A short one but important. Public Image Limited was a solo project by John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols.
The main gnostic revelation in P.I.L’s output is found in the song and music video Rise:
Some of the symbolism of the music video is still a little bit enigmatic for me, but the main one isn’t: the Demiurge, through his spokesperson Lydon, is cryptically speaking to all of us here.
”I could be wrong
I could be right
I could be black
I could be white”
This refers to the duality of the God of the world. To the fact that he could be « wrong » or « right » in regard to the test he’s putting through fallen Prime Creation; in part to know if he could, with all his power and abilities, fool our male spirits with a material ersatz that would be more attractive than our ROSE. (See Foreword).
His identity is in question because of his duality. He could be « black » or « white » depending on the final issue of his CON and if agapè triumphs or not. It means as well that his intention in starting this could have been benevolent (saving Prime Creation from something) or malevolent to begin with, he doesn’t know.
”The time has come
your second skin
the cost so high
the gain so low”
The « seCONd skin » designates our seCONd life in the material world, the skin being the limitative organ of the body. The « cost so high » refers to the spiritual cost of CONsumption and karma. The « gain so low » means we are not learning and working at our ascension as much as we should.
”walk through the valley
the written word is a lie”
The valley is the world. A valley can be shaped more or less like a U, the U in HUman might allude to a fall and a subsequent ascension [also note the U is the 21st letter alphabet=2–>1]. The written word refers to the material world in comparison to the spoken word of Prime Creation.
”May the road rise with you”
Our participation is needed to work at the way upward for humanity in general mainly through a form of love called agapè.
Near the end of the video, a baby is shown followed by a cut to the Demiurge’s face with a facial expression signifying that it is all in our hands:
The baby, or the future of humanity.
A fork in the road, our choice.
”Anger is an energy”
This signifies that anger is a motor for the God of the world, but to what end is not yet clear.