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From Rock To Confession1

Rock is already a global phenomenon, an universal law for young people, expressed through
norms and behavior patterns, a certain sensitivity, clothes, a social attitude, and - perhaps this is the
most serious thing! - a new concept of morality. This flood of all freedoms (powered by an obvious
iconoclastic spirit, naughty and rebel), included all the horizons of the world. The upraise of afore
mentioned musical stile gave birth, in its turn, to a true revolution, causing the explosive emergence of
intergenerational conflicts between parents and children, in fact, between tradition and lack of any
barriers. "The sexual revolution" of the '60s and '70s, "the liberation through drugs", "hair revolution",
the discovery of Oriental ezoterism, the worship of some pop stars - all these led to the exposure of
generations called " flower-power "," hippie "," beat generation "," punk "," heavy ", etc., in fact, forms
of mental and emotional alignment of youth, always seasoned with left wing ideas (extreme or
moderate). Thus, the fight against good Christian traditions, the sound concepts of conservative and
national nature has been subtly gained in concert halls and stadiums, in Woodstock or at Madison
Square Garden. Generations of young "pacifists" people, calling frantically to group sex, converted to
Buddhism or Zen practices, have seeded the spirit of rebelliousness, being the living expression of the
left wing intelligentsia in the '60s, frustrated politically by the failure of the setup of the Marxist utopia
in Western Europe, and the United States.
In Romania, the situation was slightly different. Rock became - for many of us - a form of
protest against the communist order and its "values" it, a cry for lost freedom. Obviously, the majority
of youngsters keep mistaking the civic and political freedom - confusion, moreover, fully
understandable in those years - with the spiritual freedom, which, in reality, on one can take or give to
you (see N. Steinhardt - Journal of Happiness, 1992, p. 6-9). But so was then, and we must consider
the cruel realities of those times where even the man's beard on his face could be interpreted as a sign
of rebelliousness or as a minor sign of dissent...
The truth lies somewhere in between and who does not understand that, for instance, even a
poor football gallery redo that, somewhere, the communitarian spirit so persecuted by the communists,
can not explain any of that memorable vigor "Ole, ole, ole/Ceausescu is no more!"
What it was, it was... Important now is how can a speech can be transfigured, a reality, a conviction. In
the following, we invite you to follow the confession of a person whose honesty can not be doubted,
because he went through – with his own existence as warrant - the experiment called in the world of
faith metanoia, or changing of the nature, of the thought, of the feeling. Passing from rock to serving of
God and neighbor, fr. Dan Bădulescu life speaks plainly about the transforming power of the faith,
about the capabilities of the soul that contains that eternal: "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

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Issued in the magazin Azi, friday-saturday, 3-4 March 2000. Interview by Răzvan Bucuroiu.
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Răzvan Bucuroiu

Biography of Father Dan Bădulescu

Born in Bucharest in July of 1952, he attended high school Iulia Haşdeu, humanistic line, which
he graduated in 1971.

He went to the Conservatory, Department of Pedagogy, which he graduated in 1975.

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Main instrument: guitar. He followed a career as an instrumentalist for 15 years on this activity
will return to the interview below. Since 1986 he was established in Sweden with his family (wife and
a daughter).

He was professor of music and instrument (guitar) from various schools, including a Waldorf
teaching. In 1992 he became a singer in Romanian parish in Stockholm;
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In 1993, at the suggestion of fr. Vicar Constantin Pârvu, during a visit occasioned by the
consecration of the church in Gothenburg, he enrolled at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in
Bucharest. During 4 years he has been an expensive and exhausting "shuttle" between Bucharest and
Stockholm, as in 1997 to graduate – at the Pastoral Department.
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In early 1998 he was hired as an Inspector at the Foreign Community Sector in the Romanian
Patriarchate, where he works now (2000). In June 1999 he was ordained a priest on behalf of the chapel
of Bucharest Faculty of Orthodox Theology, St. Catherine...

Father Dan Bădulescu, you were, for several years, member of the famous rock band "Red and
Black." Looking back to that we can say that the "red" have turned to "black", eventually wearing
priestly clothes. Therefore I ask you directly: what faith you were 20 years ago when you were in full
glory pop?
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I was in The "Red and Black" from 1979 to 1982, and from the standpoint of faith lived a
spiritualist period. I exceeded, it is true, the timing of the materialistic '60s, living in the midst of
gender syncretistic spirituality. Today, it is true, we have clearly defined term, and even diagnosis: new
age. But then I did not know this term, but even it without a name, this was the "spirit" which can hold
together the Orthodoxy (I was baptized indeed!) and Asian spirituality, astrology, numerology, yoga,
well a whole mess…
What instrument did you play in "Red and Black"?
Guitar solo, double-six, acoustic.
You were an idol for young rockers back then?
Idol with small "i"... Maybe only for a very specialized area for those practicing guitarists. For
the general public, however, I was not very commercial.
Did you have any fans?
Yes, I think I had, but not of the caliber of stars. It was a much smaller area...
What is the main psychological feature of a rock idol?
The notion of idol and fan are best represented in the West. Here we simply copy these patterns.
In the socialist period, however, the '70-'80 batch were other dimensions, other connotations of the
concept of idol and fan compared to what is, for example, a Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger.
We were not close to those proportions... I was a normal man: eating on tours in Lacto-bar, I
moved freely on buses, lived in a block... As a way of life, I was very close to my fans. It is, however, a
big difference from today's idol.
Do you think that today the idol-fan relationship changed?
Compared with the period before the 90s, definitely. Also in Romania was created a distance –
after the Western model - between star and audience. There came the notion of VIP. We did not know
that we are VIP!
Father, which was for Your holiness the "road to Damascus"?
Forcing the comparison, I answer with the psalm song: "The lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger,
but they, which seeke the Lord, shall want nothing that is good!" Those who seek the Lord is the key
phrase of this road of Damascus as you said. Even in my moments of religious delusion, even when I
was playing on stage (and not seeking, ironically! success with women, money, vainglory etc.), I was
playing - as would seem ridiculous now - "sacred music", unknowing that this already exists! I think
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that my sincere searching have finally been heard, after so much error and stumbling. Now I can say
too: "I saw the true light." It was, however, a long way.
What happens with former band mates?
They remained in position. It is very hard to change in these positions... Anyway, there were no
mocking upon me.
Do you think that rock is a phenomenon driven or simply spontaneous?
It was driven from start; it is true, very secret, very shadow. At our level, sure, I didn't see these
things. It seemed to us spontaneously, youthful. But today's data shows that there is a true center who
directs, who plan a careful strategy. Of course in the West this became a real industry.
Subsequent commercial side certainly has its rules clear profile. But the phenomenon itself, by
who do you think is conducted?
There is at this time sources that indicate including names of persons dealing with this job. For
example, the conspiracy called the "Aquarian" of the "Illuminati", who, part of them deals exactly with
the rock phenomenon, dealing on a larger scale with the youth. See, these educational concerns, in
which the music is assigned a key role, we have met since antiquity, from Plato and Aristotle. Plato, in
"The State" describes the formative role of music. He said, even then, that some songs are built for
young, certain songs, by contrast, are lascivious and should be removed. And discussions have
continued at a theoretical level. This shows the formative importance of music and dance on the teen
agers. Now we see these endless nights and new televisions "karaoke" on the disco, which demonstrate
unprecedented phenomenon. I see programs (so-called entertainment!), in which, besides the people
invited we see in the background young people - especially girls - swinging all the time. Not only those
of the Pro Generation, but almost on all the small screens, even in commercials, they swing! There
have no rest, but get into an automatic movement. All these are studied by psychologists, who go
directly to the target, making the destruction around them and bringing great harm. Here's how these
centers come in an insidious way to meet some of the natural impulses of those of 14, 15, 16 years old
(indeed we had all these and we know them!). But to stimulate these impulses and tying them to sexual
practice and freedom and drugs - making the evil triad - well, that's a very serious thing.
Apart from strictly a financial aspect, what would it be the aim of this folly organized on a
global plane as you say?
This folly is aiming the formation of the "new man." We had too this item under Ceauşescu, but
it was essentially a Marxist one. But this "new man" (who lives in the new era - "new age") is dreamed
and "produced" in globalist centers. They are considering what we Christians call metanoia, i.e. the
conversion of the old man into the new man. In their case, however, this "metanoia" is a parody, being
is - I dare to say - of satanic essence. In fact, we deal with a process for altering man, who, as sinful as
he is, instead of being turned in the best sense, is directed to a human type even worse than the old one
which "they" want to "cure". And rock is the ideal vehicle to achieve this globalization, the new human
type.
In the context of our discussion, it seems fair statement, because the rock has become a
universal language; moreover, has become the common denominator of youth, from Kamchatka to
Alaska, from Cape Horn to Gibraltar and so on... Yes, rock music became a sort of "law" generally
accepted by young people.
Right, the behavioral rules of rock are received with joy, not face any resistance, suspicion, nor
from the parents or the authorities. At this time, everyone has "capitulated."
Father, rock is, by definition, the privilege of teen age. Once past the maximum intensity of
feelings, say, after 20 years, do you think that the young man can not integrate among their peers
without serious behavioral misconduct?
The rock influence on young people should, I believe, considered on a case by case basis. I
would not say I know to what extent is the rock influence decisive on the young started in life. There
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are many shades, from the decisive down to negligible. But however we question the influence of rock
on the young can be devastating, and I stress this.
Much of the rock texts exalt love, peace, non-violence, universal understanding...
One moment please, mention that some texts of the '60s, '70s, from the time of "hippie" or
"flower-power" movement. From the '80s onwards, the texts have changed, are more aggressive,
starting with the "punk." Not to mention the satanic music, which is promoted by some television
channels in the dead of night, with a true unconsciousness. But we go too far and therefore I would
come back even to the "positive" texts: "Give Peace a Chance" or "Imagine". "Imagine is no
heaven/And no religion too..."
It sounds like a manifesto to me...
It is really a manifesto, a typical left one, not necessarily a Marxist, but in any case highly
secularized, because they see a planetary peace without faith. This is a typical view of left wing
Freemasonry, which were involved also in the "flower-power" movement. The idea was - and many
even believed it - that it is possible to reach the universal state of happiness, peace on earth, but without
Church and without Christ. A brotherhood through rock, through drugs and sex. Thus the man could
reach, in their view, the earthly bliss. LSD in the '60s Western universities is not what was aimed too?
Now there is used the drug ecstasy in the "Techno" or the "rave party".
Father, how you think, after 2,000 years to restore human dignity through Christianity, the
idea of "Fan club"?
It does not seem at all a smart one... Fan, etymologically speaking, means fanatic. It is true, we
can not compare "Michael Jackson fan club" with "Fan-club Angela Similea." In a very interesting
video, Michael Jackson appears as a huge statue, gaining a cult proportions. In this idolatry case we are
confronted with 2nd commandment of the Decalogue. We Christians can not worship anyone but God.
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Do you think that the phenomenon of rock is about to be extinguished or is about to be

extended?
As artistic vigor, rock is virtually exhausted. In culture, it will seek to extend their existence,
using hybrid forms like ethno-pop-rock or Latin. In this latter case it shows a great vitality. But the
classic rock said already its word.
Father, can someone be cured of rock?
You can be healed, but the more you are sick, the cure is worse. I myself, as new priest, can
hardly accept something as being incurable. Especially in the spiritual realm...