Sometimes it’s difficult to believe how much we’ve evolved over the years after being reminded on those declaring metal as “the devil’s music.” Despite these “evil” bands honoring a fallen fan, and donating towards wildfire relief efforts in California, groups continue to get banned from performing at certain venues or even an entire country due to being classified as “satanic.” Unfortunately, these issues continue to exist as Pastor Larry Long expressed his concern about Ghost’s performance scheduled for tonight (19th) at the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center in Midland Texas.
Blabbermouth reports, Long participated on The Morning Show With Craig Anderson on the KWEL AM 1070 FM 107.1 radio station and conveyed his concerns as well as his shock that the venue had agreed to book the Swedish metal outfit.
He explained:
“I was in a prayer group yesterday afternoon, so I didn’t learn about it until yesterday morning; I saw a Facebook post from a friend of mine. But it was during the time that we were spending in prayer, a group of us, that it [was] just really impressed upon me that we need to speak out against this. I don’t know that we can stop the band from coming I don’t know how that works but this is very concerning to me. And I’m not so much concerned about the band as I am about the fact that Wagner Noël didn’t have better sense than to sign this band. What are those people thinking? Are they a part of our community? Do they care what the majority of our community might think about something like that. It’s quite remarkable to me that they would even sign a band like that.”
Sure, I’m concerned about the content of the band. We have a freedom of religion in America, which means a freedom of irreligion and anti-Christian faith, if that’s what people want to do. And so, from that sense, yes, the band bothers me. But I’m not in favor of outlawing the band per se; what I’m in favor is finding out from Wagner Noël what in the world they’re thinking… I don’t know what Wagner Noël can do once they sign that contract, but for Heaven’s sakes, they need better sense than this. And I think the community should be alarmed about it. This is not healthy for our community. Because we Christians believe the devil is real, so when you have a devil-worshipping band… And I’m sure the band believes the devil’s real; I doubt that they’re just doing this as a part of their shtick for music and music they produce and so on. And if you were to read some of the lyrics of their songs, they’re really quite disturbing.”
Later, Long discussed about the band’s “ghoulish horde” (Nameless Ghouls):
“The main band leader goes by the name of Tobias; whether or not that’s his real name, who knows? And then the rest of ’em go by ‘ghoulish horde’ or something like that. Of course, you see this kind of stuff and you say, ‘Well, how much of this…? Do they understand?’ I think that they understand all of it. I think that they are doing this intentionally, and I think they really do worship the devil, because I believe… as a Christian, as a biblical Christian, I believe the devil’s real. So I imagine maybe some people listening right now would say, ‘Oh, you guys are getting overblown with this,’ and those kinds of things. Well, you would only think that if you didn’t think the devil was real.”
Listen to the discussion below:
[via Blabbermouth]
