The attacks by professed Christians against Christian Metal Music have bothered me for quite some time. I witnessed these attacks first hand as a teenager when I went with friends to see 'Petra' in concert. There were groups of religious protesters trying to convince the crowd that this band was evil even though the band was leading people to Christ in songs and concerts. Jesus didn't come in the "Kingly" form that the religious people thought he would come in and they rejected him as well. The crowd was convinced and bought into what the religious pharisaic sect was telling them to the point that they crucified Jesus. Today, the religious sec is trying to crucify Christian Metal bands because they don't appear or sound like they think they should appear and sound like. However, in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul states: 19 "Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law — though I myself am not under the law — to win those under the law. 21 To those who are without that law, like one without the law — not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law — to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. 23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits."
Members of Metal bands often dress like rock stars with their leather and in some cases long hair becoming all things to all people, so that they might win souls for the kingdom of God. Because of the way the band members look and sound, others "religious" people are accusing them of being worldly and just as bad as the secular bands. Some of the genres that the "religious sect" suggest we listen to, instead of Metal, are 'Southern Gospel', 'Adult Contemporary' , or even 'Classical' Music. First off, it could be said that most in these three genres dress like the "world" with their Suits and ties. A Christian puts on a suit and tie and thinks it's the dress of the "Godly" however we find secular business men around the world putting on suits not to go to church but to go to work to engage in the world and make money. Should we say that Christians are embracing "Evil dress" because they wear what the world is wearing? I don't believe that suits and ties are Evil but am just making a point and I hope you are understanding the hypocrisy that I have witnessed and am witnessing today.
If a person is raised on Southern Gospel and that's all they hear mostly in their church and is what they purchase to listen to then to him he is going to struggle when he hears Metal music. I became a Christian at the early age of 13 and began listening to Christian Rock and Metal music and so I was, in essence, raised on Harder music and have a harder time appreciating Southern Gospel or Hip Hop. Often, I do listen to some Adult Contemporary bands for their Praise music because their is a time for all things.
If a person is raised on Southern Gospel and that's all they hear mostly in their church and is what they purchase to listen to then to him he is going to struggle when he hears Metal music. I became a Christian at the early age of 13 and began listening to Christian Rock and Metal music and so I was, in essence, raised on Harder music and have a harder time appreciating Southern Gospel or Hip Hop. Often, I do listen to some Adult Contemporary bands for their Praise music because their is a time for all things.
Today, I am in my 40's and have my own Metal site for finding Christian Metal bands. I often scan the Metal realm to find more bands to post on the site. It hurts to see all the post on the web of Christians attacking Christian Metal music. It states in John 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." How do you think it looks to the secular-non Christian society when they see these web post of brother against brother? Do you think that when they see Christians fighting over Metal music that it makes them want to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior?
Is Metal Music and the heavier Vocals of singers in the genre Evil? Well to answer this question we will need to analyze what is written in biblical text of Psalms 33:1-5 which states: "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. 4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."
In Verse 3 we are told to "play Skillfully with a loud noise". This is one reason that a lot of Metal heads are attracted to Metal music in that bands are very "skillful" being very technical therefore permitting that the music be listened to time and time again without becoming easily bored with the arrangements. We are also told in Psalm 33:3 to play skillfully with a loud noise. I think that the Metal bands have that aspect covered in that their music is often very loud. In the ESV translation it says "Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts." I believe that the Metal bands have the "shouts" covered as well as we can find shouted out lyrics in Thrash Metal, Hard Core Metal, and in many other genres of Metal music.
Some additional verses that are related to the above verses are: Psalm 95:1,2 which states: 1 "come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." To many like me, Metal music is a joyful noise and it's made for our Rock(Jesus).
Psalm 98:4 states: 4 "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." In Zephaniah 3:14, the Israelites were instructed to sing and shout as they rejoiced over God's salvation: 14 "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem".
Psalm 150:3-6 has instructions for us too: 3 "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Metal music best fulfills these instructions as there are stringed Bass instruments, 6 and 12 string guitars, often there are symphonic instruments like Violins, Cellos, Trumpets, flutes, and there are plenty of (Loud sounding Cymbals).
Some additional verses that are related to the above verses are: Psalm 95:1,2 which states: 1 "come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." To many like me, Metal music is a joyful noise and it's made for our Rock(Jesus).
Psalm 98:4 states: 4 "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." In Zephaniah 3:14, the Israelites were instructed to sing and shout as they rejoiced over God's salvation: 14 "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem".
Psalm 150:3-6 has instructions for us too: 3 "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Metal music best fulfills these instructions as there are stringed Bass instruments, 6 and 12 string guitars, often there are symphonic instruments like Violins, Cellos, Trumpets, flutes, and there are plenty of (Loud sounding Cymbals).
We are told by the "Religious Sect" that Metal lyrics are Evil. Often with secular(non Christian) bands we find evil lyrics and bands that are religious in nature because they have anti-God or anti-Christian themes in their lyrics. I mentioned that these bands are "religious" and that's because they push Christian/God hate, Scientology, evolution, Atheism, or even Satanism which are all false religion-belief systems. The Lyrics are what makes a song Christian based and the Bible states in Mathew 7:16-18: 16 "You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit."
Usually, if the band has solid christian lyrics then we can infer that they have good fruit as we are seeing it in the good lyrics. If the band is labeled as a christian band then the lyrics should have christian themes throughout the disc and this is one way that we will know if the tree is bad or good. There's always going to be rotten apples in the Christian Metal realm as there are bad apples in Southern Gospel and Adult Contemporary Christian music, but we need to try and identify them and not promote them.
The choice of some is to use music for Evil with evil lyrics but the choice of others is to advance the kingdom of God through Christ centered lyrics. What i am trying to say is that music in itself is not evil. However, when you put evil lyrics to it then we have evil songs that can indoctrinate and influence you. The devil can infiltrate any style of music and use humans to spread his doctrine of evil in any genre.
There are people that say that Metal is Evil because it does not comply with or fit into 'Praise Music'. However, there are a lot of Metal bands that put praise lyrics into their music and there are Metal bands that have come together to do praise compilations. There are even some Metal bands that are only dedicated to releasing albums that are praise music oriented. Listening to Metal music, I have found that I am often put into a spirit of worship as I sing along with the Metal band's uplifting praise lyrics, I often glorify Jesus by lifting my hands and praising His name.
In conclusion, lets stop hating and tearing each other up and instead try to understand music better "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. (Ephesians 6:12).
Also, lets stop trying to make people feel guilty about listening to Christian Metal music or any other forms or genres that Jesus is using to evangelize and encourage the Christians with, so that we are not found putting an unnecessary burden on the listener's shoulders that they should not be made to bear.
Also, lets stop trying to make people feel guilty about listening to Christian Metal music or any other forms or genres that Jesus is using to evangelize and encourage the Christians with, so that we are not found putting an unnecessary burden on the listener's shoulders that they should not be made to bear.
If you want to read more about this subject then here is a recommended site:
