I totally disagree with these lyrics. It's so obvious from Bad Religion's lyrics (and many other Christianity-bashing bands) that they know the Bible but haven't really lived among or spent time with full-on Christians that really follow. The complaints they make about the belief and their deconstruction of it is pretty childish and cliched...it's such an old and outdated argument. Maybe if they were complaining about the Catholic church during the Middle Ages...
"your whole life foreshadows death
and you finally realize you don't want to die alone
so you'll always have God."
Uh-oh...big danger sign. I don't want to die alone! Well, when you discover there is a God (He says knock and the door will be opened to you, and I know from experience that God is there) who created you, of course you want to be with Him.
"they'll tell you you can't have your own way
unless you pay money and dedicate your life
or you'll be damned in hell."
No church I've been to insists that you pay money...in fact, one of the tenets of Christian faith is a rejection of obsession with material wealth. The idea is that if you are a Christian you must be giving and generous and willing to give up all your money if necessary -- God will provide, and money is not a problem. I'm not saying people don't abuse it and I'm not saying there aren't people in authority in churches around the world that will focus on the money, but you can hardly complain that music is a dead concept because one artist made a bad record, can you?
As for the "you're going to hell" approach -- I don't see that around any more. Ever. Maybe it's just the city I live in or something...
"don't be feeble like all of them,
you have your own brain full of thoughts and choices,
so use it don't let them use you."
I sure do have my own brain full of ideas and choices. I don't see myself as a closed-minded person at all. I am a Christian, and no one is using me...never have I felt in my walk so far that anyone is using me. They have nothing to gain by my following...the only thing on your mind after you're saved is really a desire to go out in the world and help people.
The churches bands like this rail against are obviously extremely dogmatic and perhaps spiritually dead.. the Christians I know who are living humble lives and seeing results from their faith and work are open-minded and open to suggestion but firm and unwavering about what their beliefs are, as they try to love and serve others.
"Mr. Brett" + co. are intelligent and intellectually inclined, but they're on the wrong path..
@Cherub Rock Greg's not saying "don't believe in God" but instead learn, discover, and make up your own mind instead of making quick assumptions and relying on prejudices, like an ancient heathen attributing thunder to Thor or lightning to Zeus. Learn what makes the weather happen, learn psychology and figure out your own mind instead of relying on religion as cheap (or, not so cheap) psychotherapy, study politics and history so you don't fall for religious-fascist propaganda ("who's pulling the strings"), and learn to embrace your earthly mortality and make the best of your time to make the world a...
@Cherub Rock Greg's not saying "don't believe in God" but instead learn, discover, and make up your own mind instead of making quick assumptions and relying on prejudices, like an ancient heathen attributing thunder to Thor or lightning to Zeus. Learn what makes the weather happen, learn psychology and figure out your own mind instead of relying on religion as cheap (or, not so cheap) psychotherapy, study politics and history so you don't fall for religious-fascist propaganda ("who's pulling the strings"), and learn to embrace your earthly mortality and make the best of your time to make the world a better place instead of dreaming about how much better things will be in heaven or fearing hell.
If you can do all those things and have faith in God, then more power to you!
I totally disagree with these lyrics. It's so obvious from Bad Religion's lyrics (and many other Christianity-bashing bands) that they know the Bible but haven't really lived among or spent time with full-on Christians that really follow. The complaints they make about the belief and their deconstruction of it is pretty childish and cliched...it's such an old and outdated argument. Maybe if they were complaining about the Catholic church during the Middle Ages...
"your whole life foreshadows death and you finally realize you don't want to die alone so you'll always have God."
Uh-oh...big danger sign. I don't want to die alone! Well, when you discover there is a God (He says knock and the door will be opened to you, and I know from experience that God is there) who created you, of course you want to be with Him.
"they'll tell you you can't have your own way unless you pay money and dedicate your life or you'll be damned in hell."
No church I've been to insists that you pay money...in fact, one of the tenets of Christian faith is a rejection of obsession with material wealth. The idea is that if you are a Christian you must be giving and generous and willing to give up all your money if necessary -- God will provide, and money is not a problem. I'm not saying people don't abuse it and I'm not saying there aren't people in authority in churches around the world that will focus on the money, but you can hardly complain that music is a dead concept because one artist made a bad record, can you? As for the "you're going to hell" approach -- I don't see that around any more. Ever. Maybe it's just the city I live in or something...
"don't be feeble like all of them, you have your own brain full of thoughts and choices, so use it don't let them use you."
I sure do have my own brain full of ideas and choices. I don't see myself as a closed-minded person at all. I am a Christian, and no one is using me...never have I felt in my walk so far that anyone is using me. They have nothing to gain by my following...the only thing on your mind after you're saved is really a desire to go out in the world and help people.
The churches bands like this rail against are obviously extremely dogmatic and perhaps spiritually dead.. the Christians I know who are living humble lives and seeing results from their faith and work are open-minded and open to suggestion but firm and unwavering about what their beliefs are, as they try to love and serve others.
"Mr. Brett" + co. are intelligent and intellectually inclined, but they're on the wrong path..
@Cherub Rock Greg's not saying "don't believe in God" but instead learn, discover, and make up your own mind instead of making quick assumptions and relying on prejudices, like an ancient heathen attributing thunder to Thor or lightning to Zeus. Learn what makes the weather happen, learn psychology and figure out your own mind instead of relying on religion as cheap (or, not so cheap) psychotherapy, study politics and history so you don't fall for religious-fascist propaganda ("who's pulling the strings"), and learn to embrace your earthly mortality and make the best of your time to make the world a...
@Cherub Rock Greg's not saying "don't believe in God" but instead learn, discover, and make up your own mind instead of making quick assumptions and relying on prejudices, like an ancient heathen attributing thunder to Thor or lightning to Zeus. Learn what makes the weather happen, learn psychology and figure out your own mind instead of relying on religion as cheap (or, not so cheap) psychotherapy, study politics and history so you don't fall for religious-fascist propaganda ("who's pulling the strings"), and learn to embrace your earthly mortality and make the best of your time to make the world a better place instead of dreaming about how much better things will be in heaven or fearing hell.
If you can do all those things and have faith in God, then more power to you!