Editing Black metal (section)

===== Church burnings =====
[[File:Bergen, Fantoft2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[Fantoft Stave Church]], [[Building restoration|restored]] in 1997.<ref name=Fantoft>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Norwegian Church Draws Black Metal Fans |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/norwegian-church-draws-black-metal-fans/ |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=5 August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730084004/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/norwegian-church-draws-black-metal-fans/ |archive-date=30 July 2020 |url-status=live |access-date=13 October 2020}}</ref><!-- Please add a picture of one of the churches burning, if possible --><!-- A photograph of MZ.412's ''Burning the Temple of God'' (not all pressings), Absurd's ''Facta Loquuntur'' (1999 picture LP and maybe other pressings), Lord Belial's ''Purify Sweden'' or of the ''Lords of Chaos'' book cover should do. The destroyed church on Burzum's ''Aske'' is also worth being depicted. -->]]

In 1992, members of the Norwegian black metal scene began a wave of arson attacks on Christian churches. By 1996, there had been at least 50 such attacks in Norway.<ref name="Satan rir media"/> Some of the buildings were hundreds of years old and seen as important historical landmarks. The first to be burnt down was Norway's [[Fantoft Stave Church]]. Police believe [[Varg Vikernes]] of Burzum was responsible.<ref name="Satan rir media"/> The cover of Burzum's EP ''[[Aske (album)|Aske]]'' ("ashes") is a photograph of the destroyed church.<ref name=Fantoft/> In May 1994, Vikernes was found guilty for burning down the [[Holmenkollen Chapel]], [[Skjold Church, Rogaland|Skjold Church]], and [[Old Åsane Church|Åsane Church]].<ref name=untilthelight/>{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=93}} In addition, he was found guilty for an attempted arson of a fourth church, and for the theft and storage of 150&nbsp;kg of explosives.{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=141}} To coincide with the release of Mayhem's ''[[De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas]]'', Vikernes and Euronymous had also allegedly plotted to bomb the [[Nidaros Cathedral]], which appears on the album cover. The musicians [[Faust (musician)|Faust]],{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=94f}} [[Samoth]],{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=141}} (both of Emperor), and [[Jørn Inge Tunsberg]] (of [[Hades Almighty]]){{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=141}}<ref name="Satan rir media"/> were also convicted for church arsons. Members of the Swedish black metal scene started to burn churches as well in 1993.{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=269f}}

Those convicted for church burnings showed no remorse and described their actions as a symbolic "retaliation" against [[Christianity in Norway]].{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=89}} Mayhem drummer Hellhammer said he had called for attacks on [[mosque]]s and [[Hindu temple]]s, on the basis that they were more foreign.{{sfn|Moynihan|Søderlind|2003|p=105}} Today, opinions on the church burnings differ within the black metal community. Many musicians, singers, and songwriters in the early Norwegian black metal scene, such as [[Infernus]] and [[Gaahl]] of [[Gorgoroth]], continue to praise the church burnings, with the latter saying "there should have been more of them, and there will be more of them".<ref name=sam/> Others, such as [[Necrobutcher]] and [[Kjetil Manheim]] of Mayhem and [[Abbath]] of Immortal,<ref name=sam /> see the church burnings as having been futile. Manheim claimed that many arsons were "just people trying to gain acceptance" within the black metal scene.<ref name=onceuponatime/> [[Watain]] vocalist Erik Danielsson respected the attacks, but said of those responsible: "the only Christianity they defeated was the last piece of Christianity within themselves. Which is a very good beginning, of course".<ref name=blackmetalsatanica>''Black Metal Satanica'', 2008.</ref><!-- Please do not remove these tags -->