anonymous Apr 2nd 2010 !⃝This is a powerfully attention-grabbing, passionate song. I, as a devout Christian who obviously listens to non-Christian-specific music would offer up the following:
I have (had...;( a great aunt who suffered a stroke and then another, resorting to life as an 8 year old in her head and debilitated enough to live out her remaining years in an assisted living home, passing away before reaching 70. She was a 'good person' and certainly didn't 'kill anyone' but I don't know if she was or wasn't a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life so I have no idea where she ended up, eternally speaking.
Despite being a 'good person' she ate rare, red meat, white bread and general comfort foods that certainly add to the possibility of strokes occurring. I say that because I've seen this situation, to some extent, take place. Certainly not my mother (I can hardly imagine the pain, sadness and anger I'd feel if I witnessed my mom undergo such a turn as Judith did and I could possibly even question my faith but just as Job (and Judith) did, I would never, ever turn my back on my Savior, nor would I toward others in there place.
My grandmother (great aunt's sister) passed away on New Year's Eve in her sleep...completely unexpected and newly chosen faith in Christ as her Savior. Very, very shocking & hard to deal with. On one hand, she died peacefully, suddenly & I believe she's spending eternity in heaven. On the other, it leaves us wide-eyed and jaw dropped suddenly coping with a mother/grandmother that's simply no longer there...no warning whatsoever.
The bottom line to me in stating all this personal relative information is this: life is hard. Life even sucks. But it certainly isn't all bad, or we'd all kill ourselves. Think about it. We as weak minded, feable humans all want to cast blame on someone and Satan does an excellent job throughout all of humanity of getting many of us to blame God (THE God, father of mankind and Christ Jesus himself) so that many are fooled into believing the lie he presents on their "left shoulder," so easily influencing people (especially folks in tough situations/predicaments) and taking the finger off of him (Satan) and trying to redirect that pointed finger at our Creator.
This song is an obvious example of what many of us go through and face.
I've read Job. I've read the gospels. I have not read the entire Bible (sadly) and am certainly not one to 'thump it' My Christ is my savior, a real, living person who walked in my shoes but without fault or sin and died for me. That's the relationship I have. No religion needed. I HATE RELIGION! And in stating that I CERTAINLY do not in any way blame Maynard for feeling the same hatred. Especially toward the religious practices of the ones who may have cast down their judgment they had no right to pass on his own mother, suffering in her flawed, earthly body that doesn't belong to her but her faith grew stronger despite all that. Just like Paul, who once did kill Christians as Saul, only to be blinded on the Damascus road and die as a martyr in Rome, a Roman citizen who believed himself to be lesser than those who cast judgment on him he didn't deserve. Just like Job, who lost everything, even his own family and a wife who left him, covered in all forms of sickness and left with nothing to prove to Satan that he doesn't win against anyone who maintains their faith even in the hardest of times. Job was restored everything he lost, two-fold and was heavily rewarded for his faith.
I hate hypocritical thinking and believe that the lyrics of this song reflect some of that but also step 'overboard' into straight-up bashing Christianity. I mean, c'mon he says essentially 'f### Christ.' How can that be misinterpreted? I think the emotive DVD, he's sort of trying to cover up his blasting in these lyrics by blasting others (sinful and certainly not a Godly/Christian thing to do to anyone, ever) instead of blasting God, and for that matter his own mother's faith.
At the same time, I understand where he came from and what he got off his chest by doing this and have done the same thing. That's why I need Christ so badly...because I'm just as flawed and sinful without him as anyone else. It's only through Him that I find a relationship with THE God, not the god who passes judgment by 'throwing strokes' at people and steps back and says, "see, look what I can do to even the best of people." That's NOT my God. That's NOT my Savior.
It's easy to blame the ones we don't know, fear or don't think will end with any repremand as we blast away, acting like victims rather than finding the good that arises out of this little thing we all call life.
The good of this? Despite Judith's drawn-out death, like that of my great aunt's (and for that matter, my grandfather who was a 3-shot a day insulin dependent diabetic for 25+ years and lost his leg before dying 2 years later) she was placed on this earth not to be remembered for her suffering but for birthing children that her legacy would live on through her son, Maynard (Jimmy) and that her faith would be recognized not like those who may have turned their back on her but like that of Christ's. Even as he hung there, his side stabbed by a spear, dying for sins, although himself free from any sin, having the power to take himself off that cross and slay everyone who so much as looked at him, he instead held to his faith to the point of death to free men and women, just like you and me.
I hope Maynard knows this, and he very well may. I would like to think this song is a 'venting' song and not put too much more weight into it than that. His word choices are very strong and seem to try to justify different levels of sin, as if there's a separation in the eyes of God, who clearly states in His Word that all sin is sin...from mental judgment to little white lies to murder and suicide. It's all sin in His eyes.
When moments similar to this arise in your life, before you seek to point the finger at someone, somebody, some being, think about your choice, however emotional the experience may be and ask yourself, "am I being lied to about who caused this? How do I KNOW that what I'm pointing my finger at is the right person/being to blame?" You may find an answer far different than your mindless finger will show you on its own ;)
Don't be fooled by the one who seeks to kill, steal and destroy. Otherwise, he wins every time. But I AM will always be, perfect in love, life, light and truth throughout all eternity. Search it out for yourself. You will be given more than you can bear (another huge misnomer...the Word says you will not be tempted beyond what you can turn away from) because in those moments where life is crushing down on you or delivering a surprising blow, you are forced to question what you believe, either confirming what is already there to better build up your spiritual strength or leading you to make a choice that may lead to a better life, both on this earth and in Eternity...but you must choose to believe that for yourself. God never forces himself on anyone, not in this life or in death but will allow us to encounter trials so as to prove himself as the flawless Creator who deeply loves you, whether you realize it or not.
Thanks for getting through this lengthy interpretation and may you find blessings both in this tough life and in life with Him in eternity.
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