Reverend claims Church can learn valuable lessons from metal

I came across an article on this today, and I found it very thought-provoking and true to my experience as a metal fan thus far.  Thought I'd share the story and my opinion on it with you.
 
Reverend Rachel Mann, an Anglican priest, has recently said that metal fans are more reasoned and well-rounded individuals than those that condemn heavy metal as Satanic, due to their exposure to dark and heavy themes and their ability to accept the more negative aspects of life. 

"Since Black Sabbath created it in 1969 by using the dissonant sound of the medieval ‘Devil’s Chord,’ heavy metal has been cast as dumb, crass, and on occasion Satanic – music hardly fit for intelligent debate or theological reflection," she says.


"But as a priest, metal musician and fan, it strikes me that the Church has a serious gospel lesson to learn from the darkest and heaviest music.
 
"The willingness to deal with extremely unpleasant subjects seems to offer its fans a space to accept others in a way that shames many Christians. Metal’s refusal to repress the bleak and violent truths of human nature liberates its fans to be more relaxed and fun people.
 
"Metal invites Christianity to be less afraid of wildness and the ridiculous."

This really resonates with me, as a Christian and a metal fan.  My parents have been quoted as saying "How did we end up raising two metalheads (my brother and I)?  Where did we go wrong?"  Though they were surely joking around, the fact that listening to metal implies some kind of abnormality or a failure to keep us on the right path is absurd.  Metal is music that takes intelligence and a balanced personality to appreciate and explore.  The themes and ideas explored in the music have made me more accepting of others' beliefs, or lack thereof. Metal has taught me that atheism is not something to be condemned or feared, but simply accepted as a different system of values, equally as valid as those espoused by Christians.

In closing, Rev Mann said: "I’m not suggesting that as Christians we have all had a humor bypass, but we are inclined to take ourselves too seriously even when we are having fun.
 
"Metal has no fear of human darkness. While that is true of many Christians, many are yet to discover metal’s potential as a place of integration."

So, parents, if you find you've raised a metalhead, don't ask where you went wrong.  Pat yourself on the back for a job well done.


Thanks to Ultimate-guitar.com and Rockradio for the story.