Hard rock music...Evil?

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I’m not too sure where this should go but here it is.
i was a fan of hard rock and metal music since I was in 2nd grade. Now I know some people say some bands and songs in this genre are “un-Christian or Satanic” (like the songs that insult God,etc.) but would listening to songs about sex,drugs,murder,etc. be sinful? I know this question may sound stupid but please provide some insight on this.
By the way, I do agree that any song that insults God is wrong but the other songs listed above do not tempt me to sin in anyway.
Not all hard rock deals with these kinds of things mind you.
 
Wow, what a fun topic!

I grew up in a very strict church and was taught that music was evil, that the ‘beat’ of rock music was from hell, and was told all sorts of rediculous stories about rock bands.

So then we’re supposed to listen to Christian music, which in my opinion mostly stinks! There was always an alternative to whatever type of music you liked. You know, “hey, if you like Metalica, you’ll love so & so.” Why can’t Christians ever be the one’s paving the way, instead of always trying to imitate the mainstream?

Personally, I agree that music that profanes the name of Christ would be out of the question. As for the other topics you mentioned, I have found that through the years, my desire to listen to such music has lessened in relation to my spiritual growth. I don’t mean all rock music in general, just music that is more blatantly anti-christian-morals in general. Still a huge music fan though. Thankfully (unless your into rap/r&b) it is not as much the norm as it used to be to find sexually explicit lyrics in music.
 
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Mr.Blank:
I’m not too sure where this should go but here it is.
i was a fan of hard rock and metal music since I was in 2nd grade. Now I know some people say some bands and songs in this genre are “un-Christian or Satanic” (like the songs that insult God,etc.) but would listening to songs about sex,drugs,murder,etc. be sinful? I know this question may sound stupid but please provide some insight on this.
By the way, I do agree that any song that insults God is wrong but the other songs listed above do not tempt me to sin in anyway.
Not all hard rock deals with these kinds of things mind you.
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Well all I know that in the seventies, people used to say that if you spun some of the lp’s backways, with the amplification on you could hear messages fro the devil, I have never tried this and don’t intend to.
Besides I do think that music is a gift from God and a miracle, imagine 7 notes, A B C D E F G the first 7 letters of the Alphabet and always a differnt harmony, give or take a few 7’ths minors, sharps and flats.
But yes I do believe that music is a miracle, but unfortunatly Satan has used it against God.
 
When I was a teen I listend to everything and my parents let me as they said the more they fought it the more I wanted it, I didn’t think much of it. I still like some rock music but I do look into the singers these day, if I hear or find out online or through a magazine or whatever that they worship the devil then I won’t listen to them and turn the station if they come on. If a rock group I like has songs that are filled with dirty words or about sex I just don’t listen to those songs. I don’t see anything wrong with rock groups in general just do some back ground checking to see what they are all about and listen closely to their message, if its changing you then turn the station, I know some country songs that are way out there, either very dirty, very depressing, promote drinking or violence or sex and I won’t listen to those either.
I like christian rock also. Just my opinion 😃
 
I think there needs to definitely be discernment - and this is from a guy who loved it all in the '80s.

But I still indulge. Metallica, Iron Maiden, Krokus, Kick Axe… ahhh, the memories. I don’t pull it out often, but I must satisfy the occasional urge to play the air guitar. :o
 
I do not think it is sinful to listen to the music, but it may lead to sin. The music itself, without the words, is what gets us interested. I know when I was in high school I listened to a lot of music where the words were less than edifying. Luckily, however, I did not pay very much attention to the words. I just liked the music, and would brainlessly sing along if I knew the sequence of words. So beyond the surface, I think, it would be the music that has more influence than the words. At least Plato seems to think so if you read “The Republic”.

On another note, as much as I like Bill O’reilly, I think he chasing after the wind in his pursuit of those artists who have explicit lyrics. Just my thought.
 
I’ve been a hard rock/metal fan since I started high school (15+ years now) and I still love all the classic metal bands of my youth (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, and of course all the hair metal bands: Warrant, Slaughter, Poison, etc). Personally, I think that lots of metal music is “evil”, but there is plenty that is not. I just avoid the overtly anti-Christian stuff (or if I do listen to it, I just ignore those themes). As far as all the stuff promoting vice, well, I just look at it as escape music. I don’t do those things and it doesn’t influence me to do those things. Like someone said above, I just happily sing along. Though I can definitely see that if you’re in a place in life where those things are tempting you, then the music is going to reinforce the temptation and not help you make the right choice.

Since becoming Christian (which was 5 years ago; I became Catholic on Easter), I have been looking for good Christian metal bands. If you know of any worth checking out, especially if they have some MP3s to download to see if I like them, let me know.

I just started a thread about my current favorite band - a great Christian band called Theocracy - over in the Family Life section. The thread is called “Theocracy: excellent Christian metal band” and here’s the link:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=5311

Gomer Tree, I saw a Kick Axe video on Metal Mania on VH1 last night 🙂

Oh, and on the language issue: I very much appreciate it when a band can convey their ideas without cursing. I can handle it just fine if they do curse, but I really respect it when they don’t.

Also, there are some mainstream bands who are bucking the trend, even if not in a very advertised way. Linkin Park, who are the leaders in the metal-n-rap area (any teen knows and probably loves them) is a clean band. They do not allow any drinking, drugs, or groupies on their tour. The only people allowed on tour are spouses and kids. They also never swear in their songs (they do plenty in concert, but never in the music).
 
i myself love death metal and progressive metal. everyone thinks i’m weird for it like you can’t be both catholic and like heavy guitar riffs, double bass, and screams/growls… you can’t be metal and sing about pretty flowers, come on!
 
its not evil. it can be angry at times, and if you cant control your temper you probably shouldnt listen to it. well, if the song was explicitly about satan then i guess it would be evil. but otherwise, hard-rock isnt evil. what it can make you do as a result of it raising your temper can be.

just chill and listen to what you want, just dont listen to stuff that makes to think or act in a way that you dont like.

-cole
 
Hard rock itself is not evil. Any type of music, be it classical, that glorifies satan would be evil. But genres themselves are not.
I admit it, I listen to Rammstein and consider them one if not my favorite band. Yes, I also admit that some of their songs as ‘questionable’, but some of them are pretty deep as well. I don’t listen to all their songs, some of them I stay away from. But most of their songs are fine.
 
I love hard rock. I guess they often call them hair bands now. I think the death metal and the growls, etc., are meant to sound dark and evil though. All I can say is, be careful of the mood/environment that the music was created to convey. Music in general is neutral, but I don’t think every melody is neutral. But in general I enjoy loud guitars and songs of fun, spirituality, anguish, love, and all sorts of emotional expressions with clean lyrics.

As far as bad lyrics, I too love my old favorites, but there are two things other than personal corruption that we have to worry about. I think these are lessons in highly advanced levels of Christianity which are beyond where most of us currently are. These things are–we shouldn’t be giving money to people who sing about bad things ON ANY ALBUM or curse in public to help people think they’re cool. Also, everything we own is evidence of our lives that people can pick through when we invite them over. When we die all our belongings come to light when people are going through what we left behind as testimony of our lives. I’m not ready to give all my stuff up yet, but I should. And I make a point not to go out and buy more, because there are plenty of great Christian bands out there now, unlike the tacky, amateur-sounding stuff available in the 80’s. I sympathize with people who know some really great guitar riffs with bad lyrics, you can’t soft-pedal the truth to allow ourselves every possible pleasure–we have to give some things up for the cause.
 
Wampa said:
I have been looking for good Christian metal bands. If you know of any worth checking out, especially if they have some MP3s to download to see if I like them, let me know.
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Katholicus, Stryper, Holy Soldier, Guardian, Whitecross, Whiteheart, Idle Cure, Halo, Mastedon(note the e, as there is a Mastodon that is NOT a Christian group), Living Sacrifice, Extol, Project 86, Demon Hunter, Petra, Barren Cross, East West, X-Sinner, Resurrection Band(a.k.a. Rez Band), Norma Jean(I think they are Christian), Jamie Rowe(lead singer of Guardian), Michael Sweet(lead singer of Stryper), Scott Springer(lead singer of Halo), John Schlitt(lead singer of Petra), Bride, Degarmo & Key, Mylon (Lefevre) & Brokenheart, 77s, Disciple, Staple, Spoken, One Bad Pig, and Tourniquet.

Other hard rockers would be Kutless and Skillet.

Oh, and I heard that King’s X is supposedly Christian, too.

I hope that helps.
 
ChangingHeart said:
Resurrection Band(a.k.a. Rez Band),
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Hope these guys are not evil, as they were responsible for me making a “decision” for the Lord, at their concert.

(I know its a protestant deal some of you may not understand, but a commitment is a commitment and they helped me see it)

🙂
 
Mr.Blank said:
…but would listening to songs about sex,drugs,murder,etc. be sinful? …
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In my opinion, if the lyrics are glorifying sin, then yes, listening to the songs would be sinful whereas if they are condemning the sin then listening would not be sinful.
 
Kitty_Chan said:
Hope these guys are not evil, as they were responsible for me making a “decision” for the Lord, at their concert.
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“Love Comes Down” is really the only song I know by them, and I like it alot.
 
ChangingHeart said:
“Love Comes Down” is really the only song I know by them, and I like it alot.
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They were some of the first christian music I listened to. I liked them for being honest and standing up for the underdog.

Something about music and me. I can always listen to music but cant always read, listen, watch, go to, whatever things of God. Music always breaks through for me. Reaches the soul if you will when other forms cant.

This is why I dont think its evil but can be used in a evil way. By promoting derogatory lyrics that kind of thing.

Or it can be used to move one to comtemplate Gods ways. It can be powerful with some people and not others. Must be the way we are bent.

🙂
 
I like some very black/speed metal. I don’t really pay attention to the lyrics at all. Believe it or not I enjoy just listening to the lightning fast dueling guitars…😃
 
If Christian bands are all we’re allowed to listen to, then no wonder more people aren’t Christians.

Anyhoo, I like rock, hard rock, alternative, indie, etc. I’m into a lot of bands that are composed of Christians but are not “Christian bands,” per se. They are incredibly talented and glorify God in a great many ways. They just might never mention “Jesus” in a song by name, but frankly, I’m okay with that. Their lives are a testimony from where I stand, and the message of their music is overwhelmingly positive.

I also listen to bands composed of non-believers. In these cases, I’m just naturally more picky about songs.

In any case, I want to hear good music, not sappy gospel tunes. I think by and large it’s about personal discernment.

I have a friend who is holier than the Pope (lol Okay, maybe it’s a hyperbole, but not by much) and he listens to death metal and things like that, but he has such a great filter. He was the one to get me into certain bands. He likes to find God in the most unlikely places and I’m drawn by that very much so…
 
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