I am not familiar with all the bands that were mentioned, but I do know A Perfect Circle. I have been enjoying their new album immensely. It is full of deep feeling and thoughtful lyrics, enhanced by carefully crafted musical expression. I enjoy as well MJ Keenan in TOOL. I find their music, especially their Lateralus album, very spiritual, but certainly not demonic. JWs see demons everywhere, and when my kids were teens, I hated my son listening to TOOL. Now, I love them too. Music does have power. As for Witness boundaries, I once knew a JW elder who discarded all his Neil Diamond albums as unfit for JW listening, when he 'came into the troof'. I threw away a Glen Campbell Christmas album...how silly!
Satanic music or not (Opeth) - boundaries of JW listening material
by Frantic 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Frantic
Hey Truman,
Good to hear you are enjoying the new album 13th Step (I have 2 copies because my JW friend sold the other one to me). The reason he got rid of 13th step is this - Jeordie White (ex bassits for M Manson (supposed commercial satanist)) is now the bassist in A Perfect Circle. My argument to my friend is that Joerdie is not a satanist because thats a gimmick (like with wrestling - Jeordie played Twiggy Rameriez). But he doesnt buy it. He still thinks Jeordie is a satanist and wont listen to 13th step because of that.
What do you think about this?????? Please, it would be nice to get a JW point of view on the whole skitch.
Also, of A Perfect Circle's first album "Mer De Norms" the track "Judith" contained lyrics "F#(k your god!" - he sold it to me also. But just a week ago bought Mer De Norms again. Weird. He said he would just skip the "Judith" track. -
sonofapreacherman
I remember when the evils of disco were the target of a couple of late 1970s magazines. A number of friends who had stocked up on vinyl following the Saturday Night Fever craze weeded out most of their collections after consulting with a youthful but spiritually strong MS in our congregation.
One of the mags implied that the 4/4 beat of most pop music was derived from the drums used in African demon worship. I pointed out, to a few friends, a number of songs in the old pink leather-bound song book that were set to the same 4/4 time. They only blanked me.
I have since had the misfortune to suffer a lot of cheesy disco music at Witness weddings.
-
Huxley
I'm not sure if I've heard the 'death growl' in any song before. I have heard some bands that sound like cookie monster from Sesame Street is singing. I bought the new Killing Joke album, and at times Jaz Coleman does sound like the blue, furry, sweet-toothed muppet.
Huxley
-
-
petespal2002
I've not heard of any of the music mentioned on this thread. My mom threw out a Beatles disc because "I am the Walrus" was "unchristian". What's wrong with "yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dogs eye" for petes sake?
-
truman
Frantic,
I was a JW for 27 years, but am currently not attending meetings any longer, though I am not under any official sanctions, not df'd. If I were still in my former JW days, I would have probably been concerned about the factors you mentioned, like the fact that some band members are professed satanists. I am not so concerned about such factors anymore. I have a much more accepting viewpoint for others belief preferences. I judge the quality of the music, not the personal lives of the musicians. Yes, art and music come from the hearts and minds of their creators, and are no doubt influenced by the beliefs of the persons involved, but I think micromanaging that factor in selection of what is acceptable to listen to, is over-rated by the Witnesses. Also, I think that gererally, this mindset engenders a considerable amount of hypocrisy on the part of most JWs. It is often excepted when it comes to whatever is attractive to a particular person, but applied broadly to the taste of others in the cong.
-
the mole
When my father was young he was told not to listen to Elvis and when i was much younger i was told by several elders to throw out my led zep albums now my kids have been told not to listen to any christian music or rock because they will be lead astray to have sex and do drugs or believe false teaching of christ..so nothing has changed. commen sense and balanced ethics should be enough advice to anyone who listens to what ever kind of music they want. I was told not to listen to asian music once and it made me laugh and i ask the elder why? he said we dont know what the person is singing about. how ignorant. it was only tieko drum music....and a mix of melodies on a tape from japan. my friend taped it for me when he was japan off there top ten radio music in 1994.....
-
rocketman
I remember when the evils of disco were the target of a couple of late 1970s magazines
Yep, I remember that too. Whenever something new comes along, count on some denunciation of it.
-
Sassy
My mom freaked out when she looked at it and threw the album (record (out of the cover) into our field saying there were demons with it.
What Mormon beliefs were contained in their lyrics?I wasnt allowed to replace the (thrown out) album. Its ironic that now after 'coming out' I might be interested in listening to the album with a different interest than a teen twenty some years ago. I did a search for lyrics but could find none on the album. I did find the album though and I remember the songs with titles such as:
War in heaven
Before the beginning
Are you up there
The Last Days
were some of the offending titles to my mother and the elders... I found the following review on the net tonight
Most of the songs deal with God's Master Plan, the future of
I am thinking I might just order the "now on cd" release.. if nothing for old times sake.. you reminded me of something so long ago.. why not!
our world and/or mankind and deal with such morals