I thought I would stir up controversy by printing the lyrics to XTC's Dear God. I have always like this song. I like it because I think it adds a perspective to how some feel about the way that God "treats" people. The song to me says Dear God why aren't you listening? People are suffering so now I don't believe in you. I feel that God speaks sometimes in thunderous yell and sometimes I think it is as quiet as a whisper. Read the lyrics and tell me what you think.
"Dear God",
hope you got the letter,
and...I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image,
see them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get enough to eat from God,
I can't believe in you
Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
and all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
in the street 'cause they can't make opinions meet about God,
I can't believe in you
Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!, don't know if you noticed,
but... Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book,
and us crazy humans wrote it,
you should take a look,
and all the people that you made in your
image still believing that junk is true.
Well I know it ain't, and
so do you, dear God, I can't believe in I don't believe in
I won't believe in heaven and hell.
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well.
No pearly gates, no thorny crown.
You're always letting us humans down.
The wars you bring, the babes you drown.
Those lost at sea and never found, and it's the same the whole world 'round.
The hurt I see helps to compound
that Father, Son and Holy Ghost is just somebody's unholy hoax,
and if you're up there you'd perceive that my heart's here upon my sleeve.
If there's one thing I don't believe
in
it's you....
I have the song on an MP3 if you would like to hear it.
2 comments:
I'm surprised that no one has responded to this post. I think you are right about the meaning of the song. If you spend all that time writing a song about something, you have to believe in it or you wouldn't have wasted the effort. I think a lot of people feel that way about God because all they see is the pain and sorrow around us and they fail to notice all the miracles. Just existing at all is miracle as anyone with a child knows.
While "Dear God"is often called an "atheist song," I feel it's more of a "confused theist" song. One bone I have to pick with the lyrics is that it presents the false stereotype of atheists being "angry at God." The singer is talking to God. An atheist would not talk to what he does not believe exists.
But perhaps the final line is an acknowledgement of atheism.
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