The Gods Are Playing Thrash Guitar...
"And though I walk alone I am never alone...
I have my religion and I have my gods...
I hear their words and I praise all that they stand for
and all that stands for them..."
When REM told us, "That's me in the corner/ That's me in the spotlight/ Losing my religion" did they realise the irony in thousands of people thinking, "I identify"?
What is religion anyway? In its most base sense, it's a security blanket: in its highest, its beliefs and practices will lighten the spirit and nourish the soul. It is not, or should not be, about adopting someone else's beliefs without considering your own: it is a form of self-expression, not imitation. Ideally it would cross cultural boundaries, language barriers, and give its followers a sense of fulfilment and purpose.
Music is my religion. Sometimes my own, usually someone else's. It's accessible, it's comprehensible, you can dance to it or cry to it. You always know what you like about it and never have to feel guilty about not being involved in any part of music that doesn't interest you. And even after years of never hearing a song, a few bars can jerk you back to the most memorable moments of your life. It also comes in different forms, to suit every occasion. In movies no life is complete without it - if only it came so perfectly and appropriately on demand in real life.
Sometimes I only hear the music - I understand perfectly when Third Eye Blind told us that "the four right chords can make me cry". Music when made by those who understand it is perfection - it doesn't matter how simple the instrumentation. But, perhaps because I spend more time with words than with notes, I listen especially for lyrics. Admittedly, in the bubblegum pop world I am often disillusioned (although I won't deny that most religions are built around principles of 'love' and it has to be expressed here somewhere!). But the affirming values of my religion are enunciated as clearly as in any other, and in today's world I agree with Simon and Garfunkel that "the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls". And somewhere in the tangle of voices that fill the air today, I'll keep searching for those that have walked in my shoes, who understand what I worry about and who have the exact words to catch my attention and teach me without presumption or expectation.
As soon as I realised that there were others out there "losing my religion" I knew two things: one, that it is okay not to have a carbon copy of the system-for-life that you have been introduced to, but also that, in doing so, you will be led to hear of like-minded individuals who can let you know, even remotely, that they understand.
Maybe there are those who see this as the cop-out, the fast-food kind of shortcut to finding true meaning. Which is fine. I'm just here throwing ideas into a cyberspace void, I'm not out to change the world. I just feel that too many people are round pegs in a square world: and that when it comes down to it, any worthy companionship is better than walking alone.