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Is Moby a Christian?

I like a lot of Moby's music. I've read that he's a Christian, but I have some doubts. What do you think?

Moby just keeps getting more popular. His creations are tough to put a label on, but he's definitely taken sample-filled electronic/ambient/dance music to the next level. His latest album, 18, is doing well. But it was his CD before that one, Play, that made him a superstar.

Moby calls himself a Christian. In an interview with Amazon.com, Moby said, "I can't really know anything. Having said that, though, on a very subjective level I love Christ. I perceive Christ to be God, but I predicate that with the knowledge that I'm small and not nearly as old as the universe that I live in. I take my beliefs seriously for myself, but I would be very uncomfortable trying to tell anyone that I was right."

So has Moby put his faith in Christ alone to save him from sin and guarantee him a place in an eternal heaven with God? If he has, he doesn't seem completely confident in it. It's really hard to say exactly where Moby is in his relationship with God.

Does that mean you shouldn't listen to his music? Not necessarily. Whether or not artists are believers isn't really the best way to decide whether their music is worth listening to. You have to look at the content of what they create. And you have to ask yourself if their art distracts you from your relationship with God, or if it helps you (1 Corinthians 10:23).

Some of Moby's music is based on Scripture and very inspirational. In many ways, Moby has created some of today's most beautiful music. On the other hand, a recent video ("Extreme Ways") includes lots of sexual images. Moby's intent was to show man's sinful nature, but he admits that's difficult to do in a video. Moby wrote that he "wanted the video to represent degeneracy in an aesthetically compelling but also slightly malignant way. … The presence of sex and strippers in the video are not there for gratuitous reasons. They're there to reinforce the narrative of the song."

So what's that mean for you? It's a good idea to avoid any video with sex and strippers, regardless of the artist's intent. But as for Moby's music itself, I'd say it's wholesome enough for most anybody to enjoy.

Looking for Incubus Alternatives

A friend of mine is a big fan of Incubus. I think they're musically talented, but I don't like their lyrics. Do you know of any Christian alternatives I could send his way?

Incubus has some great-sounding songs, and their most recent CD, Morning View, is much less offensive than their previous release. Still, there's that name, Incubus, which describes a demon that has sex with women while they sleep. You're wise to steer clear of this band.

As for alternatives, there are no Christian bands that are a solid match. Bands that do play melodic hard music in a style somewhat similar to Incubus are Pillar, Pax217, Kutless and 38th Parallel.

Big Fan of the Mummy Movies

I've been a Christian for a long time, and I want to serve God even in my choices about what movies I watch. I'm a big fan of movies like The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Is it OK to watch those types of movies, as long as I understand the situations are not real?

The Mummy and its sequel were both huge hits when they came out. They've got great effects, cool fight and chase scenes, and some of that Indiana Jones vibe. And Brendan Fraser is just fun to watch.

But the films also feature the worship of false gods, reincarnation, demon possession, and lots of supernatural action that has nothing to do with our supernatural God. As Christians, we believe anything supernatural that doesn't come from God is from Satan. Some people prefer to avoid any movie that pictures the supernatural or demonic.

I don't think it's ever OK just to relax and enjoy a movie without thinking. Because every movie "teaches" something about the world, I believe Christians should have their brains in gear while watching so they can sort the truth from the lies.

If you can watch movies like The Mummy and describe the differences between its view of the afterlife and what the Bible teaches, you can protect yourself from being led in the wrong direction. Talking about the Mummy movies with a friend also could be a great way to introduce the topic of what really happens when people die.

Read more from 'Media Q&A'

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