Marilyn Manson is one of the most famous shock-rockers in the music industry. Known for his controversial lyrics, risqué dress and Satanic performances, judgement is easily cast upon those who enjoy his artistry.

I have always been drawn to alternative and rock music. And it turns out that I really enjoy Marilyn Manson’s music. However, being Catholic, I am hesitant to share this information due to the judgement I receive. This raises a question that religious people and non-religious people alike deal with: is music a good judge of morals?

Many people believe that Christians shouldn’t listen to such “unholy” music. Regardless of religious beliefs, judgement is often placed upon those who listen to artists who revel in darker, heavier thematic material. It’s true that Manson’s music contains a lot of lyrics and imagery that goes against my own personal religious beliefs, but his music doesn’t change my faith. Just because I listen to the music doesn’t mean I believe what he says. I can enjoy the music from an artistic point of view. Either way you look at it, Marilyn Manson is an amazing artist—his work is thoughtful and clever, and he puts a lot of effort into his art. The fact that one can listen to a certain kind of music and appreciate its artistic qualities is often overlooked.

I like Marilyn Manson because of his voice, the instrumentals and the emotion behind the music. Listening to his music doesn’t make me a bad Christian—I’m not agreeing with all of the content, I’m simply observing and appreciating. As Marilyn Manson himself stated, “if they think that an artist can destroy their faith, their faith is rather fragile.”