Satan’s Music Exposed
Kirban
1981
In case you didn’t know, the real evil is Christian rock. Evidently, the shift from traditional sacred music is ruining church for everyone. The author asserts that this pop music influences us through the accelerated beat and sinful lyrics. He specifically mentioned the songs: Afternoon Delight, Let’s Spend the Night Together, and Having my Baby. (I am willing to bet this is the first time those songs shared the same paragraph.) This poor author is also mad about Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell. Evidently, Jesus on Broadway is a bad idea.
Many historical events are the result of this evil influence of rock music: The Who Concert in 1979, Elvis Presley’s death in 1977, The Powder Ridge Rock Festival in 1970 (evidently Woodstock didn’t make the cut), violence at Kent State (1970), and teen pregnancy. Lucky for you there is a list of “approved” classical music to pick up any slack. (See the last image.)
Well, I hope everyone has learned their lesson. Hell is the place for the fun music.
Mary
In many cases they’re right though. People should look deeper into the negative influence of rock music and how many churches that embrace too much contemporary Christian slide into doctrinal error.
Churches slide into doctrinal error, period. It has everything to do with the packaging of political agendas as “religion” and sod-all to do with the music they play.
“Doctrinal error” by whose standards? Perhaps they are very happy with their beliefs, along with their sappy music.
A 1″x3″ sliver of bubble gum–the devil’s rectangle!
The book is by Lowell Hart with “photo commentary” by Kirban. But 35 years later Hart is still at it: http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1860678509.html
Oddly enough, ‘The Planets’ makes the approved list. What about all those pagan gods?
It’s interesting that Aaron Copland made the cut as well. Perhaps in 1981 it wasn’t well known he was a blacklisted, gay, Jewish agnostic.
This was such a prevalent (may still be) position during the 70’s and early 80’s. I actually had a sermon preached against me from the pulpit (not my church) because I “recommended” an Emerson, Lake and Palmer album to the pastor’s son. I ended up the winner because I got the album and he had to apologize to me in front of the post commander (my father). Bittersweet. The boy went on to live in his father’s narrow shadow and I got to grow up and be (fairly) normal. I so cherish that album.
Funny how this book talks about Alice Cooper and KISS in the past tense. They were still going strong all throughout the 80s (and beyond – KISS has a song actually called “Unholy” from ’92).
I’m also confused by the concept of this book. They keep talking about Christian rock and pop music in church, but then go on to mention a bunch of secular rock.
I am not terribly surprized that the (evangelical) church had (has?) a “wide open back door”. I am surprized that the Devil took so long to find it (:
My mom would probably agree that Afternoon Delight is Satan’s music but that’s only because she hates the particular song so much and not because she thinks it holds any influence.
She’s right. I could list a bunch of other examples but I don’t want to put them into my head. Or anyone else’s.
While I don’t think Christian “rock” is Satan’s music, it really is bad. My parents have taken up to going to church again and as such any time I’m in the car with them I’m forced to listen to the local Christian radio station. It’s bad enough when they get the theology all wrong but the “music” – ug.
1: Having taken singing lessons since I was 16 it’s really, REALLY hard to listen to these people. I think they all started singing Christian “rock” because they’re tone deaf. Not a single one is on key or has a sense of pitch.
2: The lyrics are boring and repetitive. They remind me of those chants that cults use to brainwash people.
3: Just like the “ministers” on the program THEY GET ALL THE THEOLOGY WRONG!
“You are not making Christianity better. You are making Rock and Roll worse”
Hank Hill on Christian Rock
What was with them blanking out that one singer’s name? Legal issues?
I don’t see it; what page are you looking at?
37
I thought you were supposed to fill in your own answers, Mad Libs style.
The chapter 6 blurb reads like today’s clickbait. “You’ll never believe what happened next!”
I wish they had said a) what the “semi-classical” music was (huh?), b) what the rock was, and c) what the reaction was by the Africans.
Obviously the Beatles smoked weed but I don’t think that’s what Yellow Submarine is about.
Anton LaVey was a big fan of classical music and hated rock….
Five or ten dollars?! Concerts weren’t anywhere near that cheap even then!
Yeah, I don’t really see that in Yellow Submarine. The lyrics are actually pretty inane. They mostly consist of singing “We all live in a yellow submarine” over and over again.
“You’re not making Christianity better, you’re just making rock and roll worse!”
-Hank Hill
Cf. Pat Boone!
Christians have railed against rock music for decades (usually without doing any research into the groups or lyrics) but have yet to offer many great Christian alternatives. Most of it is still extremely bland mid tempo praise songs from wholesome thirtysomething white guys. There aren’t enough groups or artists trying to be unique, or writing lyrics with depth. And the few that are, don’t usually make it big. The industry, like many others, is stagnant.
I have a book by Salem Kirban (whose name is featured prominently on the cover of this one) called “Kissinger: Man of Peace?” It’s full of speculation about whether Henry Kissinger is the coming Antichrist. Kirban even gets “Kissinger” to add up to 666!
If only it was still $5-10 a ticket to see a concert.