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2 Responses to “Blue Emptiness”

1. Joshua (Site Owner) Says:
   November 13th, 2007 at 23h28

   A friend and subscriber to this blog, who presumably wishes to remain anonymous (you-there, post if I’m wrong), contacted me privately about this post and asked, “Does that mean she views Faith as a weakness?”

   Here’s what I wrote:

   Not entirely sure.  I need to study it more.  But there are a few facts I can throw into the mix.  One is that the album is entitled “Enter My Religion”, and whatever her “religion” is, it’s unconventional.  I expect that the album as a whole is meant to be framed in terms of the title.

   Secondly, did you read all the lyrics?  She seems to denounce faith, then enumerates faith as one of the (positive) traits she possesses when she regards her relationship to her lover:

   “But the faith and the trust and your strength is my harbour
   Faith, trust, and love I carry within me”

   So what does that mean?  If she sees faith as a weakness, then it would seem that she is equally disparaging of trust and love.  That doesn’t scan for me.  I’d be surprised if she means that.

   My guess is that she’s in line with Vedder’s lyrics to “Faithfull” (sic).  Three quarters of the song denounce capital-F Faith, and the final quarter reclaims small-f faith as a personal virtue: “I will be faithful to you”.

   But why did it wow me?  Because, devoid of context, I pretty much agree with the sentence.  Faith is, almost by definition, and at least historically, the refuge of the weak.  The Abrahamic religions are a sad tale of the destitute and the downtrodden who see Faith as their lifeline.  If you’re a victor, if you’re strong, if you are a dictator, if you have all the treasures of the world, you don’t need capital-F Faith.  You have you.  That’s Ayn Rand and Nietzsche.  Faith only becomes a desired trait when you have nothing else to which to turn.  “Have Faith, brother.”  “At least we still have our Faith.”  “There are no atheists in foxholes.”*  Etc.

   But I think she intended a more nuanced reading than the face value of the sentence, which is why I offered all the lyrics for context, as an attempt at intellectual honesty.

   My views of capital-F Faith in relation to weakness are not going to win me many fans, especially with you, Bob Mike, and Rev. Ed McGee in my core readership, but yes, I’m wowed by the sentence.

   (I think I’ll post this.)

   - Josh

   * A lie, but a pervasive one

2. Joshua (Site Owner) Says:
   November 19th, 2007 at 00h22

   As a complication, my mother provided a pro-faith reading of these lyrics.  Her points hadn’t occurred to me.

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