No Religion Lyrics
Some people thought it was blessing
Other people think that it's a curse
It's a choice between fact and fiction
And the whole world has gone astray
That's why there's no religion, no religion, no religion here today
And there's no straight answers
Of what this thing called love is all about
Some say it's unconditional
Other people just remain in doubt
Well I cleaned up my diction, I had nothing left to say
Except there's no religion, no religion, no religion here today
It's just the other side of love
Some people want to give their enemies
Everything they think that they deserve
Some say why don't you love your neighbours
Go ahead, turn the other cheek
But there's nobody on this planet that can ever be so meek
And I can't bleed for you
You have to do it your own way
And there's no religion, no religion, no religion here today
It's just the other side of love
Some people want to give their enemies
Everything they think that they deserve
Some say why don't you love your neighbours
Go ahead, turn the other cheek
But have you ever met anybody who's ever been the meek
And it's so cruel to expect the saviour to save the day
And there's no religion, no religion, no religion here today
And there's no religion here today
You cannot separate a song from its context. Van has been a wonderful Christian artist over the years ( I write this as an atheist in awe of his spirituality). This song was written during the troubles between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. The peace process was only going to to succeed if people could lay down their religious differences - no religion.
I am casting my mind back to Belfast City Hall around Christmas 1995 and Van's performance for President Clinton at the front of that building. Northern Ireland was in the throes of its peace process (it's still called that nearly 20 years later) and Van did a rendition of this song accompanied by Brian Kennedy.
The 'Days Like This' album had been released that summer from which this track is taken. Van is in reflective mood and observing a world where religion doesn't seem that important anymore - or is it! I wonder what he means when he says near the end of the song, "And it's so cruel to expect the savior to save the day And there's no religion, no religion, no religion here today". There have always been religious undertones in Van's music as he has explored and apparently rejected most of them. As a generalisation most religion is about "doing" trying to do enough to merit some kind of divine favour beyond this life - like a heavenly insurance policy. Whereas, biblical Christianity, tells us that it's all been "done" and if we can grasp that one - difficult though it is - our approach to divine acceptance may start to look much brighter. James 1:27 says that "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world". There is an alternative to No religion.
it's a choice between fact and fiction (thoughts) its a choice between real and illusion ( emotions) and the whole world (government) has gone astray and today there's little true spirituality in the world of film, tv, media and newspapers selfish love is the other side of unselfish hate
it's a choice between fact and fiction (thoughts) its a choice between real and illusuion ( emotions) and the whole world (government) has gone astray and today there's little true spirituality in the world of film, tv, media and newspapers selfish love is the other side of unselfish hate