Why do priests (especially Catholic) think Rock music and Heavy Metal is "evil", but they never mention Pop as being "evil"? Pop generally has worse l

[KyPerson]

I’m 69 and grew up with rock, pop and metal. Some I like, some I don’t. I don’t care for the extreme black death metal that’s popular in some circles, but I am fond of a lot of bands: Rush, Cheap Trick, the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden etc. Most of the time, I don’t listen to the words that much - I like the sound.

 

[jesusmademe]

Please, tell us what this accordion music is so that we can all avoid it.

I have heard of certain Protestants who didn’t like things like the barn dance. It was associated with sinful behaviour. Many people have dissliked the accordion. When they talk about the story of the accordion it is always a lot of talk about the people who dissliked the instrument.
Dancing has been associated with the evil.
As an accordionist myself I say that one should not avoid the amazing accordion.

 

[JanR]

I’m 69 and grew up with rock, pop and metal. Some I like, some I don’t. I don’t care for the extreme black death metal that’s popular in some circles, but I am fond of a lot of bands: Rush, Cheap Trick, the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden etc. Most of the time, I don’t listen to the words that much - I like the sound.

The words are often drowned out by the music, or sung in such ways they’re hard to understand. That’s fine, if that’s what you like. I like to be able to hear and understand lyrics, as well as listening to a catchy tune or pleasant melody, along with good harmony. A nice balance between words and music makes for enjoyable listening.

I do like some instrumentals that are played without the words. The melodies, alone, speak to me.

 

[Allegra]

I’ve never heard a priest condemn a genre of music. I know several that are rock music fans. What they do is condemn sinful lyrics. Maybe, due to the typical age of priests, the priests you’ve dealt with focus more on rock music because that is the music they grew up with and have more experience. “Pop music” is simply the commercial music that is popular at a given time. Rock was the pop music of it’s time.

 

[neophyte]

Some of the most obscene lyrics I’ve ever heard were in songs from the '30’s.

I’ve never heard a Catholic priest say that kind of stuff about any genre of music, but I’ve heard many, many Southern Baptists do it. And yeah, Jazz got the hairy eyeball from them as well.

 

[Aulef]

The priest at the chapel I go to say mundane and modern music are either indifferent or evil, depending on the lyrics and the rythm.

We should go for the ones that elevate our soul and the ones that give us joy

 

[mary15]

My priest advises me to guard my heart, my mind, my soul.

To avoid sin and the near occasion of sin.

For me, this means listening to joyful music, like Bach, that truly lifts the spirit.

I need to save myself from the fires of hell, so that is where I have discerned that my efforts need to be every single day.

Chester, I cared about you. Wish I had met you:

 

[BartholomewB]

Many religious people even forbid accordion as it made people interested in sinful dancing and behaviour they said.

I just got a very funny mental picture of Lawrence Welk being an instrument of Satan.

There goes my Weird Al collection.

Also Polka. Which comes from Poland. Which is arguably the most Catholic country still left in Europe.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

Is there some reason I’m not aware of that priests think Rock is evil?

Where did you hear this? From a 100 year old priest that has dementia and thinks it is 1955?

Where did you hear one priest say this? Let alone more then one?

 

[phil19034]

Why do priests (especially Catholic) think rock music is “evil”, but they never mention Pop as being “evil”? Pop generally has worse lyrics than Rock does, and there are Christian rock bands.

Semantics. The OLDER people (including priests) who still say this don’t even know there is a difference between rock and pop. To them, it’s all rock music.

To many of these people “Christian rock music” isn’t “rock music.” To them “Christian rock music” is an oxymoron because “rock music” = “bad music.” They would simply consider “Christian Rock” simply to be “contemporary Christian music.”

Point is: it depends on what “Rock music” means to a person.

BTW - there is a priest who hosts a Radio Show (and podcast) called “Religion & Rock.” It’s been on the air for over 28 years. The Monsignor DJs (good) rock music and discusses the religious themes and/or the religious lessons that can be pulled from the music (even if they were not intentional by the band) http://www.religionandrock.com/

 

[edward_george1]

To them “Christian rock music” is an oxymoron because “rock music” = “bad music.” They would simply consider “Christian Rock” simply to be “contemporary Christian music.”

Most Christian rock music is just bad music, marketed such that we have to ignore that it’s bad because it’s labelled “Christian.” To quote Hank Hill: “You’re not making Christianity better. You’re just making rock’n’roll worse.”

 

[Maxirad]

Last month, I created this thread concerning the band Slayer.

 

[Dedios]

The Christian pop singer Cliff Richards released a song called ‘Why should the devil have all the good music.’ I’ve not heard of the Church making any official (or unofficial) pronouncements on Rock or Heavy Metal music.

 

[po18guy]

Why are “other people” always wrong, judgmental, irritating, and just plain wrong and we are always correct? And those “other people” think the same thing!

Could it just be that human nature and our thinking is broken?

 

[Mountie]

Whenever I hear someone call Slayer “satanic” or “blasphemous,” this article is what I cite.

https://bustedhalo.com/features/christ-illusion

Personally, I love rock and metal music. I know that some bands, and by extension the genres, have had negative labels applied to them. I think that we are all called to discern what we intake, whether it be from the television, radio, or other forms of media. As such, I do my own personal diligence when picking out what songs to listen to and what songs to skip. I’ve seen Slayer play live. I think that they are great musicians. Even so, they have songs that I choose to skip. But the bad doesn’t negate the good. I still think that Slayer offers musical and religious value. I still listen to Slayer. I think this article shows the good that can be derived from Slayer, even if it isn’t an endorsement to listen to them.

 

[adamhovey1988]

“Rock and Heavy Metal”, this tells me you are younger than me. List of rock genres
Second of all, I have NEVER been told that rock music was evil by priests. The most I have been told is to be careful of the content. I know a priest that grew up in Germany (though he is Polish) and listens to Neue Deutsche Härte

 

[dochawk]

Most Christian rock music is just bad music, marketed such that we have to ignore that it’s bad because it’s labelled “Christian.”

let’s be fair, Father: it’s also bad theology!


In “I worship You”, the words are of increasing importance, but in contemporary “Christian” music, the order is reversed . . .

My wife and children tend to turn that on, and it drives me out of my mind!