Did Pope Benedict XVI condemn "rock music" as satanic?

[Lost_Wanderer]

Interesting morning I had today. I lacked a bit of sleep last night because circumstances forced me to wait for my sister before heading home. All throughout this morning, momentary sleepiness kept getting in the way of my tasks. What’s worse is that I had to charge my PSP and that was where my music was.

However, once it was done charging, I quickly grabbed it, plugged in my earphones, and toyed around with the shuffle mode. Since then, I was able to finish my work and I’m now doing some extra tasks for good standing and stuff.

Y’all wanna know what was on my playlist?

Dame - Samurai X 7th ED
Rolling Star - Bleach 5th OP
We Are - One Piece 1st OP
Oversoul - Shaman King 1st OP
Sore Ga, Ai Deshou - Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu!? OP
GO! - Naruto 4th OP
Chain - Air Gear OP
Action - Clamp in Wonderland song
Orion Wo Nazoru - Tiger and Bunny 1st OP
Honto No Jibun - Shugo Chara 1st ED

You wanna know what thoughts those songs inspired (and obviously got my brain to finally run)?

1. A journey through a fantasy version of 19th century Japan. Brave antics and samurai action abounds!
2. Fire! Swords! Spellcraft! With my dragon katana, I cut down all that threaten what I hold dear! Let your spirit surge, Tatsumasa!!! activates shikai
3. High seas! Clear skies! Uncharted realms! I travel in search of grand treasures and endless adventure!
4. The peaceful morning of your classic Japanese school life story. Love confessions! Gakuen comedy! A cute setting for my ideal love life… TwT
5. Ninjas! Shadow clones! No matter what, I shall always fight for my comrades! forms hand seals
6. One word: Freedom. The freedom of the sky, flying towards the blue world! (prays Dear God, PLEASE MAKE AIR TREKS REAL ALREADY! How hard can it be to invent high-powered, high-jumping rollerblades!? ;w; )
7. A whacky race through different worlds. One crazy adventure at a time. :3
8. Hooray for product-placement superheroes!!! XD
9. <insert all manner of sparkly, magical girl transformations> w

(What can I say? Music has a funky relationship with my imagination. )

Replace all of that with classical/religious music though and I will personally drag you, angrily, all the way here. Put you in front of my boss. Then sit down as he hollers at you, asking what possessed you to knock me unconscious and costing him an entire day’s worth of copywriting material.

P.S.

We can see that same truth at work today. Is there any doubt that the structure, rhythm, and melodies of rock music heighten what is referred to in the spiritual realm as the fleshly passions? Music, all kinds of music, affects the soul in ways that are barely perceived by those of us whose spiritual eyes are clouded over by the cares of this world.
(From “A Guide to Music in the Eastern Orthodox Church”)

Well, glad to find more reason to stay Roman Catholic. (No offense to anyone.)

 

[1AugustSon7]

A photographer whose an acquaintance of mine, who’s very much at the forefront of the modern style, photographed a young woman about a year back. I remember seeing how he accentuated a tatoo she had across her back (it was clearly his favourite part of her). It read,
“Black Hearts Now Rule.”

Increasingly, as I examine popular culture, I am forced to concur.

 

[carn]

I was quoted parts of this article by someone arguing that the Pope is “out of touch” and an intolerant conspiracy alarmist because he condemns “rock music” as “satanic.”

Is there any truth to the charge?

I do not know, what Ratzinger said back then.

But the question, whether this claim has some truth:
“Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the modern successor
to the Inquisition, said there were “diabolical and
satanic messages” in much of today’s heavy metal music.”

might have to be answered affirmative.

Evidence:
magistrix.de/lyrics/ACDC/Highway-To-Hell-16719.html
"No stop signs, speed limit
Nobody’s gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it
Nobody’s gonna mess me round
Hey Satan, payed my dues
Playing in a rocking band
Hey Mamma, look at me
I’m on my way to the promised land

I’m on the highway to hell
higway to hell. "

Depicting the destination Hell as unavoidable and maybe even something positive that one earns by giving Satan his dues, is quite opposite to Church teaching. As Churchs teaching is supposedly Gods message, opposite “teaching” is at least suspect of being satanic.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

A photographer whose an acquaintance of mine, who’s very much at the forefront of the modern style, photographed a young woman about a year back. I remember seeing how he accentuated a tatoo she had across her back (it was clearly his favourite part of her). It read,
“Black Hearts Now Rule.”

Increasingly, as I examine popular culture, I am forced to concur.

What’s wrong with the color black?

You just say the word and I can dedicate an entire thread showing how white and gold are overrated colors. As a matter of fact, I made a similar thread just a few months ago.

 

[Joe_5859]

I do not know, what Ratzinger said back then.

But the question, whether this claim has some truth:
“Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the modern successor
to the Inquisition, said there were “diabolical and
satanic messages” in much of today’s heavy metal music.”

What is the source for this half-quote?

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

I always thought it was a parody as well. I looked on songmeanings.net and someone posted this:

It was written by Angus Young. They had a REALLY hard time touring in America for the first time, and Angus really hated it, because of all the satanism **** that was being said about them. Several states even tried to ban them form playing, but AC/DC’s lawyers told them that it was illegal, so AC/DC took the states to court and won the battle to play, but the states wouldn’t let them stay in any of the hotels in the state, which is legal, so the abnd had to stay in a hotel outside state limits, and then drive to the gig where they got jostled by the crazy uber-religious people.Angus labled the drive to the gigs the “Highway to hell.”

This person didn’t word it too well, but yeah, it’s a good bet that such thinking was behind that song.