CURRENTLY IN CULTURE: Is there really any difference?

Al Menconi

A few months ago, I went to a Marilyn Manson concert. This popular drug-using, bi-sexual rocker is one of the most demented artists in the history of rock music. His songs dwell on murder, hatred and suicide. He has gone on record as saying that he wants to destroy Christianity through his music. There are rumours of self-mutilation and animal sacrifices at his concerts. Since I lead a ministry dealing with popular culture, I decided I needed to see this guy.

The concert was loud and profane, though I didn't see any animal sacrifices. The most disturbing moment was when he tore up a Bible and closed the concert by leading his audience in a chant of "We love to hate. We hate to love." This guy is definitely sick.

A short while later, the Academy of Motion Pictures published its list of Oscar contenders, and Fargo received seven nominations, including movie of the year. It was also getting a lot of favourable comments from my Christian friends and neighbours. They suggested that I "needed" to see it before I spoke in Minneapolis, because it was cute how they portrayed Minnesota culture in the movie.

Despite my reservations about watching R-rated movies, I decided to take a look. I found it to be sick and perverted. I don't think of myself as naive, but the graphic violence, profanity and sexual scenes shocked me to a point of revulsion. For me, watching this movie was much worse than attending the concert.

I couldn't believe how shocked some of my Christian friends were when they heard that I went to see Marilyn Manson. Some of them even asked if l wasn't afraid of demon possession. And yet some of these same people enjoyed Fargo without any reservations. How can this be? How can Christians be so concerned about satanic bands, and so indifferent to violence, profanity and sexual situations?

I believe movies like Fargo do more to destroy Christian values than perverts like Manson. Why? Because Manson warns us that he is out to destroy us. We see him coming, and we keep up our spiritual defences. But films like Fargo only want to "entertain" us, so we relax our defences.

There's more to sin than just satanism. And just because some sins are more entertaining than others doesn't mean they're any less deadly to our souls.

Reprinted with permission of Al Menconi Ministries, Box 5008, San Marcos, CA 92069, phone 1-800-78-MUSIC.

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