Question:
Dear Greg,
Thanks
so much for your work. I just
received a videotape on the dark side of rock and roll.
They claim that many rock stars have backgrounds in the worship of Satan
and that their mission is to capture the minds of our youth.
It is shocking how far this music has evolved since the 50’s.
They document their claims. What
are your thoughts on the modern music world?
Doug
Answer: Dear Doug,
Having
had a long career with youth ministry, teaching at both the high school and
college level, as well as experience with college administration, I am familiar
with attacks on rock music by some within Christianity.
I
well remember the erroneous and false claims of back-masking (reverse Satanic
messages only clear when records were played backwards—but messages that
nonetheless lodged subliminally in the unsuspecting minds of youth).
This was sensationalism, presented as gospel truth in some churches, but
easily disproven, and when it was, where did that leave the churches?
It was not a good example of the sound mindedness that is a gift of the
Holy Spirit.
The
claims of satanic influences in the lives of rockers have also been around for a
long time. There is also proof that
there have been effective practical jokes—deliberate traps set by rockers to
trap those who were out to make them into Satan worshippers.
There are those within Christianity, who, in their zeal to take a stand
against what they perceive to be evil, do so unwisely and illogically.
I
am skeptical of any video, book or other source that would condemn “all”
rock music (again, whatever is meant by rock—it is a term that goes back to
the early 50’s, perhaps even into the 40’s).
I am sure, like any discipline, that there is some Satanism present in
some music (and again, such influences would exist in most genres of music, not
just rock), but to say all or most begs for proof, not hearsay.
In
Christ,