One of the advantages of writing a blog instead of an e-zine is that not all the posts need to be germane. With that apology, let me discuss a song I heard while I was in Australia, Sing by the Dresden Dolls, from their album "Yes, Virginia." Some of the lyrics startled me... and when I considered why they had startled me, I began to realize how sclerotic some of my ways of thinking had become. Here's an excerpt:
All the world's history gradually dying of shock
There is thing that's like talking except you don't talk:
You sing.
Sing for the bartender, sing for the janitor, sing
Sing for the cameras, sing for the animals, sing
Sing for the children shooting the children, sing
Sing for the teachers who told you that you couldn't sing
Just sing.
There is thing keeping everyone's lungs and lips locked
It is called fear and it's seeing a great renaissance...
Sing cause it's obvious, sing for the astronauts, sing
Sing for the President, sing for the terrorists, sing
Sing for the soccer team, sing for the Janjaweed, sing
Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing
Just sing.
Life is no cabaret...
Naturally, it was the line about the terrorists that got to me. I thought the lyrics were pretty daring for 2006. They made me think about hate, fear, and forgiveness. And anyhow, the tune was pretty catchy. I share it as food for thought.
2 comments:
In the same spirit:
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44. I have that as a bumper sticker on my car to remind me (and hopefully inspire others) to try to understand that even people who have done horrible things and want to do unspeakable things are still human beings - not fundamentally different "evil" creatures - who were born without hate in their hearts. They became _bad. They can even change. And we do no service to ourselves or to humanity to give in to the hatred by returning it, and by turning our own insides black with rage.
// posted by LTG
Yes, I was thinking of your bumper sticker when I heard the song!
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