Smashing Pumpkins and Tarot

[Mithrandir]

Hi everyone,
I’ve been a fan of the Smashing Pumpkins for some time. Thirty-Three was my favourite song for a while.

However, I heard fairly recently that the name of that song was inspired by something a ‘psychic’ or tarot-reader told Billy Corgan, the lead singer. I haven’t noticed any references to the occult in the song, and in my view its story seems very similar to that of a sinner returning to the fold, and has always struck a chord with me.
I have also found that the main album of their new ‘sub-album’ Oceania was originally intended to be Corgan’s take on the tale of “The Fool” from tarot.

What I’m wondering is - should I stop listening to the song “Thirty-Three”/the band itself? I was also considering buying Oceania, could anyone who’s heard it tell me if it’s best avoided?
I feel their music has brought me closer to God in the past, and would be disappointed to leave it behind, but - of course - if it is best for my soul it’s not much of a debate!

(Sorry, non-Pumpkins fans won’t understand much of the above )

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this

 

[Elizium23]

I used to love Smashing Pumpkins just as I loved other indie, goth and industrial bands, but I was not a practicing Catholic at the time, and I paid little attention to depravity or occult/pagan influences in lyrics and bands. If anything, it attracted me to them and created a mystique for me. But I have found in my conversion that almost all of these bands do not produce music suitable for listening by a faithful Christian. In particular, just looking through the first couple albums of Pumpkins offerings, I found “Tristessa” based on a Kerouac book, “Siva” based on Tantric principles, and what was really the clincher for me, “Today” which soft-pedals or even glorifies suicide and self-mutilation.

Personally I feel it is not worth giving these bands the attention they crave if they are going to lead us away from Christ, personal holiness, and glorification of God in Heaven. That is the central question I ask myself about anything that takes up my time these days: Does it lead me to Christ? Does it glorify God? If not, why am I wasting energy on it?

 

[nikoletodd]

I am a smashing pumpkins fan as far as a “hey…I like that song” type but I was unaware of the connection. Thanks for mentioning it and giving me food for thought.

 

[IfYouLeadMe]

I love some of Smashing Pumpkins, reminds me of my grunge days when I was massively into Nirvana etc. I bought Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, but I didn’t really like the album Adore much. That started to get too screamy/thrashy… haven’t heard much more after that.

Anyway, like a lot of other music I haven’t always taken full notice of what’s being said or the “meaning” behind it. I’m sure reading up about many songs would probably take me aback! I did read a biography on Robert Smith and The Cure once and that went into a history of all their albums and explain the meaning behind certain songs. If anything I only appreciated the song more. Some songs I can definitely relate to, others I get a sense of what they were going through at the time.

I will admit hearing blasphemy bothers me quite a bit, and excessive swearing is unnecessary. But I don’t think hearing about someone’s experience with a Tarot reader is going to bother me, as much as they might make it sound all fascinating etc. It’s not going to change my opinion that I personally would not go.

I would just go with your gut instincts, if you feel uncomfortable or unsure about something then don’t listen. It may just mean you even skip a few songs from an artist but not necessarily all of their work.

 

[Mithrandir]

Thank you all very much for replying.
I shall review the songs and see what I feel God is calling me to do.

You are right, it’s not worth compromising sanctity over a band, or anything.