So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
When the night comes,
and you don't know which way to go
Through the shadowlands,
and forgotten paths,
you will find a road
Like an owl you must fly by moonlight with an open eye,
And use your instinct as your guide, to navigate the ways that lays before you,
You were born to take the greatest flight
Like a serpent and a dove, you will have wisdom born of love
and carry visions from above into the places no man dares to follow
Every hollow in the dark of night
Waiting for the light
Take the flame tonight
Child the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
Like a messenger of peace, the beauty waits be released
Upon the sacred path you keep, leading deeper into the unveiling
As your sailing, across the great divide
Like a wolf at midnight howls, you use your voice in darkest hours
To break the silence and the power, holding back the others from their glory
Every story will be written soon
The blood is on the moon
Morning will come soon
Child the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
and you don't know which way to go
Through the shadowlands,
and forgotten paths,
you will find a road
Like an owl you must fly by moonlight with an open eye,
And use your instinct as your guide, to navigate the ways that lays before you,
You were born to take the greatest flight
Like a serpent and a dove, you will have wisdom born of love
and carry visions from above into the places no man dares to follow
Every hollow in the dark of night
Waiting for the light
Take the flame tonight
Child the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
Like a messenger of peace, the beauty waits be released
Upon the sacred path you keep, leading deeper into the unveiling
As your sailing, across the great divide
Like a wolf at midnight howls, you use your voice in darkest hours
To break the silence and the power, holding back the others from their glory
Every story will be written soon
The blood is on the moon
Morning will come soon
Child the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
Lyrics submitted by starsie
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The only line in this song that bothers me is this:
"Like an owl you must fly by moonlight with an open eye, And use your instinct as your guide, to navigate the ways that lays before you, You were born to take the greatest flight"
This concerns me as new age spiritualism has broken into Christianity like a storm lately. The owl is a symbol derived from both pagan and Native American sources and is according to the Bible an unclean bird. Also it's nature is a nocturnal bird of prey. There is nowhere in the Bible I can find that the owl is a good thing. Yet this symbol, which has been adopted by Josh Garrels and printed on his merchandise has the strong flavor of Native American roots. I have to admit that this concerns me.
Next he makes references to the third eye in the line "with an open eye." Notice he didn't say open eyeS. This is also associated with the all-seeing eye of the freemasonry as well as the goddess Kali. And he follows that up with, "And use your instinct as your guide..." That certainly isn't saying you should be led by the Holy Spirit but alluding to using your own personal judgment instead of the Spirit, which is exactly what Satan did in defiance of God, and is exactly what all new age and pagan spiritualism is about: finding enlightenment through personal works, which is what the last line above appears to be talking about saying, "You were born to take the greatest flight."
Out of all of Josh's songs this is the only one so far that has caused me any concern. And it really makes me question whether I want to buy his music and support him as an artist if he is going to not have the discernment of the Spirit to filter out such symbolism. I know many Christians out there might roll their eyes at this statement but we are called to carry truth with love.