I find myself in a quandary, not a metaphysical one – despite the subject matter – a creative one. Yes I’ve experienced a Christian upbringing. I went to a small hall in Whoop Whoop for Sunday school every fortnight and I maintained an active interest in the belief system well into my teens and beyond. Inevitably perceptions and attitudes were rearranged the more I read and that’s because I made the simple but considerable decision to read widely. This might put me in a relatively unique position as hard coded scholarly rationalists can’t be bothered wasting time with superstitious nonsense and Christians meanwhile feel constrained by their chapel of choice.
How does this affect our praxis? Well I don’t feel we can leave out Christian rock but whatever credentials I might bring to an understanding of gospel and associated texts, the end game was finding a different belief system altogether and compartmentalising that with a strategic humanist approach to world affairs. You can take as much or as little as you like from this as it’s kind of the point that every single person on this planet has that solitary decision how much to believe or disbelieve. I merely fill in those blanks that explain the quandary: how to write Christian rock whilst not being Christian.
Every Creeping Thing
We conflate the confidence in the age and stage of creatures We read into the rock only Peter and his flock as features and the murky depths we mock and that darn Doomsday clock Every creeping thing that crawls above your cave Every leaping thing that's thought there's souls to save The errors in arrears as the terror so appears Needs be on our knees we are all ears A priest who pressed best unexpressed Beasts at least no creed addressed CHORUS: Every creeping thing that creepeth [RPT] We catch a glimmer of each shade and shimmer Each pool each school once a primitive tool Shake awake evolution's mistake Draw down Darwin Our eyes are heavenward we're chasing Afterlife You can buzz us in or draw us out Our gait our traits our lack of doubt Belief in relief from animal passion Unaltered edicts unexamined fashion CHORUS: Every creeping thing that creepeth [RPT]