Are you also wondering what relationship goths have to religions? Is being Goth necessarily religious or a follower of a certain faith?
Don’t worry, the “Skull World” is the reference in Germany for this topic. In particular, we support goths in living out their passion to the full – and have been since 2012!
Gothics have no fixed religion. The practice of the goths is completely detached from religion. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a central component of this counterculture. The ideas of death and ghosts are very present in the movement.
In this article you will learn, among other things:
- What are the connections between Gothic and religions
- Why spirituality is at the heart of the goth movement
- And the relationship of these rebels to life and death
After reading the following lines, you will know exactly how goths relate to religions and why death is one of the favorite topics of this subculture. Let’s look at that right now. 🤓
Gothic Movement and Religions
There is no fixed belief system for goths. A person’s religion and their Gothic involvement have little or no bearing on each other. Christians, atheists, Jews, agnostics, satanists, pagans, etc. are all represented among the goths. 🧛
Although there is an incredible variety of religious beliefs and views, most Goths do not follow any sort of organized religion . Your personal spiritual beliefs are private in nature. The Gothic is absolutely against organized religion (be it Christianity or other world religions); Religion must be personal.
Gothics have no religion
Gothic is a very open-minded culture when it comes to exploring anything that is “ not the norm ”. Religion is no exception here. Many Goths may be more likely to explore alternative religions and forms of spirituality than to follow a dominant organized religion. For many of them, being Gothic is their religion!
The Gothic movement is very open to religions that do not find approval in the dominant culture and tend toward occult and magical rituals centered on darkness and evil. The Gothic movement experiments with religion, sometimes “mixing” the ideologies of different religions. In particular , occultism , esotericism, neo-paganism, black magic… Some find paganism and Wicca attractive. 👀
Spirituality at the heart of Gothic culture
Most Goths believe in the existence of a dark, transcendental force. They focus on this power and want to get in touch with it through occult magic and rituals. 🔮
Everyone lives out their search for spirituality as they see fit. And the idea of life after death is extremely present in goth culture. By definition, many believe that the life we live on earth is just the beginning of a spiritual journey . A journey that will be much longer and deeper than the mere fact that we are on earth. 🌍
Some of these rebels have made it their goal to experience and communicate with this higher reality through the Gothic lifestyle. They invoke this supernatural reality particularly through the practice of shamanism, which focuses on the mediation between us humans and the spirits. ✨
A definition of Gothic is: « Reality is full of evil, and that is caused by the supernatural. »
One of the goals of this counterculture is to be at peace with supernatural evil. By worshiping supernatural spirits through magic and a ritualistic lifestyle, one can identify with evil. When you do that, you no longer need to fear the supernatural evil that threatens reality because you yourself have become a part of that evil. 👹
Gothic = Satanisch?
Goths are often referred to as satanists due to their sinister appearance . Some satanists are also goths, but you can find satanists in any group of people…
Satanism and the occult are extremely complex belief systems with as many belief differences as Christianity. Some people think that being goth inevitably means worshiping satan … Satanists make up a very small percentage of goths, and goths make up an extremely small percentage of satanists. 👿
Music is the most important means of expression in the Gothic subculture. For the Goths, music was used to tell, create and act out myths. The Gothic movement almost always attempts to communicate with the supernatural or create a supernatural atmosphere through music and lyrics. 🎶
During the performances of Gothic groups and festivals, the audience is involved in creating this atmosphere and communicating with the supernatural. The Goths unanimously declare that they regard listening to Gothic music as a spiritually cleansing, clarifying and liberating experience . These experiences are powerful at goth festivals, and their intensity is heightened by dancing. 💃
Religion there Rebellion
Rebellion is the essence of this counterculture. Like the youth who go against the established order. The Gothic movement is also rebelling against society and the norm . Being goth means being rebellious and not caring about the gaze of others. This is one of the reasons why this subculture is very popular among young people, often teenagers.
The Gothic movement sometimes even expresses blasphemy and violations of the Christian faith. Do not believe in God or any other religious organization. 🚫
The relation to life and death
The Gothic movement focuses on the dark aspects of the human psyche. It aims to free the dark human subconscious that is normally suppressed and give it the opportunity to express itself in everyday life. To confront society with its own inner fears. Hence the reference to death. ☠️
The greatest fear in modern western life is the phenomenon of death . Because death is the greatest taboo, the Gothic movement made it the main theme of the movement. 💀 Several interviews have clearly shown that death and the wish to die are very important for a goth. The deepest desire of some of them is to experience death while living, to be a “living undead”.
Cemeteries, ruins, churches: Goths look for places where they can experience a dark, supernatural presence . Cemeteries, ruins, abandoned churches and some so-called “forbidden” places are ideal. Because a dark and malevolent transcendence is already present without having to summon it first.
Some also make pilgrimages to well-known Gothic sites; this is referred to as the “Legend’s Journey”. These places are usually special cemeteries where a well-known person is buried. This is often accompanied by initiation rituals rooted in the occult or black magic . 🌒
Most people tend to long for the “good old days” when things aren’t going well. 🔙 The desire and longing for a home, rooted in an inability to identify with modern society, can lead a person to look back in time in search of a new home. Religious motives also play a role in this longing for the past. And the Gothic movement is sometimes a follower of this ideology.
Join the Jung-Gotik movement
We were just discussing the relationship between the Goths and religions together . Among other things, you now know that there is no religion unique to the Gothic counterculture, but that the Gothics have their own religion. If you’re a goth yourself, you now know how to answer questions about goths’ relationship to life and death. 👊
You are now familiar with the topic and you have to show it! Being Gothic is primarily a matter of style. And we’re here to help you acquire a devilish look . Check out our community’s most popular gothic items and give yourself the look you so deserve. just click on this link to discover it.
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