Religions War on Rock Music in 1986

It didn’t start in 1986. Ever since rock music came about in the 1950s, the American religious right has been out against it. While it was pretty much ignored by people who think with their brains as opposed to their bibles, it seemed to go a little mainstream in 1986. One of the main leaders of the anti- rock brigade was TV evangelist Jimmy Swaggart. He preached fire and brimstone against rock music from the pulpit and I thought the Jimmy Swaggart Ministry made for great Sunday morning television comedy.  His first major strike was when he told his local Wal-mart and K-Mart stores that he would tell his congregation not to shop at the stores if they didn’t pull rock magazines from their shelves. Not long after, Wal-mart pulled thirty-two different magazines from all of their stores.

Holy man Swaggart wasn’t the only so-called Christian in the fight against rock music in 1986. This was also the year that some of his like minded devotees began going to rock concerts to preach against those who were going to see these ‘Satanic’ bands. My first experience of Jesus freaks at concerts came when I saw Ozzy and Metallica in the April. The experience was pretty much how I described it in “Rock and Roll Children.” The leader of the group did look like Lemmy and sounded as if he had just ingested helium and I did yell what the Nick character did in the story. These religious fanatics would come back again for Judas Priest and Dio.

I wish I had heard this guy’s advice back in 1986.

Here’s my rebuttal to Mr Swaggart and his minions:

Fortunately, the religious fanatics at concerts never made its way to Great Britain and though I haven’t been to a concert in the US in over 34 years, I know that they still go to concerts throughout America and try to stop others from having fun. I have always thought these people were sad and pathetic and I still do. Of course, two years later, the so-called Holy Man would have a great downfall and I will post about that.

Next post: Metal Ruled Parts of 1986