MUS:Rock Music  by Tony 

   (A copy of a message received on Bible Bulletin Board)

   Tony,

   I am sitting here listening to 'AC/DC' thinking about the lyrics, "I
got my bell I'm gonna take you to Hell. . .Hell's bells, Satan's
calling to you" and all that. I have a few more like Motley Crue's
"Shout at the Devil" and others not as harsh.

   What are your thoughts on the rock music us kids listen to these
days? Is it doing any good for the Senator's wife to wage war against
the record industry? Do you think most of these singer/writers know
what they are putting in the music? AC/DC knows, but they don't care.
But songs like the Eagles's "Hotel California" sounds like they are
talking about Hell. What do you think about the situation?

   (Name Withheld)

   Dear Friend,

   What is "going on" in the rock music business today is really
nothing new when viewed from the standpoint of the history of mankind.
For the past 12, 000 years since the creation of Adam and Eve, Satan
has been busy trying to deceive man into disbelieving the Word of God.
In the Garden of Eden we find God giving Adam and Eve one command,
"...you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat of it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:17). In a very
short time Satan arrived and convinced Eve that what God had said was
not true, for Satan said, "You will not surely die. . . your eyes will
be opened, and you will be like God. . ." (Genesis 3:4-5).

   Man "bought" the lie and all generations of people since that time
have been "approached" by Satan and the demons with more lies about
what God has said. The methods that Satan uses varies with the "times."
He will use the most effective means available for the particular group
of people he wants to reach. It is obvious that what will work on one
group may not suffice for another. For example, for the middle aged
person it may be the lie that, "money and things are the secret to
happiness, " and they go their way wasting their lives and souls in
that pursuit. But for the younger crowd who are full of energy and very
open to "new and unusual" ideas, Satan has packaged the lie in a
"wrapper" that they would like.

   The "beat" and the excitement generated by rock sounds and the
associated music videos "opens the door" for his lies to "go in." What
are the lies of Satan for the youth of today? Some are: That drugs and
alcohol will release them from the restrictions placed on youth by our
society; That "free sex" brings a true and lasting love relationship;
That parents and the authorities are "cosmic kill joys"; That God is
not important and not necessary for life; That bad is good, and being
gross and evil is better than being kind and gracious. Ultimately,
Satan wants worship for himself as God. This was his original sin he
committed, trying to dethrone God.

   Rock music is one media Satan uses to deceive mankind. It is very
obvious to one who has ever read the Bible that the words of most rock
songs are in direct opposition to the commands of God, for example God
says, ". . .among you there must not be even a hint of sexual
immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are
improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish
talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving"
(Ephesians 5:3-4).

   The writers and performers of the songs are also deceived but in
various ways. Some just sing or write the songs and have no idea of the
source or impact of the words. Others realize what they are writing is
Satanic in nature and in opposition to basic Christian truths but they
don't think it really matters. There are some singing groups such as
AC/DC, as you mentioned, that are very much "into" the whole Satanic
cult with the outward worship of Satan and the demons. But they really
don't know that they will someday be, ". . .thrown into the lake of
burning sulfur. . ., " where they, ". . .will be tormented day and
night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10). Hitler was deceived by
Satan that someday he would be a great leader in the "life after death"
which he believed existed in the center of the earth.

   The rock music situation is only one of the many "evils of our age."
We have abortions, murders, homosexuality, drunkenness, pornography,
etc., and we need to do whatever we can to try to stop or at least slow
down the decay of our society. But God has already declared that, ". .
.evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being
deceived. . ." (2 Timothy 3:13), which tells us that mankind will
continue to go deeper into corruptions of all sorts.

   For those who would listen to the "rock" be aware that you cannot
listen and then "walk away" and forget that those thoughts and ideas
went into your mind. There is a war going on for the souls of men and
the primary weapon is the spoken or sung word. God is trying to reach
the youth with the Gospel message but Satan is trying to fill their
minds with garbage from the pit. The Good News is that God is the
Victorious One in this battle, but many (most) of mankind will believe
the lie and be tormented forever in the lake of fire (Matthew 7:13,
Revelation 20:11-15).

   Bible Bulletin Board
