Spirit Shine

To me this song means something about how going through tough times or suffering great trials in life, in the end, makes you a better person. In a certain sense this song suggests that the ONLY way to have your "spirit shine" is to suffer first. However, I'm pretty sure the way BR meant it is as an attack on religion. I'm not sure where I stand on God, but I don't want ALL of their songs to be about religion, so I invented my own meaning for this (smile)

Well from the viewpoint I see it. It seems that they mean that if you follow who gives you a reason, they will end up making you blind to you're original cause.

I'm late to reply, but it should be said it's a wonder not ALL their songs are about religion, given that band's name :P

its about people who concede

I think that "spirit shine" is Greg's term for people that always seem to be motivated by their religious beliefs. Like someone who is "on fire" for Jesus; everything they do is dictated by their beliefs.

some qualities of someone who has the "spirit shine":

1. will turn the other cheek
2. will give away any excess money
3. lives unselfishly (I think that in Graffin's view, some selfishness is a good thing)
4. Lives by faith.

I think what BR was trying to say is that this behavior suggests an underlying problem. (tortured mind) and that ultimately it's effect is bad (render you blind)

I agree with convergence's interpretation, but I don't think the song is exclusively talking about religious people, but people who almost compulsively take the moral high-ground or are carebears (ie, go to candle-light vigils for dead prisoners they never met, join peace corps, complain about what an injustice it is that the live=action Akira film isn't casting jap actors, etc.) People who want everything to be 'right' or 'fair' or safe, but can't stomach reality, and only get depressed and give up when they have to deal with harsh situations first-hand.

Here's my interpretation:

-- You, one with the "spirit shine", are nice to everyone regardless: you don't raise your voice neither for downtrodden nor tyrant, consealing your true feelings. But as you suppress your true feelings (true feelings), and try hard to be virtuous, ever-forgiving; you wound yourself mentally (closed wounds) and only becoming obsessed in chastity, so in lifes of other people.

in sum, i think it's all about suppressed emotions and their destructiveness on human mind. And of course, religious people who try hard to look always 'kind' and virtuous, have much more suppressed emotions than anyone, so they're not that sane at all.

Hope you like it:)