2005-08-07

Led Zeppelin Bass player changes view on end times

John Paul Jones, former bass player for British Rock band Led Zeppelin, has stunned the Christian world by publically announcing that he has changed his end-times views.

"I spent most of my life as Pre-millennial" stated Jones at his home on Friday, "But a few years ago I was given a book by Anthony Hoekema ("The Bible and the Future") which explained the Amillennial position quite strongly. After much soul-searching and studying the scriptures, I am now Amillennial in my eschatology".

Jones, 60, is best known for his talented but undemonstrative work for Led Zeppelin. He says that his new views may conflict with those of his former band members.

"Jimmy Page was always a Dispensationalist" explained Jones, "He was always hard-line in a quiet, but firm way. The song The Battle of Evermore was his way of expressing what he had read in prophetic literature at the time. Hal Lindsey's books were always being read on tour."

Led Zeppelin took the world by storm in the early 1970s with their powerful performances based around traditional blues. They, along with bands like The Yardbirds and Cream, are considered the progenitors of Heavy metal music.

Their first three albums (I, II and III) have been interpreted by fans to be a reflection of the Trinity, while their fourth album, which is untitled, is often seen by many fans as being based upon "the altar to an unknown god" that the Apostle Paul mentions in Acts 17:22-23.

Led Zeppelin's most famous piece, Stairway to Heaven, is the band's most overtly Christian song, leading many critics at the time to wonder whether the band's religious stance would alienate its listeners. Other songs, like Gallows Pole, were more subtle pointers to the substitionary atonement.

Deep theological thinking typified many Led Zeppelin songs - but they were always unified on matters of eschatology. That is, until Jones dropped his recent bombshell.

"On Presence, we focused mostly upon God's ability to be everywhere and anywhere at the same time, while on In through the Out Door we explored the notion of whether Christians who fall away can come back to the Lord. We were quite unified on these issues. But I think my stance on the end times may alienate me from Robert (Plant) and Jimmy (Page), but, since John (Bonham)'s death in 1980, the chances of us reforming again are slim."

Jimmy Page, the band's guitarist who, at one time, lived in a mansion once owned by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, was not available for comment. Rev. Robert Plant, an ordained Anglican Priest and now lecturer in Systematic and Biblical Theology at Oakhill College in London, was reported to be "disappointed" by Jones' comments and has indicated that he will call a press conference soon to discuss the matter.

Members of the Royal Orleans Baptist Church in Louisiana, where Jones was once Pastor, have also refused to comment.

Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980, after drummer John Bonham was called home by the Lord.


From the Department of Attempted Humour

© 2005 Neil McKenzie Cameron, http://one-salient-oversight.blogspot.com/


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

A pre-millennialist Anglican priest lecturing at Oak Hill. What's the world coming to? More Presbyterian propaganda is what the world's coming to.

Anonymous said...

WOW! 5 years ago was saved and was a life long Heavy metal drummer. It took me a minute but I just cracked up when I got to the end of this! Led Zeppelin .Plant Anglican! My band warmed up for them once and back stage i am sure we were all in agreement on the reformed eschatology. That was even the weekend we spent at Pages C.H. Spurgeon hang-out.

irRational said...

It is so good to see that the Lord uses broken vessels. These men were obviously broken in numerous ways and yet reached so many with their music. Thank you for this balanced piece. ;-) (rofl)