From: harling@miki.pictel.com (Dan Harling)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: What do you do when your child thinks Metallica is cool?
Date: 11 Nov 92 21:20:38 GMT
Organization: PictureTel Corporation

In article <nestabro.721489099@nova> nestabro@nova.gmi.edu (Noel Estabrook) writes:
>>aeg@vixen.uucp (24104-gronczewski) writes:
>>> My son came home one day and said that the new hot group on the 
>>> school bus is Metallica.  He is a seventh grader and goes to a 
>>> Catholic grammer school.  Thanks to the threads on this net I 
>>> passed along some of the info about Metallica to my son and told 
>>> him to stick with Carmen instead. (He likes Carmen very much)  
>
>The fact that the "world" (in this case, the kids on the bus) think it's
>cool is a warning.  Scripture generally teaches that the things the world
>honors are generally not of God.  If millions of heathens flock after this
>group, this should be some type of warning to those who are pursuing
>holiness.

Note that this is a bus for a Catholic grammar school, which would
imply that (as is likely the case with any Christian school) the
parents of the children attending intend for their children to be
brought up as Christians.

Even if the bus were for a public school, I disagree that the mere fact
that non-Christians like something should put it under immediate
suspicion.  You should examine everything yourself, not bestow that
responsibility upon others (Christian or otherwise).

I think that the earlier suggestion, to get in touch with other parents
(who are presumably Christians) to discuss this, is an excellent idea.
Catholic or Protestant, there are values that we need to teach our
children that extend beyond the walls of the church or the parochial
school, and forming a group of genuinely interested parents is an
effective way to help reinforce these values at home.

It is not unusual for parents, even Christians, to be unaware of many
aspects of the lives of their children.  By discussing and addressing
this question as a group, you reclaim some of that lost ground.


>My best advice to you is to pick up one of their albums (don't buy it, just
>get a copy somewhere and listen to the lyrics), and then go to the store
>and pick up a couple of those teen heavy metal magazines that are so popular
>with some Metallica interviews in them and judge whether you think that type
>of thing is something God would want you to let your son follow.

While it is indeed your responsibility to bring up your child
consistently, it is also prudent to do so in a loving, understanding
way.  Obviously, barging into his room and confiscating all of his
"objectionable" albums without any explanation will teach him little,
beyond the fact that religion interferes with his enjoyment of life.

Find out what he likes about it; get him thinking about it.  It'll be
good practice for when he has to do that sort of thing for himself all
the time.  The best way to lead is to help the followers convince
*themselves* that they should follow.


>Also, I agree with Steiner that getting him involved in Christian \
>alternatives would be better.  There are some very talented Christian bands
>out there - White Cross, Barren Cross, Holy Soldier, Saint, etc.  Get him a
>stereo that's louder than the other kids' on the bus - let the Word be
>heard! :-)

Of course, you should examine "Christian" music no less closely than
any other kind, maybe even more so...
____________________________________________________________________________
Daniel A. Harling                        (harling@pictel.com)
PictureTel Corp.             Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of
Peabody, MA  01960                 PictureTel, but they ought to be!
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian