Attraction to 'Gothic' music

Deeper99

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Hi guys. This is a serious question/concern. I love music so much, I always have. My concern is that I used to listen to some metal and honestly bands that I shouldn't have been (don't think I was saved). I'm going to name them-slipknot, Marilyn Manson, otep- I no longer listen to these disgusting bands. You see I worry about what these bands represent.

Anyhow, a few years ago I discovered a band called the birthday massacre-not a pleasant name but one song in particular 'happy birthday' I really liked. I can't explain it but the guitars, synths, the whole feel it was just so attractive and felt really good to listen to. They're an electronic gothic rock band (anyone know the band 'the cure? similarish to them) and I felt years ago that the song was the best song I ever listened to in my life . I stopped listening to them for a while but recently have been listening to them again-literally there now. My main issue is this, I really like the song or at least it really likes me, however I feel that the band is like new age and I don't know what they believe but their songs are definitely 'mystical' sort of like spooky fantasy stuff that I do believe is wrong but I don't FEEL convicted fully that it's wrong to listen to this. Heck one of their songs is called superstition, the type of imagery that they use on their album covers are things like skeletons, forests, blood, bunny rabbits (yes lol) If you feel comfortable you can look them up.

What do I do? Why am I drawn to this music? I'm worried but feel numb about this at the same time. My grandmother thankfully warned me about the occult and black magic which I've never dabbled in but why do I like music that seems to think this ok or seems to somehow represent fascination with this? (apologies also about my grammar it's just rubbish)
 

Jeffwhosoever

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You most likely are listening to the non-lyrical parts of it like I once did. When i realized what some of the songs were actually saying, like Ozzy's crap, I found the music increasingly repulsive so it took a while to shake it off. Find other music from Christians that are not just worship music and while you wind down one venue replace it with more inspirational stuff. There are plenty of genres of Christian music out there to offer you a good replacement, and you need not surrender your love of music in the process. For heaven's sake, we will have music in heaven too!
 
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zoidar

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Hi guys. This is a serious question/concern. I love music so much, I always have. My concern is that I used to listen to some metal and honestly bands that I shouldn't have been (don't think I was saved). I'm going to name them-slipknot, Marilyn Manson, otep- I no longer listen to these disgusting bands. You see I worry about what these bands represent.

Anyhow, a few years ago I discovered a band called the birthday massacre-not a pleasant name but one song in particular 'happy birthday' I really liked. I can't explain it but the guitars, synths, the whole feel it was just so attractive and felt really good to listen to. They're an electronic gothic rock band (anyone know the band 'the cure? similarish to them) and I felt years ago that the song was the best song I ever listened to in my life . I stopped listening to them for a while but recently have been listening to them again-literally there now. My main issue is this, I really like the song or at least it really likes me, however I feel that the band is like new age and I don't know what they believe but their songs are definitely 'mystical' sort of like spooky fantasy stuff that I do believe is wrong but I don't FEEL convicted fully that it's wrong to listen to this. Heck one of their songs is called superstition, the type of imagery that they use on their album covers are things like skeletons, forests, blood, bunny rabbits (yes lol) If you feel comfortable you can look them up.

What do I do? Why am I drawn to this music? I'm worried but feel numb about this at the same time. My grandmother thankfully warned me about the occult and black magic which I've never dabbled in but why do I like music that seems to think this ok or seems to somehow represent fascination with this? (apologies also about my grammar it's just rubbish)

I can also like music that isn't good for me, music most people (would even say Christians) wouldn't react to at all, but it's a passion in them that I know is not from God's Spirit. What do I do? I don't listen to them, even my flesh seems to enjoy. So I think it's the flesh that pulls you towards this kind of music. The pure heart rejoices in music that honours God.
 
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ReesePiece23

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I know The Cure - Robert Smith is literally a few streets away from me as I type.

People won't like this, but being Christian does NOT mean ruining your life. I've known too many people ditch the things they love just because some straight laced zealot has told them "the devil is trying to trick you" or "this is occult". It's mind control man, and premier league level gas lighting, pure and simple.

Take control of your own mind and understand that ONE song can be heard on as many different levels as you want. In my opinion, Slipknot are nothing more than a parody and a satire of the music scene. And Marilyn Manson to me is very much an avant garde artist. His work is conceptual and not something to be taken literally. It's a thing not a message.

The problem with "playing it safe" is that you'll never develop a personality of your own; all you'll ever be is another unremarkable, cookie-cutter, hymn singing puppet with no soul. Ironically the OPPOSITE to what God wants. God's given you not only a personality but also a brain, a brain that can decipher common sense and make sound judgements. (Do you take lyrics literally? The answer is probably no!)

You like Gothic music, fine. You probably like Gothic music for the same reason I like classical Indian Raga. I don't hear songs, I hear I precise musical constructions that communicate something to me. It's the same thing with The Beatles too, only it's not so much about the chords with them as it is the lyrics - especially with Lennon songs.

Think about it, everyone has a favourite colour, so this is a bit like calling you sinful for liking yellow. "You should be wearing grey" *wags finger*
 
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Jeffwhosoever

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Its also baloney that music has some backwards tracks of Satanic stuff on them. We tried that years ago when vinyl records were a thing and we could spin a record backwards. We heard wierd stuff but none of it was intellible. If I can't understand half the lyrics in the normal forward direction I really really doubt my subconsious can decode backwards things and make it intelligible even if it existed which as best we could tell with the dedicated effort by electronic engineers we could not make it come across even spun backwards.
 
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As a goth fan myself, I can sympathize with your position. I love Type-O Negative's October Rust album, but I won't allow myself to listen to it any more (nor any of my music collection). Why? Because it doesn't glorify God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.​

We are called to live in the world, but not be of the world. Not to love the world.

1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Christians shrug off their love for worldly things as okay, but these things will draw you away from your faith because of their influences on you. I know this to be true, I've struggled with it in my own life.

Christians will tell you that there is no satanic influence in this or that, but the most seemingly harmless things are under a thin disguise, to lure you in and trap you in a cycle of worldliness and sin.

My advice is to let go of the things of this world that you know are not good for your spiritual walk. Make the changes in your life that you know you need to. If you don't, you risk falling into the very thing Jesus warned about in Revelation 3—lukewarm Christianity. Or worse, walking away from the faith.

Revelation 3:15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.​

1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.​

Deuteronomy 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.​

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We're living in the last days and now is not the time to waver or sit on the fence. Is there wiggle room in these things? No, I don't think so. Some Christians think so, but scripture is clear on this.
 
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Sketcher

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I like hard music myself. We can't judge whether or not a band is into the occult by their genre (except for black metal; if it's not Satanic, it doesn't qualify as black metal, but I know of no other subgenre which that can rightly be said about). What we're left with is, does the song tear you down in any way? I believe Philippians 4:8 extends to guitar riffs, breakdowns, solos, good singing, etc. If it has you thinking bad thoughts or if it triggers temptation or if it is blasphemous though, you should probably back away from it, I had to repent of enjoying certain songs too much before for those reasons.
 
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aiki

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Anyhow, a few years ago I discovered a band called the birthday massacre-not a pleasant name but one song in particular 'happy birthday' I really liked. I can't explain it but the guitars, synths, the whole feel it was just so attractive and felt really good to listen to. They're an electronic gothic rock band (anyone know the band 'the cure? similarish to them) and I felt years ago that the song was the best song I ever listened to in my life . I stopped listening to them for a while but recently have been listening to them again-literally there now. My main issue is this, I really like the song or at least it really likes me, however I feel that the band is like new age and I don't know what they believe but their songs are definitely 'mystical' sort of like spooky fantasy stuff that I do believe is wrong but I don't FEEL convicted fully that it's wrong to listen to this. Heck one of their songs is called superstition, the type of imagery that they use on their album covers are things like skeletons, forests, blood, bunny rabbits (yes lol) If you feel comfortable you can look them up.

There's only one reason you're not feeling the conviction of the Spirit about the godless, anti-Christ music you're listening to: You've quenched the Spirit and seared your conscience. Others might contend that you don't feel convicted because there is nothing about which to feel convicted, but the character of the music you've described doesn't support this view. There isn't a spiritual No-Man's Land, some kind of spiritual and moral neutral ground, between the World, the Flesh and the devil and God in which you can live. Jesus was very blunt about this:

Matthew 12:30
30 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

If the music you're listening to isn't for Christ (I mean particularly music with lyrics), then it is against him. And if it is against him, - whether or not you feel convicted about listening to it - as a child of God you're obliged to forsake it. Will you be for Christ, for your Saviour and Lord, or against him? Making a practice of embracing the things of the World - its values, ethics, philosophies, morality (or lack thereof) - makes you an enemy of God, a kind of spiritual adulterer, actually, and cuts you off from the joyful fellowship with Him for which you were made.

James 4:4
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Colossians 2:8
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Music is perhaps the most powerful medium through which ideas can be expressed. Music touches us on a level beyond the merely intellectual, often evoking a very visceral and strongly emotional response from us, which, when coupled to lyrics of a godless, worldly, fleshly sort can influence us with great potency. So, be very careful about the music you listen to!

What do I do? Why am I drawn to this music? I'm worried but feel numb about this at the same time. My grandmother thankfully warned me about the occult and black magic which I've never dabbled in but why do I like music that seems to think this ok or seems to somehow represent fascination with this? (apologies also about my grammar it's just rubbish)

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
19 Do not quench the Spirit;

The idea in the word "quench" here is that of "extinguish," like putting out a fire with water. We can act to put out the influence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds. How?

1.) By neglecting to put "fuel" in the "fire" of our walk with God.

If you don't feed a fire the fuel it needs in order to burn, it will shortly go out. Are you neglecting things between you and God? Could your choice of music point to neglect of your relationship with God? How often and how much do you invest your time, energy and money (your "treasure") in your walk with God? Are you feeding lots of "fuel" into your relationship with God?

Matthew 6:21
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

2.) By "throwing water" on the "fire" of our fellowship with God.

We do this by allowing spiritual and moral compromise into our lives, by neglecting to be holy, set-apart children of God. And when we do, we halt the intimate communion with God that we were made to have with Him. (Psalms 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; 1 Peter 3:10-12) Does your choice of music and the lack of conviction about listening to it illustrate broken fellowship between you and God?

3.) By "smothering" the "fire" of the work of the Spirit within us.

This isn't necessarily actively engaging in sin but, rather, taking on the "weights" that bog us down spiritually. (Hebrews 12:1) These are things that aren't strictly sinful but have the effect of creating "drag" on our lives spiritually. They distract us from spiritual endeavors, and diffuse our interest and energy in our walk with God, and stifle our enthusiasm for the things of God. Often, the problem is one of proportion. Things that are perfectly all right in moderation are allowed to expand too much in our lives, competing with God for our hearts. Friends, fashion, hobbies, gaming, sports, alcohol, career, possessions - almost anything, really, that expands to such a degree in our lives that it smothers our walk with God, hindering us from running well the "race that is set before us" for the "prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Is your choice of Goth music a symptom of having quenched the Spirit in your life?

1 Timothy 4:1-2

1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,


James 4:17
17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Along with quenching the Spirit, we always at the same time sear our conscience. That is, we blunt it, making it far less sensitive, scarring it as we ignore and deny it, eventually making our conscience entirely useless as an inner moral guide. This happens usually in tandem with adopting lies about right and wrong, about what is and isn't acceptable to God, mixing the World into our faith, compromising the holy, set-apart life to which God calls us with a bit of wallowing in the activities, and philosophies, and values of the World. The more we do this, the more scarred and bent our conscience becomes and the less guilt and shame we feel when we act contrary to the will and way of God. We can, in time, grow hardened into this condition, unable to live any other way.

Hebrews 3:13
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
 
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Deeper99

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Thanks so much everyone for your comments. I need to ask the Lord for help with this and quit listening to music of this nature. Thankfully I could never listen to certain bands again (Marilyn Manson yuck, Otep and slipknot) and do believe this is because of the Lord. I'm not going to specify but a couple of years ago believe it or not I was asked to perform a song by a metal band (that I never listened to but was warned about) for a music exam- I didn't feel comfortable with this and I couldn't do it. Some other music/bands are tempting to listen to but I need to stop listening to them as I think it's causing more harm than good.

Take care everyone! <3
 
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bèlla

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I used to listen to those bands but don't anymore. My love of metal and hard rock is gone. It doesn't appeal. I like softer songs. Lyrics espousing love and kindness. I started listening to Asian boy bands, French jazz, and wholesome love songs. They're inspired by DH and he has similar taste. Save the boy bands! :D

For the record, the leader of Type O Negative came to faith before his death.

~bella
 
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newwaytobehuman

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I used to listen to those bands but don't anymore. My love of metal and hard rock is gone. It doesn't appeal. I like softer songs. Lyrics espousing love and kindness. I started listening to Asian boy bands, French jazz, and wholesome love songs. They're inspired by DH and he has similar taste. Save the boy bands! :D

For the record, the leader of Type O Negative came to faith before his death.

~bella

Have you heard of a Christian boy band that's big in Taiwan called Transition ? They British , from my home town and I know them well! They really good!
 
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newwaytobehuman

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Thanks so much everyone for your comments. I need to ask the Lord for help with this and quit listening to music of this nature. Thankfully I could never listen to certain bands again (Marilyn Manson yuck, Otep and slipknot) and do believe this is because of the Lord. I'm not going to specify but a couple of years ago believe it or not I was asked to perform a song by a metal band (that I never listened to but was warned about) for a music exam- I didn't feel comfortable with this and I couldn't do it. Some other music/bands are tempting to listen to but I need to stop listening to them as I think it's causing more harm than good.

Take care everyone! <3


There are some good Christian alternatives e.g. Petra, Whitecross, Skillet
 
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bèlla

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Have you heard of a Christian boy band that's big in Taiwan called Transition ? They British , from my home town and I know them well! They really good!

No, but I'll check them out! Thanks for the recommendation. :)
 
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