Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Religion to me is something totally dead.
Religion to me is a surface, a front - something that is not real.
Religion is also when you point out to people how they should be.
Some ask me if I'm religious, and I always answer "No, absolutely not! I go in a relationship with God!
Simon Ådahl was born in Finland in 1957, but since 1961 he has lived in Sweden.
Music has always been a passion, and together with his brothers Dan and Frank he recorded the first EP in 1969.
More than 10 years later, the Christian pop group Edin-Ådahl was founded...
...and they would break through seriously in 1990 when the song "Like a Wind" won the Swedish Song Contest.
That was in those days, in recent years the brothers Simon and Frank have been playing together.
When they don’t, the go around in churches in Sweden and talk about their faith.
At the end of 2009, the idea was born to make a solo album in Swedish, but it would require a trip to the United States.
My neighbor and I were at a conference in California.
One day we had a "meeting with a prophet." So it was said on the schedule, "11:30 meeting with prophet".
We met two men who had no idea who we were and yet prophesying over us.
The only thing they talked about was the mission for me to make music, and especially rock music.
When my brother Frank was told about the prophecy from California, he immediately said that ‘you have to do an album!’
I said, 'Sure, I have a lot of songs that just lies around’.
This is probably the fourteenth day in the studio. You cannot record an album in two weeks, but this is fantastic.
Everything has just worked out so well.
A few years ago when I was in Portugal, I had a tremendous experience one night when I saw and heard the Lord’s army’s war-alarm over Sweden.
And I also saw how the soldiers looked like, and there were really no nice and beautiful angels.
God's soldiers are not so beautiful that people may think they are. This was not a game.
I think an invasion from heaven is coming to Sweden.
? The old religion has died out.
The storm from heaven came at last.
I hear alarm! A thunder from the angels choir. I hear alarm! Cries of victory is all I hear.
I hear alarm! New times lies ahead. I hear Alarm! Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!
It will be a shock to many when they hear this record.
For those who did not have a clue that I was doing rock'n'roll.
On the other hand it's quite fun to record in this old classic punk rock studio.
This studio was already in the 70s. Many artists have recorded their stuff here.
DiLeva and Daddy Dee are among them. It feels like the walls of the studio have been around a long time.
Have you seen this? This is the record's co-producer Jonas's logo. We must have this in the movie.
Jonas: ‘This is a snail that valiantly tries to get along Le Mans rally tracks.’
? A sun rises up and a sun goes down, a day went by, it just disappeared.
And I change each passing year There´s only one thing, that remains for sure...
My faith in Jesus The only thing that carries me.
In the midst of those nights in tears In those days of happy laughters.
My faith in Jesus, it carries me. Who and why sing about such a thing?
Well I'm doing it because there is an incredible statement.
I am not ashamed, on the contrary, I am incredibly proud, but not of myself but for His sake.
This is something I stand for a hundred percent.
? I´m thrown around, here and there, sometimes ending upside down.
I find myself up against the wall and every time I see.
My faith in Jesus The only thing that carries me
In the midst of those nights in tears In those days of happy laughters
What do I tell in the churches? There is a difference because all churches are not ready to hear everything that I have experienced...
as the same time as other churches are ready for it.
In some churches I talk more about the basic in forgiveness and reconciliation and how it was the key of freedom for me.
In other churches, I can tell more about the gifts of the Spirit, that you can experience the miraculous events of everyday life.
For example, to receive words of knowledge to someone that, without the Spirit, you would never have known about.
This meaning that the person’s life is being redeemed.
This is something I experience every week, not saying that I am good, it's more that I have come into a relationship with God. Not the religion that people talk about.
I sing a lot on the record that religion must die, for it has stifled what is the true life with God.
Once there was a woman who had a word from God to a pastor.
She said:’ You pastor, I have a greeting from God’.
Pastor:’ Well, greet him as well!’
He was not ready to hear it. ‘Greet him as well ‘.
Jonas: That was on the other hand, a very funny answer.
But it was as he did not believe in the gifts.
I usually teach about the spiritual gifts, and it appears that many believe that speaking in tongues is the criterion for the spiritual gifts.
It is totally wrong! Speaking in tongues is only one of all the gifts of the Spirit.
When I did, it exploded, and it was at that point religion became a relationship.
I had to die from religion and get into the relationship, and since that day my life has been so supernatural, so I cannot comprehend.
And it just gets more and more. So it will be as soon as you affirm the Holy Spirit in your life.
? A man of God proclaimes free zones.
He cures the sickness, so the blind man can see and God gets the glory for all the miracles.
A man of God- that´s a man of God- He´s a man of God.
I can see that there is lots of empty talk about spiritual gifts.
It is customary to sing "Come Holy Spirit", but dare not to think when the Spirit indeed comes, it becomes dangerous.
In fact the human building collapses.
But when I meet people in the churches I notice that almost all have the same desire and have the same hunger.
What sets us apart is that some guys have decided, "this theological line is ours. That line is yours!”
All of that will fall down when the Spirit comes.
? Let a sword divide all of Sweden. Let it shake this entire country.
Let it wake up those who are asleep. Let the holy Spirit fall and set us all on fire!
It is indeed, that faith is a folly for the world. But for us who believe it's the power of God unto salvation.
We will never be accepted by society as we move with the Lord.
But who said we should be accepted by society? Who said that?
Who told us to be a kind of service facility for the community?
I like to say that churches should be a resource for Jesus in the community, not a resource for society.
I notice that some churches are doing everything to be a kind of a Rotary Club.
They say "We certainly spend time with local politicians and vice versa."
And I say: But Jesus?
Faith and the word of the cross are foolishness, and we will never be accepted for it.
This song will never be played on the radio; it is primarily a criticism of the Swedish Radio P4.
It is based on an encounter I once had with a radio producer who totally dissed Christian music.
He said we could not be the trumpet of our message. He himself was a prog musician
And I thought he is that because the radio played prog music in the 70s.
Where is the justice if three-four hundred thousand Christians in Sweden pay radio license...
...but Christian music can not be played on Swedish radio P4?
Is that Public Service? I have to write a song!
? This song will never be played on the radio, because it tells about a faith in a living God.
They are afraid to send what people really need. They are afraid that this message would be out of line.
Instead it´s: Sha- la- la- la- la and shing-a- ling-a- ling. The radio´s pouring out phrases that don´t mean anything.
It´s lovely brown eyes and the heaven is blue- ting-a-ling.
This song will never be played on the radio because it really says something!
My wife has booked an appointment with the hairdresser, so I now sit in the barber chair for a while.
This was Edin-Ådahl first rehearsal studio. We are currently in Edin-Ådahl first rehearsal studio, which is now a hair saloon.
Here we made demo recordings in the late 70s.
1979 we were here and rehearsed.
It is a pretty funny discussion if the music is from God or “from down below".
We've often been told that we are from the devil...
We always answered, no we are from Gävle. We are not from Hälsingland.
Now the rock music has become more accepted in the church context, but it is still a kind of religiosity to consider some music coming from the devil.
The message and the attitude you have when you play.
So I hope there will be a discussion about the new album. I have a lot to say.
Hairdresser: Should I take something on the whiskers? Simon: You may do as you wish.
Now I mustn’t put my hat on?
It is always unpleasant to be freshly cut, it is always better after a few weeks. But it was necessary.
Bye!
It is all about either you take your faith seriously and go with the Lord,
or you do voluntary work in the church and go in the voluntary sector.
My criticism of the church is that many times is the business and building that are in the centre.
With other words; no focus on Jesus.
That is why it is dead in many places, for the loss of focus on Jesus.
? What would happend if they all came to us? Everything would become a youth club!
No it´s better that things stay the way they are, otherwise our peace will surely end.
But I don´t wanna think about the day, when I stand before the throne with two empty hands.
Anyway, I´m a churchgoing man...
I can react when there is a millionaire on the same bench as a single mother who might have SEK 500 to live on for a whole month.
The millionaire stands and praises the Lord, and the mother stands and praises the Lord, but no one thinks that maybe I should help her standing next to me?
After all, we are brothers and sisters.
I miss the involvement in each other. To care more than just in the fellowship in the Assembly.
The time you do something together, maybe it is when you clear snow or clean the church.
But the fellowship is meant to be much deeper than that, we should love one another.
And people around should see how much we love each other. That is in the scriptures!
It's we that create something attractive, because people in Sweden do not have this kind of fellowship...
...there everyone must fend for themselves and they live on their isolated islands.
I compare the rigid society with Robinson. Society is a big island-council, where you can be voted out.
If you have no excellence or do not fit in, you should not be part of the community.
There is a selfishness that has infected the churches which I think is alarmingly annoying.
? I go against the darkness that binds you! I go against that spirit which prevents you!
Now, you are free in Jesus - Yes, in His name!
I crush the chains that pull you down! And nothing will ever harass you again.
Now, you are free in Jesus- Yes, in His name!
I would like to ask: What fruit do I bear? What kind of fruit bears my church?
Do we even bear fruit?
In many places, you are happy with your activities, and then you can ask how many have been baptized during the past year?
If the answer is two and you look into a society that does not know Jesus.
How can you be satisfied? I do not think you should be satisfied.
You can ask the question to yourself, how many have I given something, so they might rise up?
Or how many times have you comforted someone? Or told an unbelieving of what you believe in? To bear fruit in this way in your personal life.
But there will come a time when the sword goes through the country. I know it!
God will gather his people and then it is about those who love the Lord.
Those who love God and have died from his or her own life and started to do what Jesus said.
? I have always walked beside you, in so many, long years.
...whether you call yourself a Pentecostal, Baptist, Word of Life, Lutheran, or EFK, an Orthodox or you name it.
It does not matter because it is only about one thing: your heart. It is all about heart and love.
I´ve given you light upon your journey, I´ve been the wind, playing in your hair.
I was there when you were a child. You were a baby in my hands...
...and my heart is torn to pieces, thinking about the times that disappeared.
You have shouted out in despair. You have wept your tears in need.
You have stayed awake so many nights. You really thought that I was dead.
But I was always there beside you, I was closer than you thought.
Yes, I carried you many times, even more than you could imagine!
I speak life into you, You´re a child of mine.
And I'll never ever leave you.
I speak life into you, You´re a child of mine.
And I'll never ever leave you.
English subtitles by Kristina Svanström