The Progressive Metal genre isn’t one that’s usually noted for its spirituality, but truth can often come from unexpected sources. Just as all religions contain some truth, so may we also find nuggets of truth in other forms of human expression, song lyrics included. The Urantia Book states that truth achieves “new expression in each generation”, and this is particularly noticeable during this era of rapid change.
The Rock/Metal genre is still fairly young because its primary instrument, the electric guitar, was made possible by technologies that are relatively recent in our history. It’s also a very energetic style of music that tends to appeal to younger music fans, but at this point the fans and musicians alike have had enough time to mature, and so has their music. As a long-time fan of this genre, and a Urantia Book reader, I’ve become more conscious of the emerging spiritual themes in one of my favorite bands.
New York-based Dream Theater began back in 1985 when the founding members collaborated under the name “Majesty” while studying at the Berkley College of Music. This is a band of serious and dedicated musicians who have made it their mission to expand the possibilities of music. Each member is a virtuoso player on the instrument they specialize in. As a result, their music can be highly detailed. It often takes a few listens before the mind can begin to penetrate its complexity – an attribute that rewards the attentive listener with newly-noticed nuances upon each listen.
But I will leave most of the musical journey to you. The main purpose of this post is to show some of the correlations between Dream Theater lyrics and Urantia Book teachings in the hope that the listeners and readers of each might be uplifted and inspired. Although many such connections with various spiritual concepts could be made, there are three that seem to stand out the most in the Dream Theater library of lyrics:
Survival and progression beyond mortal death
Our interconnectedness (Karma)
The guiding spirit of God that dwells within us all (Thought Adjuster)
Survival and Progression
(32:5.7) There is in the mind of God a plan
which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an
eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. And the
infinite treasures of such a matchless career are yours for the striving!
(39:4.13) To the inhabited worlds the quickeners of morality portray mortal
life as an unbroken chain of many links. Your short sojourn on Urantia, on this
sphere of mortal infancy, is only a single link, the very first in the long
chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages.
40:9.7.Even with
Adjuster-fusion candidates, only those human experiences which were of spiritual
value are common possessions of the surviving mortal and the returning Adjuster
and hence are immediately remembered subsequent to mortal survival.
(47:4.5) Your Adjuster memory remains fully intact as you
ascend the morontia life. Those mental associations that were purely animalistic
and wholly material naturally perished with the physical brain, but everything
in your mental life which was worth while, and which had survival value, was
counterparted by the Adjuster and is retained as a part of personal memory all the way through the ascendant career. You will be conscious of all your worth-while experiences as you advance
from one mansion world to another and from one section of the universe to
another—even to Paradise.
(111:3.7) In so far as man’s evolving morontia soul becomes permeated by truth, beauty, and goodness as the value-realization of God-consciousness, such a resultant being becomes indestructible. If there is no survival of eternal values in the evolving soul of man, then mortal existence is without meaning, and life itself is a tragic illusion. But it is forever true: What you begin in time you will assuredly finish in eternity—if it is worth finishing.
Interconnectedness
54:6.3.If an
affectionate father of a large family chooses to show mercy to one of his
children guilty of grievous wrongdoing, it may well be that the extension of
mercy to this misbehaving child will work a temporary hardship upon all the
other and well-behaved children. Such eventualities are inevitable; such a risk
is inseparable from the reality situation of having a loving parent and of being
a member of a family group. Each member of a family profits by the righteous
conduct of every other member; likewise must each member suffer the immediate
time-consequences of the misconduct of every other member. Families, groups,
nations, races, worlds, systems, constellations, and universes are relationships
of association which possess individuality; and therefore does every member of
any such group, large or small, reap the benefits and suffer the consequences of
the rightdoing and the wrongdoing of all other members of the group
concerned.
(131:3.5) What you do shall be done to you, in the judgment of wisdom. Injustice done to
your fellows shall come back upon you. The creature cannot escape the destiny of
his deeds.
God Within
of the God-knowing mortal when he said: “To a God-knowing kingdom believer, what
does it matter if all things earthly crash?” Temporal securities are
vulnerable, but spiritual sureties are impregnable. When the flood tides of
human adversity, selfishness, cruelty, hate, malice, and jealousy beat about the
mortal soul, you may rest in the assurance that there is one inner bastion, the
citadel of the spirit, which is absolutely unassailable; at least this is true
of every human being who has dedicated the keeping of his soul to the indwelling
spirit of the eternal God.
Music
The Spirit Carries On:
This is the Life:
The Answer Lies Within:
8 thoughts on “Dream Theater Spirituals”
Great post! When I was younger, metal was almost all I would listen to, and it was often because of the surprisingly insightful lyrics. I’m sure a lot of it prepared me for many of God’s lessons later in life and in the Urantia Book.
Thanks for sharing this info…I will check out the music videos…
Thanks Richard – I love the parallel tracks with the lyrics and the UB. As we know “music is the universal language” and the joy we receive from the diversity of sounds ….. is endless. Metal and spiritually uplifting lyrics are not usually linked — good stuff!
forgot to add ~ got to like the name “Majesty” i.e. “Majeston – Chief of Reflectivity” (17:2)
Kia Ora Richard, excellent read, and being your first blog, thats a great effort. You certainly put in a lot of time, putting this together. Well done. Good comment form Tony “music is the universal language” and the joy we receive from the diversity of sounds ….. is endless. well said.
Ollie
Very cool post. Metal is often misunderstood by those who think spiritual music has to be soft, airy and light. I think metal is a good way to put a masculine imprint on spiritual music.
Thank You very much,Richard, for this post. Dream Theater is my favorite band for a long time.And i started listen it much earlier than met Urantia Book!So there are many parallels in their lyrics acoordin’ to UB that wondered me! So You such succesfully underlined it!Thank you!
P.S.B.t.w. in their new album that will be released this fall 2013th, will be a 22 minute song “Illumination theory” what about James laBrie ( a frontman)said:”Illumination Theory – the theory that all of that which you know to be true, can only be known because God has told you – ie. you’ve seen the light and have become illuminated. So the meaning of life can only be learned through believing in God. And then you will have all the answers.” Would be very interesting to listen it!
Hi Yevgeny,
Thank you for your kind reply. I am also looking forward to listening to their new album, and especially Illumination Theory. In fact, I got to listen to some today because they released it for streaming:
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dream-theater-entire-new-album-available-for-streaming-2/
All the best,
Richard