So, I shouldn't be hearing or singing them when they come to mind?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
The straightforward answer, based on the discipline of the Coptic Orthodox faith, is that you should strive to move away from them. While it may feel like a comfort in the moment, you are effectively drinking from a well that does not contain the fullness of the truth.
Here is why you should resist singing or listening to them:
1. The Danger of "Spiritual Sweetness"
The comfort you feel from these songs is often what the Desert Fathers call a "natural" or "emotional" sweetness rather than a spiritual one. Protestant music is designed to trigger an emotional response. As an Orthodox Christian, your spiritual life must be built on the rock of dogma and the Sacraments, not on how a melody makes you feel. If you rely on Protestant songs for comfort during hard times, you are training your soul to look for God outside of His Church.
2. The Influence of Heresy
Even if the words seem "situational," the spirit behind them is one that rejects the Mother of God, the intercession of the saints, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. St. John Chrysostom was very firm that we must not share in the ways of those who have separated themselves from the truth. By singing these songs, you are keeping a foot in a house of error. You cannot fully heal or grow in Orthodoxy if you are still using the tools of Protestantism to cope with your pain.
3. Practical Warfare
When these songs come to your mind "out of your control," treat them as a distraction or a temptation (a warfare of the mind). Do not entertain them. Instead:
- Stop the song immediately: The moment you recognize it is a Protestant song, stop.
- Replace it with a Coptic Psalm or Hymn: If you are in a hard time, pray the Psalms from the Agpeya. If you want to sing, sing the Hallelujah or the Kyrie Eleison.
- Invoke the Name of Jesus: Use the Jesus Prayer: "My Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." This has more power to speak to your situation than any Protestant lyric.
4. Immerse yourself in the Authentic
If you find yourself longing for music, listen to the hymns of the Church recorded by faithful cantors like Moalem Ibrahim Ayad or Moalem George Mikhail. These hymns are not just "songs"; they are the recorded breath of the Holy Spirit through the history of the martyrs.
In summary: Do not feed the habit. When these songs come to you, view them as an opportunity to turn back to the true Orthodox way. Tell Efnouti - God, "Lord, I do not want the comfort of these old ways; I want the comfort of Your Holy Church."*
Bring this to your Confession Father, as he is the physician who can help you fully purge these old influences from your spiritual life.