your opinion on these lyrics

[Maccabeus]

I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on these lyrics and what you think of it all, The reason I'm asking you this is because I really want this new Green Day album, but even tho this song is a "Metaphor" when I first read it I got offendid, and when it comes to the bottom line do you think these lyrics are offensive to God no matter if its a metaphor or not?! and do you think God would hold me responsible for having such lyrics in my house?

(WARNING, These lyrics may offend)

I. JESUS OF SUBURBIA
I'm the son of rage and love,
The Jesus of suburbia,
From the bible of "none of the above",
On a steady diet of soda pop and ritalin,
No one ever died for my sins in hell,
As far as I can tell,
At least the ones I got away with

But there's nothing wrong with me,
This is how I'm supposed to be,
In a land of make believe,
That don't believe in me

Get my television fix,
Sitting on my crucifix,
The living room in my private womb,
While the Mom's and Brad's are away,
To fall in love and fall in debt,
To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane,
To keep me insane and doing someone else's cocaine

[djc08]

i don't think i've ever heard the song and can't decide if the lyrics offend me or not. If you don't like this song but like all the others get the c.d. My friend and I just read the DaVinci Code and we are reading Angels and Demons right now and we thought the same thing because the DaVinci Code is highly sacrilegious but I'll be the first to tell you that I thought the book was really good and well written but I don't believe a word of it.

Judge for yourself...does the song make you weaker in your faith...which I don't think it does for you because you already said you understand the metaphors.

Pray about it! - which is the best answer for everything!

Peace,
Dan

[zwergel88]

wow, I've wondered the same thing. I love Green
Day but am hesitant to buy their cd because of this song. I have no idea if it's bad or not.

[onathing1]

in my own opinion, it's fine as long as it doesn't effect your faith and your lifeseyle. it's metaphorical so as to what they mean exactly by the song, i think you'd have to ask green day. but hey, i'm a metallica/gun'n'roses fan so you don't have to listen to me.

Edited October 10, 2005 by onathing1

[Thumper]

I think one might simply be offended by the low level of lyrical artistry, but given their incoherence, I'm not sure that the words add up to blasphemy or spiritual offense.

You might get a clearer idea by going to a fan site as those sometimes list the band's intended meaning for their songs.

[Jaime]

Also if you could find out why the lead singer (From Seattle mind you) sounds like he's british when he sings...

[peach_cube]

My quick translation.

I. JESUS OF SUBURBIA
I'm the son of rage and love, (I am not in control of my emotions)
The Jesus of suburbia, (Suburban teens think I am the Messiah)
From the bible of "none of the above", (I have no religious affiliation)
On a steady diet of soda pop and ritalin, (Drugs are cool)
No one ever died for my sins in hell, (People do not really care about me)
As far as I can tell, (Not that I am really looking)
At least the ones I got away with (Being rebellious will present yourself as an alpha male)

But there's nothing wrong with me, (I am doing what feels right)
This is how I'm supposed to be, (If I am to do what feels right)
In a land of make believe, (However, I am not sure I believe that)
That don't believe in me (People want to see me fail)

Get my television fix, (Mass media is similar to narcotics)
Sitting on my crucifix, (Religion makes me slightly uncomfortable)
The living room in my private womb, (Nature should be feared)
While the Mom's and Brad's are away, (My family is dysfunctional)
To fall in love and fall in debt, (Our society is dysfunctional)
To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane, (booze, cigs, and pot references keep the music "cool" with the young folks)
To keep me insane and doing someone else's cocaine (insanity and cocaine to show my rebelious lifestyle and attitude so that the young folks do not realize that I am 40)

Of course the last verse is truly nonsensical therefore it is filled with drug references so that people will key on those lyrics and think "Yeah, drugs!" Instead of "What the heck does that mean?" or "Come on Billy Joe(l) throw in some iambic pentameter once every album or so!"

Edited October 10, 2005 by peach_cube

[lilac_angel]

Great job, peach cube!! I think that's right on the mark!!

[azaelia]

I can't stand Green Day.

[crusader1234]

If anything, I think its a very Catholic message. Its basically condemning people that live a sort of generic inactive faith life, who sit at home living shady suburban lives while medicating all their problems, and how they basically are facing a life of divorce, mortgages, credit card debt, and then more self medication. Crucifix is a metaphor for couch.

[Snarf]

Actually, I was thinking about starting a thread for lyrics to songs about religion by non-religious bands, just to share opinions. Should I?

[Maria]

I found it pretty powerful. It shows the horror and despair of the life-style presented, and contrasting it with Jesus, the real Messiah and the One Who brings hope, the One Who was truly alive, underlines the condemnation of living a dead life.

What I read from is was that

I live in an atmosphere of anger at the world and passionate loveless love
I am my own god, thank you very much
I follow no-one else's rules or beliefs -- I make mine up
I eat junk food and have behaviour disorders that they drug me for
But no-one cares to try to help me
Not that I really care
And I'll boast of my sins

And this is normal, accepted, there's nothing wrong
Society says that I'm OK
In this crazy world
That doesn't care for who I really am

Living with my mind drugged
Trying to hide them, but knowing conscience and pain are there
Isolated from everything real
While my family doesn't care -- they do their own thing
Try to escape through 'love' and spending
Ruining my life
Keeping my life on a destructive spiral

I see/feel it as a cry of anger at that descructive lifestyle, but also at the society and families that make it almost impossible to escape it, to bring hope and life and change -- to bring salvation.

[Socrates]

I think it rather a stretch to see those Lefty low-lifes as presenting a Christian message.

[Snarf]

Whereas calling someone a lowlife is the paragon of Christian behavior.

[philothea]

I can't read an anti-Christian message in those lyrics, myself. Anti upper middle class suburban, sure.

I'd be interested in that thread, Snarf.

[crusader1234]

[quote name='philothea' date='Oct 10 2005, 10:16 PM']I can't read an anti-Christian message in those lyrics, myself.  Anti upper middle class suburban, sure.
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Yeah. Word.

And Socrates, you really can't just go around claiming everything you disagree with or don't understand is some sort of disgusting left wing coup.

[Maria]

It's not a Christian message that is presented in this song, but a message that happens to agree with Christianity -- anger at the evil of a meaningless life, the despair, and the society that is inhuman enough to accept it. And when I say inhuman, I mean... impersonal, I guess -- the idea that people aren't people's problems, it's the government's problem, etc., when what people really need isn't money but people who care and who help them live.

[Carrie]

I love Green Day and I bought the album.

The entire album is highly political, so if that kind of stuff offends you, don't buy it.

[zabbazooey]

I love Green Day. And they ROCK in concert.

Their older stuff is better to me. back before they got famous.

[shelly_freak]

[quote name='Carrie' date='Oct 11 2005, 08:19 AM']I love Green Day and I bought the album.

The entire album is highly political, so if that kind of stuff offends you, don't buy it.
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Exactly! That's just what I was gonna say.

Then again I like all that highly political stuff. The music I listen to has quite a range from religious (Seven Sorrows) to political (Greenday etc) to lots of swearing and pretty strangeness (The Darkness etc). I think it really depends on you personally and what you can handle.

Although I do have to say I just got a pretty sweet Switchfoot deal. Their first three albums for $15. I recomend getting some of Switchfoot's old stuff cause I have their new cd also and their old stuff is soooooo much better (that's usually the way it works though).