The White Paper
Content Descriptions
- Why do preachers/dissenters dislike Rock ‘n’ roll
Top 10 reasons why God hates rock music. – The Landover Baptist …
Rock ‘n’roll highlights values against what is taught in religion.
RELIGIOUS ROCK… The music of devils in the CHURCH
“We are told by the religious rockers that we must look and sound like the world in order to reach the youth of this generation. They say, many young people will not listen to the gospel or come to church so we must meet them on some common ground. That common ground is rock and roll. In other words, they are saying that preaching of the Word of God is no longer sufficient for both young and old. If this is true, then we should open bars in order to reach the multitudes of drinkers. We should open porno-shops in order to reach those who engage in smut. Shouldn’t we go to their level so we can bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ?”
- Denouncing Rock’ n’ roll for invoking dark forces
The Satanic Roots of Rock Music – Jesus is Savior
The influence of dark forces on Rock music, as detailed by a religious individual.
- What Rock ‘n’ roll represents, according to non dissenters
History of Rock & Roll – Shmoop
“The songs and the sounds we call “rock and roll” evolved from many different sources, in many different regions, and at many different moments in twentieth- century history. The music was shaped—and continues to be molded and transformed—by countless regular people, some doing what they love, others seeking refuge from what they hate, some hoping to change the world, and still others resisting what they fear.”
- A look at the Civil Rights movement (that bring in mind the argument concerning Rock ‘n’ roll)
Find evidence of mistreatment of African-Americans, and highlight racist beliefs and where they stem from. Will be used to connect to prejudice against Rock ‘n’ roll.
A brief history of racism in the United States | SoundVision.com
- A look at the eclectic topics of Rock ‘n’ roll music
Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett Songfacts
Brief description as to why Jimmy Buffet decided to write a song about cheeseburgers.
Fortunate Son Meaning – Shmoop
Detailing how Creedence Clearwater wrote an anti-war/ anti- violence song about the Vietnam conflict.
- Illustrate the argument that rock musicians have used dark forces sometime in their careers, including those that seemed like they would never be involved with the dark forces
“Too Drunk To Karaoke” Hit Song Mocks God – Jesus is Savior
Jimmy Buffet, along with Toby Keith, glorify being drunk, which is highly sinful.
- Explaining “don’t judge a book by its cover” (optional)
Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover – MIT
“We live in a very superficial society. It is very easy to fall into the trap of looking only at the surface of people, things, and ideas without taking the time and effort to delve deeper into them.”
“Only by looking at the less obvious features can we know what is truly the most outstanding person, object, or idea. And then we will know it with confidence.”
Working Hypotheses
Working Hypothesis 1
Rock’n’ roll does not gain its popularity from invoking dark forces, as some preachers tend to claim.
Working Hypothesis 2
The popular saying,”don’t judge a book by its cover,” can be illustrated by the common misinterpretation of Rock ‘n’ roll.
Topics for Smaller Papers
Definition/ Classification Argument
Explain how Rock ‘n’ roll is misunderstood, offering clear examples to show its variety. Also connect the argument to the civil rights movement, where the black citizens argued that they should not be unfairly judged due to their outward appearance (instead of how they are as people).
Cause/Effect Argument
Analyze the reasons why preachers and general rock dissenters have condemned the popular type of music. What caused them to preach against Rock ‘n’ roll?
Rebuttal Argument
Attack the argument that rock is centered on an eclectic amount of topics, by highlighting the fact that many of the rock artists who may have written music about various things have had history invoking dark forces, in one way or another.
Current State of Research
So far, I believe that I have laid a loose groundwork of where my paper could go. My personal opinions have not yet changed concerning the argument, but my focus for the hypothesis is not as narrow-minded. I can now better understand where the counterargument is stemming from, and how much variety can be included under Rock’n’ roll, why still being able to relate to other misunderstood topics in history. I hope that the eventual outcome is that I am able to produce a mostly coherent and interesting paper, that will bridge together multiple little topics under one big hypothesis. I want both sides of the argument to be understood and relatable to the reader (even though the paper is supporting mainly one side). I still can “dump” a whole lot more outside information that may help my paper as well.
Rowan Counterintuitive 