Conclusion

From very ancient times, music expressed the composers's most lofty and noble feelings. It calmed, gave joy and assisted in conceiving a prayerful emotion within the listener. Like poetry, music mirrored nothing but high, "not of this world," creative endowments.

We read in Genesis that the angels and saints in Heaven sing praises to God. But does music exist in Hell? If so, it would no doubt remind one of rock and "heavy metal" music! This type of music awakens appalling and violent carnal emotions. It agitates the dark bottom of the listener's soul, surfacing its cabbalistic and sinful qualities. As the words from Revelations remind us: "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down into you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev. 12:12).

A spiritually perceptive individual cannot but see the devil's influence on contemporary music, on the make-up of films and TV programs, on the upsurge of enthusiasm for Eastern mysticism, transcendental meditation and yoga, the escalating popularity of spiritism, astrology and extrasensory forms of healing. The tentacles of the Prince of Darkness are penetrating deeper and deeper into the lives of modern-day people. "By their fruit you shall know them."

Children and teenagers appear to be the main "users" of contemporary violent music. Unfortunately, the majority of them do not comprehend the meaning and nuance of the words that they are listening to. Their insufficiently developed powers of reasoning makes it impossible for them to understand the sexual allegories, the various depraved terminologies and occult concepts embodied in such songs. Moreover, they are not conscious of the satanic attributes of this music. All they hunger for are powerful stimuli; something new and interesting, and exciting rhythms of rock music that are attune with the baser instincts of their nature.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), concluded that the majority of modern music and rock-video is a bigger threat to the health of children and teenagers than that posed by poliomyelitis several years ago. In the opinion of the representatives of the AAP, prolonged listening to "heavy metal" music can result in the spiritual mutilation of the individual, leaving permanent scars on the psyche. Worst of all, rock music and "heavy metal" have developed into a vanguard of anti-Christian sentiments.

But contemporary frenetic music also masks graver maladies of our modern society. The words in rock music possibly appeal to the young because, in rejecting the ideals of the older generation, they have not discovered any worthy aspirations in life. They display their disappointment in their parents by utilizing this music as a form of protest.

In this context, parents should appraise the sincerity of their faith in God and determine whether their priorities, within the family group, conform to Christian teachings. Do all the family members regularly pray to God; do they attend church services; do they partake of Holy Communion; do they observe Lent and Church Holy Days; do they read the Bible together; do they converse about God? If not, the children will be left with a definite spiritual void, waiting to be filled with anything that comes their way.

Naturally, the surrounding influences are quite strong, and often parents are quite helpless in withstanding them. Consequently, there is a need to converse with children about these contemporary problems and make them aware of these perils. The most important thing is to pray to God, so that He may guide them along His path toward salvation, because "what is impossible to man, is possible to God."