from the mouth of heathens:
iTunes
From underneath the trees, we watch the sky
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight
Singing Amen, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day...
when nobody died. And I'm singing
Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, I'm alive
And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along
Singing Amen I'm alive
Singing Amen I'm alive
And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
We'd see the day when nobody died
We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
i sent this to my buddy israel a day or two ago - because it made me think of him. this is what he's about - he's all heart. and i think he's my nemesis. i always wanted one - and i think he's it. i probably have more to learn from him than anyone else in my community.
as i've continued marinating on this song - it's occured to me that somebody has some splainin' to do. someone needs to explain this song - how it can be... and how it sells. how does the christian community explain ... the kingdom of heaven - the very gospel - proceeding from the lips of ... the secular heathen? love, life - glorious life, compassion and hope celebrated.
and what of the events documented in this video? are these from christians? i don't remember anyone announcing Live Aid or Bob Geldof in my church. I don't remember anyone mentioning Betty Williams, or Peter Benenson and Amnesty International(!), or praying for or celebrating Nelson Mandella and what seems like largest movement of forgiveness in human history.
what are the biggest bestest things the christian community, or in particular its "leaders", have *ever* done in comparison?
seriously, what am i missing here???
narrow path indeed.
From underneath the trees, we watch the sky
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight
Singing Amen, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day...
when nobody died. And I'm singing
Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, I'm alive
And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along
Singing Amen I'm alive
Singing Amen I'm alive
And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
We'd see the day when nobody died
We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly ~ Jesus
i sent this to my buddy israel a day or two ago - because it made me think of him. this is what he's about - he's all heart. and i think he's my nemesis. i always wanted one - and i think he's it. i probably have more to learn from him than anyone else in my community.
as i've continued marinating on this song - it's occured to me that somebody has some splainin' to do. someone needs to explain this song - how it can be... and how it sells. how does the christian community explain ... the kingdom of heaven - the very gospel - proceeding from the lips of ... the secular heathen? love, life - glorious life, compassion and hope celebrated.
and what of the events documented in this video? are these from christians? i don't remember anyone announcing Live Aid or Bob Geldof in my church. I don't remember anyone mentioning Betty Williams, or Peter Benenson and Amnesty International(!), or praying for or celebrating Nelson Mandella and what seems like largest movement of forgiveness in human history.
what are the biggest bestest things the christian community, or in particular its "leaders", have *ever* done in comparison?
seriously, what am i missing here???
narrow path indeed.
Labels: activism, christian, compassion, gospel, heathen, jesus, leaders, love, narrowpath, nemesis, nickelback
posted by P3T3RK3Y5 for meltingearth
5 Comments:
Sjoe, this has really had an impact on me. I never thought of it quite like this. Do you know that Archbishop Desmond Tutu is probably the most influential reconciler in South African history and that many churches/Christians in this country see him as some sort of anti-Christ?! I'm doing my doctorate studies in peace studies and its interesting to me how academics and practitioners live out so many of the words of Jesus and yet are rejected by most Christian inssitutions? It's just too weird to get ones head around...
thats the dude cori. thanks. i thought it was just american christians out of touch because we live in our bubble... how can christians in South Africa not be behind him??
Pete brother, thanks for this post. Listening to the song as I write, I have heard it many times before, but I hadn't read the lyrics closely.
You capture the reason that I am increasingly interested in "spirituality," "social justice," and the "green movement," instead of "religion," "missions," and "denial." Basically I think there is far more truth in the "secular" world right now than in the church. Indeed, the church is often actively working for the "dark side."
Nemesis huh? hahaha...
Nemesis (Greek mythology) the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance)
Nemesis: bane, curse, scourge, nemesis (something causing misery or death) "the bane of my life"
I guess a friend can also be a nemesis, huh? Doesn't say anything about your nemesis hating you, so that's good. :)
Heathen indeed. see also Pink Floyd the lyrics for "On the turning away"
"On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away"
It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it's shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud
On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?"
I think this describes the consequences for us when we deliberately ignore the poor and weak. Their numbers may grow but it is our humanity that suffers and diminishes. Our world darkens and we lose the capacity to understand, to have compassion and to love.
In reference to the previous post on 9-11. "The dream of the proud" is exactly how I would describe Bush's America; a deliberate downward spiral toward fear and isolation.
Yet there is the possibility for change.
I like the live version from, "Delicate Sound of Thunder."
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