I am a (fairly) devout Christian, and make it known, but there are a lot of people that point at my metal collection and shout "Hypocrite" or some such. However, I flat out refuse to listen to anything that is anti-Christian (though I do like Viking Metal). This little standpoint is both a concession to my parents however, it is a personal choice that I follow completely. (Even though a couple really good bands were anti-Religious that challenged my viewpoint, ala Deicide and Draconian).

Anyways, I was wondering: Does anyone else share a similar ethical standing on music?

I prefer music that deals with topics other than religion (or with Norse religion), by the way. I'm not a huge fan of preachy Christian bands.

As a whole-hearted atheist, I enjoy anything anti-deities as long as the lyrics are not trite and have some purpose other than shock value. I will occasionally listen to songs with Christian themes, but I have no interest in listing to anything preachy either.

You should talk to Dane Train. He is the resident Christian metalhead on the website. He might have some interesting comments.

Christianity bashing is just a safe target for most artists looking to appear rebellious and appeal to the metal LCD. sure, some pedophile priests sleep with altar boys, but it's not like other "isms" have things that are just as bad or worse.

it's just easier to slam a group of people that is likely to turn the other cheek and pressure wal*mart to boycott your album than, say, one that might lock you in jail or issue a death warrant on your ass.

personally, i prefer lyrics that avoid religion altogether. but for the most part, i'm not listening to metal for the lyrics.

I don't really care about a band's religious view point. I have nothing pesonal agaist Christianity, but it just so happens that the majority of my favorive bands/musicians feel otherwise. The whole religion-bashing theme does however get a bit repetative at times.

Well I cant vote, because its be anti satanism, but I prefere more poetical, pfilospfical: life menaing , political, anti gourement etc, but depends each band indivudualy

I used to care, but now its dosent really matter
(faith issue)

Written by BitterCOld on 09.07.2010 at 07:10

Christianity bashing is just a safe target for most artists looking to appear rebellious and appeal to the metal LCD. sure, some pedophile priests sleep with altar boys, but it's not like other "isms" have things that are just as bad or worse.

it's just easier to slam a group of people that is likely to turn the other cheek and pressure wal*mart to boycott your album than, say, one that might lock you in jail or issue a death warrant on your ass.

Nah, I think religion as a whole is bashed way more than specifically Christianity. Unless you're actually talking about satanic lyrics.

Bands like Exodus and Destruction have also wrote songs/been public about denouncing Islam, so its not just Christianity that gets flak from metal bands.

As for how I feel about it, I dont really care one way or the other. I am not religious, and am very against organised religion, so I can relate somewhat to anti-religious lyrics. But I dont have a problem with christians/muslims themselves, as long as they dont condone violence, and dont ram their religion down other people's throats. I can also quite happily listen to Christian bands, so long as I like the music. Though Believer is really the only Christian band Ive heard who play music that I enjoy.

I prefer music totally detached from religion, or anti-religious one. Satanism is also a religious belief, and since I'm an atheist, both Christian or Satanic lyrics are flat out stupid to me. Though if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose Satanic one, because I believe that a lot of so called 'satanic' bands don't practice what they preach, but instead only enjoy annoying the religious majority.

I just don't care. Although for some reason I prefer Satanic lyrics to Christian ones.

I'm Christian but as long as the music is good i don't really care

I don't really care as long as the music is good, but i think some bands take it to far when tearing down religion

I listen to a lot of Black Metal but I do like Demon Hunter, As I Lay Dying and such. I'm not that close minded.

Music is music. I dont really care. I'm not a massive fan of christian music, but if the music is good then i dont care.

I don't like lyrics that advocate for any religion or belief/non-belief.

I chose neutral. I guess my vote would be closest to that anyways, I like bands that can have lyrical content revolving around religion, but be more ambiguous as far as religious stand points go, bands like High On Fire, and occasionally Dio. Best lyrics leave a lot open for the listener to interpret.

I don't really care either way. I'm not religious at all, so lyrics tearing down religion don't bother me, and christian lyrics don't bother me.

I prefer music that leaves Religion alone like (gore, sadistic

To me religion is something personal, therefore i'm against the idea of talking bad about other religion. I'm not really devout (I'm a Catholic, haven't gone to church in a year), but religion is important to me in some aspects.
I prefer lyrics about philosophy, life, or interesting lyrics that tell a story.

Since I totally fucking love first wave black metal, I'm going to have to go with satanic lyrics. Though only if they are more of the toungue in cheek first wave bm type and not of the more orthodox kind, which only rarely doesn't sound all pretentious and shit, in which case it can go fuck itself.

Paganism can also go fuck itself, as can christianity, but I can look past this if the bands are good enough.

Lyrics don't really matter to me when it comes to deciding whether a band is good or not. As long as the artist is putting the quality of their music in front of their message it's all good to my ears.

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 20:18

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

I get the feeling you don't like me?

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:03

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 20:18

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

I get the feeling you don't like me?

You're good at feeling.

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 23:05

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:03

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 20:18

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

I get the feeling you don't like me?

You're good at feeling.

I also have a feeling that this will happen again.

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:07

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 23:05

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:03

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 20:18

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

I get the feeling you don't like me?

You're good at feeling.

I also have a feeling that this will happen again.

You better believe it.

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 23:08

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:07

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 23:05

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 23:03

Written by vezzy on 28.07.2010 at 20:18

Written by Guest on 28.07.2010 at 20:12

Written by VinciShredder on 27.07.2010 at 02:17

Me being a Jew, i could care less about Religion in a song...I listen to Gorgoroth, i mean really! I also like Running Wild, and other seemingly satanic bands, so there you go. Music should just kick ass and be thought out.

You also like As I Lay Crying.

And you like Demon Hunter as well as a tirade of other worthless/average metal bands.

I get the feeling you don't like me?

You're good at feeling.

I also have a feeling that this will happen again.

You better believe it.

It's fine. I enjoy are little disagreements.

Satanic or otherwise dark lyrics tend to suit the kind of music I listen to. Imagining a band like Watain writing about loving Jesus... something just doesn't seem right about that. Lyrics don't really influence my opinion of a band's music, if it's good, I'll listen. But some styles would be awkward from an atmospheric standpoint with pro-Christian themes. Not on any significant level, though.

My dislike for "Christian metal" has nothing to do with the lyrical content or beliefs of the band (if I didn't like bands because I disagreed with what is being said, I wouldn't listen to "Satanic" music or NSBM), it's just that the Christian metal I've encountered tends fall under run-of-the-mill death metal, annoyingly complex tech-death (not a huge fan of death metal in general, save for a select few bands), douchey sounding deathcore, or really cheesy black metal (synths are great... when used properly).

Music with no religion is the best for me. And I don't listen to artists who bash religion. By doing this, I think I'm betraying my religion. However, if a band bashes religion in like, one song, I delete it and listen to the others with comfort.