Is It Okay to Enjoy Music and Films That Aren’t Christian?

The short answer: Many Christians believe yes: God is the source of all beauty and creativity, and good art can be enjoyed with thanks wherever it comes from. But Christians differ on where the lines are, and the Bible asks each of us to follow our conscience, respect others’ and think honestly about what is shaping us.

Your playlist probably isn’t all worship songs. You watch films, binge series, follow artists who never mention God. Some Christians you know might only listen to Christian music. Others never think about it. Is either right? This is a question where the Bible gives clear principles, but where faithful Christians apply them differently.

Where Christians agree

All good things come from God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17). Beauty, melody, a great story, a clever joke, a moving performance: these reflect a creative God, even when the artist doesn’t know Him. Theologians call this “common grace”: God gives gifts of skill and beauty to people whether or not they believe. The first person in the Bible described as “filled... with the Spirit of God” was a craftsman, given “skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship” (Exodus 31:3).

Paul quoted pagan Greek poets when he preached in Athens, borrowing their words to say of God, “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He knew their work, and he found truth in it.

What we take in shapes us. Paul gives a beautiful test: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Notice that this verse isn’t limited to “Christian” things. Lots of non-Christian art is true, honourable and lovely. And some “Christian” art is shallow.

But the same verse warns us. Some songs celebrate cruelty or treat people as objects. Some films soak you in images you’ll struggle to get out of your head. “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Where Christians differ

Some Christians choose to keep almost entirely to Christian music and films. They want their minds filled with things that point directly to God, and they find that other content pulls them away. Other Christians enjoy a wide range of art, thoughtfully, believing that good art from any source can be received with thanks, and that it helps them understand the world and the people in it. Most are somewhere in between, and draw lines in different places.

Paul addressed this kind of disagreement in Romans 14. Some Christians in Rome kept special days; others didn’t. His answer: “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). And to both sides: “let us stop judging one another” (Romans 14:13). He added a serious warning: “everything that is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). If your conscience is troubled by something, don’t push past it.

Questions to ask

Rather than looking for a rule, ask yourself honest questions:

• Can I thank God for this? Paul says that “whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
• What is it doing to me? Is it making me more cynical, more anxious, more lustful, more unkind? Or does it make me think, feel and see more deeply? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).
• Am I watching it, or is it watching me? If something is taking over your time and attention, that’s worth noticing.
• What would my parents say? Families have different rules, especially about age ratings. Honour yours.
• Am I judging others? A friend may enjoy something you avoid, or avoid something you enjoy. Leave them to God.

Enjoy, with thanks

You don’t need to feel guilty for loving a beautiful song just because the singer isn’t a Christian. Enjoy it, thank God for it, and let it make you more grateful to the One who gave the gift. Just keep your eyes open, and keep your conscience awake.

Think about it: Think of a song or film you love. What is true, honourable or lovely in it? Is there anything in it you need to be careful about?

Go deeper: The Key Teachings of George MacDonald — the Scottish storyteller whose fairy tales helped bring C. S. Lewis to faith believed that the imagination is a gift of God made “to mirror truth”, and that stories and beauty can carry truth into places a sermon cannot reach. Start with chapter 14, “The Servant Imagination”.