Heavy metal bands and symbolism

You see it time after time in the news. Some metal band gets accused of being fascists and propagating Nazi ideas and similar stupid stuff. And of course the people from that band prepare a statement that they have nothing to do with this. Of course, it's all very silly.

The thing is, the bands that get accused with nazism are usually bands that have pagan backgrounds or have pagan influences. The symbols they use might resemble some that the Germans might have used during WWII, and which some extreme right wing groups are still using. Does that make those symbols bad? No.

Of course, there is a group of people that take offense at anything that doesn't resemble Christian symbolism. Fundamentalist Christians bitch at anything that isn't Christian, or that attacks their world view. Inverted versions of their symbols are sure to arouse their wrath, and anything that even remotely resembles a cross (but isn't) is also scoffed at. You see, those people equate anything that isn't Christian with Evil and their version of Satan. Shortsighted? Yes. Annoying? Sure.

So. If you hear of yet another band that is being accused of fascist or extreme right-wing views, ignore it. It's just Christian anti-propaganda at work.