Interesting take. I can kind of see it given the inspirational source material — Ray Bradbury’s short story of the same name, which is about conflict and reconciliation among a group of priests. That material, however, suggests to me that the meaning of the song is spiritual, but broader than just atheist/believer. I too think it is a dialogue. But between a believer constricted by the orthodoxy of organized religion and a believer free from that orthodoxy. I think the “he” in “tell me what he said” is God.
Interesting take. I can kind of see it given the inspirational source material — Ray Bradbury’s short story of the same name, which is about conflict and reconciliation among a group of priests. That material, however, suggests to me that the meaning of the song is spiritual, but broader than just atheist/believer. I too think it is a dialogue. But between a believer constricted by the orthodoxy of organized religion and a believer free from that orthodoxy. I think the “he” in “tell me what he said” is God.