I found this ridiculous, inaccurate, and offensive article (evidently from St. Mary's Catholic Church) on the internet. Since I am a goth (and a Christian one at that), let me take a moment to address some of the "signs" that I may have "gone astray from the Lord". I will put my comments in brackets {} to distinguish my words from those of the tragically misinformed individual who wrote this.

If Your Child is a Gothic, Reform Through the Lord! Listed below are some warning signs to indicate if your child may have gone astray from the Lord. Gothic (or goth) is a very obscure and often dangerous culture that young teenagers are prone to participating in. The gothic culture leads young, susceptible minds into an imagined world of evil, darkness, and violence. Please seek immediate attention through counselling, prayer, and parental guidance to rid your child of Satan's temptations if five or more of the following are applicable to your child:

* Frequently wears black clothing. {This post was from a Catholic church! BLACK IS ALL NUNS WEAR!}
* Wears band and/or rock t-shirts. {What is wrong with wearing a band t-shirt? I highly doubt that God is going to turn me away from heaven because I'm wearing a t-shirt that says "Metallica" on the front of it.}
* Wears excessive black eye makeup, lipstick or nailpolish. {Again- I don't think God really cares.}
* Wears any odd, silver jewelry or symbols. Some of these include: reversed crosses, pentagrams, pentacles, ankhs or various other Satanic worshipping symbols. {Make sure you do your homework, kids, before you make an accusation. A pentagram (right-side up) is Wiccan, not Satanic. I know several Wiccans, and none of them worship Satan. The ankh is an Egyptian symbol that stands for eternal life. It is not even affiliated with an Egyptian god or goddess; you can find pictures of anyone holding it in the heiroglyphs. Now let's see here- which is a more "uplifting" symbol? A symbol that means "eternal life" (which God promises His followers), or the cross that was used to torture Jesus to death?}
* Shows an interest in piercings or tattoos. {This is in no way strictly a "goth" thing. People from many different walks of life enjoy and partake in body art, and I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I just got done modifying a tattoo design for a very nice Christian woman that I know. Tattoos are no longer a brand of slavery to a master opposed to the Lord, and many "good guys" in the Bible had piercings. Last time I checked, God didn't have a problem with jewelry.}
* Listens to gothic or any other anti-social genres of music. (Marilyn Manson claims to be the anti-Christ, and publicly speaks against the Lord. Please discard any such albums IMMEDIATELY.) {So, you're so weak in your faith that you cannot bear to hear words from the mouth of someone of an opposing religion, for fear that you will be tainted and swayed, and stumble in your beliefs? Wow. Also, how on earth can a whole genre of music be labeled as "anti-social"? The lyrics of each song and each artist are all different. Not to mention the fact that nuns hole themselves up in convents. That sounds pretty anti-social to me.}
* Associates with other people that dress, act or speak eccentrically. {Last time I checked, Jesus wasn't leading the attack of the clones. There is nothing wrong with being unique. By the way, don't you think that Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego (you know- those guys in the Bible that you learn about at age 5 in sunday school) were pretty "eccentric" for being the only three people in an entire kingdom to refuse to worship a god other than their own?}
* Shows a declining interest in wholesome activities, such as: the Bible, prayer, church or sports. {Here's the first one that makes a shred of sense. If someone shows a declining interest in the Bible, church, etc., then it would stand to reason that they may be becoming less interested in Christianity. But...sports? I guess if you break an arm or develop another hobby, you must be rooting for Satan?}
* Shows an increasing interest in death, vampires, magic, the occult, witchcraft or anything else that involves Satan. {Death? Death is Satanic? I seem to remember that in the book of Exodus, when the Pharoah lost his son, God commanded the Hebrews to smear lamb's blood on their doorways. Then, God sent down the Holy Spirit, a.k.a. the ANGEL OF DEATH, to smite the firsborn sons in all households except for those in the homes smeared with the lamb's blood. Also, how can your death involve Satan if you believe that you are going to heaven after you die?}
* Takes drugs. {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
{...Uh-oh! You won't believe this, but Marilyn Manson just came up on my computer's shuffle playlist! Quick, someone call a priest to cleanse me of the demons!!!}
* Drinks alcohol. {NOT GOTHIC. And, consuming alcohol is only a problem if it's done either underage (legal issues) or in excess. Oh, my...didn't Jesus turn water into wine?}
* Is suicidal and/or depressed. {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
* Cuts, burns or partakes in any other method of self-mutilation. (This is a Satanic ritual that uses pain to detract from the light of God and His love. Please seek immediate attention for this at your local mental health center.) {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
* Complains of boredom. {........?! Do I even need to address this one? Since when is boredom a sign of secret Satanism, or "straying from the Lord"? I'll bet that St. Mary, when she was alive, got bored at times- and yet you revere her.}
* Sleeps too excessively or too little. {Do you REALLY think that God cares how much sleep you get, as long as you're healthy?}
* Is excessively awake during the night. {What is wrong with being a "night owl"?}
* Dislikes sunlight or any other form of light. (This pertains to vampires promoting the idea that His light is of no use.) {Dear Saints, please, I beseech thee, forgive and cleanse me of my unholy and devilish nature; but the will of our Lord is such that I was born of a father who is half each of Irish and German descent, and therefore I am pale and sunburn very easily. Our Lord has also deemed it fitting for me to have sensetive eyes; therefore bright light hurts them. ...Seriously- I dislike being in the sun because it is hot, bright, burns my skin, hurts my eyes, and gives me pounding headaches. I still value God's love just as much!}
* Demands an unusual amount of privacy. {You mean when I want to pray? To remain "wholesome", I now need a babysitter if I want to pray?}
* Spends large amounts of time alone. {Oh, like nuns and monks do?}
* Requests time alone and quietness. (This is so that your child may speak to evil sprits through meditation.) {.......WHAT?!}
* Insists on spending time with friends while unaccompanied by an adult. {So I suppose this means that growing up and moving away from the house is out of the question?}
* Disregards authority figures; teachers, priests, nuns and elders are but a few examples of this. {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
* Misbehaves at school. {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
* Misbehaves at home. {Not good, but NOT GOTHIC.}
* Eats goth-related foods. Count Dracula cereal is an example of this. {This is truly the most braindead one so far. I know lots of goths, and so far as I have seen, none of us hunt down "goth-related foods" (unless decorative candies count). We may be goths, but we still have better things to do with our time- like school and work. We don't nitpick things like this the way you do.}
* Drinks blood or expresses an interest in drinking blood. (Vampires believe this is how to attain Satan. This act is very dangerous and should be stopped immediately.) {What about when Jesus commanded his disciples to drink wine as a representation of HIS BLOOD? It was symbolism, I'll admit, but still! The author of this article obviously took symbolism very seriously if they went as far out of their way as they did to say that avoiding sunlight is bad; and yet they chose to ignore the Last Supper...How convenient.....}
* Watches cable television or any other corrupted media sources. (Ask your local church for proper programs that your child may watch.) {See my response to the Marilyn Manson comment. Also, cable television is in NO way partial to goths; in fact, very few television programs that I have seen are geared towards us.}
* Plays videos games that contains violence or role-playing nature. {There's violence in the Bible! People getting their eyes put out! People getting beaten! Enslaved! Fed to a den of lions! Thrown into a furnace! Stoned to death! CRUCIFIED! And, you teach these things to our children as soon as they are old enough to understand the words coming out of your mouths! I don't think that simulated violence (SIMULATED, mind you; that mean's that it's NOT REAL) in a computer game is going to send them to Hell or cause them to become evil. And....role-playing? How is role-playing bad? Because I remember role-playing and acting out Bible stories in sunday school.}
* Uses the internet excessively and frequently makes time for the computer. {WHAT does this have to do with being gothic?! People everywhere use the internet! I guess anyone who works in a computer lab or an office is considered evil now?}
* Makes Satanic symbols and/or violently shakes head to music. {Making Satanic symbols, okay. I get that; that's not a Christian thing to do. But... "violently shakes head to music"? How can even the most twisted and illogical of minds come up with a way to explain how headbanging is evil or Satanic? Headbanging is a good, harmless way to get out anger (or just plain fun). I also have found it to be a great way to partially dry your hair after a shower. ...The problem?}
* Dances to music in a provocative or sexual manner. {Again, what does this have to do with being a goth?! No matter what style you are, the worst "provocative dancing" is going to do is make you look a bit crude, or make a someone of the opposite sex think the same things they were probably already thinking.}
* Expresses an interest in sex. {AM I EVEN READING THIS CORRECTLY?! Er, we call that PUBERTY. And I suppose that, since an interest in sex is bad, the parents who are reading this record-breakingly absurd article must have concieved their children immaculately? ...That hasn't happened since Mary gave birth to Jesus. Oh no, I'm sorry; apparently the parents DID mate- they just...hated it? Did it begrudgingly and regretfully? Wept and mourned throughout the whole thing because they thought that sex is evil, even though it is neccessary for children to be born? I doubt that! God made sexual intercourse a pleasurable thing for a reason, and that reason was not so that He could deny us that pleasure in its proper place. The God that I worship is glad to see His people happy, and does not find morbid glee in forbidding them from doing (or showing an interest in) perfectly moral, natural things that bring them joy.}
* Masturbates {There is nothing wrong with masturbating. It in no way compromises your virginity. And yet again, do you REALLY think that goths are the only ones who do this?}
* Is homosexual and/or bisexual. {I do agree that this could be a concern if you are a Christian parent. But....just.....leave the kid alone!!! Once you reach the age of accountability (age 12 at the oldest), your sexuality is YOUR decision to make, and YOU will work it out with God when the time comes! No one but God has the right to question something as personal as your sexuality!}
* Pursues dangerous cult religions. Such include: Satanism, Scientology, Philosophy, Paganism, Wicca, Hinduism and Buddhism.-{See comment on homosexuality/bisexuality.}
Wears pins, stickers or anything else that contains these various phrases: "I'm so gothic, I'm dead", "woe is me", "I'm a goth". {Yet again, how is this evil? Oh, and here's a news flash: MOST GOTHS ARE NOT DEPRESSED. In fact, for the most part we're probably happier than you are, because we have enough self-respect to participate in the culture and style that WE want, rather than trying to please every superficial, arrogant, judgemental Jane and John Doe we meet. In other words, if you see one of us wearing a pin that says something like "woe is me", or "I'm dead", it's probably a joke. Lighten up.}
* Claims to be a goth. {There is nothing wrong with being gothic.}

If five or more of these apply to your child, please intervene immediately. The gothic culture is dangerous and Satan thrives within it. If any of these problems persist, enlist your child into your local mental health center. {MENTAL HEALTH CENTER?! Alright, let's play this game your way. Let's say that I (1)request quietness and alone-time, (2)get bored at times, (3)use the internet every day, (4)watch cable television, and (5)have gone through puberty and have the natural sexual desires that God gives each and every person on this earth. That makes "five or more symptoms". Does that REALLY sound like a mental case to you?! Because to me, it sounds like every other teenager, both gothic and non-gothic, that I have ever met.}

~ St. Mary's Catholic Church
{~Ridiculous and offensive article ends here.~}



I would like to point out that this is exactly the kind of illogical, irrational, hatemongering frame of mind that led to the Salem Witch Hunts. How can anyone make sense of this sort of thought process? DO NOT accuse a culture of being evil or ungodly if you don't even know what is or is not truly a part of it! And, if you are religious enough to point your finger and make accusations, then you SHOULD be religious enough to know what is and is not Satanic. If you are so misinformed or ignorant that you think an ankh represents Lucifer, then you really just need to keep your mouth shut. I vividly remember a parable that Jesus told in the Bible; specifically the whole point of the parable- "remove the plank from your own eye before you go to remove the speck in the eye of your brother". When Jesus was on this earth, He did not run around saying "Alright, let's see here... YOU'RE going to Hell, YOU'RE going to Hell, YOU'RE going to Hell, and...YOU'RE going to Hell too! Damn you all!!!". He was loving, understanding, and merciful; for did not Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, show more hospitality to Jesus than the supposedly "wholesome" people of the house He was in?
Satan does not "thrive" within the Gothic culture. He thrives within people who judge others, and act cruelly and accusingly as a result of their judgements. Did God NOT say "Judge not, lest ye be judged"?! I personally have put up with all sorts of abuse for being a goth. I have been flicked off, shouted at, insulted, cussed out, and cut down for the way I dress. Supposed "Christians" who were trying to get me to come to their church actually had the audacity to tell me that I "didn't LOOK like a Christian". My best friend and I cannot go for a simple picnic or photo shoot in her neighbourhood without a bunch of brats (age about 10 to 17, I'd guess) chasing us down. They will swarm around us and refuse to let us go on, throwing things (which hurt pretty badly at their usual range of two to three feet), calling us evil witches, and cussing us out. These are the same little monsters that attend the Christian youth group across the road. While my friend was being harrassed alone, she just stood and took it. The first couple of times this happened when I was there, we stood our ground and (yes, I'll admit it) I yelled right back at them. After one or two rounds, we realized that we weren't doing the right thing, and that they were just feeding off of us. We started keeping quiet, except to tell them that we didn't want any trouble, and trying to just walk around them. In return for our patience, they continued to abuse and harrass us.
As you may have guessed, that is not the only flak we've had to deal with. My best friend and I were also constantly made fun of by what seemed like every single carney in every single booth at our county fair this year. A very tenderhearted, lovable friend of mine, while walking down a public sidewalk wearing a black skirt, has had to put up with people slowing down their vehicle and rolling down their windows just to call him a fag. We were also yelled at because I was wearing "corpse eyeliner" and because he was wearing nail polish. When my boyfriend held the door open for a little old lady, she stopped and glared at him as if he were a martian. Another close buddy of mine was called a man-whore because he had long, silky hair and wore tight shirts......And people call us goths the evil ones? I have been called stupid, ungodly, ridiculous, embarrassing, and much much more for the way I look. If I took all that to heart and made as many derogatory comments about "normal people" as have been made to me, that is all I would be doing, and I would be a twisted, bitter, mean-spirited wreck.
No one deserves to be abused harrassed, or mistreated because they are different. It doesn't matter whether you're gothic, emo, skater, nerd, metalhead, foreign, physically deformed, mentally retarded, of a different sexuality, or of a different religion. One of the most asinine arguments made to justify discrimination against people of the alternative lifestyles is "You CHOSE to be the way you are; someone who is deformed didn't". Well, then let's have a little chat about history; do you remember that huge tragedy, led by Adolf Hitler, called the Holocaust? Countless Jews were abused, tortured, and slaughtered for their religion. A counter-argument to that point was then made: "Well, a lot of the people were born into the Jewish culture. They didn't choose it.". WHAT?! Alright, as I said earlier, let's try playing this game their way. Let's say that half of the Jews freely chose their religion, and the other half was simply born into the culture and had no choice in their affiliations. So, the half that had no choice didn't deserve what they had to endure, but the other half did? The Jews that freely CHOSE to be Jewish DID deserve to be abused? Imprisoned? Tortured? Starved? Killed? People that CHOOSE to live an alternative lifestyle DO deserve to be abused? Harrassed? Discriminated against? Beaten? Raped? Killed? Look at the parallels to the Holocaust! To the Salem Witch Hunts! If they don't bother you, then you must be so sick and twisted that nothing anyone says will ever change your mind. And, in the minds of sick people like that is where Satan truly "thrives".
To all my fellow goths out there, never ever ever give up, and don't let stupid comments made by stupid people hurt you for too long. I hate all the discrimination that we have to endure, and I have cried many, many painful tears because of it. However, we need to stand strong. Never give up; you are beautiful, and you all have a special place in my heart. I love you!



"Thinking hurts and thoughts don't rhyme
To those of us who've never tried
To find the face behind our lipstick smiles.
And as our pretty faces die,
Our broken hearts will wonder why
The makeup just won't hide the scars of time."
-The Birthday Massacre - "Play Dead"