That Good Old Satanic Panic
Stephen M. Deusner at Pitchfork Media takes a look at the “Satanic panic” of the 1980s and the now classic evangelical film “Hell’s Bells” which purported to educate parents of the dangers inherent in rock music.
“Instead, after offering its critical lessons, Hell’s Bells instructs viewers not to use them at all, but rather to disengage themselves completely from popular/secular culture– and, implicitly, from the practice of criticism. The documentary assumes that listeners won’t have the fortitude and intelligence to discern rock’s hidden messages or to consider any art with values different from their own. Instead of considering those ideas seriously, Hell’s Bells tells viewers to disregard the art altogether as wholly meritless, even evil. This may seem like a minor point, but it’s not that different from blanket condemnations that are levied today when people say they don’t listen to rap music because it’s violent and homophobic, or country music because it’s conservative and complacent, or Christian indie like Sufjan Stevens or Danielson Famile because the artists are believers. Much like the Satanic Panic, such condemnations seems driven by the fear that you will become whatever you listen to.”
Nowadays, especially since the rise of the Christian music underground and the mainstream adulation of Christian artists like Sufjan Stevens, the tension between the music industry and conservative Christians seems to have shifted to children’s books and popular movies.
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