I read that the band is exploring different ideas about religions. On their Wikipedia page there is even a very inclusivistic quote saying that they don't know if there is only one way to God. Well that's clearly not true, there is only one way to God, but the idea that any religion can save is what Jesus died for. The stick, carrot and string represent religious ideas that God will punish you into trusting and him or that God will try to trick you into it. No, God has offered grace. There is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before our Creator save accepting that we're his children. No matter how good a Christian, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu someone is, their religion will not save them. Religion is a tired, dying institution. The animals represent this perfectly. The donkey (much like Baalams ass) correctly prophesies to Jesus, but that prophecy isn't going to justify him. The birds correctly spell out exactly what Jesus will do, but they're still asking Jesus if they're doing good enough, they're asking if what they're doing matters. The goats don't think they're worth anything because they're ugly so they distance themselves. The ones that get it are the sheep. All they do is draw near gratefully and accept that Jesus is paying the price for what they've done. That's all we can do. Just accept.
The snake. The snake kills me. He "perks up" when he hears Jesus, in his inmost yearning, asking his Father if he really has to go through what he knows he has to do. In this instance, the snake thinks he won. The snake thinks that Jesus is shirking his responsibility. For a tiny, brief moment, the snake thought he was safe. Until Jesus says, "Not my will but yours be done. What else here to do? What else me but you?" The power of Christ's death was that he relinquished the power he was born with and to have over creation, and completely gave of himself to his Father's will.
I read that the band is exploring different ideas about religions. On their Wikipedia page there is even a very inclusivistic quote saying that they don't know if there is only one way to God. Well that's clearly not true, there is only one way to God, but the idea that any religion can save is what Jesus died for. The stick, carrot and string represent religious ideas that God will punish you into trusting and him or that God will try to trick you into it. No, God has offered grace. There is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before our Creator save accepting that we're his children. No matter how good a Christian, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu someone is, their religion will not save them. Religion is a tired, dying institution. The animals represent this perfectly. The donkey (much like Baalams ass) correctly prophesies to Jesus, but that prophecy isn't going to justify him. The birds correctly spell out exactly what Jesus will do, but they're still asking Jesus if they're doing good enough, they're asking if what they're doing matters. The goats don't think they're worth anything because they're ugly so they distance themselves. The ones that get it are the sheep. All they do is draw near gratefully and accept that Jesus is paying the price for what they've done. That's all we can do. Just accept.
The snake. The snake kills me. He "perks up" when he hears Jesus, in his inmost yearning, asking his Father if he really has to go through what he knows he has to do. In this instance, the snake thinks he won. The snake thinks that Jesus is shirking his responsibility. For a tiny, brief moment, the snake thought he was safe. Until Jesus says, "Not my will but yours be done. What else here to do? What else me but you?" The power of Christ's death was that he relinquished the power he was born with and to have over creation, and completely gave of himself to his Father's will.
I really appreciate your post. I never put that symbolism connection to the animals. Well said!
I really appreciate your post. I never put that symbolism connection to the animals. Well said!