Marilyn Manons Sad Search For Salvation
Marilyn Manson's sad search for salvation
A misguided quest to become innocent again
"Things need to go the point of extremism in order to be born again," says notorious shock-rocker Marilyn Manson. "Things need to go past that point as far as they can go, and then we'll become innocent again. It's my job to cleanse the world of all its sins. I'm offering myself up as a sacrifice to the world to become innocent again."
Well, he certainly is extreme. Manson's messianic ambitions, however, are irreconcilable with established religion, and he reserves a special hostility towards Christianity--the faith he was taught as a child and whose practitioners, he says, have "deformed" biblical values, victimizing people with guilt and causing violence, prejudice and bigotry.
Manson's albums and concerts reverberate with spiritual language and biblical themes. But it's not what you would expect to hear in church. He offends the righteous at every step, advising his listeners to "Kill God" and to kill their parents. He sells shirts featuring the red shield of the Salvation Army, substituting the words "Satanic Army." He mocks religious ceremonies and shreds Bibles onstage. His most recent album is entitled "Antichrist Superstar." His internet website invites people to "join the Marilyn Manson family and become a most unholy missionary for Antichrist Superstar." He claims to have "a special place" in the Satanic Church of America. His audiences chant "Hail Satan." His language is foul, his imagery for God obscene. His god is himself.
Sacrilege and standards
Whether for notoriety or evil intent, Manson deliberately provokes Christians. "Each age has to have at least one brave individual that tried to bring an end to Christianity, which no one has managed to succeed yet. But maybe through music we can finally do it," says Manson.
Disdain for God's way is prevalent in our society, but something about Manson's in-your-face sacrilege triggers a response from many Christians. His recent Canadian tour (which included stops in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ottawa) has received acres of free publicity because of the publicity his appearances generate. Occasionally "community standards" prevail and a concert is cancelled. More commonly such attempts fail and groups of Christians simply picket and pray.
In the meantime, the media has a field day with the controversy, joyfully pitting the extreme elements of the defenders of Christianity against the free-speech values of enlightened society. People who believe Manson's concerts should be banned are routinely pooh-poohed for their intolerance. "You don't have to go to the concert," is a common rejoinder. "It's may not be my style but it's just music," is another. Different strokes for different folks.
At least two things need to be said about that. First, media commentators and others who seem unable to appreciate that Manson is deeply offensive to Christianity need to consider what would happen if his words and actions targeted a different faith (for example, Judaism or Islam) or another subculture (perhaps the gay/lesbian community). Public comment would most assuredly take a drastically different tone. "Incitement to hatred" charges and human rights complaints would undoubtedly be lodged.
Second, this is not merely a question of music and style. Manson is sending out a message, and anyone with a reasonably developed sense of moral acumen who reads his lyrics or watches his act will know that Manson's message is destructive. He ridicules the good and stands proudly for things that are bad. Critics ought to notice this and not be afraid to say so. They, too, should exercise their right to free expression. Garbage in, garbage out.
Manson's real message
Manson's deeper problem (which has echoes in many sectors of modern society) is that he doesn't believe in truth. One of his more insidious products is a T-shirt that simply says: "BeLIEve." He told an interviewer that "the message that I'm sending out to America is 'raise your kids better or I'll be raising them for you.' I want to raise kids in truth and tell them that everything is a lie--there is no truth."
What a sad substitute for Jesus' message in John 8:32: "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Manson knows no such freedom. Scott Peck has observed that the best definition of "evil" is that it is "'live' spelled backward." And that is Manson's sad fate. He is deeply unhappy and socially alienated, trapped in a selfish, me-centred philosophy of life that is ultimately harmful. His public personna is built on his belief that good and evil are irrevocably intertwined. One of the features of his concerts is an audience chant conducted with Nazi trappings: "Love hate. Hate love." This is moral perversion. The fact that these messages are compelling to young people is sad, sad, sad.
People of hope
Christians will agree with Manson and acknowledge that good and evil co-exist in every human institution and individual. But we do not simply accept this as our fate; we believe in the sovereignty of a loving God and that righteousness will ultimately prevail. In the meantime, we strive for goodness and struggle against evil impulses. And despite the many failures done in its name, throughout the centuries Christianity has been a remarkable force for good--advancing social justice, motivating personal holiness.
Manson's cynicism stems from a personal enoounter with Christian hypocrisy. There's a lesson here for those who would exercise their right to protest his message. Simply put, method matters. The manner in which Christians uphold the holy and oppose evil is where the Christian ethic must fly its counter-cultural colors.
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," says Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:44). "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good," writes the apostle Paul (Romans 12:21).
Marilyn Manson is no messiah, but he is a very visible target for Christians offended by blasphemy and frustrated by secular society's selective tolerance. He deserves their censure, but their more difficult challenge is both to express Christian conviction and communicate Christian love.
Doug Koop
Editor
Copyright: Christian Weekly
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