Is this music ok for a catholic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jackrl98
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jackrl98

Guest
is it ok as a catholic that i listen to these bands?

metallica, megadeth, anthrax, pantera, helloween, avenger of blood, exodus, warbringer, blind guardian, iron maiden, black sabbath, axenstar, avantasia, hibria, fueled by fire, disturbed and many others that i can’t think of right now.

thanks!! 👍
 
That’s up to you. If you find that any particular bands/albums/songs nudge you into sin then give them up. But that’s highly individual. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the whole “dark” thing. Christians these days are kind of uptight about that but we have our own art from the past that’s like that. Even medieval monks could appreciate some pagan art!
 
jackrl98 said:
is it ok as a catholic that i listen to these bands?

metallica, megadeth, anthrax, pantera, helloween, avenger of blood, exodus, warbringer, blind guardian, iron maiden, black sabbath, axenstar, avantasia, hibria, fueled by fire, disturbed and many others that i can’t think of right now.

thanks!! 👍
Click to expand...
There’s nothing objectively wrong with heavy metal music, as far as I know. It’s a case by case thing, I think. I tend to think of it in these terms: if Jesus was standing next to me, would I listen to this music, or watch this movie, or read this book?

I like some metal, but avoid the dark stuff. I take it on a case by case basis. For instance, Anthrax’s latest album I don’t care to listen to, given the cover artwork.
 
Think this thought first: If Jesus or Mary were sitting next to me while I was listening to this, would they approve?
 
Try an experiment. Don’t listen to them for 2 weeks. Instead substitute with Gregorian chant or classical. See how you feel after 2 weeks.
 
Or try this experiment–look at the lyrics. Ask yourself how the Gospel might be coming through what’s being said. Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” I think has a powerful message about faithfulness, for example. If we truly believe in the Incarnation, then we should see the world as one charged by God, wherein everything can become a means of seeking him. I have friends who have experienced a conversion because of the words found in some ostensibly secular music. Even the “worst” music, the most anti-God music even, will contain some hint of the songwriter/artist’s struggle or journey to find God.

-ACEGC
 
edward_george said:
everything can become a means of seeking him.
Click to expand...
Sure, God can use anything. That doesn’t mean we should use anything. Why search for snacks at a toxic waste dump when you can order a full meal at the best restaurant in town?
 
Ad_Orientem said:
Try an experiment. Don’t listen to them for 2 weeks. Instead substitute with Gregorian chant or classical. See how you feel after 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
For me, that would only make me want to listen to the OP’s music.

OP, I would investigate each of the bands you cited. That’s quite a list you put together, I wouldn’t say its black and white and all those bands wouldn’t be ok for you to listen to. Some may be ok, some could be horrible choices.
 
I acquired don’t ask how some classical music and listened to that instead of my regular playlist and after listening to Bach’s Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring, everything else seemed to be chaos and sickness, so I got rid of most of the playlist except some radiohead songs. I advise OP to try the same
 
jackrl98 said:
is it ok as a catholic that i listen to these bands?

metallica, megadeth, anthrax, pantera, helloween, avenger of blood, exodus, warbringer, blind guardian, iron maiden, black sabbath, axenstar, avantasia, hibria, fueled by fire, disturbed and many others that i can’t think of right now.

thanks!! 👍
Click to expand...
I remember listening to those bands back in my younger days but just not into them anymore. I would look into the lyrics of the bands listed. Right off the bat Iron Maiden comes to mind when you look into their song “Mark of the Beast: 666”. It’s definitely glorifying the Devil and wouldn’t be something that Jesus Christ would be happy to know you were listening to. The stance I usually take is that if I have to question something’s sinfulness, chances are that it is sin. Just my take on the situation though. Nothing beats going to the Lord in prayer though. God bless.
 
Rocks_91 said:
… everything else seemed to be chaos and sickness, so I got rid of most of the playlist except some radiohead songs. I advise OP to try the same
Click to expand...
Funny, I don’t listen to these bands but I had long done what you just did with ‘chaotic music’ I got from games.

The result? I got sick of the mellow, classic stuff. I thought I was gonna crash into a wall after listening to that knock-out gas.

Chaos is energy. Our world thrives and was created by such fury. You know the best part? God created it that way.

I can’t speak much for those metal bands but I wouldn’t discourage the OP with your reasoning.
Ad_Orientem said:
Sure, God can use anything. That doesn’t mean we should use anything.
Click to expand...
You’re living in the 21st century, the time were a lot of people are looking for ways to do just that (via recycling, techno revolution, further research). Ironic eh? 😉
Ad_Orientem said:
Why search for snacks at a toxic waste dump when you can order a full meal at the best restaurant in town?
Click to expand...
One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.

One man’s noise is another man’s music.
 
Thanks everyone for replying. I have decided to cut out exodus, warbringer, avenger of blood, and the number of the beast by iron maiden.
 
Rocks_91 said:
I acquired don’t ask how some classical music and listened to that instead of my regular playlist and after listening to Bach’s Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring, everything else seemed to be chaos and sickness, so I got rid of most of the playlist except some radiohead songs. I advise OP to try the same
Click to expand...
There’s something extremely special about Bach’s music. When you listen to one piece you think you’ve found your favorite piece of music… that is until you listen to the next Bach piece!
 
jackrl98 said:
is it ok as a catholic that i listen to these bands?

metallica, megadeth, anthrax, pantera, helloween, avenger of blood, exodus, warbringer, blind guardian, iron maiden, black sabbath, axenstar, avantasia, hibria, fueled by fire, disturbed and many others that i can’t think of right now.

thanks!! 👍
Click to expand...
No, yes, no, no, yes, no, no, no, yes, maybe, sometimes, I don’t know, yes, no, no, no.

😛

The main question to ask your self is how the music effects you and your relationship with God. If it is an obstacle, you would do well to remove it.

Helloween and Blind Guardian are two of my favorites. Many of their songs even contain Christian themes. Megadeth sticks mainly to political commentary rather than any sort of religious themes (though I’ve heard Dave Mustaine is a professed Christian nowadays). I’m not that familiar with many of the other bands you mentioned.
 
Metallica is not problematic. Metallica is now Christian-influenced, I believe. Though they had some songs that sounded vaguely anti-Christian in their early career, they were mostly about the Christian Science religion that James Hetfield was brought up in. His mother died because of the wacky Christian Science belief that one should not take medicine or see doctors. He was, obviously, pretty angry about this and deservedly so.

Megadeth: is not problematic. Dave Mustaine (lead singer) is sober and a born again Christian. The song “Never Walk Alone” is about Jesus.

Avantasia: is not problematic. the later works seem to have nothing in particular to say, religiously. The earlier works (Metal Opera I & Metal Opera II) are likewise quite similar, apart from the fact that the concepts of the albums center around Christian Mythos (e.g. “Seven Angels,” “Glory of Rome”, “Sign of the Cross,” etc.)

Helloween is not problematic.

Iron Maiden is not problematic, IMO. Most songs are about history. Some may be darker than others but I really don’t think there’s anything very offensive here.
curtishouse30 said:
I remember listening to those bands back in my younger days but just not into them anymore. I would look into the lyrics of the bands listed. Right off the bat Iron Maiden comes to mind when you look into their song “Mark of the Beast: 666”. It’s definitely glorifying the Devil and wouldn’t be something that Jesus Christ would be happy to know you were listening to.
Click to expand...
First of all, Iron Maiden doesn’t have a song called “Mark of the Beast: 666.” They do have a song called “The Number of the Beast” on the album with the same name, so I guess that’s the one you’re talking about.

Second, I’m not sure that I agree with your assessment of this particular song. It begins by paraphrasing scripture. As I read it, it seems to be telling a story, mostly from John the Revelator’s viewpoint apart from the final verse.

Steve Harris has said it was about a nightmare he had, though it obviously includes imagery from the Revelation.
 
I think it depends on how seriously the music effects your treatment of other people and how you come off as a Catholic. There doesn’t seem to be anything in the Catholic faith that says what music you can and can’t listen to. I listen to all kinds of music. I like movies that the catholic church says are offensive some times. I mean, I like Prometheus, Alien and the Terminator films. I usually don’t like “O” labeled movies, but some I do.
 
I’ve struggled with this question myself. I am a guitarist with over 30 year’s experience. I grew up a fan of the Stones, Who, Kinks, and a slew of old blues stuff. I never listened to lyrics until I became a parent. Three of my daughters listen to Air1 radio, which has bands like Skillet, Switchfoot, Barlow Girl, etc. I was suddenly shocked that the message there is much better and cleaner than even seemingly harmless music like the early Beatles. The stuff I grew with has a constant drumbeat about sex.
However, the music is so predictable and banal on Air1 that I can’t stand it. I agree with the earlier post that, if Jesus were sitting with you, what would you be listening to?
 
Scott_D said:
I agree with the earlier post that, if Jesus were sitting with you, what would you be listening to?
Click to expand...
:confused: You really need to ask this?

Manowar, obviously. Jesus deserves to have something totally epic to accompany His presence.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top