Rock 'n' Roll: A Search for God
Twisted Sister. Pure Evil.
Whilst rolling my rack around today trying to find where items of clothes are supposed to go, I suddenly remembered back to when I was a youf (adolescent) and going to a Youf Group called 'Alternatives' (so-named because it was an alternative to going out and having fun).
Of course, this was the perfect time to indoctrinate us poor unsuspecting youfs regarding the dangers of teen sex (it will kill you), homosexuality (it will kill you) and drug use (it might be fun but it's also very naughty and leads to things like teen sex and homosexuality and we all know what they will do to you!).
But perhaps my favourite experience was being made to watch a video called 'Rock and Roll: A Search for God'.
The video consisted of trying to scare kids away from listening to any music that was not Amy Grant and/or David Meece, two of the United States' biggest Christian Pop stars from the 80's (and over there, Christian Pop is BIG).
The video showed things like Queen, Cheap Trick, The Beatles, Twisted Sister and AC/DC film clips, covers and lyrics.
But the finishing touch was the section on, yep, you guessed it, backmasking, a phony technique concocted by the guy who made the 'documentary', I suspect.
Backmasking involves artists recording lyrics backwards and overdubbing them on the frontwards lyrics so that the listener hears a subliminal backmasked message.
Put it away Freddie... Please.
Apparently, Queen backmasked the lyrics, 'I like to be bisexual' and 'Some of us smoke marijuana' in their song Another One Bites the Dust. No wonder I feel all frisky whenever I hear that tune!
So, of course, Eric Holmberg (the director of RaR:aSfG)'s dire warning is that mainstream pop musicians are trying to subvert the minds and lives of everyone who has access to a radio toward a sinful life. Ho hum. Christianity itself does a good enough job of driving people away from it. No need for muso's!
But has Eric ever heard of GWAR, I wonder?
He might have a seizure if he ever does!
Whoah! Just check them out!
And this is one of the tamer ones.
But really, who are GWAR? A bunch of Dungeons and Dragons rejects wreaking vengeance on their omnipotent DM's of yesteryear, Dark Lord Morshagroth, or somesuchthing?
Here's a purported example of GWAR lyrics, so deft, so refined, so IN YA FACE!:
Sexcuse me, but what-a good is all the violence in the world unless
it is toppled with limitless sex?
Bring out the limitless sex-object and allow me,
Sexecutioner to sexplain the seriousness of this subject
I can only imagine how terrible the music must be...
Although they are a joke band. The members probably have PhD's in marine biology or something.
Anyway, anyway...
You wanna talk rock 'n' roll a search for god?
I already found him and his name is David Bowie.
'nuff said.
posted by Dreck @ 10:38 pm
14 comments
14 Comments:
I've got one word to say to you Dreck:
Spinal Tap.
Do GWAR go up to eleven?
i think you are wack. you took a wonderful message to unsaved people and made a joke saying 'it was to scare kids'. well buddy there is a devil and i hope you see the light before you have eternal darkness.may god reveal himself to you that you to may have eternal life in heavan. if it was made to scare children, let me tell you ........... it worked on this one!!!!!
Well, if you think scaring children into submission is an example of positive expression of faith then I'd have to say that you're the deluded one.
As if your faith in a spooky, horned Evil One and a benevolent old man God wasn't deluded enough...
I wouldn't worry about this blog spot directing too many kids down the wrong path. Apparently on myself and one other person have even read it. Funny how condescending people call Christians condescending, because they interpret what Christians say to be indirectly condescending all the while they themselves are being blatantly and openly condescending to Christians in there words while also insulting the faith that we offer to the betterment of the world. And they call us close minded. Why don't you check where all the morals that you, and most everyone else in the world, hold to be self evident, or as people who don't want to believe in God like to say are "common sense", come from. They come from two stone tablets that you mock in your blog. They're called the Ten Commandments and they're written by the "bevevolent old man", God.
Rock on!
I too was in a youth group and watched this video. My mother was part of this group and she forced me to watch it. Little did she know, I loved the video so much that some of bands became long time favorites of mine. Backmasking!...ha ha. I ran backwards once. I think I was possessed
Thanks for this blog!
I am a youth Pastor and I was debating on whether to show this or not. Now that I read this I will definitely be showing it.
I am sorry you think we are trying to "scare" people into Christianity when in reality we are trying to tell them the truth and educate them on the music that Satan uses to try and destroy their soul.
Thanks and I hope you can see the light as well before it is all said and done.
God Bless You.
Ooohh! Reverse psychology! I'm a sucker for it every time.
I feel bad now for writing a joke post on my blog about how shit brain washed Christianity is because it's inspired you to promote lies and fantasy. Maybe I should delete this entry? Maybe I'm somehow responsible for your reprehensible evangelical methods?
Or maybe I'm not as susceptible to your insidious control techniques as the poor teens who have to suffer your pastoral 'care'?
Seriously, let the kids make up their own minds. You don't need to scare them into Christianity by creating this thing called Satan. If you want to live in a fantasy world and you want others to follow you too, that's okay. Just don't try to piss on their parades while you're doing it.
It's possible to be Christian and to express that faith positively (ie. by living a good life and promoting an ethical mode of existence, as opposed to a moral code), which BTW, telling people pop music is evil and will send you to Hell is not an example of.
Ive owned this movie for years, its interesting but I still love rock n roll. Is the voice over the same as the voice over in video professor?
That's a question I can't answer.
I was just telling my boyfriend a couple of nights ago about getting my early rock education from Rock and Roll: A Search for God and how my friends and I would run through the halls at Maranatha Christian Academy in Costa Mesa quoting ELO backmasking singing "He's the nasty one, Christ you're infernal!" It was just sooo ridiculous to us. They even came down on John Denver about EST. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to track down a copy of that. I used to check it out from the bible bookstore. Didn't a guy jump out in the beginning and say "Sorry to interrupt (insert rock star) but that stuff can turn your mind to mush!"?? Amazing.
A couple of things ... I saw that movie when I was young, and in a youth group. It didn't scare me. It didn't make me do anything, positive or negative. Even at the age of 16, I found it to be merely educational. I had most of the albums featured in the program. I also had a record player, and I took the belt off the turn table and spun a number of the mentioned songs backwards. I found that the "messages" were there as alleged. Some were muddled, and I admit that it took some "listening" to hear what was supposedly being said, but others were clear as day. There is no doubt that they are there.
I might also like to add that in America, people who promote, support, sympathize with, or otherwise speak out in favor of things like terrorism are quickly shunned. Why then would we promote, support, or sympathize with bands that support individuals like Alister Crowley, or who encourage our children to have sex, treat women like garbage, shoot each other, or to otherwise live by immoral standards that result in low education or high school drop outs, teen pregnancy, drug dependency, gangs, violence, and general lawlessness of a non-biblical nature?
Christianty (true Christianity) promotes love and virtue. Believe in it or not as you will, but a life lived by true Christian principles will be productive and fulfilling. To speak out against a film that tries to promote that agenda, deliberately or inadvertently promoting the lifestyle offered by the bands featured in the film, is really done in poor taste.
Had I not been a metal head in my teen years, I would have gone a lot further in life. That's a fact. But like every other teenager out there, I embraced the lifestyle that went along with my music of choice. I did drugs. I dropped out of school. I'm covered in tattoos. I have chronic headaches from (laughable as it may sound) a neck injury caused by headbanging. I have been in more fights than I care to count, and I've hurt quite a few people. Because of my appearance (tattoos) and my education (high school drop out), I have little opportunity in life.
My brothers both just finished college. One is an accountant. The other is taking additional years to be a professor of history.
They were given proper and positive influence.
Alex,
I find your blaming music and back masking for poor choices in life rather rich. What you and the so-called documentary are saying is that young people are brainwashed by both subliminal messages and the overt culture promulgated by shitty 80's hair bands. Have you considered that millions of teens have rocked out to heavy metal and most of them haven't turned out like you?
Your explanation for how you are today is reductionist - there are factors beyond music that contribute to the making of stupid choices.
Hey Dreck,
You sound like quite an educated young man. I'm 54 yrs old, seen that vid ur talkn about back then.loved Jesus since I gave my heart to Him 26 yrs ago. All I want to say to you is Jesus Christ still loves you.
*xxOxx* Ems
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