This is my response to this week’s Flashback Track Friday prompt, where we were asked about a track called “Selling the Drama” by a band called Live. I’d not heard of either before, but I gave the track a listen.
For starters, the song appears to be credited to every member of the band, four in all, all male.
I found this track confused, to be honest. So in that context, I wasn’t sure what I was being asked.
For a start it is overtly anti-Christian. They might well have meant all religions, but the image of Jesus on the cross is a uniquely Christian symbol.
The language is way too strong for me, frankly. I might have expressed myself in that way aged twenty, but I’m far more sophisticated now. I’m embarrassed by how poorly I expressed my thoughts back then. I suspect that in thirty years time, they’ll all feel embarrassed about this song.
Religion is not for me, but if having a religion helps someone get by, where’s the harm? The harm only begins when they start asserting that their belief trumps everybody else’s.
My buddy Fandango uses the term “whatever floats your boat”, and he’s dead right. If we’re trading songs, Lennon said it best. “Whatever Gets You Through the Night.” Life’s hard enough and if somebody wants to believe something to help them through, who am I to argue?
The song goes on to say, “we won’t be raped”, plus the title itself, is “Selling the Drama”. A preacher exhorts something, a congregation obediently buys whatever lines are being sold. It’s all about control, which is exactly what rape is. So “we won’t be…” seems quite plainly to be saying that people should think for themselves, draw their own conclusions.
Bravo to that. And, by the way, if somebody thinks for themself and then decides to follow a religion, fair enough. It’s the indoctrination aspect which is unacceptable.
But this is where the song becomes confusing.
I also see the lyric, “I’ve been here before”. What’s he on about? Reincarnation?
It could be, you know. This song has an overtly religious theme, so talking about reincarnation is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Also bear in mind that as beliefs go, reincarnation is no more or less credible than christianity.
So are these guys saying “don’t let people foist their beliefs onto you”, but in the next breath trying to foist a belief onto us?
Them or me. One of us is confused. A weird write, this. Although not religious myself, I find I am defending a religion.
Mister Bump 
I think, after reading your post, that you’re not defending religion, but rather defending ones right to choose. That is a position well worth defending. I’ve always believed that defending ones right to choose is not the same as defending ones choice. And with that, I say adieu – I hear the grandchildren upstair. Our day begins.
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Did somebody say nightmare?
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Good point Misky right to choose is paramount
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I agree only if your choice affects nobody else. When it does affect other people, you need to juggle.
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Or compromise?
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Well, yeah, that’s what I meant. Same thing.
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Oh see pervy here like pervert not like cool 😎
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I think this was really well presented, I too listened to the track, and it just made me uncomfortable. I’m not religious, but if someone else is, it doesn’t bother me.
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I think we kinda grow into that view, don’t we? I mean, it shouldn’t be surprising – that’s just tolerance.
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I get uncomfortable when someone becomes self righteous about religion to shame non believers like myself or uses religion as a platform for political and monetary gain
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Ignore them. You believe what you believe, end of story. People should respect that. What is uncomfortable is that somebody should wish to change that, period. Whatever they happen to be selling. Why is their belief superior to yours? Be assertive, Michele!
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I do ignore most religious discussions simply because I don’t like discussing religion period. I think as I’ve gotten older I am more assertive. I see how I was 4 years ago on some of the fan blogs I used to comment on versus now where I avoid them like the plague because they are echo chambers for the ego of the blogger imo
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I think the golden rule is “How likely am I to change someone’s opinion?” if the answer is that I’m not, then there really is nothing to gain by jumping in. Religion is one, abortion another, probably more.
Trouble is, we don’t always follow our own advice!
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True I just think now why bother chiming in conversations where the other people aren’t open to what I have to say. I’m not looking to change an opinion just offer another point of view that’s all
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As long as you are settled into your own opinion, I think that’s the main thing. That something makes sense to you.
I find that with blogs it is sometimes useful to state a view, just basically because they are often a pretty-much permanent, public record. Someone could get to that page from Google. So stating a particular view might sway some future, unknown visitor.
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That’s a great point. I never thought about it like that. I just like having conversations where other points of view are welcome although with religion I tend to stay away since it’s just not my cup of tea. I try to have an open mind but some topics like Trump, guns, narcissism I can’t be swayed 😁
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I have a view. We’d all have to be dumb not to. And I’m quite happy to state it. But convincing somebody that my view is superior to theirs? That is the very ethos that I rail so strongly against.
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I think it isn’t so much thinking of a superior view although I can think of a few that act like that it’s more the echo chamber effect that views that differ are unwelcome and unsupported . I find that scary very Trump like
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What blogs do you follow? Generally, people you agree with rather than disagree with, right? We’re all like that, granted not to the same extent. But it’s not a Trump thing.
We had something similar here with Brexit. There were convincing arguments on both sides, so you couldn’t just look at the situation and see right and wrong. It was sad when each side depicted the other as a bunch of apes.
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I follow a lot of different ones. Yes I usually agree with people and comment there but I do think it’s good to get different points of view
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We think alike on more than religion, youth, [apparent] wisdom, and society. Grand analysis.
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It is only apparent, so my wife tells me.
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Um. Uh. [Sh-h-h-h-!] Well then, that is gospel! [Snort!]
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