Re: "Lily"

[pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman)]

In <s0499528.694.0@let.rug.nl> s0499528@let.rug.nl (R. Dijkhuis) writes:
>BTW does anyone know the source of the narration at the start of the song? 
>Is it pagan or Christian? As far as I know it could easily be either. (shows 
>just how ignorant I am, really)


It's sorta both, if the Angel referents in the chorus go along with the
monologue itself (I haven't listened to the song closely enough yet to
remember off the top of my head).

"Gabriel before me
Raphael behind me
Michael to my right
Uriel on my left side
In the circle of fire" (I have the liner notes here)

Is much like parts of many masonic-like initiation rites.  Most of
these rites borrow heavily from both pagan and christian sources.
It's been a while since I read much about the masons but that would
be my guess of the source of the quotes.  They tend to avoid references
that are religion-specific and refer more to concepts like "thou who
givest sustenance to the universe", which can be interpreted according
to the belief of the hearer.
-- 
Pete Hartman		       Bradley University	pwh@bradley.bradley.edu
  That's why I like this machine:  it's stupid, it doesn't believe, it doesn't
   make me believe, it just does what I tell it.  Stupid me, stupid machine.
                            An honest relationship.