Is Christian Metal Sinful?

[Desk trauma]

Metal is music to a band as screaming is to a preacher who screams.

Which brings up one of my favorite ironies, screaming preachers have to use very similar vocal techniques to metal vocalists.

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

Which brings up one of my favorite ironies, screaming preachers have to use very similar vocal techniques to metal vocalists.

Interesting. I honestly love Christian metal but feel guilty for liking it so. Demon Hunter is one of my favorite bands of all time especially after leaving agnosticism behind.

 

[Desk trauma]

Interesting.

There was a local AM preacher whose sermons could instantly become mediocre death metal with the addition of musical backing. I couldn’t help but laugh when I happened upon his pale imitation of Johan Hegg growling about the immortality of modern times.

 

[Shempster]

Would you guys include Disciple in the "metal" genre?

 

[Sketcher]

Christian metal is fine. There's even secular metal that is fine.

 

[Halbhh]

I'd think it's one song or band at a time, to see whether it is good or harmful. Which?

 

[Halbhh]

I'm not a metal fan, see.

So, it's only stuff others posted I know about, from this fun thread, people sharing all kinds of favorite Christian music a while back:
Who's your favorite Christian music band

Some metal songs in that thread
From post #6

From #20:

And several in post#58, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th:
Who's your favorite Christian music band

 

[Halbhh]

This one was hopeful --

 

[Halbhh]

Ah...years later, the singer from that last, Flyleaf:

 

[MehGuy]

I can sympathize with why some Christians would be wary of metal. I've always been a fan of metal (black metal in particular) since I first came into contact with the sound. Even during my Christian days. Can't say I ever really had the will power to stop listening to the music. Although I was always conflicted over it. The idea of black metal being sung in heaven never sit well with me.

Hard to answer, music is subjective. Although I do have a hard time thinking many people don't derive a certain pleasure of anger and hate when they listen to metal. Especially metal with rough vocals. You could make an argument that Christians should be focusing on higher things. Not that a Christian can't have justified anger.. but purposely seeking a feeling of anger out and dwelling on it doesn't sound like something Christ had in mind.

 

[Halbhh]

Ah...years later, the singer from that last, Flyleaf:

wow, she was an atheist and a metal singer, and found God....

There are some interesting details!. (also performances since)

 

[Halbhh]

I can sympathize with why some Christians would be wary of metal. I've always been a fan of metal (black metal in particular) since I first came into contact with the sound. Even during my Christian days. Can't say I ever really had the will power to stop listening to the music. Although I was always conflicted over it. The idea of black metal being sung in heaven never sit well with me.

Hard to answer, music is subjective. Although I do have a hard time thinking many people don't derive a certain pleasure of anger and hate when they listen to metal. Especially metal with rough vocals. You could make an argument that Christians should be focusing on higher things. Not that a Christian can't have justified anger.. but purposely seeking a feeling of anger out and dwelling on it doesn't sound like something Christ had in mind.

ah, that will be a very different consciousness, not at all like now. Consider even the best we can have here and now is only an incomplete, an "in part" --

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
--------------

So, even our very best here is just an 'in part' compared to what will be. And that's only one aspect too, because we can expect that consciousness itself will be different. You know how at moments in life you feel or sense or momentarily may touch something better than normal here? That's a hint, I think. But only a hint. Our peak experiences, even real bliss -- these are only a hint of what is possible.

Mostly here, we don't understand.

We don't know.

We can't touch much.

When you hear a preacher, you hear someone that doesn't know.

That's the normal.

 

[Dave-W]

 

[Idromos247]

Would you guys include Disciple in the "metal" genre?

Bands Like Disciple, Red, skillet, thousand foot krutch, pillar and the like are Hard rock.. Some of them may have "Metal influences".

Christian Metal would be bands Like Stryper, whitecross, Bloodgood (80s Metal), Deliverance, Seventh Angel and Tourniquet (Thrash Metal), Fit for a King, Impending doom, and Saving Grace (Deathcore), Extol, Fleshkiller, Soul Embraced, Becoming the Archetype, and Pantokrator (Death Metal) Theocracy, Sinbreed, and Harmony (Power Metal)

 

[cvanwey]

My previous poll had an incorrect question. I want to fix it by asking the question I intended to ask instead of what I asked before.

For example...

Disciple
Demon Hunter
early Norma Jean
Red
Mortification
Love and Death (basically 'Christian' Korn)
etc.

I want these things for replies:

1. Opinions on the matter. This is a poll, after all.
2. Biblical debates on the matter.

I will participate as best as I can.

If continuous praising and/or groveling in lyrics is 'sinful', I really wonder what isn't?

And just because the music has one topic (praising God), does not mean it has to be terrible to listen to.

I admit I don't know the words to most songs. But when I hear a Christian song, any Christian song, I can tell it is a Christian song immediately.

 

[seekingmuch]

Is Christian metal sinful?

Nope.

 

[Dave-W]

 

[DogmaHunter]

My previous poll had an incorrect question. I want to fix it by asking the question I intended to ask instead of what I asked before.

For example...

Disciple
Demon Hunter
early Norma Jean
Red
Mortification
Love and Death (basically 'Christian' Korn)
etc.

I want these things for replies:

1. Opinions on the matter. This is a poll, after all.
2. Biblical debates on the matter.

I will participate as best as I can.

As a metalhead myself, I'ld say YES, it is sinful.

But probably for different reasons that some theists would think so….

 

[Sanoy]

I don't think it's sinful, but I think one needs to be aware of it's style effects. For example I can listen to Petra and Disciple 24/7, but red and demon hunter have a depressive tone (example "drop D") that I have to watch out for. I only like the singing songs on DH but those are also the low style. Watch what emotions it draws out in you.

 

[DogmaHunter]

I don't think it's sinful, but I think one needs to be aware of it's style effects. For example I can listen to Petra and Disciple 24/7, but red and demon hunter have a depressive tone that I have to watch out for. I only like the slow songs on DH.

I don't get people who can listen to the same music style 24/7 tbh.
I sure can't. After an hour or two, I really need to change the tune.