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Metal vs. Christ
Concerning the neverending debate between metal music fanatics and Christian fundamentalists:
Metal music (particularly death metal and black metal) is occasionally criticized for its glorification of death. Concerned parents fear that their children, having read a bunch of lyrics dealing with death, pain, reincarnation and whatnot, will suddenly go nuts and commit suicide. Christian fundamentalists indignantly claim that death is not something 'cool', not even remotely, and that these terrible lyrics are the evil work of Satan.
Well, then, consider the lyrics of J. S. Bachs "Komm, du süße Todesstunde" (BWV 161). (These lyrics were written by Franck, a truly devoted Christian, just like Bach himself.) This is a cantata, i.e. it was performed in church, as part of the Sunday service. You'll find that the Christian doctrine is as death glorifying as anything you'd find within the death metal culture.
So this is a message to both metal fanatics and Christians: Do not fight. Comparing the two camps reveals quite a lot of similarities. (But of course, that's part of the idea with satanism.)
I should also mention that "Komm, du süße Todesstunde" is well worth listening to. But that goes without saying, since it's Bach. =)
BWV 161, common English translation
1. ARIA
Come, thou sweet death's hour,When my spirit
Will eat honey
From the lion's mouth;
Make my departure sweet,
Do not delay,
Final light,
So that I may kiss my saviour.
2. RECITATIVE
O world, your pleasures are a burden,I hate your sugar as if it were poison,
Your friendly light
Is for me like a comet;
And where your roses are plucked
There are innumerable thorns
To torment my soul.
Pale death is my morning light;
From which for me the sun
Rises in glory and heavenly felicitation.
Thus I shall only sigh from the bottom of my heart
After the last hour of death.
I wish to be with Christ soon;
I desire to take my leave of this earth.
3. ARIA
My desireIs to embrace the saviour
And soon to be with Christ.
Even if death grinds me
Into mortal ashes and dust,
The pure radiance of the soul
Will soon shine upon the angels.
4. RECITATIVE
The end is already decided.O world, good-night!
Can I now have the comfort
Of dying soon in the arms of Jesus?
He is my gentle sleep.
The cool grave will cover me with roses,
Until Jesus will wake me again,
Until he leads his sheep
Into the sweet meadow of life
So that death will no longer be able to separate him from me.
So, happy day of death, now you may dawn,
Final hour, you may now strike!
5. CHORUS
If it is my God's will,I wish that the burden of the body
Would fill the earth even today,
And that the spirit, the guest of the body
Would clothe itself in immortality,
In the sweet heavenly joy.
Jesus, come and take me away!
This is my final word.
6. CHORALE
Although my body, in the earth,Is consumed by worms,
Yet I shall be woken again,
Transfigured by Christ,
To shine like the sun,
And live without troubles
In heavenly joy and delight.
How can death then harm me?