a Christian, if your not singing about how God is affecting all these situations, than you should probably ask yourself, “Does it mean anything to say I’m a Christian, but not want to reveal the proof?”

I agree with Atheist and like Rachel, I too am a Christian. It honestly does not make sense for people to call themselves Christian but doesn’t want to reach the world with the good news with whatever talent God has blessed you with.

Annie and Rachel,
Believe it or not, blatantly evangelical music turns away more people than it attracts. More intelligent artists like U2, King’s X and Mute Math are comfortable being Christians IN A BAND, not a Christian band. The message is still in there, just not filled with the saccharine cliches prevalent in modern worship music. You can still be a believer and not shove the Gospel down everyone’s throat.

Well, I hate to burst you bubble, but 2 of the 3 members of King’s X have converted away from Christianity, and the lead singer of Mute Math has – last I checked – become a Unitarian Universalist. I love these bands, too, but we need to be a bit less aggressive in trying to fit other’s into our tidy little boxes. They ask good question, and make great music – even as a worship pastor, I am blessed by their tunes, whether or not they claim to be Christians.

How did you find out his Meany’s religious background? I would like to read tat for myself. And I agree that as Christians our lifestyle shines through everything that we do. And in their music I find a lifestyle of encouragement, curiosity, and they pose a lot of good questions to Christians adn Pre-Christians alike.

As a christian myself i do understand why mute math chooses not to label their band as a christian band. however, i also find that in many of their lyrics you can find suggestions of the God they say they believe in. What bothers me is that they arent giving Him the credit and the glory. Just saying you are a christian and having good music isnt going to point people to Christ. even if they dont want to label their band as “christian” they need to give the glory to God and really show the world the love of Christ, who He is, and what it means to be a christian.

Hey every one, sorry to burst some bubbles but..
IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN BAND YOU NEED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.
The cute little, we will be undercover Christians thing DOES NOT WORK.
We need bold firey preachers of the gospel in secular music arenas. But it’s just that, they need to PREACH THE GOSPEL. Not just make good music and on the side occasionally mention the name of Christ. Or even on the side big a big name believer. Because guess what, that show you did last week with 50,000 people. 44.000 of them were not born again, and because you didn’t actually SHARE THE GOSPEL, no one got saved. And you didn’t share the gospel because your money hungry record producers and the contract you once signed won’t allow for it.
People like Bono from U2 can say they’re a Christian, but in my heart I know, from casting many demons out of witches, new-agers, satanists, etc. that Bono is under some serious demonic influence. Serious stuff, like he is probably next to possessed. And that sucks, because he might even be born again, but he is seriously off in the way he lives out Christianity.
If you want to be a Christian band, you need to preach the gospel. And at the end of your shows, CAST OUT SOME DEMONS AND PRAY FOR HEALING AND PRAY FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT O RECEIVE THE LORD. That’s real Christianity.
Bryan

wow

Pretty talented band – I just hope they don’t start spewing any of that immoral christian nonsense.

Amen Bryan! Amen!

I am also a Christian, and believe that we ought to give Him the glory no matter what it takes or how much ego it may break off, because once you strip yourself naked for God and don’t care to be “humiliated” or shamed for it, then you are open to receive the REAL blessings of abundance in peace, and joy that He wants to give you. Once you receive what He gives, nothing else will matter to you, except to love Him more and show it to the world. The world does not want or need another conformity. What they need is the TRUTH, which is that Jesus Christ died and rose for them, because He loves them.
Like David said,” I will become even more undignified than this!” If you can’t show the world the light and be the salt, then why are you doing what you doing, certainly not because you’re a so-called Christian or because you love God. You would be doing what you do, because you want recognition and respect for the talent God gave you in the first place to love Him with. You can’t live in the Light and at the same time, also in the darkness. It’s either or neither. God says that if we are lukewarm, He will spit us out of His mouth. That’s harsh but true. I hope that this band finds themselves in God’s Word again, and LIVES! Because God has called them for so much more than a mere grammy’s recognition to what God already knew. People are still lost when they listen to music, and that will not change, unless the lyrics are life-changing. Words cause one of two things:Life or death. May this band realize this and NOT CONFORM their perspectives to a superfluous ‘hollywood’ lust, but rather be renewed and transformed by God’s Word of power, love and hope, something eternal. May their ‘YES’ be their ‘YES’ and their ‘NO’ be their ‘NO’. And may the rest of us never judge, always pray and rejoice in God, because we know we CAN trust Him, for He is good.
skb.

Wow Bryan! I Amen that as well!!

enough said!!! Blae, awesome and true what you wrote!

Amen Blae! I pray they realize they’re already crowned with glory from God, and live FROM acceptance from Him; they don’t need to chase the acceptance or recognition of men, which is like rags next to God’s. The Lord has definitely blessed them and gifted them, and all was made and given to bring HIM the glory. Is that not what it’s all about, to draw ALL people unto CHRIST, not ourselves? May God re-captivate their hearts and they seek to glorify HIM in ALL they do.

To Atheist:
I’m a strong christian with christian beliefs but i play with non christian bands and its possible to play music that isn’t christian but have strong christian values as a person. And MuteMath does have strait up christian songs for example the song OK, and others, but how do you reach non christian audience as a christian. In my opinion bands like this spread the word better than bands like third day ect. If you go see third day your a christian. If you go see MuteMath they have secular songs, but your at there concert and they play Ok. Which is a clear christian song. So you have all these non christian’s listening to this christian song. Me and my parents had this argument with how can screamo music be christian, and it is the same concept i have alot of non christian friends who came to god at a devil wears prada concert. While there songs have christian meanings very strong most people can’t understand screamo, and at all there concerts they have a praise god song called louder than thunder and many people came to christ through that. So yes you can worship god without being a strait up god in all my songs type of band, and in the end you reach more people in my oppinion.

Just because a band is full of christians does not mean they have to sing about God in every single song. Should they acknowledge him at every concert? Of course. I think that a balance is necessary. Should demon possessed people always be cured at concerts if the artist is christian? No. Some of these posts just made me laugh seriously. I am a christian and know that ultimate He needs to be the center of our lives, but this is not the Old Testament. If you were not a believer in God would you really want to hear a sermon and then sing Jesus Loves Me? No. You would want to hear a song that you could relate to. Jesus did not walk the streets preaching every minute. He did preach and teach, but he spent a lot of time with the masses in their situations and he related to them and did not expect them to relate to him right off the bat. We need to be the hands of feet of Christ. We need to walk in the alleys and streets and meet the people where they are. That is the only reason I became a follower of Christ. He met me where I was at and it hit my heart and the rest is history. Let’s not judge a band based on their style or how they are carrying out their faith. We all need to focus on what we can do individually and let God worry about others.

Bottom line: If you are truly a Christian, no matter what you do, it should present opportunities for you to present the Gospel. Christian musicians and singers do not necessarily have to be preachers of the gospel. However, their gifts and talents should present opportunities to live the Christian life in the midst of what they do. Too many so-call “Christian” bands don’t. It is a person who lives their convictions that impacts people. Many people talk or sing the talk, but don’t walk the walk. I am a minister who currently works for a large retail chain. I see what I do as loaded with opportunities to live the Christian live in front of others who are impacted by my lifestyle more than my mouthstyle. When the opportunity arises, I share about Jesus. I’m sold out!

I will be honest with you guys, I have been listening to this band ever since they came out with the first album and have been hearing some QUESTIONABLE lyrics since the second album, and after hearing the third I am convinced.. They are very shady. Look at these lyrics..
ODD SOUL: CALVARIESHaven’t you suffered enough
On the straight and narrow
Stand on your own
Stand on your own
Every chance you take, you own, you own

How about this one.
ODD SOUL: In No Time…..
Where’s your heart gone
And where’s your soul?
Where did all of your faith Go?

Where’s that old spark a failure stole?
Well I bet we find it in no time At all
We find it in no time
We’ll Find it in no time
We’ll find it in no time
We’ll Find it in no time at all
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/mute+math/in+no+time_20983436.html ]
Where’s your nerve gone
And where’s your hope?
Where’s that sunrise you’ve been waiting for?
Where’s that one day you got It all?
Well I bet we find it in no time at all
We find it in no time
We find It in no time
We’ll find it in no time
We’ll find it in no time at all

When The war starts falling on the world you had Just hold tight in no time we
Can get it back
When the skies come crashing on the world you had Just hold Tight in no time we can get it back
Oh, oh, We can get it back
Oh, oh, We can Get it back
We can get it back (repeat)

What these guys want to do is make music, but they don’t want to sing Christian music all the time. What CCM does is pidgeon-hole you in a genre, and if you don’t fit that genre, they kick you out. Just look at Kevin Max from dcTalk. Kevin’s cd “Sterotype Be” doesn’t fit the mold of the typical CCM blah. Jesus said that he came to heal the sick, not heal the healthy, right??
As for screamo being Christian…yeah right. I associate screaming with pain, or fighting, or anger. I don’t sing screamo to my wife at the table asking her to pass the dinner rolls do I? No, I ask her politely and thank her.
When we’re done eating, I thank her for the food she made, not screaming it at her at the top of my lungs.
There will come a point when MuteMath will answer for what they did. And one day, MuteMath will come out and say they’re Christian if they really are Christian. But they don’t want to be tied to the Christian genre where you can’t play in this location because they serve beer, or can’t put a record out because one of your songs has the word ‘damn’ in it. Look at Johnny Cash–when he became a Christian, did he immediately jump the gun to go to the Christian label? Nope, not a jump. He wrote about stealing car parts, smoking coccaine, prisons, women, dogs, you name it. And he sang about Jesus too.
You see, that’s the part that separates Christian artists from non-Christian artists–the ones who listen to the Christian radios are the soccer moms and the people who don’t want to listen to anything that might question their beliefs, and not in a badass way, but in a curios way. You never hear a Christian song about a husband who struggles with porn on the Christian radio. OK, I’ve said my piece.