“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus”
--Blaise Pascal
Every single one of us a hole in our soul that we are trying to fill. God put in there on purpose to point the way back home. Nothing satisfies and we try anything and everything to fill this hole and find meaning in our life.
We are looking for salvation everywhere - some try to find it in drugs, others marriage, others philosophy, others their career, still others music. Nothing satisfies until we find the only thing that can fill that hole - Jesus Christ.
As Augustine said, "Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."
Keep putting our great music, but you'll only find disappointment if you expect something other than God to provide what only God can.
Were you actually commenting on what you think the song means, or were you just trying to preach? Because what you wrote is exactly opposite of the meaning of the lyrics printed above.
Were you actually commenting on what you think the song means, or were you just trying to preach? Because what you wrote is exactly opposite of the meaning of the lyrics printed above.
Do you think meaning is only what we happen to think at a given moment? Don't you realize that Rob is singing about something deeper here? He recognizes that there is a hole in his soul that he is trying to fill. In his life he has had a negative experience with religion, so tries to fill that hole with music. But don't you realize that even music itself testifies to something deeper?
Do you think meaning is only what we happen to think at a given moment? Don't you realize that Rob is singing about something deeper here? He recognizes that there is a hole in his soul that he is trying to fill. In his life he has had a negative experience with religion, so tries to fill that hole with music. But don't you realize that even music itself testifies to something deeper?
Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself. He is using music...
Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself. He is using music as a substitute for God, but the fact that the hole even exists in the first place testifies to the fact that something transcendent was meant to fill it.
I understand what Rob was writing about. I also understand the deeper meaning that this song is speaking to.
First, this song is comprised of words which were strung together in sequence by a man. They mean whatever that man intended them to mean. The fact that he chose a very literal writing style for this song makes it easy to see his intention. He says that he has tried religion, and his conclusion is that all religions are wrong. You're saying that only Jesus Christ can fill the hole in his soul. But being an American born in the 1960's, there's a 92% chance he already tried...
First, this song is comprised of words which were strung together in sequence by a man. They mean whatever that man intended them to mean. The fact that he chose a very literal writing style for this song makes it easy to see his intention. He says that he has tried religion, and his conclusion is that all religions are wrong. You're saying that only Jesus Christ can fill the hole in his soul. But being an American born in the 1960's, there's a 92% chance he already tried Christianity. Those words about Christ appear to be yours, not his.
Second, you say he "tries to fill that hole with music". The lyrics as they are written take a much more definitive tone than you suggest:
Fill your heart with every note
Cherish it and cast afloat
Because god is in these clef and tone
Salvation is found alone
Haunted by its melody
Music it will set you free
Let it set you free
Third, you mentioned this:
"Every single one of us a hole in our soul that we are trying to fill."
Citation needed. Not only do I disagree with this unprovable statement, but the song never suggests that "every single one of us" has a hole in our soul. He speaks of his own hole, and he speaks of other "empty men who pass along", but he never makes the claim that everyone has this hole. Those are your words, not his.
I stand by my original statement: your comment does not explain what the song means; it explains what you would have preferred it to mean. You actually admitted as much in your second post:
"Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself."
No, that's not how language works. He wrote the words, and they mean what he intended them to mean. Of course everyone brings their own context into the mix when they read and interpret the lyrics, in order to determine what it means to them. That is all well, and even the most literal song can have some wiggle room in that regard. But to assert that the song writer didn't realize his words actually mean precisely the opposite of what he intended them to mean is just ludicrous. At some point it's just you forcing your own words into his mouth.
“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus” --Blaise Pascal
Every single one of us a hole in our soul that we are trying to fill. God put in there on purpose to point the way back home. Nothing satisfies and we try anything and everything to fill this hole and find meaning in our life.
We are looking for salvation everywhere - some try to find it in drugs, others marriage, others philosophy, others their career, still others music. Nothing satisfies until we find the only thing that can fill that hole - Jesus Christ.
As Augustine said, "Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."
Keep putting our great music, but you'll only find disappointment if you expect something other than God to provide what only God can.
Were you actually commenting on what you think the song means, or were you just trying to preach? Because what you wrote is exactly opposite of the meaning of the lyrics printed above.
Were you actually commenting on what you think the song means, or were you just trying to preach? Because what you wrote is exactly opposite of the meaning of the lyrics printed above.
Do you think meaning is only what we happen to think at a given moment? Don't you realize that Rob is singing about something deeper here? He recognizes that there is a hole in his soul that he is trying to fill. In his life he has had a negative experience with religion, so tries to fill that hole with music. But don't you realize that even music itself testifies to something deeper?
Do you think meaning is only what we happen to think at a given moment? Don't you realize that Rob is singing about something deeper here? He recognizes that there is a hole in his soul that he is trying to fill. In his life he has had a negative experience with religion, so tries to fill that hole with music. But don't you realize that even music itself testifies to something deeper?
Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself. He is using music...
Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself. He is using music as a substitute for God, but the fact that the hole even exists in the first place testifies to the fact that something transcendent was meant to fill it.
I understand what Rob was writing about. I also understand the deeper meaning that this song is speaking to.
@onliberty I disagree on several levels.
@onliberty I disagree on several levels.
First, this song is comprised of words which were strung together in sequence by a man. They mean whatever that man intended them to mean. The fact that he chose a very literal writing style for this song makes it easy to see his intention. He says that he has tried religion, and his conclusion is that all religions are wrong. You're saying that only Jesus Christ can fill the hole in his soul. But being an American born in the 1960's, there's a 92% chance he already tried...
First, this song is comprised of words which were strung together in sequence by a man. They mean whatever that man intended them to mean. The fact that he chose a very literal writing style for this song makes it easy to see his intention. He says that he has tried religion, and his conclusion is that all religions are wrong. You're saying that only Jesus Christ can fill the hole in his soul. But being an American born in the 1960's, there's a 92% chance he already tried Christianity. Those words about Christ appear to be yours, not his.
Second, you say he "tries to fill that hole with music". The lyrics as they are written take a much more definitive tone than you suggest: Fill your heart with every note Cherish it and cast afloat Because god is in these clef and tone Salvation is found alone Haunted by its melody Music it will set you free Let it set you free
Third, you mentioned this: "Every single one of us a hole in our soul that we are trying to fill." Citation needed. Not only do I disagree with this unprovable statement, but the song never suggests that "every single one of us" has a hole in our soul. He speaks of his own hole, and he speaks of other "empty men who pass along", but he never makes the claim that everyone has this hole. Those are your words, not his.
I stand by my original statement: your comment does not explain what the song means; it explains what you would have preferred it to mean. You actually admitted as much in your second post: "Therefore, the meaning of the song is deeper than what he's simply written about, even if he may not realize it himself." No, that's not how language works. He wrote the words, and they mean what he intended them to mean. Of course everyone brings their own context into the mix when they read and interpret the lyrics, in order to determine what it means to them. That is all well, and even the most literal song can have some wiggle room in that regard. But to assert that the song writer didn't realize his words actually mean precisely the opposite of what he intended them to mean is just ludicrous. At some point it's just you forcing your own words into his mouth.