Recently I've been focusing on who I am and how I want to be. I've accepted God and am living the way He wants me to live. I pray to Him each day to show me my pathway. I have an online business that is directed towards punk/goth people. I am by a narrow stereotype considered a punk/goth. I've worn all black now and again, but right now love a pair of comfy jeans and a t-shirt. Currently my hair is light blonde, but I use to color it purple or pink and shaved the sides and back of my head. I have five piercings in each ear and a nose ring. I am a college graduate in Studio Art, minoring in Art History and have been in business for two and a half years.
I've had a need recently to support a few causes in my business to show others what kind of person I am and what my business is about. After much praying and searching I've found two. One is an organization for women against domestic abuse and the other is one that informs people that goths are conscientious and caring too. I've seen here and in other places that people simply don't know what it is to be goth and how some are very Christian. So I feel moved to enlighten people best I can and please feel free to ask questions as long as your mind is open.
Let's see what the dictionary says:
Wikipedia - The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify. Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from nineteenth century Gothic literature along with horror movies and -according to César Fuentes Rodríguez and Carol Siegel- to a lesser extent, the BDSM culture.....read more on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth_subculture
A generic definition is of people who dress all in black, are pierced and/or tattooed, are satanic or of the black arts, mean, angry, vengeful, scary, people you'd avoid....... Looks are deceiving.
Matthew 7
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Being human, what has kept us alive for this long is judging on first impressions, but God asks us not to see with our eyes, but with our hearts. I will not deny the fact there are satanists in this culture as there are in many other ones, but there are also Christian goths too. A major flaw with our society as a whole is not teaching people about what wearing an upside down cross or pentagram or razor blade truly means. Most people I've met just think it is cool and if you tell them it is satanic or of a negative meaning they just shrug and walk on.
We as a culture need to get back into faith and there are a lot of Christian goth groups out there. I am just beginning to find them (it takes a bit of digging to find these places), but they are out there. Wolves in sheep's' clothing are everywhere, but these goth Christian groups are truly of The Spirit and are spreading His word.
One major thing I keep seeing is people think that wearing black is of the darkness and Christians are people of the light. First off, not all goths wear all black. Secondly, black is the color associated with night or change/death/mourning, but is also one of the unknown. Thirdly, wearing all black is great because you know you will always match and it does slim the figure. Wearing black by no means is satanic. Infact the gothic cross or Roman cross is widely worn in the gothic outfit. Priests wear black as do nuns, and some monks wear dark robes to keep life simple.
"Goths look that way to get attention". Why yes we do and proud of it! This is a subculture of the unusual and goths tend to be accepting of others. They are the artistic and dramatic people of society. Goths generally are well read and love to learn. Christianity and goths go together quite well. We are the outcasts and the unwanted by normal society. Some like it that way. God loves us all so long as we follow His word and bring His teachings to others, even the Gentiles.
I often remind people that Jesus hung out with tax collectors, fisherman, prostitutes, and the lowest of human life, but they repented and followed God. Now the sinners turned away from sin, but the fishermen were needed as were the ones who knew the law of the town and knew of ways to change things. Others were persecuted by society for being ill or of a lower race, but that's not a sin and God loves them.
Many television shows/movies and musicians show the darker side of Gothic culture, but again that's a fault of our human culture right now and not a reflection of goths. We fear what we don't know and a lot of goths would rather you kept your distance. What makes the gothic culture unique is the subculture of it and not being in the mainstream. Once it is in the mainstream then the true individuals move on. My eyes are now open to see so many alternative preachers with tattoos and piercings and jeans who play electric guitars. They are called by our true God to serve His lost souls that were turned down by the Pharisees of this world.
I have been pushed out of churches, judged by so called "Christians", told if I didn't say anything that I'd fit in. I don't want to go to those churches. I don't want to be told that how I look or who I associate myself with will bring about my damnation. I try hard not to sin and have made it a point to not be around sinners. Sure I've had bad years and pray for forgiveness, but that's not for anyone to judge except for God.
Next time you see one of us on the streets, don't fear us, but smile and wave. You might just be surprised and get a smile back. If you would like further information about specific places to learn more, please let me know. I thank God for this sanctuary here at Oasis and for all of the wonderful people. My life has changed so much by it and I have told others of Oasis.
Psalm 40 16
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"
May the Lord add understanding to His word.
!,,!. (-.-) .!,,!
