The Pebble Blog

100+ Reasons Not To Use Drums
specially Bible believing Seventh-day Adventists who have the advantage of believing the Spirit of Prophecy / Ellen G. White Writings

SOP has no positive encouragement about it
Drum, Drums
demonstrations using, before the close of probation Mar 234:1
fanatics used 2SM 36

image from http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150228857151522.350981.600051521&type=3

drums are not timbrels, timbrels are not [equivalent to] drums

proof 1 - SOP is positive about timbrels but negative about drums

     timbrels are positive in SOP, drums are negative, therefore, drums and
     timbrels shouldn't be treated in one group. we can't say drums are ok
     just because timbrels are ok, SOP cannot affirm that position because
     SOP is positive with timbrels and negative with drums.
     
     from EGW Comprehensive Index
     ------------------
     Timbrels, Israelites used, at Red Sea PP 288-9
     
     Drum, Drums
     demonstrations using, before the close of probation Mar 234:1
     fanatics used 2SM 36
     ------------------
     
     timbrels == tambourines; just look at google images of both.

set/subset theory logic
example:
(all of the health message is vegetarianism) == false
(vegetarianism is part of the health message) == true
therefore:
({all} timbrels are drums) == true
({all} drums are timbrels) == false

highly associated with sorcery
"It is not safe for the Lord's workers to take part in worldly entertainments. Association with worldliness in musical lines is looked upon as harmless by some Sabbathkeepers. But such ones are on dangerous ground. Thus Satan seeks to lead men and women astray, and thus he has gained control of souls. So smooth, so plausible is the working of the enemy that his wiles are not suspected, and many church members become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."--Manuscript 82, 1900. {3SM 332.2}
1. "Not only is the drum hypnotic in the usual sense, but it may, like camphor, ... The drum is not a cultural oddity that beats only selected primitives into insensibility." J. Finley Hurley - 1985 - Body, Mind & Spirit - 232 pages
2. reviews - KIT CHATHAM kitchatham.com/reviews.html Classic Drummer Magazine - April/May/June 2007 Issue ... "The professional drummer is one of the stars of Cirque du Soleil's Corteo" ... "snare drum sorcery" ..
highly associated with witchcraft
"It is not safe for the Lord's workers to take part in worldly entertainments. Association with worldliness in musical lines is looked upon as harmless by some Sabbathkeepers. But such ones are on dangerous ground. Thus Satan seeks to lead men and women astray, and thus he has gained control of souls. So smooth, so plausible is the working of the enemy that his wiles are not suspected, and many church members become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."--Manuscript 82, 1900. {3SM 332.2}
1. "A shaman used the witch drum not only as a musical instrument, but also as a magical device, which he implemented in order to induce himself into a mystical ..." Witchcraft - The Witch Drum www.uta.fi/laitokset/historia/noitanetti/witchdrum.html
2. Drum Circles www.cyberwitchcraft.com/drum_circles.html Drum Circles are regular events within our local Pagan community. Watch the video!
3. Beating the Drums for Witchcraft : Berkeley Chemist Validates ... articles.latimes.com/1985-08-21/news/vw-1267_1_remedies 21 Aug 1985 . Annually, Isao Kubo leaves his tiny, crowded laboratory in the basement of Wellman Hall at UC Berkeley and flies to Africa or South America to ...
4. Of Bear Fat, Drums, and Tea The Witch of Forest Grove witchofforestgrove.com/2011/10/19/of-bear-fat-drums-and-tea/ 19 Oct 2011 . I taught him how to render fat and he showed me his style of drum-making with the two bear hides he brought. The hunk of bear fat is so huge ...
5. Witch in the Wood www.witchinthewood.com/ Wicca - Spiritual Path studies Wicca 101, spellcasting, honoring the Goddess, Ritual work, sabbats esbat fullmoons, elements divination, drumming circles, ...
6. SHAMAN DRUM ON TRIAL! http://ermusikksyndig.no/en/runebomme-for-retten/
7. http://mindbodyandspirit.co.nz/Links.htm
8. http://www.pagan-magic.co.uk/shop/musical-instruments-carved-wooden-drum-40cm-p-20197.html
9. http://witchofforestgrove.com/tag/shamanism/

we cannot bring questionable/disputable things to the pulpit

    
    we can ask people not to bring drums to church just because we are not
    sure about drums. because EGW says {to the effect} the pulpit should be
    used for things we are sure about {Gospel Workers Chap 8-Dangers}. it is
    not a theological forum where we can say things we are still studying
    about. a church pulpit is not a forum.
    
    new ideas and new music should be treated the same.
    
    SDA Church Manual Chap 17. Pulpit Not a Forum
    "No minister, church elder, or other person has the right to make the
    pulpit a forum for advocating disputed points of doctrine...."
    
    so we cannot advocate drums in church...

drums cannot express reverence
the only way a drum can express reverence is to keep quiet :)
the rest of the reasons are here:
"It is not safe for the Lord's workers to take part in worldly entertainments. Association with worldliness in musical lines is looked upon as harmless by some Sabbathkeepers. But such ones are on dangerous ground. Thus Satan seeks to lead men and women astray, and thus he has gained control of souls. So smooth, so plausible is the working of the enemy that his wiles are not suspected, and many church members become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."--Manuscript 82, 1900. {3SM 332.2}
1. some 11 million associations between drums and sorcery
2. some 3 million associations between drums and witchcraft
3. some 8 million associations between drums and spiritualism
  1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/68636551/ To the vibrant rhythm of the African drums, this solo dancer introduces the MaculelÃª dancers through her intense â€œspiritualâ€ dancing. The Afro-Brazilian dance, MaculelÃª, will often be presented with elements of spiritualism, where the spirits may enter the scene to revive a conquered warrior during the battle of the machetes, serving them the magical Jurema (a medicinal plant extract).
  2. http://www.freewebs.com/ystanbridge/newsandviews.htm Chesham Spiritualist Church Drummers
  3. http://sonofthewidowblog.wordpress.com/about/ "Being raised by an atheist, a spiritualist, an agnostic, and a religionist forced his art to be birthed in those fiery alchemical realms between god and science, evolution and creationism, life and death, and chaos and order."
  4. http://www.circleofinnerlight.com/classes.htm CIRCLE OF INNER LIGHT SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY
  5. http://www.buddyhelm.com/06-previous-blog-entries Russell Buddy Helm Helmtone Drum Protocols; Music, Healing, Dancing, Sharing Grooves
  6. http://hauntedamericatours.com/HOLIDAYS/HALLOWEEN/SEANCE.php Haunted America Tours
  7. http://www.solomei.com/Artwork.html Solomei's House Clearing and Metaphysical Intuitive Artwork 'Party'
instead of evaluating all those millions of the enemy's inventions... (as if we can learn truth from looking at evil, or learning all about light from looking at darkness)
Let us go back to Cain and Abel's story.
God has prescribed ways of worship, we just have to look at the Bible and affirm our interpretation with SOP.
Outside of that 'there is no light in them' (isa 8:20).
drums are not PRESCRIBED
Cain can reason out that there was no mention against offering vegetables.
drums not prescribed in Bible

table from http://www.albatrus.org/english/church-order/worship/drums_suitable_worship_god.htm
drums call on the enemy
if drums are used (millions of times) for witchcraft and sorcery (like other rituals) then it is might be one of the callsigns/names of the enemy.
testimonies that demons like drum songs
1. testimony of person who used to be posessed by 12 demons. he says "they" enjoy worldly music played by other people (even thru earphones in the next room). and they also wonder why same genre is played sometimes in church, which they enjoy the music of (though the demons hate the Christian lyrics).
2. more video testimonies from campmeeting
misfocus
The Bible and SOP have thousands of other things that we are recommended/required/encouraged to do (and we can't find drums among all of those).
So why bother with something we can't find there?
SOP encourages use of musical instruments but calls some "rubbish"
"Musical Instruments.--Let the talent of singing be brought into the work. The use of musical instruments is not at all objectionable. There were used in religious services in ancient times. The worshipers praised God upon the harp and cymbal, and music should have its place in our services. It will add to the interest.--Letter 132, 1898. {Ev 500.4}"
and the quote that says "We are not to oppose the use of instrumental music in our work." is under the paragraph entitled "Emphasis in Congregational Singing -- Choir and Congregational Singing." {EV 507.2} So that is the context.
actually if that is all there is to read about it then there would be nothing else to say, but there are hundreds of other sentences regarding music which we have to weigh/harmonize this sentence amongst with to understand what she meant. for a tip one might read Ev chap 15 entitled Song Evangelism.
and to close that chapter """The Lord has revealed to me that when the heart is cleansed and sanctified, and the members of the church are partakers of the divine nature, a power will go forth from the church, who believe the truth, that will cause melody in the heart. Men and women will not then depend upon their instrumental music but on the power and grace of God, which will give fullness of joy. There is a work to be done in clearing away the rubbish which has been brought into the church. . . . {Ev 512.3}
This message is not only for the church at _____, but for every other church that has followed her example.--Manuscript 157, 1899. {Ev 512.4}"""
so there is actually rubbish in some instruments/music...
now look at all the instruments in SOP and see w/c is most {and only} linked to rubbish?
it can become your idol specially if it hardens your heart
'Music Acceptable to God.--The superfluities which have been brought into the worship in _____ must be strenuously avoided. . . . Music is acceptable to God only when the heart is sanctified and made soft and holy by its facilities. But many who delight in music know nothing of making melody in their hearts to the Lord. Their heart is gone "after their idols." --Letter 198, 1899. {Ev 512.1}'
only music that makes the heart soft is acceptable to God
"Music is acceptable to God only when the heart is sanctified and made soft and holy by its facilities." Ev 512.1
instruments of witchcraft and sorcery must be "put to death"
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Ex 22:18
Leviticus 20:27 "'A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.'"
you might be promoting something God has not commanded you to promote
"But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." Deu 18:10
you might be speaking in the name of other gods (since drums are used to call evil spirits, they serve as a name of those spirits, and using drums is like using the names of evil spirits)
"But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." Deu 18:10
what is your motivation for using drums anyway? WHO is requiring you to defend drums?
politics? tradition/practices?
semblance of theatrical display
"He should cut off from his meetings everything that has a semblance of theatrical display; for such outward appearances give no strength to the message that he bears." Ev 501.1
theaters have big subwoofers, obviously to amplify drum effect
even orchestra's use of drums approach questioning due to modern orchestra's adoption of rock music into the mix
and the orchestra's use of drums is a nice excuse for rockers to little by little get their rock music inside the church
due to high association with evil, drums are the appearance of evil (to those who have seen the evils drum has been associated with)
"Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thes 5:22
Note that many churches successfully keep drums out of the church but forget to keep drums out of mp3s/videos/accompanyments/music/...
the nearest (but not exactly useful, because drums are not timbrels) argument of drums in heaven is Ezekiel 28:13 w/c cites lucifer being given timbrels and pipes. - but translators are divided on this
if you compare translations (http://bible.cc/ezekiel/28-13.htm)
1. some translations call it "sockets"/"settings"/"set"(NIV,NLT,ESV,etc) instead of "tabrots/timbrels"(KJV,YLT,etc).
2. those translations that call it timbrels/tabrets/tambours/tambourines say that they were "in thee" ... "when thou wast created". so they are built-in??? (with a little bit of joking, most of us can make pipe or timbrel sounds with our vocal organs anyway).
"...They were all holding harps that God had given them..." Rev 15:2 (NLT)
if we are all holding harps, it is possible that none of us will be holding drums in heaven :)
out of over 50 english versions of the Bible only a few (The Life Application Bible(The Living Bible);Good News Bible) use the word drums.
so if you weight/harmonize the meaning against all of these scholars, you'll probably just call it a mistranslation
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Eph 5:11 (sharp)
link between percussion instruments and David's success in bringing home the ark (this point depends on the idea that durms === timbrels, which other ideas have proven otherwise)
1st attempt with percussion -> failed. (1 Chronicles 13). might have exacerbated (or was indicatory of) Uzza's attitude
2nd attempt w/o percussion -> succeeded. only wind, strings and voice. (1 Chronicles 16).
even the original singing choirs (message dominant) of the Bible armies have now evolved into marching bands (boom-boom dominant, no message) (sharp)
drums in church causes demon posession
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I54vpqzRH5k&feature=player_detailpage#t=856s (testimony)
skip to 14min : 16sec for the specific story

Heavenly Music Style According to Ellen G. White
Idea: The gift of prophecy to the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. She had many visions, in some of them she saw heavenly worship and music. She has taught her family to sing as much as possible like how she saw angels singing in heaven. Therefore the sample of songs traced to being sang in their family worships, in church by James and Ellen White, and the songs she quoted and alluded to all give us a description of the style of heavenly music she saw. This is a reflection of a presentation of Dr. James Nix, at the time of writing, the director of the EGW Estate. The presentation incidentally clarifies issues regarding varied interpretations of EGW writings regarding music.

Early Advent Singing

http://www.pacificpress.com/pp/misdta/Chapters/0828008922.pdf

Possible presentation outline
1. music was made to serve a holy purpose
2. music can be an idol
3. reverence, solemn
4. visions of heavenly music
5. songs EGW sang, taught, encouraged
I was helping in an evangelism, brought my soundsystem for the big venue. Was tired of sermonizing about music and didn't want to make a fuss about with people i didn't know too much. so i let them play all the rock religious music they wanted. but one of the pastors frowned (right up on the stage) on the music that was played. that was an encouragement that it was not just my personal idea only.
I got so tired of preaching/posting this paper and almost gave up, but God sent my friend (who used to like drums) to post in facebook that he was going to have a concert w/o any accompaniments tracks! that was enough encouragement at that time for me to continue.
I again got tired of preaching/posting this paper and really gave up, and asked God that, if this was really His message, that somebody else should preach about it also. just hours after, while listening to testimonies, the speaker said, "i was the drummer[in her previous denomination]... but we cannot do it now in our [sda] church". that was it! God had sent encouragement w/o letting the sun go down in my discouragement.
commentator's opinion of some in egwestate in defense for "judicious use" (https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/13960.449) has not passed prophetic tests in egw levels. specially trying to reverse(pervert) the meaning. EGW is a prophet, egwestate we are not sure of, in fact egw documented her scolding her writers when they change the meaning.

So what to do?

look for something positively encouraged in the Bible and do it! :)
if it's not there, maybe it is a waste of time...
careful not to create doctrines to defend practices
but rather base our "faith and practice" from the Word

Questions & Answers: