Be a Christian Emo

Due to stereotypes, some may think that Christianity and Emo are two identities that are opposing or not compatible. But this is not true; you can be both Christian and emo. By avoiding negative emo stereotypes and living according to Christian faith, you can start looking and acting emo while still glorifying God.

Steps

Acting Emo

  1. Show emotion. Emo is short for emotional or emotive hardcore. “Being emo” involves acting according to your emotions and being a part of the whole subculture or lifestyle.[1] In order to act emo, you don’t necessarily have to be moody or sad, but just be more thoughtful, quiet, and expressive through art and style rather than words.
    • Despite the stereotypes that you may have heard or read, emo does not mean inflicting self-harm or being depressed. These are serious medical conditions that need to be addressed and treated and do not make you more authentically emo.
  2. Listen to emo music. The emo genre of music originated in the 1980s punk music scene in Washington, D.C. Some of the earliest emo bands out of D.C. are Rites of Spring and Embrace. Then there are bands out of the 90s like Sunny Day Real Estate and The Promise Ring, followed by Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, and The Get Up Kids. More recently, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco are popular emo bands.[2]
    • There are Christian emo bands too! Try listening to bands like Further Seems Forever, Underoath, The Almost and Living Sacrifice.
    • You don’t need to listen only to emo music. Listen to Christian music too, and whatever other genres you like. The emo subculture is all about being passionate and emotionally invested in whatever you want, so having a varied taste in music is a good thing.
  3. Learn an instrument or another art form. Guitar, bass, and drums are great choices, and could allow you to join or create an emo band yourself. If you have a youth group that worships to Christian Rock, try to get into the band. You can also get into creating art or starting a journal to write poems, stories, or just thoughts. Getting into any art form is emo, because emo is about expressing feelings and emotions.
  4. Be yourself. The emo lifestyle is all about expressing your emotions, and you can’t do that if you’re not being true to yourself. Own your identity as both Christian and emo.
    • If someone asks you about your religion, feel free talk to them about Jesus. The Bible says, “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (I Peter 3:15).[3]
    • If someone asks you about your emo identity or emo music, tell them about the bands or other things you’re into. Many people just don’t understand and want to know more.
    • If someone asks you about being Christian and being emo at the same time, let them know that you can be both! As long as you are putting Jesus first and living by His word, you can choose whatever styles and music make you happy.

Looking Emo

  1. Get the clothes. The emo style of clothing typically includes wearing band t-shirts or ironic t-shirts, sweaters and hoodies, skate shoes like Vans or Converse, and accessories like piercings and a messenger bag. Black eyeliner is also popular on guys and girls.
    • If you can’t or don’t want to spend a lot of money, you can find a lot of simple emo clothes and even band shirts at thrift stores. A more worn-in look on your clothes and shoes is better than new anyway.
    • A Christian cross also looks great with this style too. Don't forget your relationship with your Lord!
  2. Get the hairstyle. Grow out bangs (the hair around your face) and then part your hair far to one side, so that the bangs fall partly or fully over one eye. You can use gel or mousse to style the bangs or slightly spike the rest of your hair. You can also buy hair dye in a dark color to add to the look.
  3. Know the difference between emo, scene, and goth. These are three separate subcultures that are associated with slightly different types of music and fashion choices. While emo is generally characterized by sideswept hair, hoodies, and sweaters, the scene look usually has brighter neon colors and the goth look is generally all black.
    • If someone confuses you for scene or goth, don’t get upset or defensive, just explain why you identify as emo. It’s good to know the difference between these three styles, but it’s not worth an argument. All are valid, and everyone has a different definition of what it means to be emo, scene, or goth.

Being a Good Christian

  1. Believe in God and Jesus Christ. Being a “good Christian” is not so much about performing any specific actions as it is simply believing in God as a higher power and growing in love for Our Lord Jesus Christ, allowing Him to transform your life.[4]The following steps are all good activities for Christians, but the one thing that makes a true Christian is simply loving and trusting in God.
    • Talk to a pastor, your parents, or other Christians if you have any questions about your belief in God.
  2. Attend church. Find a church you really like—maybe it’s one that your parents, relatives, teachers, or friends go to—and attend services regularly. Church is a place where you can worship God, but also, connect with other Christians to help grow your faith and better understand Jesus’ message through sermons and Bible readings.
    • Find out when your church holds other events and activities in addition to weekly services, such as Sunday School, charity events, or other ways to get involved with fellow Christians and the community.
  3. Pray. Talk to God daily to thank Him for his guidance, ask questions, confess sins, and pray for others to follow Jesus Christ in order to lead better and more fulfilling lives.[5]
    • Start by picking a time and location to pray every day. Whether you kneel, stand, or walk, there is not one way to pray, so find what is best for you.[6]
  4. Read the Bible. Start reading on your own or join a Bible study group. Take notes on what you find interesting, and write down questions about what confuses you. Talk to someone at your church or another Christian you trust to deepen your understanding of the scripture.[5]
    • Try reading just one passage every day and seek to understand it fully by asking all the questions you need to.
  5. Keep Christ first. Remember that even if you adopt another lifestyle like emo, as a Christian you worship God first and foremost. Being emo isn't the greatest commandment; loving the Lord is.
    • The Bible says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3)[3]
  6. Address negativity at church. If other people at your church or in your Christian community approach you with negative judgment or untrue stereotypes about the emo way you act or dress, kindly talk to them about how being emo is just a way of expressing your personality and doesn’t interfere with worshipping God.
    • The Bible says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” (I Samuel 16:7)[7] Use this and other Bible verses to help you explain self-expression and why your identity as emo doesn’t interfere with your identity as a Christian.
    • You can even introduce others in your church to Christian emo bands to help them see the crossover between these two identities and share what you like.

Tips

  • Be inclusive and kind to everyone. Even among people who identify as emo or as Christian or both, each person will have a different idea of what it means to belong to that group. Respect those differences, and know that there is not one right way to be emo or a Christian.
  • Look around for new music and find what you really like. You don’t need to like a certain band to be authentically emo. You should choose what you like and be open to discovery. Emo is about expressing who you really are.

Warnings

  • You don’t need to engage in self-harm to be emo. Any form of self-harm like cutting is dangerous and requires serious help. Self-harm is not part of emo culture, and will not make you any more emo.
  • Make sure to avoid any Satanic music or clothing. Check the lyrics first, as some screamo songs have blasphemy lyrics. Although emos are often associated with Satan, they are not the same! As a Christian, you are a lover of Christ and should not involve yourself with Satan.
  • Emos are often made fun of or bullied, just as Christians often face persecution. Don't let it get to you! Just ignore negative reactions and stereotypes, or kindly explain what emo is and why some stereotypes may not be accurate. Most people just don’t understand or want to know more.
  • If you feel God doesn't want you to be emo, don't be. God has great rewards in store for the faithful! But remember that God rewards not your “being emo.” He rewards the motives in your heart that please Him and the deeds that are done because of these motives.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://www.soemo.co.uk/emo.php
  2. ↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2013/11/18/245954581/a-rational-conversation-is-emo-back
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.bible.com/
  4. ↑ http://www.gotquestions.org/good-Christian.html
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.klove.com/ministry/tips.aspx
  6. ↑ http://www.prayeronline.org.au/how-to-pray
  7. ↑ https://www.openbible.info/topics/being_yourself

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Be_a_Christian_Emo&oldid=319187"