Regina Spektor – Laughing With

I absolutely agree with your interpretation of the song as opposed to the others. It makes me think about how all over the world people are oppressed and live in a hell on earth, dying horrific deaths and watching all those around them suffer; and then people think that their prayers to God actually matter concerning the luxury car they want to buy, or please God get me out of this traffic I want to go home, etc...

So many people think this song seems pro-religious, and I definitely disagree. You could not have put it better, great post.

Agreed - I don't think it's pro or anti-god specifically, it seems to be more an overall analysis of people's views of God all-round. Lovely song.

Just wanted to say that you phrased this exactly how I was thinking it. In times of trouble, we often become so desperate for anyone or anything to have control over a seemingly uncontrollable situation.

Thank you! I agree fully, and I'll add that the line "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for" might even hold some anger twords the idea of god. but, I don't know.

all in all, a great post to a great song.

I agree with this explanation most. You can tell she's being sarcastic when she's laughing during the song. I don't think this is supposed to be pro or anti-G*d. Just her view of religion as a whole.

I do agree with the thought of it being a neutral song (neither anti nor pro) I have to disagree about your interpretation of the lyric "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for"

Often times, when people's lives are going great they mock God and hate him, but suddenly when things turn terrible, they are praying for everything to be better again. Kind of like how a lot of people take God's name in vain when they don't even believe in him...it's the weirdest thing ever.

"For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute." Hebrews 6:16

Well, no one's laughing AT God when they are hoping by some divine miracle, their misery will change, because they know by no power of man could anything be done. Perhaps she's singing about how people flip and flop in their relationship towards the idea of God or with God Himself.

it seems like you are coming closest to what i believe the meaning to be. I've heard her talk about the song and she has said that it is not pro or anti anything. she is like that a lot, which is awesome. the best art presents a question to its audience to answer for themselves. I think she is, as you say, just making observations of the relationships between humans and God. I think she is noticing that it is easy for people to laugh at the sillier parts of religion (and i think this is her actually giving a bit of a jab at religions' and society's silly interpretations of God) when everything is going great. Then she points out that in moments of terror, as you mention, people still turn to God for help. I think she is also taking notice that poor people are often more religious. People who don't know where their next meal is coming from are forced to put more faith is God because they have terror on a daily basis, where as many of us only think of God during the turbulence in an airplane. I think this is a needed insight, because many people look at the uneducated, poor, religious as just stupid people and the enlightened, educated, rich folks think they have evolved beyond religion and God (bill mahr, grr). She is saying, hey, people who believe in God need God, that doesn't mean they are stupid. We all need God sometimes, even if we don't believe in him. We make him silly sometimes, but he's ok with that too, he's always there for us to pray to even if he isn't really there at all.

I most definitely agree with you. I was just wondering about what this song means, and think people took this song really pro god, but I don't think it is. I think that it is purely an observation of how we think about God, and how we think about God as wonderful and powerful when we're asking for money or for him to grant us wishes, but when everything falls out from under us, he's not so magical anymore, he's not like santa or a genie, and we aren't laughing. Its brilliant.

Totally agree, this song is not pro-religeon at all, quite the contrary. I think the last line shows the true meaning behind the lyrics "we're all laughing with god", as opposed to laughing at him, which is what we should be doing. Not god per se, but of the idea of god. How can we think that there's someone up there calling the shots when terrible things happen all the time. To Regina people always stay on gods side and excuse him from horrible things that happen, when the idea of an all powerful and all good god allowing such things to happen is laughable. We should be laughing at god (or the idea of him anyway) but not laughing with him.

@lovebee I agree with the not-so-necesarily-as-pro-god-view. Well, the intention might have been pro-god, I don't know. But the song lyrics illustrate that it religion is made up by humans, and taken very serious in need. Religion is very popular in times of war, poverty, etc: When you're in complete misery, it's only human to assume there will be something that will just rescue you. But, sadly... you just die.

@lovebee I do not see though how this song is anti-religion. Just because religion is ridiculous and strange to human logic does not mean there's nothing to it. In the Bible God outright says that his wisdom has absolutely nothing in common with human logic, and he realizes that his works and decisions are super-easy to disregard or mock - that's the point.
It reminds me of that scene in Harry Potter, which I think is one of the most brilliant answers to the religion vs logic conundrum: Harry is in like a semi-heaven purgatory, and asks Dumbledore "hey, is this, like, FOR REAL? or is it all in my head?"
to which Dumbledore retorts "OF COURSE it's in your head!...but... why should that mean that it's not real?"
I think that this song is brilliant even from a pro-religion standpoint, because it's more a commentary on the human pereception of God, and how counter-intuitive and downright weird it is if you stop and think about it. It's not pro or anti, it's just pointing out "hey, religion is actually pretty weird guys." which is a compliment IMO.

Your analysis is accurate, but there is more than one conclusion to be drawn from said analysis.

I totally see that now too. :)

It kinda says in the last sentence, if we're laughing with God despite of all she sang, then it means "God exists regardless of what you believe".

I agree. It also crossed my mind while reading interpretations that both theists and atheists view the same information in completely contradictory ways with disinterest in exercising the necessary level of insight to find the slightest bit of common ground.

I think this is the best interpretation of the meaning of this song so far!

This and adding the thoughts I believe to be the explanation of two different meanings for the first part :
1) Someone else already said that: if God is considered to be the cause of the troubles, you have no reason to laugh at Him, cause this is not funny at all. It is pretty painful. Then He is just a sarcastic being, and we are dammed.
2) Those who will not resent at God will take Him seriously and look for "His help in time of need"

The chorus is DEFINITELY about people who believe in God but actually picture Him in a very tragicomic way - and who in a sane mind would wanna believe in such a hateful and pathetic god anyway?

And if Regina is as smart as I am thinking she is, she meant it all both ways. Dualistic, ambivalent, tricky and ironic. Don´t you think?
Too bad it is missing another point of view on God, but it comforts me that the song isn´t about God. It is about religion and how humans didn´t find yet a wise way to go about this topic, it is mostly contradictory, hateful, pathetic and shallow.

To close it, I agree with both views that say that the "we are all laughing with God" is
1) the childish excuse "we are not laughing at You God"
2) the irony of being part of the whole religion joke ourselves.

Oh, if we could all know if there is a real God indeed and who is He after all...

@yhtrownu I think you nailed it... ;)

"...the atheist who doesn't believe in a magical man in the sky, the person walking down the street who hears the man yelling through a bullhorn on the streetcorner and thinks, "Ugh, that's not a God I want to follow," and the wounded ex-Christian who was burned by a pastor telling her God was going to send her to hell for loving other women - these views of God *should* be laughed at. They should be approached with frivolity, and ultimately rejected"
.
HAHA. We Christians don't believe in the 'magical man in the sky' either. We believe in God. One god. The only god. (And I would bet my life that YOU believe there may be ET life out there in the galaxy yet you don't believe there could be a god. SOOOO logical of you:) It's "wounded ex=Christians" who are the usual atheists; they were abused by parents or born with disease; challenges; etc. They are disgrungled and can't understand why God did not save them. God was VERY clear on homosexuality. The act is sinful. That is not hate on the part of God. It is what it is; those born with crosses must rise about them. Life is not fair. And although pastors should be preaching love and leaving the afterlife to God's judgment, they are not far off the mark; the bible contains few reference to homosexuality, and where it does the act is seen as unacceptable. Man with woman is the only constant through the Bible. And considering we've seen the spread of Aids mainly among homosexual men and drug abusers, I do believe God knew what He was talking about when it comes to partnering (and monogamy). So you can "laugh" at God and His teachings, but they are sound. And just because they are not easy (as talking is not easy with my gay friends and having to refrain from discussing gay rights and 'marriage'), we as Christians are STILL supposed to follow the teachings. God is not laughing when the sanctiy of marriage is violated; when the state passes laws that ridicule God's teachings; and when wayward, angry atheists mock Christianity and Christians. The song is about laughing WITH God, not at Him. But to an athesist as yourself who only stopped believing due to the hands of your born-again messed up parents, everything that comes out of your mouth is suspect (and dishonest to the core!)

"TurnMeOn"... you a Christian judging homosexuals and using a user name totally connected with sex? Unless you are married and meant it to be for your husband, just the fact that you think about it with a man who is not your husband makes you an adulterous and a sinner according to the same Bible that condemns homosexuals.

Nothing personal, I am just pointing this out to make a point of what I really meant to write here: I think you misunderstood cattieloves´ comment and was a little to harsh on her.

What I like about this site is how respectful people tend to be with each other even if they totally disagree in point of views.
If you are really a Christian, please keep the standard high and be respectful.
No personal attacking here towards someone´s commentary ok? That is a very bad picture of a Christian... no atheists had that attitude here so far.

Hope you get it nicely.

Ps: I am assuming you are a woman for the content and way of thinking, but please forgive me if I made a mistake.

I assume you are prone to accept we all make mistakes, like you probably do when assuming so many wrong things about people like on your commentary above.

We do make a lot of bad judgment and wrong assumptions. Thank God we are both Christians and understand the need of humbleness and forgiveness right?

Ps2: cattielove is obviously not an atheist. If she was, she´d never write God with capital letters. Only people who believe He is a person with a proper name do that. And her argument quoted and misunderstood by you is not defending anything you might think is wrong. It is just putting things from the perspective of these people - like yourself pointed out: very hurt people. And what do we offer for people who are hurting? Compassion. No more stones, thank you.

The only angry person in the commentaries here I´ve seen so far was you (and I´ve surely read more than 200). Not any atheist.
Please, think about it and reconsider your own prejudices in the topics you commented on. Your point of view and conclusions do not exhale the love and wisdom Jesus showed to sinner when he was on Earth. Not at all.

But we all make mistakes, don´t we?
Hope God laughs at that sometimes. We should...

Ticy, I know who you are...a MALE self-described atheist, so you can pretend to be a Christian and fault me, but you and I both know who you are and how you like to deceive on this site (and on others). I judged no homosexual; I spoke as to God's teachings/stand on the subject...hate the sin but not the sinner. BTW, anyone who knows good grammar would capitalize God since it's a proper noun:) Good try attempting to deceive me with the user name; however, you've done better in the past. My conversation with you is OVER; besides, I do believe you have some young thang ready and waiting for another romp. Don't disapoint, Ken

Ticy, wrong assumption again.
Actually I am an atheist and this time I wrote God with capital G... sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, depends on the context. This time I just went with the lyrics.

Actually, i see it how a bunch of people make jokes about God, and how many people make fun of the religious people for believing in a God, but once they're but in dire situations, even those people start praying.
Like how "no one's laughing at God in a hospital"
this song is beautiful!!!!!!

Yup. This is it.

This is what she's saying.

Good song.

You're right to point out that the Bible shows God to be the ultimate cause for everything that happens. But it also points to people's selfishness, etc. as the more immediate cause. If no one was selfish, there would be no violence, for instance. And why would God delight in wars, famines, etc., only to tell his people to go give their lives to serve the victims of these things (which he does)? Just some thoughts.
Thanks for your post, and beautiful song, eh? ( :

hmmm. This makes sense. I could see how this would work with Regina's song trends but I personally disagree. I used to have the same view about God after studying a bit of the bible and I decided I hated him at a pretty early age, but after studying a lot more of it, my view has changed. I'd suggest looking into both the old and new testament more. Whether it changes your mind or not, I still think it would be beneficial to look into theology with an open mind. If you find that the truth is that you were right all along, then great. If you find something more, then that's also great. Either way, I'd like to hear about it and I'm sure a lot of other people would too.

hmmm. This makes sense. I could see how this would work with Regina's song trends but I personally disagree. I used to have the same view about God after studying a bit of the bible and I decided I hated him at a pretty early age, but after studying a lot more of it, my view has changed. I'd suggest looking into both the old and new testament more. Whether it changes your mind or not, I still think it would be beneficial to look into theology with an open mind. If you find that the truth is that you were right all along, then great. If you find something more, then that's also great. Either way, I'd like to hear about it and I'm sure a lot of other people would too.