Satanic And Anti Xtian Symbolism And Lyrics example essay topic

There has been a long trend amongst the herd to propagate hysteria and Xtian-defined qualities of Satanism - whether the propagators spread these distortions knowingly or, in the more popular capacity, unknowingly. This, to a Satanist, is probably old news yet the masses continue to heed and disseminate the Xtian bias towards us. This promulgation is possible through many cleverly disguised mediums, and music is certainly no exception. Heavy metal in particular made billions of dollars from the imagery, symbolism, and convoluted versions of Satanism - all the while, the masses (and yes, even those who claim to be a bit too "liberal" for Xtian indoctrination) equate cheesy stage gimmicks, androgyny, and mass marketing as their idea of what Satanism is. Unfortunately, it was done in such an irresponsible and Xtian way that the masses were programmed with self-relatable, albeit delusional, definitions for what we Satanists know better.

(One fact that still escapes me to this day is that there exist an entire sector of people who believe that a Xtian can define a Satanist better than a Satanist can. With that mentality, you may as well have let Hitler speak for the Jews.) Of course, a larger problem blankets the entire issue - the masses have swallowed Xtian ethics and "ideology" so thoroughly that, although they don't happen to open their eyes and realize what ideology they are practicing, they continue to work within the Xtian mindset. For decades, society only had such a definition to work with. Today, there shouldn't be an excuse.

I feel that fellow Satanist Peggy Nadramia put it best in an issue of The Black Flame (Volume 5, Numbers 1 & 2) when she said, .".. we will define what a Satanist is, not Bob Larson or any other outsider, Xtian or otherwise. We are the first group of people in human history who have come together under that title and taken it for ourselves; we are the archivists of Satanic history and the caretakers of Satanic philosophy, and we will not have others defining, delimiting or categorizing Satanists or Satanism". This is a valid point, considering all of the Xtian fundamentalists, heavy metal bands, and a slew of other groups and people who assume that Satanism can be put into different categories when, in fact, it cannot. For those not in-the-know, the term "Satanism" was formally established as a religion in 1966 - anything before it was simply not. (And anything after it had better adhere to copyright and trademark laws or remove itself from the undeserved title.) Ever notice how all of those supposed "cult crimes" seem to miraculously appear in the 1980's (particular in 1985, and during the Reagan era)?

It's no secret that former President Ronald Reagan had some strong ties to the Religious Right - and even admitted to the press on numerous occasions of carrying (or wanting to carry) out their agendas to varying degrees. I don't see this as any coincidence. The year 1985 also spawned the inception of the P.M.R.C. (the Parents Music Resource Center) who wished to have record albums labeled for content, "occult" was one of those label. The intended implication is that occult = bad, by whatever fears the fundamentalists decided to base it upon. Heavy metal was the perfect scapegoat. But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

Let's go back to the beginning of this musical genre and its relevance to the subject at hand. In the early 1970's, the band Black Sabbath rose to musical fame under some very assuming pretenses. Many of Black Sabbath's songs, misunderstood within the comparatively restrictive social condition of the time, were indeed pulled straight from the values, ideals, and principles of the Xtian religion. Ozzy Osbourne, then-lead singer for the band, could have very well been the first Xtian rocker. Within the lyrics of their songs, they expressed the Xtian concepts of [the Xtian] God vs. Satan ("Black Sabbath"), reconciliation with Xtian beliefs ("After Forever"), a plea to Jesus for help (a common theme in Sabbath tunes, most notably in "The Thrill Of It All"), Satan being the motivator for war ("War Pigs") and many others. With Dr. LaVey and The Church of Satan in the media limelight at the same time, I'd say that society was being reinforced with mixed messages - especially the young.

Of course, the members of Black Sabbath also sang about degenerate hippie topics as well, but even hippies have a love for master / slave relationships. (Drugs and the Xtian god, being two of them.) Through the 1970's, exploiting Satanism had taken a breather for the cathartic-inertia-drone-music known as disco. Coinciding ly, sexual attitudes and social concepts were drastically changing, especially when punk rock gained notoriety in the late seventies. While desperation on the fundamentalist side grew, their willing and waiting acolytes were already surfacing.

Heavy metal was heavily worming its way out of the local club scenes at this time (circa 1979-1981 C.E. ), especially in England, then later in the United States. Iron Maiden was one of the first to break out of the clubs and succeed with a major label signing on Capitol Records. Iron Maiden were from England as well, a sociopolitical structure entrenched in Xtianity and blind conformist mentalities. So, it should have been no surprise (although it still is to most) that even this new breed of headbangers were spreading Xtian concepts regardless of whether they were aware of it or not. The tile track to their third LP entitled, "The Number of the Beast" is a direct reference to the book of Revelations in the Xtian bible - and the lyrics are your generic let's-kill-for-Satan theme. (This theme becomes the template for numerous lyrical redundancies in this genre for years to come.) This is so contradictory to Satanic philosophy and so akin to Xtianity that anyone that has read The Satanic Bible would know this was mere hype for money.

For a lot of bands, the hype worked and made many would-be junkies, drunks, and labor workers into rock stars. Soon, American bands followed. A band from Hollywood named Motley Crue emblazoned their second album entitled, "Shout At The Devil" with a glossed outline of a pentagram and the title track for this album speaks of defiance against Satan, with the tone that Satan = bad. (Fairly Xtian, in my book.) Also from England was a trio (considered the progenitors of what would later become death metal) named Venom. Led by three musicians who took rather Hebrew bad-guy pseudonyms, Venom made Satanic and Anti-Xtian symbolism and lyrics their moniker, paving the way for future generations of Satanic bandwagoneers such as Slayer, Possessed, Onslaught, and later, Deicide, Nocturn us and others.

Venom's lyrics constantly spoke of Jehovah and Satan as actual entities, quite antithetical to true Satanic belief. They had adequate access to Dr. LaVey's books, as admitted in various interviews, but never seemed to find the truth so profitable as the Xtian-fed hysteria. During the Reagan era, this band was "legally" barred from playing anywhere in the United States. With the advent of "black" or "evil" metal bands (the term "death metal" would come later in the 1980s), disillusioned teens found a very rebellious outlet through alignment with what they assumed to be the Devil's advocates. They approached their rock idols at the stage, shaking their fists and showing the sign of the horns (i.e. : that all-familiar hand gesture: two fingers up, three down).

Inverted crosses and pentagrams were adorned, but hidden from parents, and with these bands spreading the Xtian lie of what Satanism is and what they would contextually bastardize from The Satanic Bible, mixed messages surface once again. For the more intelligent teen, Satanism was understood. Even in my more naive adolescence as a former fan of the mainstream metal of that time, I learned it firsthand. I remember parents and Tipper Gore alike getting all flustered and self-righteous over the song "Burn In Hell" from Twisted Sister when, in fact, the lyrics were typically Xtian, with sin, guilt, and spiritual retribution at the forefront. A great deal of the songs were. For Joe Average, The Satanic Bible spelled out all intentions and contradicted most, if not all, of what the eighties breed of metal bands were conveying with their lyrics.

Dr. LaVey has pointed out in detail through more than one of his books that if a Satanist wishes to represent the Church of Satan, that he or she needs to be officially recognized as such so mental patients, victims of Xtian mental abuse, and the lunatic fringe aren't given such credibility. It's why the system was created in the first place - even if Geraldo will let any crank on his show to spew horror stories and other fantasies for the Nielsen Ratings. Ozzy Osbourne received much harassment for being "Satanic" and "evil" throughout his career. As a solo performer (starting in the early eighties) Osbourne's image, gestating in the Sabbath years, had become a full media fiasco when he was accused of "influencing" a teen to kill himself through the song "Suicide Solution". Scapegoating, again, became the waste of time and money in many courts of law, with Osbourne and then later with Judas Priest. But, something strange began to happen with people's attitudes toward Satanism.

While the mainstream media spent their time labeling people, performers and the like as "Satanic", they did so irresponsibly because they never followed that up (or could they even possibly do so, with the existing bias against us) with an explanation of the term they were using. The reason being is obvious: it pays to tout Satanism as bad (or wrong or whatever subjective term makes the herd feel more plausible) because the herd masses all went to bible school and have a familiar source to pull from so they can feel safe in their relatable lie. Also, by continually pressing the tern Satanism in the media and aligning it with negative connotations, an enormous presupposition arises: Satanism is universally bad and unacceptable. I see it every day: people waving their hands around in the sign of the horns with no idea what they are ridiculing. I actually laugh at these people and so desperately want to tell these "liberated" souls that the premise for their humor is so immersed in Xtianity, yet it would take a brief history lesson, this article, and a good reading of The Satanic Bible to do so. But that's too much for our convenience-based society.

Dr. LaVey was right when he said "If real Satanism were allowed the kind of television time that Xtianity has now, the kind of drawing out and patience that interviewers give sports figures now, or the kind of coverage that a baseball game gets, Xtianity would be completely eliminated in a few short months. If people were allowed to see the complete, unbiased truth, even for 60 minutes, it would be too dangerous. There would be no comparison". (The Secret Life of a Satanist, Feral House, 1990, 90.) I dare the mainstream media to take such a chance.

As the eighties reached their culmination, many bands (most importantly, those with major label contracts) ceased from mentioning Satan or "Satanism" entirely. These bands basically had their money (and to what metaphorical concept may they owe these riches to?) and didn't need Ol' Nick anymore. Most bands admitted later on in their limelight years that they used the imagery to gain status and money, piss off enough Xtians to make themselves "controversial" and help advance their careers. I admire sticking the pitchfork (no pun intended) to Xtianity, but if Anti-Xtian messages were their aim, they (as non-Satanists) could have found more profound ways to do it. (The remainder of bands, those who merely went for shock value, have predictably fallen by the wayside.) As the nineties emerged, fewer bands were hocking pseudo-Satanism. (Incidentally, all that "cult crime" seemed to miraculously whither after the Reagan-Bush era - I wonder why?) But the aforementioned eighties metal bands had die-hard worshipers, and those idolaters grew up and formed bands of their own.

Death metal gained attention at this point and bands such as Deicide, Entombed, and other nameless bands with indecipherable band logos took the reigns and claimed to express or promote "real" Satanism (to one degree or another) through their lyrics and real life. (Members of Deicide are under the delusion that it's "Satanic" to mutilate themselves and they practice this masochistic tendency often.) A great deal of these bands express hatred for Xtianity and occasionally point out its inconsistencies, but the message is usually side-saddled with a sickening dose of Xtian-derived Satan-scare. Oftentimes, it isn't uncommon to find the extra ingredient of appropriated horror fiction within the lyrical subject matter, most likely for the added shock value. I'll agree that H.P. Lovecraft was a brilliant author but let's not base yet another band's entire lyrical concept on his works. Spare the world such unoriginality. It has enough of its own.

I'd like to offer a bit of advice to metal bands (or any bands, for that matter) that would like to use Satanism as a theme. First of all, make sure that you are indeed a Satanist. There's nothing more annoying than a disgruntled ex-Xtian growling about possession or exorcisms or even self-mutilation. Semantics are fun for a psychologically-venting ritual or playtime, but rather embarrassing as a lifestyle. Be responsible and show some balls: sing about Satanism. Pentagonal Revisionism would make a far greater social impact than a Dungeons and Dragons script scored to white noise.

Is that such a radical idea? Use your brain and discuss issues of Satanic relevance. I can't imagine any genuine Satanist, given the opportunity (and, with the current climate, impunity can easily be bought in the nineties) to approach millions and relay what Satanism truly represents, opting instead to cast aside such opportunity and cower to the expectations of the herd conformist society to which he / she so (ostensibly) disdains. Are you a Satanist or a slave?

Not all can financially (or by other relevant means) afford to go public but for those who can and don't, I find no problem with calling a coward a coward. The eighties are over, Reagan's shuffling in his own dementia, and the fundamentalist Xtians are engaging in the largest spectacle since the Jonestown Kool-Aid party. I can only look to King Diamond as one of the sole metal artists who actually earns a bit of my respect for not only being public, but for putting out the lyrical material contained on his fifth album, "The Eye", which discusses a rather sordid and bloody chapter of Xtian history not exactly divulged at Xtian sermons. (I would surmise from this that King Diamond is holding true to his Satanic beliefs by being an innovator in Satanic-influenced lyricism.) Regardless of your musical tastes, I would urge Satanists to check into this true story, followed by research into similar atrocities created by the Nazarene cult. The accounts are numerous. Nearly three decades of false credibility have been given to musical acts believed to be representing Satanism correctly.

Nearly all are not and are merely Xtian-minded dupes in disguise, pandering the same oppressive rhetoric which real Satanists must face on a daily basis from inquisitors as ignorant as the propagators who refuse to comply with truth. I not only want to force this misconception of us into obsolescence for intelligence's sake, but to do so would promote another benefit. It may just increase, by some standards and degrees, the quality of music within respective genres. If musical acts weren't encouraged to gimmick their way into a major label deal, perhaps they would have to rely on prerequisites far more meaningful: talent and innovation. Innovation is, of course, an encouraged behavior amongst the Satanic ranks, hence its relevance to what is truly Satanic music. This could prove far too challenging an offer for some bands and the weeding out of radio flotsam may occur, clearing the way for the advancement of experimental forms.