Touching The Face Of God: Jon Anderson On Religion

Were you brought up in a religious environment?

My parents were Catholic but then became Church Of England, and I went to a Methodist school. So you could say it was a mixed-up family.

When did you first find religion interesting?

When I was in my early twenties. I read a lot of Herman Hesse, which I found interesting because he talked about how we are all connected to the Great Divine.

What is your current belief system?

It doesn’t matter what path you follow, it all comes back to the fact that what should matter is what’s in your heart and soul.

How do you view traditional religions?

For me all religions are following the same god. It’s very narrow-minded to feel that your religion is the only true one.

Is there a God?

There is, yes. God is everything. It’s up to us to try to connect with who he is.

Do you pray?

Every day. Although it’s mainly through meditation. If we all connect and send out waves of love, then it can help.

How did you bring up your children?

I taught them what I believe in, but left them to make up their own minds.

Is religious conviction a matter of faith, or does it have to be based on hard evidence?

For me there’s evidence every day. I walk in my garden and see a hummingbird – that’s evidence of a greater being. I hear chimes caressed by the wind, and making beautiful music… Do you need anything more factual than this?

This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #200.

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Malcolm Dome

Malcolm Dome had an illustrious and celebrated career which stretched back to working for Record Mirror magazine in the late 70s and Metal Fury in the early 80s before joining Kerrang! at its launch in 1981. His first book, Encyclopedia Metallica, published in 1981, may have been the inspiration for the name of a certain band formed that same year. Dome is also credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the Anthrax song Metal Thrashing Mad in 1984. With the launch of Classic Rock magazine in 1998 he became involved with that title, sister magazine Metal Hammer, and was a contributor to Prog magazine since its inception in 2009. He died in 2021