Despite protests from a local organization, Marilyn Manson claims that he will indeed be performing at the Denver stop of the Ozzfest summer tour, and he promises a “wholesome Bible reading” during his performance.
“I am truly amazed that after all this time, religious groups still need to attack entertainment and use these tragedies as a pitiful excuse for their own self-serving publicity,” Manson wrote in a post on his official Web site. “In response to their protests, I will provide a show where I balance my songs with a wholesome Bible reading. This way, fans will not only hear my so-called ‘violent’ point of view, but we can also examine the virtues of wonderful ‘Christian’ stories of disease, murder, adultery, suicide and child sacrifice. Now that seems like ‘entertainment’ to me.”
The protest was initiated by Citizens for Peace and Respect, an organization spearheaded by a church in the Denver, Colorado, who have set up a Web site, www.nomanson.com, that expresses their concern with Manson’s appearance in their region.
Manson initially cancelled his appearance at that venue because of scheduling conflicts. The concert will be his first in the area since the April 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. After the incident, Manson’s music was cited by some as an instigator for the shootings.
“We’re against him because he promotes six things,” Jason Janz of the South Sheridan Baptist Church told Rolling Stone. “We believe he promotes hate, violence, death, suicide, drug use, and the attitudes and actions of the Columbine killers.”
Ozzfest, with Manson in tow, is scheduled to visit Denver on June 21st.