Is it wrong to listen to Heavy Metal and Ozzie Osborne?

[Jackson Cooper]

I like the way many of Ozzie Osborne's and Black Sabbath's songs sound. Ozzie Osborne is known to bite the heads off animals and have a satanic appearance. Supposedly he has stopped doing drugs and become quite religious in the Church of England.

Even if Ozzie Osborne is a Hell-bound Satanist, would it be wrong to listen to his music? There are plenty of raunchy country singers, but I don't see too many Christians condemning country music.

His song, Mr Crowley, sounds like it's condemning the famous occultist Allister Crowley.
"Mr. Crowley, what went wrong in your head?
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?
Your life style to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
You waited on Satan's call
Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this Earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth"

 

[Neogaia777]

I like the way many of Ozzie Osborne's and Black Sabbath's songs sound. Ozzie Osborne is known to bite the heads off animals and have a satanic appearance. Supposedly he has stopped doing drugs and become quite religious in the Church of England.

Even if Ozzie Osborne is a Hell-bound Satanist, would it be wrong to listen to his music? There are plenty of raunchy country singers, but I don't see too many Christians condemning country music.

His song, Mr Crowley, sounds like it's condemning the famous occultist Allister Crowley.
"Mr. Crowley, what went wrong in your head?
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?
Your life style to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
You waited on Satan's call
Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this Earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth"

If it does not bother your conscience, then I'd say it's fine for you...

I listen to a lot of rock, however I am very selective about even the individual songs I listen to, some even from the same artist in some cases... Like I may really like one specific song by one specific artist, yet not like another one of their songs maybe, and it might bother me, so I pick and choose carefully according to what my conscience tells me about each individual song...

And I usually make custom playlists according to that...

God Bless!

 

[~Anastasia~]

I asked myself those questions when I was about 14 and a fan of Ozzy Osborne and AD/DC, etc.

I'm not sure I'd say it's "wrong" in a legalistic sense - honestly that opens the door to tossing everything into either "yes" or "no" piles that cause endless debate. But really, what I think is at stake is a kind of questioning to ask "how close to the edge can I walk and not fall off?" - which is never a wise way to approach such things. First off, the answer is a little different for every person, with each question. And we are usually unqualified to answer. We don't know our boundaries until we cross them.

I thought to myself that - even if it's not wrong - its unprofitable to listen to the worst of the worst lyrics. After all, we repeat the Jesus Prayer in hopes of it descending into the heart and becoming the focus of our direction. Why do we want instead the focus of our direction to be "I'm on the Highway to Hell" or something similar?

I think you have to be fully convinced in your own mind. But I can't see a way that it is profitable to your soul, even if it might be allowable. That's how St. Paul spoke of such matters.

 

[ArmyMatt]

you can, but I wouldn't that much if it were me.

 

[Neogaia777]

I like the way many of Ozzie Osborne's and Black Sabbath's songs sound. Ozzie Osborne is known to bite the heads off animals and have a satanic appearance. Supposedly he has stopped doing drugs and become quite religious in the Church of England.

Even if Ozzie Osborne is a Hell-bound Satanist, would it be wrong to listen to his music? There are plenty of raunchy country singers, but I don't see too many Christians condemning country music.

His song, Mr Crowley, sounds like it's condemning the famous occultist Allister Crowley.
"Mr. Crowley, what went wrong in your head?
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?
Your life style to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
You waited on Satan's call
Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this Earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth"

I think a lot of that about Ozzie was for appearances and not who he really is or was really (being a hell bound Satanist) If he really was a hell bound Satanist, why did he write and sing song lyrics like you just quoted...?

Sounds like he might have a certain kind of love or compassion for Satanists, which can be dangerous, but he really doesn't seem like he is really one of them, but might maybe be one who escaped them, or their fate, and perhaps that's where his dangerous compassion for them comes from IDK...?

Trust your conscience and feelings in it and with them is what I would say...

Just be aware that that might and can change over time as well...

God Bless!

 

[Jackson Cooper]

I asked myself those questions when I was about 14 and a fan of Ozzy Osborne and AD/DC, etc.

I'm not sure I'd say it's "wrong" in a legalistic sense - honestly that opens the door to tossing everything into either "yes" or "no" piles that cause endless debate. But really, what I think is at stake is a kind of questioning to ask "how close to the edge can I walk and not fall off?" - which is never a wise way to approach such things. First off, the answer is a little different for every person, with each question. And we are usually unqualified to answer. We don't know our boundaries until we cross them.

I thought to myself that - even if it's not wrong - its unprofitable to listen to the worst of the worst lyrics. After all, we repeat the Jesus Prayer in hopes of it descending into the heart and becoming the focus of our direction. Why do we want instead the focus of our direction to be "I'm on the Highway to Hell" or something similar?

I think you have to be fully convinced in your own mind. But I can't see a way that it is profitable to your soul, even if it might be allowable. That's how St. Paul spoke of such matters.

I know song lyrics can have subconscious effects. Do you think it would be harmless to listen to Heavy Metal so long as I wasn't bothered by the lyrics? Is it problematic that the singer I'm listening to may have written another song with bad lyrics?

 

[Jackson Cooper]

you can, but I wouldn't that much if it were me.

Even the songs that don't have any bad lyrics? I wouldn't listen to any song of any genre that has lyrics about sex and blasphemy.

 

[Neogaia777]

Even the songs that don't have any bad lyrics? I wouldn't listen to any song of any genre that has lyrics about sex and blasphemy.

Some popular seemingly innocent pop songs that even kids sing to and sing out loud and are exposed to, can have a lot more about sex in them than most rock songs do...

And those actually bother me more, personally, in my case, to be honest...

Each one according to his or her own individual conscience I would say...

God Bless!

 

[Sabertooth]

The test for me is would I be comfortable singing along (with a particular song) in Jesus' presence? There are plenty of secular songs where I would be. There are many where I would not be.

(And, over time, you might feel the need to change where you would draw that line. )

 

[Ivan57]

It's between you and God. I listen to old rock, and I know there are a lot of songs that mention the Devil and the like, but aren't bad. An example is the song "Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden. In it, the singer is describing a dream He had of seeing Satan perform a ritual and he ran to tell the police. It's not a Satanic song at all. There are a lot of songs that are definitely not good to listen to, but rock isn't only about songs involving Satan. Those are the ones that are picked out a lot to bash the genre. Most of the genre is not like that.

I listen to a lot of old rock, new rock, heavy metal and the like, but I am selective of what I listen to. If it is leading me away from God, or not sitting well in my conscious, I don't listen to it. A genre of music isn't inherently evil, it's the way it is used. There is good and bad in everything. I've also been supplementing more Christian music into my jam sessions. For me, it helps me refocus on God. Thankfully there is also Christian metal/rock (though unfortunately a lot of the bands aren't to my taste)! Demon Hunter is one of my favorite heavy metal Christian bands.

 

[Jackson Cooper]

It seems snobby to refuse to listen to music made by a non-Christian. Would I refuse to hire a plumber because he wasn't Christian?

 

[Anguspure]

I like the way many of Ozzie Osborne's and Black Sabbath's songs sound. Ozzie Osborne is known to bite the heads off animals and have a satanic appearance. Supposedly he has stopped doing drugs and become quite religious in the Church of England.

Even if Ozzie Osborne is a Hell-bound Satanist, would it be wrong to listen to his music? There are plenty of raunchy country singers, but I don't see too many Christians condemning country music.

His song, Mr Crowley, sounds like it's condemning the famous occultist Allister Crowley.
"Mr. Crowley, what went wrong in your head?
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?
Your life style to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
You waited on Satan's call
Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this Earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth"

It once occured to me that at one point Ozzie may have been very close to accepting God and Christ Jesus.
But this could be said for a number of artists I have listened to from the era.
The question we have to ask ourselves is not whether it is OK to listen to the music as such; rather what do the lyrics and the spirit of the music tell us about Christ Jesus?

Do they move us closer to Him (perhaps even by reminding us of the hopelessness of life without Him), or do they put us in a frame of mind that alienates us from Him.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Even the songs that don't have any bad lyrics? I wouldn't listen to any song of any genre that has lyrics about sex and blasphemy.

I have a particular "relationship" with how I interact with music that might not be common to all people.

But for me - no, I avoid entire genres. The first time I went to a Divine Liturgy, the "Lord Have Mercys" played within me for days.

The music I surround myself with has a profound impact on my soul. So as for me - I listen only to sacred music, chant, etc. most of the time.

I guess I can't tell anyone else what they should do. But if someone wonders, it might be worth it to spend a few days listening only to the sacred music, and see what happens?

 

[~Anastasia~]

It seems snobby to refuse to listen to music made by a non-Christian. Would I refuse to hire a plumber because he wasn't Christian?

I think media and art are a different thing to consume than skilled trades. It's an unfair comparison.

Are you concerned with the books you read, the movies you watch, the art on your walls? The music you listen to falls into the same category, though some people are affected more by what they see, others by what they hear, etc.

Who fixes your sink or cuts your grass isn't going to have the same impact.

 

[Neogaia777]

It once occured to me that at one point Ozzie may have been very close to accepting God and Christ Jesus.
But this could be said for a number of artists I have listened to from the era.
The question we have to ask ourselves is not whether it is OK to listen to the music as such; rather what do the lyrics and the spirit of the music tell us about Christ Jesus?

Do they move us closer to Him (perhaps even by reminding us of the hopelessness of life without Him), or do they put us in a frame of mind that alienates us from Him.

I pick and choose the ones I feel draw me closer to him I think...

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

I have a particular "relationship" with how I interact with music that might not be common to all people.

But for me - no, I avoid entire genres. The first time I went to a Divine Liturgy, the "Lord Have Mercys" played within me for days.

The music I surround myself with has a profound impact on my soul. So as for me - I listen only to sacred music, chant, etc. most of the time.

I guess I can't tell anyone else what they should do. But if someone wonders, it might be worth it to spend a few days listening only to the sacred music, and see what happens?

I do listen to KLove a lot, and some Christian music a lot as well, but also certain kinds of both secular and Christian rock too... Most wouldn't understand my tastes in music I don't think...

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

I think media and art are a different thing to consume than skilled trades. It's an unfair comparison.

Are you concerned with the books you read, the movies you watch, the art on your walls? The music you listen to falls into the same category, though some people are affected more by what they see, others by what they hear, etc.

Who fixes your sink or cuts your grass isn't going to have the same impact.

It is going to very specific and very different for every individual I think... I think that's just a part of being "individuals"... I just don't think we should be judging each other in it or them... And if someone want's you to listen to, or watch something they like, but it bothers you, just simply ask them, if and/or if that bothers them, and just simply tell them that it does kind of bother you, without judging them for it though, just say it's just not for you is all, but also explain to them, that if it doesn't bother them, then it must be OK for them, but just not you is all...

If they want to know why or get offended, just try to be as gentle with them as possible, and explain that your just different from them, and that it's not because you think you are any better than them, or that there is something wrong with them and right, or more right with you either, but that your just two different individuals is all... Be easy but be honest, speak the truth in love...

God Bless!

 

[Ivan57]

Sometimes I give up secular music for a set time, just to focus on God and get away from it. Not that it's bad, but I found myself sometimes just listening to music a lot and thought I should tone it down haha. I've even found some secular songs that make me think about God, such as a couple Killswitch Engage songs. The lyrics talk about relying on someone or something else, and I found that they relate back to the times I was away from God and not where I should be, and the sorrow and despair of it, yet knowing that He always calls me back in love.

 

[dzheremi]

Consider the advice of our blessed and holy father St. Paul the apostle to the Corinthians: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are edify."

I do listen to quite a lot of non-Christian music, though I try my best to avoid any that has non-Christian religious themes (e.g., Islamic or Hindu or whatever music, as opposed to music made by Muslims or Hindus with secular themes). I also try to make sure that on balance most of what I listen to is either explicitly Orthodox, or if not then something that would be acceptable in an Orthodox Christian context even if it is performed by non-Orthodox (e.g., Gaelic psalm chanting from Lewis, which is Presbyterian but would fit in just fine alongside Ethiopian chant, and is at any rate just plain psalm texts, nothing 'interpretative').

I don't listen to any heavy metal, though, so I can't speak directly to the OP's situation. I will say that with immediate family members in the rock'n'roll business over the past 40+ years (my father and my brother; my father is retired, but my brother is still at it), I have learned that a performer's onstage persona or media persona very rarely lines up with their personal life. Alice Cooper is apparently a Sunday school teacher, and what'shisname main guy from the heavy metal band Slayer is apparently a practicing Roman Catholic (though I don't think that's a credit to the genre so much as the fact that he is Chilean). So, with any kind of music you're likely buying into an image that is calculated to sell you things. Maybe it is worth asking yourself if it is an edifying image.

 

[Neogaia777]

Sometimes I give up secular music for a set time, just to focus on God and get away from it. Not that it's bad, but I found myself sometimes just listening to music a lot and thought I should tone it down haha. I've even found some secular songs that make me think about God, such as a couple Killswitch Engage songs. The lyrics talk about relying on someone or something else, and I found that they relate back to the times I was away from God and not where I should be, and the sorrow and despair of it, yet knowing that He always calls me back in love.

That's just the thing, it could be a song intended to be about maybe the love between a man and a woman, but your seeing it as being between you and God, but the person sitting next to you listening to the same song is probably not thinking that, but you are...

A great deal depends on perspective and on who or what your thinking about at the time, so that two people could be listening to (or watching) or hearing the same things, but each getting a different "message" out of it and from it and sometimes, a different one for each person every time...?

Oh, and I will have to tone it down or change the music sometimes too also, due to a perspective change usually, even about the same song(s) in one moment and instance, won't bother me, but in another instance might start to bother me, and that's when I usually change it, and it depends a great deal on my mood, and perspective, and what I'm thinking about or have on my mind on at the time also...

God Bless!