Schism of the Church and Tool

 

Today I am listening to the ‘Lateralus’ album by Tool. Now that I have more time, and am giving myself more freedom to do as I feel rather than feeling that all my time must be ultra-productive, it’s well worth trying to discern the meaning behind Tool’s lyrics. Here is a band that at every turn does their best to be obscure so as to make people think and interpret song lyrics for themselves, plus there are always deep spiritual overtones to be discerned.

So whilst reading what other people think about the song ‘Schism’, I was intrigued to see one poster delve deeply into what the following lyrics may mean when seen in the light of the fragmentation of the Christian Church from its origins in the 1st century A.D. till now:

 

I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away
mildewed and smoldering, fundamental differing,
pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers souls in motion
disintegrating as it goes testing our communication
the light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so
we cannot see to reach an end crippling our communication. 

I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them tumble down
no fault, none to blame it doesn’t mean I don’t desire to
point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over.
To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication.

The poetry that comes from the squaring off between,
And the circling is worth it.
Finding beauty in the dissonance.

There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away.
Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting
I’ve done the the math enough to know the dangers of a second guessing 
Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication

cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion 

between supposed lovers
between supposed brothers.

And I know the pieces fit.

As the poster from here observed, the church used to all be one. There was only one church, one faith and everyone followed that. But then people’s power hunger and other motives began to get in the way and the church began to split and fight and fragment into denominations.

But then, even though all the individual pieces are ‘mildewed and smouldering’, the dialogue encouraged by this conflict was good in a sense in that it forced people to develop their thinking and ideas. However, the church is doomed unless these disparate pieces come together again to form one diverse whole.

Whilst this song could very easily (and more probably?) be interpreted to be about relationships, either with others or with differing parts of ourselves, the fervent spiritual interests of Tool do lend weight to the above view. It is particularly interesting to note that Maynard James Keenan – the vocalist and lyricist, is the son of a Baptist preacher and from a stauchly Baptist upbringing. Especially when you notice that he realises that, “I know the pieces fit.”

Regardless, even if the band made no intention of this having ‘religious’ overtones, it still stands as an interesting piece to make us think about the current state of all those who at least claim to follow Jesus (aka the Church). In many ways I find a reunification of these diverse pieces within areas of the emerging church, where communities and groups are made up of many different views and individuals – many at complete loggerheads. But in these groups this doesn’t lead to war. It leads to dialogue, respect, challenge and love.

~ by thesynapse on 21 August, 2008.