I've only read the first chapter of his autobiography so far. I really want to read all of it. If I could do anything I want for a day, it would be to talk with him 1-on-1. Obviously there is much we disagree on, but at the same time he is so insightful that there's still stuff I can learn from him. A reporter from the Denver Post noticed that there are books almost everywhere in his house. Religion is one of his favorite things to read about, believe it or not.¹ (The reporter also saw that he's got a variety of crosses on every wall; I have yet to find the reason behind this.) Part of the article contained his thoughts and opinions on the Columbine High tragedy, in which the media initially blamed it on him because one of the boys had a couple Manson CD's...Manson didn't seem to mind being a media "scapegoat," to use his word. He did a great job of defending himself in this. (The media later took it back, because the two boys were more into Goth than Manson.)

The rest of the article was pretty much just stuff about Manson himself, what he does at concerts, et cetera. On why he tore a Bible apart during a concert, he says it was symbolism. The Bible--as a physical, inatimate object--is just paper; why do we have to put our hand on it and swear to tell the truth if what's in our heart is true? That, I believe, is very biblical. Jesus himself told us not to "swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King....Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your`No,' `No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." ² I really hadn't thought about that.

Oh, by the way, my name on Manson's message board (BBS) is jesusrocksmyworld.

1. Sunday, 10 June 2001 issue. Click to read it as a .txt document.
2. Matthew 5:34-35, 37 (see also James 5:12).