He's 13 years old and hasn't missed a Sunday church service ever, not even when he had an ear infection once. He used to love God but I've been noticing him turn away from his family and Jesus. His best friend looks like one of those goths, arent they Satanic? I have heard him playing that metal music in his room. I feel like I am losing my child to Satan. A few weeks ago i found a cd called Dimmu Borgir in his room. I was looking through the lyrics and what i saw made me fall apart in tears.


My wife has been crying ever since. Our son has never done anything like this before. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

:hug: :hug: .. for both you and your wife.

My oldest child is three so I am afraid I don't know how to deal with teenagers the best. But I just wanted to let you know that I am praying :praying: for your son and praying for you two as well :pray:

There are many parents here with teenagers and grown children who I'm sure will be able to give you much more help and ideas. Is your son open to discuss all this with you?

First, don't panic! And remember your son is not the enemy. Satan is the enemy and you as a Christian have authority over him in your home.

You and your wife need to get girded up in prayer together :pray: and then sit down with your son and have a talk. Let him know that you love him unconditionally. :hug: Find out why he felt the need to befriend the other young man. Could it be that he just wanted to be accepted? Is he going through some struggles that you are unaware of? Does he feel that you as parents love and accept him? (Not judging you, just trying to get to the root of it). Be ready for whatever comes out and do more listening than talking, at first. You really need him to open up to you, or you won't be able to find out what has really happened. Let the Holy Spirit guide your words and give you discernment to know if what he is telling you is the truth. He may try to throw up a smoke screen to get you distracted and off track.

Confront him about the music. But stay calm, and lovingly let him know that you will not allow it. Have him help you distroy the music and any other stuff related to it. I would also require him to break off associating with the other young man. (If he is in public school, that could be challenging.) Let him know that you don't hate his friend, but the things he has introduced him to. And, if you are holding anger in your heart toward his friend, you must forgive him and give it to God.

Then, pray with your son. Have him call on the name of Jesus (out loud) and to be set free from any hold satan has on him. (If he won't, then you take authority in Jesus' name and command satan to release your son.) This could get ugly, but remember that you as a believer in Christ Jesus have authourity over the enemy. When you pray, don't forget to pray blessings over your son. Keep it all positive toward your son, negative only toward the enemy.

After that, you are going to have to rebuild the relationship between you and your son. And begin to fill your son's head and spirit with positive things. Once you have kicked the enemy to the curb, don't let him back in. You, Dad, will be a vital part of saving your son from whatever the enemy has intended for him. Build a loving relationship with him, go do fun things together, spend time letting him talk to you, go help him pick out some good Christian music that he likes. Once this is over, don't bring it back up. Let him know you belive best of him and expect great and wonderful things.

Don't let fear take hold of you. I'll be praying for you and your family. :praying: :hug:

First, don't panic! And remember your son is not the enemy. Satan is the enemy and you as a Christian have authority over him in your home.

You and your wife need to get girded up in prayer together :pray: and then sit down with your son and have a talk. Let him know that you love him unconditionally. :hug: Find out why he felt the need to befriend the other young man. Could it be that he just wanted to be accepted? Is he going through some struggles that you are unaware of? Does he feel that you as parents love and accept him? (Not judging you, just trying to get to the root of it). Be ready for whatever comes out and do more listening than talking, at first. You really need him to open up to you, or you won't be able to find out what has really happened. Let the Holy Spirit guide your words and give you discernment to know if what he is telling you is the truth. He may try to throw up a smoke screen to get you distracted and off track.

Confront him about the music. But stay calm, and lovingly let him know that you will not allow it. Have him help you distroy the music and any other stuff related to it. I would also require him to break off associating with the other young man. (If he is in public school, that could be challenging.) Let him know that you don't hate his friend, but the things he has introduced him to. And, if you are holding anger in your heart toward his friend, you must forgive him and give it to God.

Then, pray with your son. Have him call on the name of Jesus (out loud) and to be set free from any hold satan has on him. (If he won't, then you take authority in Jesus' name and command satan to release your son.) This could get ugly, but remember that you as a believer in Christ Jesus have authourity over the enemy. When you pray, don't forget to pray blessings over your son. Keep it all positive toward your son, negative only toward the enemy.

After that, you are going to have to rebuild the relationship between you and your son. And begin to fill your son's head and spirit with positive things. Once you have kicked the enemy to the curb, don't let him back in. You, Dad, will be a vital part of saving your son from whatever the enemy has intended for him. Build a loving relationship with him, go do fun things together, spend time letting him talk to you, go help him pick out some good Christian music that he likes. Once this is over, don't bring it back up. Let him know you belive best of him and expect great and wonderful things.

You have received some really good advice from myhappyhome. The most important thing is to pray. You may even want to talk to his youth group leader if he goes to youth group. He may know something you aren't seeing. I know I don't have teenagers, but I taught high school for a few years and know how to deal with them.

I am also going to suggest that you put your foot down and tell him that the music is not allowed in your home. God made you the head of the house and you need to stand your ground on this. Don't put him down when you tell him this, just let him know that although you love him, he will have to monitor the types of things he brings INTO the home.

My heart is breaking for you and your wife right now. I've been there with one of my older daughters. She also went to church and Sunday School for many years. She was involved in youth group and church activites. I know she knows right from wrong, but then she also brought this type of music into our home. When we discovered it, we told her that we would not allow it and destroyed it. We told her that if her "friends" were influencing her in a negative way, then she needed to find new friends. She didn't like what we had to say. She was 15 at the time. My situation is a little different (I believe) in the fact that my daughter was from a previous marriage. She had another place to run to if she didn't like what we told her to do. She did just that and has been gone from our home for almost two years now. It is heartbreaking to see our children go through stuff like this, and I pray that your son can break free of this stronghold on his life. Like myhappyhome said, you need to PRAY, PRAY & PRAY some more. Pray like you've never prayed before and pray in Jesus' name that your son will be released from the enemy he has found in this music. I am praying for you, your wife and your son! :praying::praying::praying:

I am also going to suggest that you put your foot down and tell him that the music is not allowed in your home. God made you the head of the house and you need to stand your ground on this. Don't put him down when you tell him this, just let him know that although you love him, he will have to monitor the types of things he brings INTO the home.

Absolutely! He is 13 and you are the parents.

I neglected to say in my post to dig into the Word of God and find some scriptures to stand on. Build yourselves (you and your wife) up in the word so that you can stand firm. Also, when I talk about building a relationship with your son, maybe you could spend some time doing a Bible study with him at home. Not "beat him over the head with it" but something you two can do together, like maybe studying the Armor of God in Ephesians 6. It will be important to teach him how to combat the enemy for himself. Doing a study together will help keep him accountable and the two of you connecting on a regular basis. Then, you will know if he is having a hard time dealing with things.

And, like MM suggested, maybe there is someone at church (youth leader) who could be of help. But, ultimately, DAD, it is your responsibility to protect your home from the attacks of the enemy. You can do it! :)

:praying: for you and your family GSL.
I agree with the advice that has been given thus far.

I am praying for your family. I remember being a teen and turning the other cheek to everything my parents wanted out of me. It is a hard time for all. I agree with the advice you have recieved, I have little to offer as I have all young children.

Hold tight to Him and love your son.

Thank you all for your comments. I talked with him today and he told me that he has been getting bullied a lot at school. He said that the popular kids, the ones with a lot of money and the jocks are calling him gay and other horrible words, they have also been hitting him, He showed me a few bruises on his arms and back. He said his friends are also being treated similarly and the schools faculty are not stopping it. I've read some articles saying that bullying can lead to suicide, or taking there anger out on other people like what happened at columbine.

Are you in a position to home school? I home school a 13 year old and a 6 year old. Would you like to talk about your options? There is the site Education Otherwise, or I would be more than happy to talk on the telephone about home schooling. Lots of love, hugs and prayers your way - Louise (and Derek if you prefer ) Teesdale xx

GSL, I'm so glad you talked with your son and found out what has been going on. I'm so sorry to hear what he has been going through. :( Now that he has shared this with you, you will be able to help. :thumbs:

I would strongly suggest getting him out of that school as quickly as possible. As the previous poster asked, are you in a position to homeschool him? If HSing is not an option, I encourage you to find some alternative to where he is now. At 13, he is still a child and needs your protection. :sword: There is a battle going on, but with Christ, you win.:praise:

I am praying for God to give you His wisdom in this situation. :praying:

GSL, I'm so glad you talked with your son and found out what has been going on. I'm so sorry to hear what he has been going through. :( Now that he has shared this with you, you will be able to help. :thumbs:

I would strongly suggest getting him out of that school as quickly as possible. As the previous poster asked, are you in a position to homeschool him? If HSing is not an option, I encourage you to find some alternative to where he is now. At 13, he is still a child and needs your protection. :sword: There is a battle going on, but with Christ, you win.:praise:

I am praying for God to give you His wisdom in this situation. :praying:

:yeahthat: Praying for you and your family. :praying::praying:

I would strongly suggest getting him out of that school as quickly as possible. As the previous poster asked, are you in a position to homeschool him? If HSing is not an option, I encourage you to find some alternative to where he is now. At 13, he is still a child and needs your protection. :sword: There is a battle going on, but with Christ, you win.:praise:

I am praying for God to give you His wisdom in this situation. :praying:

I think you need to go into the school and talk to the principal and teachers. If they won't do anything after that, then you need to remove him from the situation and also go to the school board to report their neglect.

I think you need to go into the school and talk to the principal and teachers. If they won't do anything after that, then you need to remove him from the situation and also go to the school board to report their neglect.

this sounds like a great idea!! it's what i would do! :praying: for you and your family.

I think you need to go into the school and talk to the principal and teachers. If they won't do anything after that, then you need to remove him from the situation and also go to the school board to report their neglect.

Really great advice!!!! I was picked on badly when I was in grade 7 and my parents took things right to the top guy at the school .. it ended up being better for my parents to pull me out .. and I was homeschooled from then on. Praying for your family.

My boys are much younger than 13 years, but I taught middle school for a few years before staying home as a mom.

My first year, I had a wonderful, peaceful group of sixth graders. Our relationship was great, their parents were happy.

The second year I taught, I moved up with those kids into seventh grade. It was a nightmare. They were rebellious, their parents were angry, blaming teachers and the school environment for their kids change.

The last year I taught the same kids in eight grade. 80% of them had calmed down and were on better terms with their parents and teachers, though everyone was changed through the experience.

The ones who didn't recover from that introduction to adolescence were the kids whose parents weren't available either by choice (abandonment, divorce, or selfish lifestyle) or because they felt they didn't have a choice (evening work hours, evening school classes, etc).

Parents made all the difference, though I don't know for sure which ones have a relationship with the Lord. :praying:

I feel compelled to jump in here. I am a father of three (freshman in college, junior in high school, and a 6th grader) and teach 6th and 7th grade Sunday School. Much of the advice that has been given here is great but one thought about the situation that I feel can easily be overlooked is the ministry that your son can provide to all the unchurched around him as he Fights the Good Fight. I don't mean to say for him to physically fight back but to Stand with the strength of Jesus in the midst of this trouble. Your son can be the body of Jesus by not running but Fighting the Good Fight. Jesus calls us to Love our neighbors and 1st Corinthians 13 4-7 tells us that Love is Patient, Love is Kind ... It always Protects, always Trusts, always Hopes, always Persveres. This young man, your son has the opportunity to stand before the giant and demonstrate Jesus' Love for everyone. You son has the chance to be Jesus' Hands at his school. Your son show that Jesus does not run.

you hve to do whats best for your son, seek the Lord and He will show you if you should pull him out.If you do take your son out dont worry your son isnt showing that Jesus is running this is what God has for you and family...Dont make any decisions when your emotions are all out of wack just stand and seek God and He will lead you. The same thing just happened to my daughter she was in the public school and a whole bunch of girls wanted to jump her and Im a be real I wanted to go to the school and fight for her cause I cant stand when people mess with my kids, my flesh rises up real quick and I want to hurt someone for messing with mine but the flesh did die I sought the Lord and she is to be homeschooled. My daughter isnt strong enough in Christ to be a light in such darkness and in the mean time her friends come over to our house and we as a family witness in that way...As far as what you did by talking to your son and him opening up to you that is awesome,your son isnt that far away in Christ, he could of just been dabbing into some things that could of caused alot of trouble for him but you as an awesome parent intervened. Make sure you pray over his bedroom and bind up every demonic spirit and just cover his room in prayer and with the blood of Jesus. As for you and you wife I pray for wisdom and supernatural peace to come upon you and your house in Jesus' name.

I went through that goth phase in school. Honestly, it's a self defense mechanism for bullied kids normally. Kind of that "i'm tougher than you" thing. To be fully honest, I'd talk to him about switching schools and finding a new start on life.

It depends though there's a big difference between "emo" and "goth". One cries a lot and the other one just tries to be the tough one.

But still, I would consider switching schools and praying a lot, getting him involved in some kind of youth group.

We talk a lot about each of us has a Mission Field at our church. We do not limit that discussion to just adults. That Mission Field is not some far away land where they speak a different language (some would say teenagers speak a different language) but right where you are each and every day. I believe that our youth have a mission field that only they can minister, that is their classrooms, their sports teams, and the lunchroom. But we adults must mentor our children through these opportunities and Pray for and with them. We must rely on our Faith that God will be with our children and Love them through these things.

Your son is with God and God in him. Satan will try to get to US all many times but we serve the ONE who is more powerful. Put your son on the alter and in God's care....

Hi there, read your topic about your son and his friend and the music he's listening to, Dimmu Borgir, Norwegian Black Metal, Black metal itself is partially anti-Christian but Norwegian Black Metal is particularly anti-Christian, (it's got something to do with Norway's past I believe), anyway I would introduce some good Christian alternative metal into his music selection:

Extol (believe it or not they're from Norway and they do play Black Metal but are devoutly Christian, look them up).

Demon Hunter (from Seattle, Washington they play thrash metal and alittle bit of metalcore, hardcore punk mixed with metal ala MetalCore)

Living Sacrifice (a disbanded Christian metal band, one of the first to popularize the subgenre, but I believe they're back together, they're pretty good)

Skillet (not metal at all but they change their sound and genre every album practically; Christian).

I can tell you abit more but the others are definitely an acquired taste.

I know what it's like to be bullied and picked on; no fun at all.

Personally I don't know if your son is ready for harder music yet though, but if any of you are in doubt that metal could be anything Christian or that bands that play metal are Christian here's all the song meanings to the first 3 Demon Hunter Albums, I don't have the fourth album meanings though.

MEANINGS FOR SELF-TITLED

1.SCREAMS OF THE UNDEAD
This song is about the difficulties of everyday temptations and hardships.
It speaks about the pain of growing accustomed to a version of yourself that
you know is impure and flawed. The purpose of the song is to stress the
importance of returning to the love and faith that was once so important to
those accept Christ and who have since fallen out of that relationship.
'Screams Of The Undead' is another way to say screams of the living. We are
'undead' because we have life in Christ, and the Bible talks about crying
out, when we have found ourselves enveloped in our worldly habits, and
that's where the 'scream' from the title comes to play.

2. I HAVE SEEN WHERE IT GROWS
In 'I Have Seen Where It Grows' the lyrics speak descriptively about the end
of life here on earth and the beginning of life in Heaven. The nature of the
lyrics imply the expendability of our human bodies in light of our spiritual
ones. The song shifts the importance of life over to the more important of
beings, which is our everlasting souls. Though it is important to take care
of the body you were given to live life on this earth, it's imperative that
we remember that our souls will long outlive our stay here in physical form.

3. INFECTED
'Infected' paints an image of a person on their death bed and the thoughts
that would run through their head at such an overwhelming time. The story
told explains that no matter the illness at hand, it's much more important
to be infected with the love of Christ. It suggests the importance of your
relationship with the Lord specifically during this inevitable yet
potentially glorious crossroad from your life here on earth into the life
thereafter.

4. MY THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE
'My Throat Is An Open Grave' is taken from Romans 3:13, where the Bible
speaks about the powers of sin that bind us and cause us to fall short of
God's glory. It says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands,
no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong;
no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave, they use
their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips." In the
song, it tells about the gift of grace given by God despite our sinful
nature, and how good it feels to know that you have everlasting life because
of this grace.


5. THROUGH THE BLACK
This song is about the knowledge that no matter the case, God is present to
those who call on him. It's about waiting on God and not giving up hope that
in good time, He will make a difference in your life if you lay your cares
on Him. The song also takes the waiting process a step further to say that
we will wait with hope of His return to earth. It says 'I'm going to scream
Your name till You come back', suggesting that we call upon his presence in
our lives daily even before he makes His second coming.

6. TURN YOUR BACK AND RUN
'Turn Your Back And Run' is about turning away from the impurities in your
life as opposed to using temporary solutions to cover them up. It talks
about the ineffectiveness of remedying our problems with our own 2 hands.
When the song says 'switch' it's referring to the decision to turn away from
dealing with these trials and problems using your own discretion, and run to
the Lord for his wisdom and direction.

7. AND THE SKY WENT RED (interlude)
And blindly we held your hand and threw you down.
We cursed your name, turned our backs and begged you to embrace us.

8. AS WE WEPT
The idea behind 'As We Wept' is to return the favor of standing up for
Christ the way he stood up for all of mankind when he was put to death on
the cross. Christ never denied us even though we were always well deserving
of his disapproval, but we as a society are so quick to denounce and deny
who Christ is, and what he has done for us. The song states 'I will stand
and fight to justify you' (just as) 'You have bled and died to justify me'


9. A BROKEN UPPER HAND
This song tells about the power that the devil utilizes to draw us into his
way of thinking, and away from our faith in God. The title 'A Broken Upper
Hand' refers to the weakness that the devil suffers in an attempt to destroy
our relationship with Christ. Even thought the devil may have an upper hand
on our thoughts and actions from time to time, we, with the power of God,
have the ability to resist these temptations and remind the devil of his
brokenness in contrast to the power of God.

10. THE GAUNTLET
This song is about holding onto something despite the harmful effects it may
have on your life. It paints a picture of growing accustomed to something to
the degree that it manifests itself into an action of second nature. Some
things that we do consistently, we become numb to. This song speaks about
realizing the destructive power of these things, and taking action to become
effected by them once again.

MEANINGS FOR SUMMER OF DARKNESS


01. Not Ready To Die
This song explores the feelings we all get concerning death. We know that
through our hope in Christ, life everlasting awaits us after our time here
on earth comes to an end. But sometimes I get the feeling that I have yet to
achieve all that I should with the life I¹ve been given here. The lyrics
explain ³If only 33 years can save my life, I¹ve had 24 more to make things
right² This means that Christ gave 33 human years living on this earth and
in that time he died for us all, covering our sins. And if I needed some
time to come to terms with that, I¹ve had 24 years to do so.

I think everyone has a certain bitter-sweet anxiety about death, and I think
that¹s very natural, even inevitable. In this song I speak about this
anxiety and how, regardless of not being ready, I know where my fate lies.
In the song I explain, ³When I¹m taken home and you¹re still here, just
clear your mind and dry your tears.²

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
-2 Corinthians 5:1

02. The Awakening
The Awakening is about critics. Someone¹s always going to have an opinion
about our music and not everyone¹s going to like it. As a musician you have
to learn to understand that one person doesn¹t necessarily speak for
everyone else. Most of the time, they¹re speaking only for themselves.

03. Beheaded
Beheaded addresses the issues of gang life and the meaninglessness of the
retribution that keeps it alive. The song talks about the never-ending cycle
of revenge that fuels the gangster mentality. In this day and age, with the
growing popularity of gangster rap and gang-influenced attitude and
behavior, the general public are beginning to embrace the idea of a thug
mentality. This mentality suggests concern only for one¹s self and a total
disregard and disrespect for anyone else. Not only this, but a complete lack
of accountability for their actions, instead blaming their lifestyle on the
haunting mistakes and atrocities of the past. The history and philosophy
behind this mentality is dead wrong.

04. My Heartstrings Come Undone
I wrote this song for my wife. It¹s about my commitment to her. The gist of
the song is, regardless of our past or whatever may come our way in the
future, I¹ll be there for her. And if one of us completely falls apart
emotionally, physically or spiritually, I¹ll try my hardest, with the help
of God, to keep the foundation of our marriage a strong one.

05. Less Than Nothing
The only reason we can be a blessing to God is by his grace. We, by our
sinful, human nature fall so short of his glory that it¹s only by the
miracle of grace that we are so precious in his sight. The Bible tells us
that in and of ourselves and without God, we are no one, nothing. No matter
the person, without God¹s grace, we are collectively worthless. We attempt
to do things with our own power fail and time and again. This song speaks
about the stubborn human nature and the reality of our worth apart from God.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one
who does good, not even one.
-Romans 3:12

06. Our Faces Fall Apart
Our Faces Fall Apart is about Christians being held to an unattainable
standard. I believe that, as a man of God, it is my duty to be a light to
the people around me. And though I feel that is an important part of my walk
with Christ, I, like most of us, often fall short of this duty.

The point I try to make in this song is not to put people on a pedestal.
Humans, by nature are failures and people tend to forget that. It¹s not my
intention to fail as a witness to Christ, but I do. Fortunately for all of
us who fall short, the grace and mercy of God wash us clean as if we were
flawless in his sight.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 3:23-24

07. Summer Of Darkness
Summer Of Darkness deals with the repetition of human error. Day after day
we¹re reminded of our flawed human nature from the trials we face and the
temptations we feel. This song is a reminder that this life is not ours-
³This is not my life, this is not our life, everyday I die, this is not my
life.² The lyrics ³Before I go, you should knowŠ I hate myself for hurting
you² are a message to God that we desire to turn away from our sinful nature
and have (through repentance) received his forgiveness for our sins. Though
we continue to fall each day, Christ will be there to pick us up whenever we
need him.

08. Beauty Through The Eyes Of A Predator
It seems that in every group, whether ³religious² or other, there is always
going to be someone giving a bad name to whatever you believe in.
Christianity is not exempt of this. There are many ³Christians² out there in
the world doing things supposedly in the name of Christ, but ultimately
pushing non-believers further and further away from accepting the truth of
Jesus and the bible. Now I know that no one is perfect, and legitimate,
God-fearing Christians can make some of the worst mistakes, but I think
there is a difference between these mistakes and taking a big part in
jeopardizing the validity of Christ to the people around you.

One thing Christ is not, is a product. There is a fine line between selling
Christian products as a witnessing tool and selling Christian products
purely for personal profit. I believe that there are ways to make a
comfortable living within the Christian business world and still be focused
on the spreading of the gospel. I think that some people need to evaluate
just what they¹re selling when it has Jesus¹ name stamped on it. Is it
something that is going to make Him look much less important than He really
is?

09. Annihilate The Corrupt
Annihilate The Corrupt is about extinguishing the corrupt within your life.
In the song I parallel my life with the listener¹s, explaining that I go
through the same feelings and struggles that many of them might face. It¹s
about conviction. The ³stab through the back of your soul² describes how
painful that conviction can sometimes be. Though the song is directed
outwards to the listener, it¹s knowing what¹s inside myself that makes it
possible for me to address conviction. And even though conviction can be
painful, I explain that repentance will feed you new life. ³I can't breathe
alone, You can guide me home, I can feel you here, You can draw me near²
explains the giving up of these things to God.

10. I Play Dead
I have a tendency to be carefree in many circumstances. In some ways it is
helpful. I don¹t stress out about many situations that I think are trivial.
But sometimes this laid-back attitude can evolve into full-blown apathy.
Often times I let things that are important to others roll right off my
back. I am constantly reminding myself that there are plenty of things that
I need to care more about. It seems like a small problem, but it¹s proven to
be quite a struggle. I want to be sincere about the things I believe in
deeply. This song is a reminder of what Christ did for me and just how
important that was. It says ³Two broken hands lift seven wounds and fight to
stand.² This explains the agony of the cross that Christ hung upon to wipe
away my sins. This is one thing that I don¹t want to take for granted.

11. Everything Was White
Everything Was White talks about the times in life when you look back to a
better time. Often times I find myself in a lesser place (spiritually) than
where I used to be. And sometimes I go far too long before I realize that I
need to make conscious steps away from where I¹m heading and back to the way
that I know is right. The beautiful thing about these situations is that God
is always there for you, even when you forget about him. This song talks
about the emptiness that takes over when you starve yourself spiritually.
Sometimes, in hindsight, I can see the times that I stopped caring so much.
And when I have targeted those times, I can make the effort to not make the
same mistakes in the future.

12. Coffin Builder
This song is about the power that media has over people today. We live in a
society that is force-fed media-slanted garbage from the day we¹re born.
It¹s hard to avoid it even if you try. From the objectification of women to
the importance of financial gain to the justification of substance abuse,
it¹s all there- at every newsstand and on every TV channel. The
over-saturation of worldly values is no irony. It works. People relate to
these desires and that¹s why it sells. I¹m no different from the next guy
when it comes to this stuff. I have the same sinful nature that anyone else
might have. The one thing that I have that a lot of people don¹t, is a
relationship with Christ that helps me overcome these challenges. I know
that if I ask for direction and guidance in my daily walk, He¹ll help me
avoid the pressures that are pushed to us everyday.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.²

-John 16:33

Summer of Darkness continued:

13. The Latest And The Last (The Wheels Of Judgment Turn Slowly)
Passing judgment on one another as Christians can be very devastating and it
happens so often, we¹ve grown accustomed to it. Only God knows what lies in
the hearts of each and every one of us. The judgmental ideals of Christians
against each other result in a very segregated mindset.

For instance, many Christians have passed judgment on heavy metal as a
whole, saying that it¹s not a healthy platform for reaching people in the
name of Christ, and rather a blasphemous and worldly alternative to other
genres of Christian music. The amazing things that I¹ve seen happen for the
kingdom of God within the heavy metal scene prove that thought to be a very
ignorant perception.

Basically the song suggests, you can have the latest judgment, but God will
have the last.

MEANINGS FOR THE TRIPTYCH

1. The Flame That Guides Us Home
“The Flame That Guides Us Home” is essentially a prayer sung to God, asking that his angels would guide us to His light with their song.

2. Not I
“Not I” is about the idea of being set apart as Christians. In the song I talk about the life of a non-believer and the decisions they make to live their life contrary to the word of God and the moral code that we, as Christians, have come to live by. This song is a proclamation that we, as followers of Christ, will not conform to the ways of the world. In essence, when we see these sinful things that have consumed the world, we say “Not I.”

Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him.
Psalms 4:3

3. Undying
“Undying” is an anthem for those who will live eternally. It’s about taking pride in having everlasting life and not being afraid to show it. The “final heartbreak” spoke of in the song is referring to death- the last time you will break anyone’s heart here on earth. And after that- blinding lights will guide our way into Heaven. The name that I have coined for those who have accepted eternal life is the “undying.”

When I was younger, there were a few Christian metal bands that made me really excited to be a Christian. They would talk about Christ in a way that I could relate to, in a song that I thought was unashamed and forthright. I wrote this song to give kids today that same feeling of pride in being a Christian.

So that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
John 3:15

4. Relentless Intolerance
“Relentless Intolerance” speaks about the constant breakdown of morality and tradition in the world today. It’s about the pressures of being “open-minded” and “accepting” of things that we’re called to detest and flee from. In a world that always progressing, we need to look back to the times when we were less tolerant of immorality- and that’s what this song is about. There should be “no reformed edition” of the gospel. The things that we believe and trust should be viewed the same tomorrow as they were yesterday.

The song urges believers to not be ashamed when they are view as intolerant or narrow minded, because even though these are dirty words in today’s world, we are called to walk a narrow path and we cannot afford to be accepting of every sin this world may become numb to.

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9

5. Deteriorate
“Deteriorate” is more or less about getting old and feeling the effects of that. It’s about longing for an eternal body that will be flawless and will never wear out. When I sing “Awaiting my end, breathing in the day that finds me new,” I’m talking about looking forward to that day when our bodies will be replaced with Heavenly bodies.

In addition to this, it’s also just a reminder for listeners that life here on earth is not very long, and to live wisely while we’re here.

For my loins are full of burning pain, and there is no health in my body.
Psalms 38:7

6. The Soldier's Song
“The Soldier’s Song” is for all of the Demon Hunter fans that have written us from overseas, fighting in the war. Many of our fans over there have told us that we’ve been inspiring to them and that we give them encouragement in difficult times.

In lieu of a music industry that seems to give US soldiers more to regret than anything, Demon Hunter wrote a song for our soldiers to give them hope and to let them know that they are appreciated. I feel that many people have made these men and women feel unimportant. Many of them have seen friends and family die over there and if these soldiers are told that their time spent fighting this war is in vain, then that implies that these people died in vain. Demon Hunter would rather give these people our support and respect.

The Lord advances like a warrior; He stirs up His zeal like a soldier. He shouts, He roars aloud, He prevails over His enemies.
Isaiah 42:13

7. Fire To My Soul
“Fire To My Soul” is written from the viewpoint of a stubborn non-believer. It’s about someone who sees God’s work and feels his pull, but does all they can to ignore it and pretend that it doesn’t exist. When I sing, “I heard you calling, setting fire to my soul. Is this the voice we die for?” I’m showing how God is interacting in this person’s life. At this point, the non-believer is challenged when he hears a voice and he wonders if it’s the voice of the Lord.

At the end of the song, this person’s world is falling apart and they’re wondering why. They’re starting to realize that living according to their own agenda is getting them nowhere.

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:27

8. One Thousand Apologies
“One Thousand Apologies” is a song that I wrote as an apology to someone that I hurt. In the song, I talk about how foolish I’d been and how destructive my actions. “Resolutions are the same tomorrow” means that I will try to be a better person every day.

Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:18

9. Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Written by Prong in 1993, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” is a cover song. Demon Hunter decided to cover this song because it was a very influential song, musically speaking, to my brother and I growing up.

I’ve never seen the lyrics explained by Prong, but the way I take them is about life today and the endless struggle for success and wealth. The chorus says, “You want the good life, you break your back.” I think this is referring to the lengths that some people will go to in order to live a lavish life. To say, “You snap your fingers, you snap your neck,” is like saying that you wish you could just snap your fingers and make things happen, and you would snap your neck in order to do so.

10. The Science Of Lies
“The Science Of Lies” is about the popularization of Scientology in today’s society. I did some research on Scientology and found it to be one of the most absurd “religions” I’ve ever heard of. It’s a cult based around mental health and what seems to be some sort of science fiction- involving aliens and other plants. Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard actually used to write science fiction novels for a living before he decided to bring his stories to life in a cult. L. Ron Hubbard, who claimed to be a nuclear physicist (which is untrue), apparently realized the “truths” of Scientology on an operating table after sustaining injuries in the war. These “truths” include the idea that aliens, called Thetans, were sent here on a mother ship from an overpopulated galaxy named Xenu 75 million years ago. These Thetans we dropped here on earth and killed with hydrogen bombs. Now their spirits infest our human bodies and it’s our task to remind them of their tragic death, in order to kill them and thus, rid ourselves of these alien spirits that haunt us. The kicker is that, as a part of The Church of Scientology, you need to pay exuberant amounts of money to find out the truths of the “religion,” which is why the more popular members are Hollywood’s elite.

In short, this song is about the ridiculousness of this cult and how tragic it is that anyone would believe in it.

“You must not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness.”
Exodus 23:1

11. Ribcage
“Ribcage” is a song about addiction and the vicious cycle that we put ourselves in when we become addicted to something. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, pornography, or anything else, these things are killers- and not just to the individual. This song explains what it does to the people that you love when you allow these addictions into your life. The line, “Break through the ribcage and tear the heart out from everyone that you love” shows how the addicted will destroy anything on their path of addiction, even the people they love the most.

“Feed, feed the lust you need, and fainter grows each plea from skies above” is referring to God’s voice in your life, and how His voice can be overshadowed by these sins when you allow them to consume you.

Don’t you know that ever since antiquity, from the time man was placed on earth, the joy of the wicked has been grief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?
Job 20:5

12. The Tide Began To Rise
“The Tide Began To Rise” is a song I wrote about the changes you make in life. Sometimes, in looking back, you realize that you’re not progressing and changing into the mature, spiritually mature person that you had hoped for. I talk about the times when things seemed more stable and looking back on those days in the hope that you may return to them.

At the end of the song, I wrote about how depressing it can be sometimes, knowing that we, as humans, are so limited in the love that we can give to God and our loved ones. God gives so abundantly to us, yet we are living for ourselves most of the time. The love that we do give is usually just in the time left over after we serve ourselves. The final desperate plea is that God would just take my spirit home with Him, because I’m tired of the futility of human love.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom 3:23

thanks for sharing the meaning of these songs. However, they are taking over the thread and we should stick with the original op's question. thanks. :)

I know and I'm sorry; I think I got a tad carried away :P

I just wanted to let everyone know there are GOOD alternative choices that aren't all contemporary pop Christian music (nothing wrong with that but some people, like myself enjoy listening to something that's harder but with deep spiritual and profound meanings behind them, as much as even a simple worship song could have :) ).

I know that Demon Hunter probably won't be your first choice for an alternative to Dimmu Borgir however, I would recommend Extol personally more for being for more simpler with their songs to understand (Demon Hunter is good definately but some of their songs are a bit harder to understand without the meaning being just read ya know).

I know and I'm sorry; I think I got a tad carried away :P

I just wanted to let everyone know there are GOOD alternative choices that aren't all contemporary pop Christian music (nothing wrong with that but some people, like myself enjoy listening to something that's harder but with deep spiritual and profound meanings behind them, as much as even a simple worship song could have :) ).

I know that Demon Hunter probably won't be your first choice for an alternative to Dimmu Borgir however, I would recommend Extol personally more for being for more simpler with their songs to understand (Demon Hunter is good definately but some of their songs are a bit harder to understand without the meaning being just read ya know).

My DH may be interested in some ideas of alternative music....he grew up listening to Metallica and has been searching for a Christian band that is similar....any ideas? He is not into the "screaming", but likes the harder music. Thanks! :)

Uh hmmm Metalica, I've actually not really listened to much secular oldschool metal, the only secular metal band I do listen to is Iron Maiden; and I do listen to some secular oldschool gothic rock (and new wave and post punk). So my experience of: "Band a sounds like: b,c,d" isn't there really :P.

Most of the alternatives I listen to when it comes to Gothic Rock and industrial with a good positive message are verry how should I put this lol, um they're an acquired taste for a certain sound that's really not been heard before lol, its definitely far away from the mainstream rock sound lol VERY far :P.

However I will give the names of the three other bands that I like listening to.

The first band is called Saviour Machine they're a Christian progressive rock/metal/operatic/gothic metal band with heavy influence from David Bowie in vocals and Judas Priest in sound (because the lead singer and his brother grew up in the day when Judas Priest was popular etc so some of that is going to come through in the instruments and so on). But this is only true for their first 2 albums, their next albums have actually been based upon Revelation.

This band is really good too; Virgin Black: an Australian Gothic Doom Metal band; they're songs may sound a tad on the black metal side with some of their songs and on the other end REALLY slow and operatic but they're very Christian.

Finally, The Awakening from South Africa, a Christian Gothic Rock band (alittle bit industrial too) not metal at all, their sound ranges from old school goth rock to industrial.

X...can we move the music discussion to a new thread please? :thumbs:
we don't want to hijack the OP's original question.

perhaps put it under "entertainment." :)

Thanks so much!

He's 13 years old and hasn't missed a Sunday church service ever, not even when he had an ear infection once. He used to love God but I've been noticing him turn away from his family and Jesus. His best friend looks like one of those goths, arent they Satanic? I have heard him playing that metal music in his room. I feel like I am losing my child to Satan. A few weeks ago i found a cd called Dimmu Borgir in his room. I was looking through the lyrics and what i saw made me fall apart in tears.


My wife has been crying ever since. Our son has never done anything like this before. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

just reposting the OP's question...
GSL, any break throughs or updates?? :hug:

Thanks for redirecting post CK :) I too have been wondering how things are going for GSL.

The schools must deal with bullying. It is a topic that has gained legal responsibilities for all school employees in the past couple of years.

Contact school personnel and make sure they are following their anti-bullying policy - they are required by law to have one!

We have all got to be demanding and supportive of our schools' efforts to remove this activity from the hallways of our schools.

I add my prayers to all those here also.

Thank you all for your comments. I talked with him today and he told me that he has been getting bullied a lot at school. He said that the popular kids, the ones with a lot of money and the jocks are calling him gay and other horrible words, they have also been hitting him, He showed me a few bruises on his arms and back. He said his friends are also being treated similarly and the schools faculty are not stopping it. I've read some articles saying that bullying can lead to suicide, or taking there anger out on other people like what happened at columbine.

You might need to talk to the school principal. Now, your son may not want you to do that. He may fear retribution. But you, as a parent, have to get involved. You need to protect your child.

Is there a liason (police) officer on duty at the school? You may also need to talk to him. Bullying should NOT be tolerated in school!

Also, you need to clearly set some boundaries for your son - what he can listen to (and why); what he can wear; who he associates with; what your expectations are for him with regard to family (going to church, etc.) You are the parent. Again, he may not like you for it now, but he will one day realize and appreciate what you did for him.

You've gotten some other very good advice from others. Talking with your son is hugely important, but so is setting some behavioral guidelines. And, of course, protecting him from harm (whether he likes it or not!). Ever think of changing schools? That might be an option if you can't get results by going to the school officials.

Anyway, I hope things turn around for you! :praying:

God bless,

The Bible says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old they will not depart from it. So you just need to stand on God's word, pray and don't freak out on your son. God's word will not return void.

Up unto this point your son has trusted God because you and your wife do - not because he made a decision to believe. I am not saying he is not a Christian, but kids believe what we tell them. As teenagers they start to question what they believe and why they believe it. They begin to explore thier identity - and what they believe and what others believe. If thier faith is solid, they will come back to God at the ned of thier exploring.

Most kids who are "goth" aren't really Goth. They may have a spirit of rebellion, which you should rebuke; but ultimately they are not believing Goth ideologies, just acting the partfor shock factor. Don't overreact and they don't have anything to rebel against.

My son is thirteen, and I have to say I was more than concerned for the past year. My husband is not a Christian and I really felt like he was following his dad not Christ. Up to that point he has been active in church, saved, and baptised. I however was looking for fruit and not seeing it.

A month ago he went with the older youth at our church to Encounter 2009. When he came back he was very silent about what happened there, except the extracirricular activities. I saw positive subtle differences. Then I was approached by the youth pastor about how on-fire for God my son is. We attend a spirit filled church, and my son spent two hours being moved by the Spirit the first night of Encounter. I am thrilled. He now attends church three times a week on his own choice. He still plays on the computer too much and I am not always crazy about the music he choses to listen too but I realize God will work with him on that as he draws closer to God.

Keep your son plugged into church. If you have a good youth group, talk with your pastor. If you don't you might check out out local churches and let your son explore those - let him go to thier youth service. Youth service should be a place for the youth, where they want to be - not something they have to attend out of obligation.

The Bible says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old they will not depart from it. So you just need to stand on God's word, pray and don't freak out on your son. God's word will not return void.

Up unto this point your son has trusted God because you and your wife do - not because he made a decision to believe. I am not saying he is not a Christian, but kids believe what we tell them. As teenagers they start to question what they believe and why they believe it. They begin to explore thier identity - and what they believe and what others believe. If thier faith is solid, they will come back to God at the ned of thier exploring.

Most kids who are "goth" aren't really Goth. They may have a spirit of rebellion, which you should rebuke; but ultimately they are not believing Goth ideologies, just acting the partfor shock factor. Don't overreact and they don't have anything to rebel against.

My son is thirteen, and I have to say I was more than concerned for the past year. My husband is not a Christian and I really felt like he was following his dad not Christ. Up to that point he has been active in church, saved, and baptised. I however was looking for fruit and not seeing it.

A month ago he went with the older youth at our church to Encounter 2009. When he came back he was very silent about what happened there, except the extracirricular activities. I saw positive subtle differences. Then I was approached by the youth pastor about how on-fire for God my son is. We attend a spirit filled church, and my son spent two hours being moved by the Spirit the first night of Encounter. I am thrilled. He now attends church three times a week on his own choice. He still plays on the computer too much and I am not always crazy about the music he choses to listen too but I realize God will work with him on that as he draws closer to God.

Keep your son plugged into church. If you have a good youth group, talk with your pastor. If you don't you might check out out local churches and let your son explore those - let him go to thier youth service. Youth service should be a place for the youth, where they want to be - not something they have to attend out of obligation.

She's right, when I was younger; I never liked church, I later realized that I had a hunger that was not being fed and a need that needed to be met, my hunger was for more from God and more from the church, and long story; through this hunger I've come to know God more and seek His will in my life.

Now as for your statement on Goth ideologies; I'll quote from Wikipedia, (they sum it up quite nicely):

"Defining an explicit ideology for the gothic subculture is difficult for several reasons. First is the overwhelming importance of mood and aesthetic for those involved. This is, in part, inspired by romanticism and neoromanticism. The allure for goths of dark, mysterious, and morbid imagery and mood lies in the same tradition of Romanticism's gothic novel. During the late 18th and 19th century, feelings of horror, and supernatural dread were widespread motifs in popular literature; The process continues in the modern horror film. Balancing this emphasis on mood and aesthetics, another central element of the gothic is a deliberate sense of camp theatricality and self-dramatization; present both in gothic literature as well as in the gothic subculture itself.

Goths, in terms of their membership in the subculture, are usually not supportive of violence, but rather tolerant. Many in the media have incorrectly associated the Goth subculture with violence, hatred of minorities, white supremacy, and other acts of hate. However, violence and hate do not form elements of goth ideology; rather, the ideology is formed in part by recognition, identification, and grief over societal and personal evils that the mainstream culture wishes to ignore or forget. These are the prevalent themes in goth music.

The second impediment to explicitly defining a gothic ideology is goth's generally apolitical nature. While individual defiance of social norms was a very risky business in the nineteenth century, today it is far less socially radical. Thus, the significance of goth's subcultural rebellion is limited, and it draws on imagery at the heart of Western culture. Unlike the hippie or punk movements, the goth subculture has no pronounced political messages or cries for social activism. The subculture is marked by its emphasis on individualism, tolerance for diversity, a strong emphasis on creativity, tendency toward intellectualism, a dislike of social conservatism, and a mild tendency towards cynicism, but even these ideas are not universal to all goths. Goth ideology is based far more on aesthetics and simplified ethics than politics.

Goths may, indeed, have political leanings ranging from left-liberal to anarchist, but they do not express them specifically as part of a cultural identity. Instead, political affiliation, like religion, is seen as a matter of personal conscience. Unlike punk, there are few clashes between political affiliation and being "goth". Similarly, there is no common religious tie that binds together the goth movement, though spiritual, supernatural and religious imagery has played a part in gothic fashion, song lyrics and visual art. In particular, aesthetic elements from Catholicism often appear in goth culture. Reasons for donning such imagery range from expression of religious affiliation to satire or simply decorative effect.

While involvement with the subculture can be fulfilling, it also can be risky, especially for the young, because of the negative attention it can attract due to public misconceptions of goth subculture. The value that young people find in the movement is evidenced by its continuing existence after other subcultures of the eighties (such as the New Romantics) have died out."

Now with that said, I'm not saying endorse the goth subculture (even though I'm a goth, it's been a hard time I've had in the past with it etc.), but this was mostly from, like the quote said, the general populations' misconceptions of what the goth subculture is all about.

Now as for the subculture, yeah there's things in the scene that I cannot and will not participate in and there's bands I won't listen to and there's views I will not endorse; but this makes me no less a goth than the weekend goth (goths that dress up on the weekends :P). In that respect, I enjoy that sense of not being perceived as a "poseur" (aka mall goth, the teens you see at the malls with large cargo pants with chains on them that shop at Hot Topic). But all in all I am a Christian who has decided to walk into the dark holding out his candle for those unaware of God and His love. These are the kinds of people that need God but don't come to church ya know. I believe it's my calling to minister to my friends and reach this subculture.