Month: August 2006

Dragonforce…

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I heard a song on some music being played between sets at a great concert in the park last night by a band named Dragonforce out of the UK. I REALLY like the music…buuuut….I want to do some research and need help due to time constraints. If you are interested please dig into the lyrics and bio content (interviews, etc) of the band and let me know what you think in terms of a Christian worldview – would they be malign, benign, or neutral and why? Their site is at http://www.dragonforce.com
 
Ciao.
 
***UPDATE*** Ok – so having done a little lyrical exegesis (and thankful I was dealing with english) here’s what I have come up with so far. The content of Dragonforce songs is almost solely focused on a generic battle between good and evil. There is nothing specific about the good or the evil. We’re not talking about a Christian good verses a satanic evil but more of a fantasy good versus a fantasy evil.
 
Evil generally represented by darkness, cold, ice, night and things like that. Good represented by light, day, growth, nature etc. In pretty much every song you get the sense of some sort of rallying cry to troops on the verge of losing to evil. The lyrics are all designed to pump up the troops so to speak and take the battle against darkness to the next level and kick some serious butt.
 
Certain imagery is obviously influenced by Biblical apocalyptic motifs but generally in our culture where ever you get a presentation of good versus evil you usually find these allusions. I get a deeper sense that Norse mythology has influenced this music more than anything else – and still only vaguely. The lyrics are so non-specific in terms of avoinding any direct reference to any religion or religious imagery that one gets the sense that this is intentional.
 
Anyhow – if one created a simple scale that looked like this:
 
Malign——————————–Neutral——————————–Benign
 
I would have to say right now based on my quick readings that Dragonforce stands smack in the middle at neutral in terms of lyrics. Even the use of dragon imagery is more medieval than it is Biblical.
 
So – neutral has its good points and bad points. Its good in the sense it’s not bringing anything evil to the table. Bad in the sense that since it’s reasonably devoid of any specific meaning people will likly bring their own meaning into it – if you want to read evil into Dragonforce – you will…if you want to read good into it – you will.
 
I think I will try to dig out some biographical detail and see what clues lay there.
 
P.S. There is not a single curse/instance of swearing in any song lyrics I have read so far – this is unusual for metal and a good sign.

Two Talk

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Every wondered about superstrings
and the quantum nature of time?
 
whaddayagotta talk like that for anyhow?
 
I was just wondering if you take a few moments
for the deeper things in life…nothing personal
 
pal I know deep and its in my baby’s eyes
no strings gonna tie me down in thoughts
 
You know you should really ponder
the nature of the universe and gain some perspective
 
I got all the perspective I need without you
comin’ around here dropping your ego
like a boat anchor on my feet
 
cretin!
 
dope!
 
see you tomorrow then?
 
you got it buddy.

How Will You Go?

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I remember hot peppers
and the Toronto Maple Leafs
and the sweating joy of being
near you
 
I remember cribbage
at the table
and the waiting
while every average word
was delphic wisdom
to this boy sitting
near you
 
I remember the sharp voice
and the way your hair went back
black tooth comb and coolness
watching razor move along
learning to shave
near you
 
I remember strong arms
night rescues from the dark
and fearless crazy fighter
hammering the night
wanting to be
near you
 
I remember your halo
cigarette smoke blue
drunk tears and ocean deep pain
emotional sewage poured out
while I was
near you
 
I remember God
in your image
gone
       gone
              gone
a distant voice on the wind
being told to go
when I was
near you
 
I remember Mom
on your arm
eternal black ink
and laughter I think
joy once came close
near you
 
I remember cries
fists and screams
blood and smiles
small white coffin
lost little sister
never gonna be
near you
 
I remember gifts
bread and stones
fish and snakes
near you
 
I remember strength
unbreakable arms
carrying me to sleep
no horror washes away
this love
no evil kills this longing
to be
to be
to be
near you
 
Do you remember
when I was
near you?
 
I cannot forget
when I was
I try and try and try
but I find that I am still
near you…
 
 
(P.S. I stole the title of this poem from a Crowded House song of the same name)
 
 

I love you know

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and I love
              you know
I love like fire
in eternity’s heart
like a father
loves son’s simple existance
an echo bound
to endless greater sound
 
and I love
              you know
like cold
crashing ice
pressing crystal shards
into a water-weld
who’s strength is this
that weaves line into twine?
 
and I love
              you know
like a man
running full speed ahead
crashing through you
leaving himself behind
to keep your company
 
see – he leaves a cold relief
buried in linen
while St. Veronica waits in shadows
 
and I love
              you know…

Missing the mark…

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So I am sitting here reading a book by Donald Miller called To Own A Dragon: Reflections on Growing Up Without a Father and listening to an intentionally selected list of "inspiring" mp3’s when for some reason I feel like I need to write about sin. Now this is not a normal urge I have so I thought I shouldn’t ignore it.
 
I periodically delve into this thing we call sin (which literally means to miss the mark, as though you were an archer) and wondering about its more than annoying persistence in our lives. I think these thoughts come when I actually get a glimpse of the reality of God in the world. Like reading Miller’s book while Bedouin Soundclash plays in the background and it is absolutly, perfectly still (except for the music). In moments like this God becomes unspeakably real to me in a way that shakes me. Now, for me, when this happens something in me begins to instantly feel inadequate and ashamed – something about being aware of the presence of God makes me want to hide…maybe its a son of Adam thing. God’s perfect presence makes me think about my imperfect presence. This is probably what steers me towards thoughts of sin and its nature.
 
I have thought about this a lot and really do wonder about what it is in us that causes us to intentionally want to hurt the ones we love. I mean – I can almost understand sin in the life of one who does not love God, or simply does not believe or does not care…but the continued sin in the lives of the faithful (myself included) is a real puzzler for me.
 
In many ways sin takes the love of God for granted. It is the son or daughter who can look their mum or dad directly in the eye and hear the most impassioned, concern-filled plea for them to not get drunk tonight or to not have sex before marriage, and then very casually lie and say they won’t. There is this deep-seated awareness within the child that mum and dad will NEVER stop loving them no matter what happens and so why not have fun? This is selfishness.
 
So what is this about? "God looks at us and says – hey – I love you this much…I know what is best for you because I created you. I never do anything that is not motivated by love. So trust me." We say "ok" and then instantly move into open rebellion.
 
One possible reason is that we are simply taking advantage of His grace. Paul recognized this in us and tried to pre-empt the argument by laying out the scenario ahead of time and warning us against taking advantage of God’s grace. But we are their to say – "look man, you just said that anyone who says they are without sin is a liar and that we wonder why we want to do the right thing but do the wrong instead" so why even bother. It is a losing battle. We use our nature as an excuse to continue in it – as though we never died to sin in the first place. As though we were never raised to new life with Christ when we rose up out of the water.
 
Another possible, more frightening reason this continues to happen, is a lapse into faithlessness. We act as though God is not there. As though His Spirit is not within us. As though we could get away with it. As though there were no consequences to our actions.
 
Sometimes our love is weak and fails us in the face of temptation. In these moments, trust needs to take over. We need to trust God in the face of the smallest temptations because this impacts us in the face of the biggest temptations. Stepping away from pornography impacts a decision one day to not cheat on your spouse – because God is proven faithful in these moments and we are strengthened through them.
 
I know sin will always be there because it is in our nature. We are broken and will not be fully restored this side of the grave. Still, we are called to respond to the love of God in Christ with love of our own that motivates us to fight every urge to sin…and to recognize that we are forgiven and get back up when we fall – all at the same time.
 
So if our strength to fight temptation in our lives comes from a loving relationship with God then we must continue to cultivate that relationship. God’s love for us will always be there, it will never change…what must happen is a continual deepening of our love for Him…
 
I recognize that I am rambling at this point…I will come back to these thoughts and organize them better. I am not content to simply accept sin simply because it is part of my nature…or worse still – because of bored, lazy apathy.

Samson

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there was Samson swinging
jawbones to the masses
moving through flesh like fog
nothing stops
judge and jury
man like music
flows along
over and under and beyond
 
there’s a tune in that man’s head
that comes from another place
that’s what they said
 
still…a note –
disonance comes on the wind
howling beauty, betrayal and a blade
banshee cut your locks
 
did you think the the notes
were your own?
the song came from within?
 
were you surprised?
(never even felt God leave)
did you know?
 
or was it too much?
better to melt into soft hands
and wait on the light?
better to be judged
than to judge?
 
were the pillars for them
or did you pull them in on yourself…
 

Sleeptide

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sandman lurks
and dreams are moving
on the thin edge of sight
a conspiracy of gravity
threatens
 
sleeptide rises
dark water camphor
                         drowns
the day dies
and gentle the night
presses me into tomorrow

Empty Harvest

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another four black holes
opened again today
4 by 8 by 6 feet deep
 
another four sets of parents
fell to their knees today
moms and dads bent to weep
 
another four crosses raised
long shadows in sunset today
memory carved of loved ones’ sleep
 
another four rifles
hit the ground today
more dead iron thrown to the heap
 
another four poppies
red heart-worn today
sad soldiers’ an empty harvest reap
 
solitary sentinels far guard to keep…
 
 
In memory of –
 
Sgt. Marc D. Leger
Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer
Pte. Richard A. Green
Pte. Nathan Smith
Sgt. Robert Alan Short
Cpl. Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger
Cpl. Jamie Murphy
Pte. Braun Scott Woodfield
Diplomat Glyn Berry
Cpl. Paul Davis
Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson
Pte. Robert Costall
Cpl. Matthew Dinning
Bombardier Myles Mansell
Lieut. William Turner
Cpl. Randy Payne
Capt. Nichola Goddard
Cpl. Anthony Joseph Boneca
Cpl. Francisco Gomez
Cpl. Jason Patrick Warren
Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid
Sgt. Vaughn Ingram
Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller
Unknow Soldier

Inspire Me

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Check it out – I actually managed to download a play list from Media Player to my blog…I think it shows my age – but oh well. You can find the new play list by going all the way to the bottom of the page and clicking on "Inspire Me" in the music box on the left.

Creeds & Confessions & Catechisms (oh my)

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I have been having a good online back & forth with Kelly K. ( http://qaz1.bannerland.org/kelly/ ) and it has reminded me of conversations I have had with best friend Mike. It has me thinking of the value of tradition, creeds, confessions and catechism. So often in our excitement about moving into the future and being relevant in our evangelism we discard the past – we throw away our ancestors and the deep spiritual lives that led them, over a long and faithful walk with God, to develop some pretty remarkable pieces of work (Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, St. Patrick’s Breastplate, Westminster Catechism, Heidelberg Catechism, the Four-Fold Gospel, Barman Declaration, etc).
 
True, although these and other theological works were developed within a cultural frame of reference making timeless truth relevant to a specific context this does not mean we should abandon them but rather continue to interpret the timeless truth into our own context. I believe this may be one reason why God chose to reveal so much of Himself in word – such a culturally specific and time-bound tool – because we must constantly re-engage with God’s unchanging word to understand it in light of our ever-changing circumstance.
 
I forget where I first read this quote (forgive me if I do not give credit where credit is due) but it has come to mind as I have been thinking about these things:
 
"Tradition menas giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about."
 
G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), Orthodoxy
 
Part of the problem of course is the myth that the new is the better. Somehow a book written in 2006 must be far more clever and intelligent because it is far more current. Poor logic obviously but best expressed by C.S. Lewis:
 
"There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about "isms" and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said…."
I highly recommend you read the entire introduction this quote is from – http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/history/ath-inc.htm (frankly there is much to be said here in terms of where we get our Biblical ideas from- the Bible or books written about the Bible)
 
P.S. I was diverted from this post by my 10-year-old son who was giggling in bed (it’s near midnight). It turns out he was remembering a Duck Dodgers reference to "the methane farms of Uranus" (you figure it out). My kids keep me grounded. They remind me why the reinterpretation of tradition and truth for each new age needs to continue and also of the blessed gift of sabbath. Goodnight.