micky wrote: hell yeah man..... that is what we have been missing... TRUMP PROG!!!!!  Spouting christian values and the the inherent hypocracy that goes with the actions of  those those spout them ...

Edited by The Dark Elf - November 04 2018 at 13:17

Actually, prog music is about the only genre that 'Christian' music has any chance of getting me thinking about a non-secular approach to life. By its nature, the prog I love is complex, atmospheric, thoughtful and 'spiritual' in a more general way.

The only two I have any time for is Iona - who were able (in most tracks anyway) to be subtle and ambiguous with their lyrics and wrap them with Dave's superb arrangements, Troy's celtic pipes and Joanne's ethereal tones - and Neal Morse, who is now much more upfront (and yes, a bit preachy at times), but who has quite a handle of personal suffering and all those experiences that we all have at times, regardless of your viewpoint. However, I do prefer it when he shrouds it more in the execution - such as with Spock Beard's Snow, or The Great Nothing, rather than One and Testimony etc. 'Wind at My Back' still gets the hairs rising on the back of my neck, despite me being a cynical old codger these days!

A lot of great prog music has a 'spiritual' layer to it, and not just the likes of Anderson/Yes or Gong/Hillage doing their usual uplifting stuff. So while a lot of non-prog 'Christian' music is frankly dreadful, let's not get too sniffy about the few examples of it in prog rock that can work regardless of your holistic view of the Universe. If a piece of music moves you - it's hitting a spot somewhere beyond the somatic response level.

Right.... Time for a bit of NIB to give Old Nick a bit of air-time!   

Because generally it's pretty awful musically and lyrically.

I don't particularly like to label music by religion. For example, they don't label Jon Anderson as "Syncretic Prog" but he's essentially pushing that. I've posted on two early Christian bands that I like along with numerous secular bands, and people here were generally cool about it. If you like Christian prog, then voice your opinion. But, others here can and should certainly be encouraged to voice theirs. Just try to be respectful methinks.

The idea of prog rock with Christian lyrics doesn't appeal to my imagination but I have been listening to Tangerine Dream's Dante albums Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso and bought a cheap prose version of The Divine Comedy with Dore's illustrations for my Kindle to better appreciate the concepts. I'm not yet all the way through the Inferno part but it's truly nightmarish and horrifying .

In the New Testament, specifically Acts and the epistles, it’s made clear that to be a good Christian is to be persecuted in one way or another. So I think it’s natural to perceive the prog-fan community’s lack of excitement over Christian prog as hatred (or some synonym for “hatred”).

I'm an agnostic atheist/ soft atheist/ negative atheist, or call me just an atheist or agnostic, or whatever term. I was raised going to church and married a Born gain Christian. I still rather think of myself as a cultural Anglican Christian.

I love lots of religious music inspired by different faiths. There's a lot of "classical" (to use the term broadly) music of the Christian ilk that I love (Tallis has always been a particular favourite of mine). I love choral music, chants, Christian inspired jazz and plenty of Christian folk and psychedelic music. That said, I wouldn't say that I'm a fan of Christian Prog, especially that which draws on a form of American fundamentalism and a vein of "Christian contemporary music". It's not just the subject matter, it's the music I've heard which reminds me of people like Michael W. Smith. Since Transatlantic was mentioned and Dream Theater and Neal Morse, I dislike it musically. I really disliked the kind of worship music that is played in many contemporary evangelical churches, but love the old hymns such as "Jerusalem"(words by William Blake). There is lot of really lovely spiritual music out there, and I tend to dislike much which comes across as really preachy to me, particularly in an American bible thumping way which I quite often associate with all sorts of bad things.

To me this sounds much more deeply spiritual and profound than the likes of Neal Morse.



And I love music such as this:



I do find religions quite ridiculous, but there is something of the traditions that still appeal to me. By the way, I did a little "60s and up Christian themed albums" topic about nine year ago (edited my posts as the old way I would embed videos caused flash objects to try to install): http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=72354 Some lovely music in that topic (some broken links and vids).

Edited by Logan - July 08 2019 at 12:16

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: Because generally it's pretty awful musically and lyrically.

As Nogbad said above....I haven't heard any that I like enough to get into.

micky wrote: ^ great reply ^^ great topic OP but you sort of answered your own question there. The examples you give are most decidely nonchristian in nature.. which do not celebrate (or ram down ones throat if you will) the greatness of God or Jesus or whatever.. but celebrate the joys of indivdual self reflection, discovery and sprituality and more importantly.. express it MUSICALLY where the lyrics are just a hanger on to the procedings. where people get turned off is when the music is secondary to the lyrcial message which is in my experience the fault of 'christian prog'.