I am a Christian but I like bands that express other than that belief and I sing the words when I listen to it some examples are Typo Negative "In Praise of Bacchus" which is a pagan theme. also "i sold my soul" by merciful fate I love these songs and I also love the band Disturbed and they have a lot of anger I'm sorry but this is my type of music what should I do?
I realize when I am listening to it that this is not my belief
and in praise of bacchus is one of my fav0rite songs ever because of the music so I wont stop listening to it, I just don't believe in it, like I know its paganism and i'm against tha
We sing or chant almost everything that is said during our Divine Liturgy. One of the things I most appreciate about that kind of delivery is that it gets into your spirit. It's a joy to wake up in the morning and have your heart singing prayers and praising God.
We also acknowledge that what we pray, what we sing, what we hear, is what we believe. It's a wonderful method for teaching (as I mentioned above, it gets into your spirit besides), and has been in use through the centuries, especially beneficial through all those times when the Scriptures were far too costly for everyone to own a copy, or for people who could not even read. They too could learn and absorb the Scriptures.
So. Do you ask yourself what are you learning and absorbing? We tend to tell ourselves that "it won't affect me" because I "know better" ... and some things may be so basic or outrageous that we know they aren't true. But even so, what surrounds us, what we soak in, affects our spirit, to some degree. No matter how we resist.
I'd like to mention something else from your post though. You said you wouldn't give it up, because you like it? As in, you've already made up your mind not to stop listening, even if it turns out to be bad for your spirit, because something in you gets enjoyment from it and that is going to determine your choice, rather than the health of your spirit?
I'm not trying to be harsh to you. Lord knows at times in the past I've gone into a question with the same attitude, or with the thought that I would be unable to give up something I enjoyed (in my case once it was an interactive computer environment that I justified by programming Christian-themed metaphors into the environments, and was really addicted to).
But I'm just laying it out to see if that's what you are actually saying. I may misunderstand you, and if I do, I apologize and ask your forgiveness. And you don't need to answer it at all. I'm only wanting to say that in my opinion, that is worth focusing your thoughts and prayers on more than a specific song.
I hope you can receive this in the spirit it is offered, and I've managed to just explain something I think is valuable to consider, rather than sound like I'm accusing (which I am not).
I think the fact that you are thinking about what pleases God, and what is beneficial for your soul, is a good thing.
God be with you.
