Your thoughts on the so-called "backmasked conspiracy"

[seaglass27]

You've probably seen a video on YouTube or elsewhere claiming that a certain song played backwards has a satanic message. There are hundreds of videos like this, and they accuse everyone from Lady Gaga to Taylor Swift to Skillet (yes, even Skillet) of adding these Occultic subliminal messages to their songs.

Some people even believe that while most artists don't intentionally add these backwards messages a demonic force causes them to craft them unknowingly. Freaky, huh?

Even scarier, it's all supposed to be a conspiracy by the Illuminati to brainwash us into following Satan. I personally don't believe this. I saw a video where a guy played a song backwards three times with three different sets of subtitled lyrics and each time I thought I heard the message onscreen, though it was different each time. I think that we're just hearing what others want us to hear.

Still, I'd like to hear what you guys think of it.

BTW, I also saw a vid "proving" that Justin Bieber (:evil:) is a leader of the Illuminati and the New World Order. Man, and we thought our world was in sad shape before...

[chibiphonebooth]

[Cognitive Gear]

You've probably seen a video on YouTube or elsewhere claiming that a certain song played backwards has a satanic message. There are hundreds of videos like this, and they accuse everyone from Lady Gaga to Taylor Swift to Skillet (yes, even Skillet) of adding these Occultic subliminal messages to their songs.

Some people even believe that while most artists don't intentionally add these backwards messages a demonic force causes them to craft them unknowingly. Freaky, huh?

Even scarier, it's all supposed to be a conspiracy by the Illuminati to brainwash us into following Satan. I personally don't believe this. I saw a video where a guy played a song backwards three times with three different sets of subtitled lyrics and each time I thought I heard the message onscreen, though it was different each time. I think that we're just hearing what others want us to hear.

Still, I'd like to hear what you guys think of it.

BTW, I also saw a vid "proving" that Justin Bieber (:evil:) is a leader of the Illuminati and the New World Order. Man, and we thought our world was in sad shape before...

[seaglass27]

Ummm... Okay, then.

If you post in this thread would you please be sure to include some useful or interesting content. Not to be a jerk, but that took a long time to write and I created this thread for serious discussion.

[Rusty Claymore]

Well, I think an important factor is what do we even consider to be "demonic messeges"? Much of pop cultures face-value messeges are ones I would consider to be Lucifer's propaganda, so it's just goofy to me that he'd feel the need to do more seemingly obvious stuff when he's doing such a good job at subtle influences. Plus we practically do his work for him anyways.

So my thought on playing music backwards? It's fun. It sounds weird, and sometimes sounds like words or coherent thought. But occasionally modern music does that too. XD

To get into the subconciously divulging messeges through art we'd stray into TD, since my take on it involves our fallen natures and all that implies. Either way though, it's gonna be hard to keep this TD free.

[Cognitive Gear]

Ummm... Okay, then.

If you post in this thread would you please be sure to include some useful or interesting content. Thank you.

Okay, okay. The short of it is: if it is called a "conspiracy", it's probably not true, and not worth worrying about.

The long version: This particular conspiracy (if you can call it that) has been debunked for a long, long time. You only hear "messages" in backwards music or backwards audio of any kind because the human mind searches for patterns. It's how we make sense of the world. Most of what you hear in them is just in your own head.

That said, backmasking, as a technique, is used in music and other media. However, it is pretty obvious when it happens, and it doesn't sound like a clear message. Since these allegations arose in the 1980's, metal bands have been known to purposefully insert "satanic" messages into their music using this technique. This is done for promotional and commercial reasons. A famous example is Soundgarden's 665, which when played in reverse carries messages about Santa. Played forward, however, it sounds like a song being played in reverse (or possibly like satanic chanting, depending on who you ask.)

So basically, the conspiracy is false, and like most conspiracies, is either a way for people to deal with things in the world they don't want to, or is used by people to control the behavior of others.

[seaglass27]

Well, I think an important factor is what do we even consider to be "demonic messeges"?

To get into the subconciously divulging messeges through art we'd stray into TD, since my take on it involves our fallen natures and all that implies. Either way though, it's gonna be hard to keep this TD free.

This is the sort of thing I'm taking about: Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven reads "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, it's just a spring clean for the May queen. Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on."

Backwards you hear "Oh here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is satan. He'll give those with him 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan."

You can listen yourself at http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking/stairway-to-heaven-backwards.html.

And I'm sorry, but you're going to have to tell me what "TD" stand for.

[Psycho Molos]

This is the sort of thing I'm taking about: Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven reads "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, it's just a spring clean for the May queen. Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on."

Backwards you hear "Oh here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is satan. He'll give those with him 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan."

You can listen yourself at http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking/stairway-to-heaven-backwards.html.

And I'm sorry, but you're going to have to tell me what "TD" stand for.

Oh I LOVE that site!! I go there for LULZ

[seaglass27]

Oh I LOVE that site!! I go there for LULZ

LOL, I just found it now through a Google search cuz I needed an example. BTW, I'd also like to mention that the above Led Zeppelin example is the most likely example of intentional backmasking to my mind. After all, where do you think you'll end up if you take the stairway to heaven backwards?

[Rusty Claymore]

Ah, yes, TD stands for "Theological Discussion" for which there is a thread.

As for those, well, personally I'm indifferent. I listened, and the only parts that resembled anything to english(even while reading alon with the backwards lyrics) were the word "satan" (Which sounded more like satin, and most like sittin'), "sick sick sittin'" and something about his "mature". So I'd lean towards the theory that people want to hear such things (for various reasons) and therefore stretch and manipulate things to convince themselves and others.

Well, for an example I was going to link the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Theme mistranslation video, but I couldn't find the original, and all the other's were in rather bad taste...

[Nate]

I created this thread for serious discussion.

It's difficult to have a serious discussion about a topic that many (including myself) think is patently ridiculous.

[goldenspines]

So yes, while this topic falls under the music topic, it also contains theological discussion content which belongs in another part of the forum. For that reason, this thread will be locked.

Also, to Chibi and Cog, regardless if you like the thread or not, please keep your posts respectful towards others.