When is music inappropriate?

First off, I am not Muslim. But what if I were?

This story illustrates a music-religion issue:

Malaysia’s conservative Islamic party on Monday called for the Danish band Michael Learns to Rock to be banned from performing next month, saying it was an insult to Muslims during Ramadan....

“We are opposing this concert because holding it does not respect Muslims as it is the fasting month of Ramadan, a time for holiness and cleanliness,” PAS youth wing chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi told Agence France-Presse.

“It is an insult to Islam for the government to allow such a concert to take place and we urge all groups to follow our lead in demanding the concert be banned,” he said.

Now before you dismiss this out of hand by saying that conservative Muslims are unenlightened kooks, take a look at your own views and those things that you hold precious. Perhaps you'd object to a Klan concert on Martin Luther King's birthday. Or perhaps you'd object to a Christian concert during an official secular holiday.

While many of us, especially those who are inclined to read this blog, are music lovers, there are times when we believe that certain types of music - or any music at all - are not appropriate.

Or, more accurately, we prefer a certain John Cage piece during certain instances.