Is goth a religious movement?
The goth scene is rich in religious imagery, including symbols such as ankhs, crucifixes and pentacles; however it is neither a religious nor an occult movement. It is seldom an issue in the goth scene, and there are goths who are atheists, agnostics, Christians and Pagans, as well as other beliefs too. Religion is not a major theme for most goth bands either, even though many do have members who are religious. The Pagan group Inkubus Sukkubus are an exception to this, and have loyal fans in both goth and Pagan circles. For an example of a Christian goth icon, look no further than Nick Cave; he describes how he came to embrace religion in the essay The Flesh Made Word, which can be found amoungst the pages of King Ink II (Two Thirteen Sixty-One Publications, 1997).
