| Joan Osborne – One Of Us Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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This is Joan Osborne's song "One of Us" (1995), and it poses some fascinating philosophical questions about divinity and humanity. Let me break down its meaning simply: The song essentially asks us to imagine God as an ordinary person - not as an unreachable, mighty being, but as someone who rides the bus with us and faces everyday struggles. This perspective encourages us to think about several key ideas: 1. Accessibility of God: The song questions how we would relate to God if we met them in a mundane setting, like on a bus. Would we recognize them? Would we treat them differently? 2. Human Loneliness: The lyrics about God trying to "make his way home" and nobody calling "except for the Pope maybe in Rome" suggest that even divine beings might experience loneliness and isolation. 3. Faith and Belief: When it asks if we'd "want to see if seeing meant that you would have to believe," it's exploring how direct evidence of God might change our relationship with faith. 4. Humility: By depicting God as "just a slob like one of us," the song suggests that perhaps divinity exists in ordinary people and everyday moments, not just in grand, glorious displays. The song's power comes from making us consider how we view both divinity and humanity - perhaps they're not as separate as we might think. It challenges us to consider how we might treat others if we saw the divine in everyone we meet. The repeated lines about God being "great" and "good" provide an interesting contrast with the more human depiction - suggesting that greatness and divinity might exist in ordinary moments and people, not just in traditional religious imagery. |
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