Rock music really is Satanic. It promotes a view of mankind as merely beasts.
Dear joshrp,
Cordial greetings and a very good day. Jolly good posts of yours in this thread and I concur wholeheartedly with the above.
It is incontrovertible that the Holy Father has denounced that debased sensory material known as rock and pop music, albeit when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. Whilst his remarks were not an official ecclesial pronouncement they are, notwithstanding, indicative of the spiritual stature of the man who would become Pope Benedict XVI. Moreover, the Holy Father’s comments are not context dependent, even though they occur within the context of “rock festivals”, and so can be extrapolated into a general condemnation of all rock and pop music. As with that other hotly debated topic,
Ha**rry Potter, many contemporary Catholics just wish that the Holy Father had not made, what they deem to be, embarrassingly reactionary and dismissive remarks. Here is what he said:
**On the one hand there is pop music, which is certainly no longer supported by the people in the ancient sense (populous). It is aimed at the phenomenom of the masses, it is industrially produced and ultimately has to be described as the cult of the banal. Rock, on the other hand, is the expression of the elemental passions. At rock festivals it assumes a cultic character, a form of worship, in fact, in opposition to Christian worship. People are so to speak, released from themselves by the experience of being part of a crowd and by the emotional shock of rhythm, noise and special lighting effects. However, in the ecstasy of having all their defences torn down, the participants sink, as it were, beneath the elemental source of the universe. The music of the Holy Spirit’s inebriation seems to have little chance when self has become the prison, the mind is a shackle, and breaking out of both appears as a true promise of redemption that can be tasted at least for a few moments" (
Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press, 2000, p. 148).
Whatever else may be said, it is undeniable that the Holy Father does not speak approvingly of either rock or pop music. On the contrary, his remarks are wholly negative, especially when he describes pop music as “the cult of the banal” and rock music as “the expression of the elemental passions”. On any detached reading it is manifestly obvious that he considers rock and pop music debased sensory material that emerges from man’s base and primitive instincts. Now if words mean anything that is clearly what the Holy Father is saying and whilst we can disagree with him, let us have the integrity, at least, not to rationlize or neutralize what he actually said.
Granted, men are at perfect liberty to dismiss these insightful and wise words of Pope Benedict, for they are only his private opinion as a Cardinal and not official dogma. Nevertheless, those contemporary Catholics who never tire of loudly singing rock and pop’s praises, ought surely to carefully and prayerfully ponder his words and consider the possibility of revising their thinking regarding this debased art form. At any rate, those who feel compelled to denounce rock and pop music, can rest assured that they are in very good and eminent company and need not worry about any derogatory appellations being hurled at them. The very same appellations could also be directed against the present Holy Father.
In point of fact rock and pop music was specifically created to express a godless and immoral outlook and it admits of no doubt that its role has been pivitol in prompting youth to shamefully discard cultural and sexual restraints. Thus it is hardly surprising that this dreadful and unwholesome music makes its appeal to the elemental passions and chimes with something very basic and primitive within man’s fallen nature.
As Catholics who are pursuing holiness and who are striving daily to purify themselves “from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God” (II Cor. 7: 1), what have we to do with “the cult of the banal” or with music that makes its appeal to the “elemental passions”? I rest my case.
God bless.
Warmest good wishes,
Portrait
Pax
