How Lyrics
Why would you ask for God's assistance if you wouldn't take the help?
If you're gone, then how is any of this real?
When I'm on, I believe you
When I'm not, my knees don't even seem to feel
When they chew me up, spit me out, pissed on me?
Why would you tell me that it's fate
When they laughed at me, every day, in my face?
But the end's already here
I said today is but a rumor
That we'll laugh at in a year
Or two, or three, or four, or five, whatever
How could you tell me that I'm great?
How?
How could you tell me that it's fate?
How?
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From what I can tell, the song seems to be an inner turmoil. The protagonist is questioning God but at the time seems to hold some sort of hope. With the first verse he seems to be addressing another person and asking them how they could go on with themselves without faith, and towards the end he's questioning it himself without any real resolution. The song seems to be about doubt but at the same time he's trying to believe. God tells him he's great and that he's loved and that's his fate, but he's having a hard time believing it because of some sort of lack of self-esteem. People laugh at him for his 'superstition' and torment him, so he takes it out on God asking him how can what you say be true when everyone says something different. I think the end of the song resolves in him being sort of resolved, but it doesn't imply one way or the other.
Though it is clear the song is about questioning belief in a God, I don't think it is meant to be a conversation (between two people or entities). This is someone questioning their own beliefs, an internal monologue. Through internal dialogue realizing the belief in God is individual concept. You could then speculate that if my God let me down, then the God or vision of God you created is faulty (How could you tell me that I'm great).
Though it is clear the song is about questioning belief in a God, I don't think it is meant to be a conversation (between two people or entities). This is someone questioning their own beliefs, an internal monologue. Through internal dialogue realizing the belief in God is individual concept. You could then speculate that if my God let me down, then the God or vision of God you created is faulty (How could you tell me that I'm great).
lol you are way far off man. inner turmoil my butt. he is basically saying he doesn't believe in christ. saying he won't question or ask for help bc he doesn't believe. Then he moves on speaking for christ saying how can u tell me that i'm great while people beat up him, spit on him and etc. which basically saying if he is god then he wouldn't allow that to happen. seriously... it should be obvious.
lol you are way far off man. inner turmoil my butt. he is basically saying he doesn't believe in christ. saying he won't question or ask for help bc he doesn't believe. Then he moves on speaking for christ saying how can u tell me that i'm great while people beat up him, spit on him and etc. which basically saying if he is god then he wouldn't allow that to happen. seriously... it should be obvious.
tom I think your wrong. First god is not a individual concept, and he does not think he is god. How can you say he doesn't believe in god? Why would he ask for god's assistance if he doesn't believe. The religious struggle is people spitting on you, and rejecting you. (aka Um Jesus?) Fate doesn't mean life is easy. It's the difficult moments in life that make people strong.
tom I think your wrong. First god is not a individual concept, and he does not think he is god. How can you say he doesn't believe in god? Why would he ask for god's assistance if he doesn't believe. The religious struggle is people spitting on you, and rejecting you. (aka Um Jesus?) Fate doesn't mean life is easy. It's the difficult moments in life that make people strong.
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Though it is clear the song is about questioning belief in a God, I don't think it is meant to be a conversation (between two people or entities). This is someone questioning their own beliefs, an internal monologue. Through internal dialogue realizing the belief in God is individual concept. You could then speculate that if my God let me down, then the God or vision of God you created is faulty (How could you tell me that I'm great).
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Comparing the song with my own experience, I can say it isn't about a faith and not about God. It's about the past and the suffering behind bygone times.
"How could you question God's existance, If question God himself? Why would you ask for God assistance, If you wouldn't take the help?"
Pay attention to his voice. It looks like a little boy's speaking. Actually Past is speaking. The lyrics here are metaphoric, God isn't literally meant. Past asks him: "How couldn't you see the truth that's right in front of your face? Why do you remember me and don't take any lessons?". The meaning of this worlds will be understood later.
"If you're gone, then I need you, If you're gone, then how is any of this real?"
Obviously, a man doesn't need the present, and begins to truly appreciate only what he has already lost. But at the same time, he can't reconcile himself to the fact that he will never return to the past. This is the concept of nostalgia.
"When I'm on, I believe you When I'm not, my knees don't even seem to feel"
Simple and clear, I guess. He sees in the past only what he wants.
"How could you tell me that I'm great When they chew me up, spit me out, pissed on me? Why would you tell me that it's fate When they laughed at me, every day, in my face?"
Nostalgia described in all colors. We can remember only good things from our past, forgetting anything that's bad. Chorus is that part of the song, where the protagonist is trying to stop his suffering and convince himself that times weren't as colorful as he remembers. These lyrics ain't telling us he was a freak, but they're just showing some examples of his misfortunes which he's forgot.
"They say the end is coming sooner But the end's already here I said today is but a rumor That we'll laugh at in a year Or two, or three, or four, or five, whatever..."
These are the key lines that pushed me to the idea of the song. Time is very fast. We're waiting for the mataphoric "end" and don’t notice that it's already come, that today is already tomorrow, that the present is in the past. So we can laugh remembering it.
Protagonist repeats namely the chorus and world "How" several times, emphasizing the importance of these things. He needs to stop living in past, though it's better than present, he remembers. But it has always been and will be so. The first Past's worlds that started the song is the reason of his thinking. And in the end protagonist has realized the truth and got rid of the burden that he carried. At least I'm hoping so.
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It's obviously about someone questioning their faith, but I don't see it as a conversation as some people have said; it does seem internal. He seems to be beginning to reason with his beliefs.
"How could you question God's existence when you question God himself? Why would you ask for God's assistance if you wouldn't take the help? " He's conflicted because he's realizing that he's asking something of something that he isn't even sure exists
"If you're gone, then I need you If you're gone, then how is any of this real? When I'm on, I believe you When I'm not, my knees don't even seem to feel " He realizes that he only truly believes when he's doing well.
"How could you tell me that I'm great When they chew me up, spit me out, pissed on me? Why would you tell me that it's fate When they laughed at me, every day, in my face?" He starts questioning what he's heard about his God. He's been told that he's great, and that "everything happens for a reason" (fate), but then he's put through hell and realizes that this is all being done to him on purpose, or there is actually no God.
"They say the end is coming sooner But the end's already here I said today is but a rumor That we'll laugh at in a year Or two, or three, or four, or five, whatever" I don't know exactly how this fits in to the rest of the song. He seems to kind of laugh off the concept of Armageddon near the end, which would show him losing faith.
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This song seems like it speaks of a struggle with Christianity. (I'm surprised this song has not received more attention among Christians, since I believe many who wrestle with the Christian faith have the same struggles.) If the artists live in Southern California, Christianity is very ... pious and many Christians are eagerly waiting for the end of the earth to come. There is also a push for the Christians to live in "perfection" when yet the apostle Paul in Romans says Christians are both sinner and saint.
"How could you question God's existence When you question God himself? Why would you ask for God's assistance If you wouldn't take the help?"
Martian Luther once said doubt in God is normal. It is said be careful what you pray for. For God just may answer your prayers. He may even answer your prayer in a manner that you are not expecting. Are you willing to accept it?
"If you're gone, then I need you If you're gone, then how is any of this real? When I'm on, I believe you When I'm not, my knees don't even seem to feel"
I once was told that by one who did not believe in Christ that life is like a cold bath. When one lives according to the desires of themselves as opposed to the desires of God, there is a sense of emptiness. (Proverbs 1:7)
"How could you tell me that I'm great When they chew me up, spit me out, pissed on me? Why would you tell me that it's fate When they laughed at me, every day, in my face?"
In a church there is a tendency to say that everything is good and that everyone is a special and original creature of God when yet, "gangs paint a better picture of loyalty and family". Likewise, in the church there is a tendency to say that everything and every talent one has is great, even though it. I wonder if some one told him he had a gift from God but in reality they did not even care for his talent and even joked about it.
"They say the end is coming sooner But the end's already here I said today is but a rumor That we'll laugh at in a year Or two, or three, or four, or five, whatever"
Again, the end of the world is near is a prominent message among evangelicals, but yet another year seems to come. Funny thing though, when reading the New Testament, one would be surprised that year 100 AD would have even appeared for the early Christians thought that Christ would come back in their lifetime. Yet the churches continue to preach that the end of the world is coming as a form of comfort. Christian or not, life still goes on and people are able to work our their struggles.