I love metal, but some bands are anti-Christian

[MrFancyPants]

As the thread title states, metal is my favorite genre of music. I listen to it all the time, though I also do listen to pretty much every other genre of music (with exception of modern rap and pop), depending on my mood, but metal consumes most of my music listening time. Most of the metal bands I listen to do not seem to be anti-Christian, at least not in their lyrics or message, but there are a few who I really like to listen to from a musical standpoint and clearly are anti-Christian.

When I listen to metal I rarely pay attention to the lyrics as I'm mostly interesting in the musicianship, and I play guitar myself so hard hitting metal riffs are my favorite. Honestly I couldn't even tell you what most of the songs I listen to are about because I don't hear the lyrics, just the music, if that makes sense. Now I'm conflicted because there are bands I've listened to and have come to really enjoy the music, then found out later they are anti-Christian, and I feel guilty and feel like I need to stop listening. I certainly don't want to partake in anything which blatantly disrespects or dismisses the Lord, so I wonder if not listening to those bands is the right decision, or if I don't really hear the lyrics if it's still OK to enjoy the music.

Now I do draw the line with many of the most egregious anti-Christian bands out there like Dark Funeral and Dimmu Borgir, and I don't like their music anyway so I don't listen to them, but the bands I'm referring to are Kreator, who writes awesome thrash metal songs, and DevilDriver (I honestly don't know what DevilDriver is about), but I like the music.

I'm just curious what other believers in Christ think. Maybe the answer is obvious and I'm just having a hard time accepting it, but should I expect spiritual repercussions from listening to the music of anti-Christian bands even though I don't pay attention to or agree with the message? I'm honestly scared to look more deeply into some other bands I listen to regularly and find out they are the same, like Testament, which is one of my favorite bands of all time by far and I listen to them all the time. I'd be crushed to find out I shouldn't listen to them either. Alex Skolnick is a huge influence on me.

So there it is. Let me have it.

[71MUSTY]

I love Christians, but some Christians are anti Metal.

[Dirtlaw]

I hope this doesn't devolve into a long reply, but here goes. Why not try employing your craft to create a better mouse trap. I mean, could you create Christian framed metal music better than what's currently out there? Maybe music could be your ministry. I know some people that might be able to help you. Please feel free to PM.

[The War Wagon]

Love me some Barren Cross - good Christian speed metal - like Jesus used to listen to!

[CVShooter]

Who says you can't enjoy some parts while disliking other parts? Seems like most of life to me.

Growing up, my parents were freaked out about "hard rock" devil bands like Motley Crue, Juda's Priest, etc. because they took the devil worship theme pretty far. I see it as artistic BS now -- shock-jocks of their day. Funny thing is that they didn't want us listening to that so they pretty much gave us the green light for any rap we wanted. So instead of listening to Motley Crue, we listened to 2Live Crew, Easy E, NWA, etc. Go figure. As an adult, I see Motley Crue as way more mild than the ganster rap of the late 80s & early 90s. One is a rebellious reaction to conservative prudes while the other is outright degrading to half of the human population, let alone themselves.

Art is just art. Let them speak. But you don't have to buy into any of it.

[Master_Prestige]

[Liberty Prime]

Now I'm conflicted because there are bands I've listened to and have come to really enjoy the music, then found out later they are anti-Christian, and I feel guilty and feel like I need to stop listening. I certainly don't want to partake in anything which blatantly disrespects or dismisses the Lord, so I wonder if not listening to those bands is the right decision, or if I don't really hear the lyrics if it's still OK to enjoy the music.

Personally, if the music/lyrics themselves were not contradictory to my beliefs, then I would NOT worry about the opinions of the people who created it. However, if the music/lyrics itself contradicted the truths I held dear, I would abstain from listening.

I will watch movies that were featuring/written/produced by "evil" people. But I will NOT watch movies that advocate doing "evil".

1 Corinthians 10:27-28:

If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.

But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice [to an idol]," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.

[Barang]

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

it was hard to let go songs that i like that contradict with God, anti-American & anti-Constitution. but as i matured in the Word, it's now easy to forgo them and be in submission to Jesus.

[damon1272]

I used to listen to testament, Death, and ministry and some other bands back in the day. I listen occasionally but tend to be draw to other types of rock that I associate with my dead self. As I liked the anger and power that those types of music bring up.
Not telling you not to listen anymore but you may want to look at what response the that type of music evokes in you. For me I listen to the lyrics. I can’t listen to some of my favorite bands anymore now that I know that they speak of raising demons and evil. Heck even Billie Elish sings of Lucifer. How many young girls are mouthing the lyrics and not realizing what they are saying.
If you are asking the question sounds as if God is speaking to your heart. Time to listen and make a decision.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bille+elish+and+sing+with+lucifer+lyrics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

[PoorRichRichard]

OP- I have the same problem with Punk Rock. I’m getting to the point where I don’t want to listen to certain Bad Religion songs. I love NOFX, but I can’t stand all of Fat Mike’s sociopolitical banter BS. There are a lot of newer bands putting out some great music, but there ultra-lib, candy-azz lyrics just plain suck.

[MrFancyPants]

Not telling you not to listen anymore but you may want to look at what response the that type of music evokes in you.

For me personally, if the music causes me to think ungodly thoughts, I won't listen to it.

I guess that's where I'm conflicted. The only emotions or thoughts any metal evokes in me are motivational and energetic. I really don't perceive anything negative in myself. Maybe because as a guitarist, in my head I'm focused on the guitar riffs, trying to figure out the chords and envisioning how to play the parts. It really is about the music for me, and I really enjoy the music.

On the other hand, if I'm listening to a song and I hear blatantly obvious anti-Christ messages, I'll turn it off (and not to sound like a liberal here) as it is quite offensive. I have thick skin for a lot of things, but it really cuts me inside to hear Jesus being torn apart, whether it's in a song or just somebody talking about it. That's why I don't give bands like Dark Funeral any notice because I knew beforehand what they were about, and I read some of their lyrics and it's just, wow. Just out of morbid curiosity I did listen to a couple of their songs years back as I had never heard them before, and at least for me, there's a feeling of darkness that came from listening to them, so I turned it off and have never listened to them since. I just don't get that feeling from the metal bands I currently listen to.

I don't know, I guess I'll just pay more attention to what the bands are about and weed out the obviously dark ones, which unfortunately includes Kreator, and that's a bummer because lyrics aside, they write some great music.

[M76]

the music business is secular and immoral, regardless of the content on the recordings.

[CVShooter]

One of the greatest weaknesses of American Protestant Christianity is that there is often a stronger emphasis on what people think or believe than what they actually do. Some people even take it to the extreme of dismissing their actions as just part of being a flawed, sinful being living in God's grace (the protective umbrella of their beliefs). Beliefs & talk are cheap. Actions are what really matter. So I see no theological conflict with listening to anti-Christian messages (when I was a Christian) any more than I see no disloyalty to my capitalist beliefs when I read the Communist Manifesto. What matters most is what you do.

I think Paul had it spot on when he asked the hypothetical question, "Should we sin that grace may abound? Hell No!" I take that to mean that belief counts for something but actions are where the rubber meets the road. So if you live a good life and act in accordance with your beliefs, I'd say music selection is quibbling over trivial matters.

[GeeBee49]

I have always preferred harder rock going back to the sixties. I listened to bands like Them, The Animals and The Yardbirds more than British Pop.
Then there was Hendrix, the original Jeff Beck Group and Led Zeppelin. Eventually this lead to Metal.
Through all of that I seldom, if ever, paid attention to the lyrics. To me, the vocals were just a sound, like another instrument adding to the music.

[GlockN'Roll]

Some?

Metal and Punk are largely premised on an outright rejection of Christian traditions as well as any/all associated societal standards and mores...

I personally find it very hard to completely separate the hateful message from the hate filled messenger...