"Hungary has long suffered under Communism when God was denied and Christians were persecuted so we don’t need Marilyn Manson," said Tamas Kiss, one of the founders of the evangelical Agape Church which has over one thousand members spread over several congregations nationwide.
Less than 6,000 peonumber of people bothered to attend a concert of self declared Satanist and American rock singer Marilyn Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner.ple came to the concert in the Budapest Sports Arena, far below the 12,500 seats capacity of the indoor stadium. The concert was reportedly overshadowed by technical difficulties including an often failing sound system which Christians blamed on "Devine intervention."
"This has strengthened the unity amongst Christians of different denominations," said Kiss. The prayer sessions against the August concert came less than three months after Hungarian Christians from all denominations launched Hungary’s first National Revival Prayer Movement, which organizers said was an effort "to transform the ex-Communist nation for Christ."
OCCULTISM REMAINS
However Kiss warned "the fact that Manson was here shows that despite the achievements there remains much work to be done as occultism is still in Hungary. Authorities are turning a blind eye against obscene and destructive forces in a country that has already one of the highest suicide rates of the world. We are talking about influencing the young generation who will be the leaders of tomorrow," he said.
"Therefore Christians were praying for a revival so that all Hungarians can live without fear and people like Manson," said Kiss who was among Hungarian evangelicals praying against the concert throughout the country.
In Budapest itself hundreds of people reportedly gathered in front of the statue of the country’s founder, King Saint Stephen, who introduces Christianity here, to pray against Manson. "Christianity is nothing new in Hungary. Over thousand years ago King Stephen proclaimed Hungary as a Christian country and dealt radically with all those who objected to it."
"AGAINST ALL GODS"
The title of Manson’s world tour is Against all Gods, which did not surprise another leading evangelical. "Manson’s concerts are a revised form of Satanism and more of an occult event than a performance," said Peter Morvay, editor of religious weekly newspaper Hetek and member of the evangelical Faith Church in Hungary.
"However, trying to stop a concert doesn’t make sense, as we are a free country, but he will fail in his mission to corrupt here," he said in The Budapest Times and Budapester Zeitung newspapers.
Organizers deny the allegations. "The complaints are from religious preachers who simply want publicity. Marilyn Manson isn’t against God, but against organized religion," Manson’ concerts "are just like any other heavy metal show, with kids dressed in black with painted faces. They’re not dangerous," the said in published remarks.
Kiss disagrees. "If organizers want to make money they should find real stars who will attract the masses otherwise many groups will come to Budapest who are destructive in nature."
