The 3 most frightening words ever invented by any religion – “Come Join Us”
17 November 2006 by Stardust Some Bad Religion to kick off the weekend:
so you say you gotta know why the world goes ’round
and you can’t find the truth in the things you’ve found
and you’re scared shitless ‘cuz evil abounds
come and join us
well I heard you were looking for a place to fit in
full of adherent people with the same objective
a family to cling to and call brethren
come and join us
all we want to do is change your mind
all you need to do is close your eyes
so come and join us
come and join us
come and join us
don’t you see the trouble that most people are in
and that they just want you for their own advantage
but I swear to you we’re different from all of them
come and join us
I can tell you are lookin’ for a way to live
where truth is determined by consensus
full of codified arbitrary directives
come and join us
all we want to have is your small mind
turn it into one of our own kind
you can go through life adrift and alone
desperate, desolate, on your own
but we’re lookin’ for a few more stalwart clones
so come and join us
come and join us
come and join us
we’ve got spite and dedication as a vehement brew
the world hates us, well we hate them too
but you’re exempted of course if you
come and join us
independent, self-contented, revolutionary
intellectual, brave, strong and scholarly
if you’re not one of them, you’re us already so
come and join us
18 November 2006, on 12:33 am
How very “Sean”…
Stardust, you never cease to amaze me…
Kudos, my friend…
18 November 2006, on 12:38 am
Thanks, Bob
Sean lives on in all of us…
18 November 2006, on 12:55 am
“If your not one of them, your us already.”
That would make a wonderful GIFS motto.
18 November 2006, on 1:09 am
“all you need to do is close your eyes”
Why? Aren’t I allowed to see the change coming or is it like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and my observing of it will change the effect.
“all we want to have is your small mind
turn it into one of our own kind
you can go through life adrift and alone
desperate, desolate, on your own
but we’re lookin’ for a few more stalwart clones
so come and join us”
You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile! You will become one with the Borg. You will all become one with the Borg!
18 November 2006, on 2:27 am
This is such a coincidence. A friend of mine has been telling me recently to get all these Bad Religion songs (just after he found out I was atheist.) Great song!
18 November 2006, on 2:51 am
Thanks for the pick me up. Now I’m off to listen to some more Bad Religion, yay! Don’t you just love it!!
18 November 2006, on 4:19 am
As Ali G says, maybe god is just an overhyped david blake.
He goes on to say that its a coincidence that jesus was born on christmas. Later, he resonds to the comment that there was no room in the inn with, “That’s because it was christmas isn’t it?”
Gotta love the reaction from the anal priest – check it out on youtube – ali g religion
18 November 2006, on 8:56 am
all we want to do is change your mind…
all we want to have is your small mind
turn it into one of our own kind
Scary, but so true. I actually like to keep my own mind, and be the one that changes it, if necessary.
18 November 2006, on 9:58 am
Adequate music, props for earnest if a bit preachy lyrics, great indie cred, and, through Epitaph, nurturing the DIY…
…but, try this!
18 November 2006, on 10:40 am
That was excellent. Thanks for sharing. I have also been thinking about Sean lately. Yesterday – I probably would’ve emailed him and told him the story of my son calling me from school.
Son: “Mom, you would’ve been proud of me.”
Me: “um, cool. Why?”
Son: “We got talking about religion in one class and some girl started crying because I made her question her faith.”
Me: “um, well, er, you probably shouldn’t be making girls cry but good for you for getting your two cents in.”
Oy…teenagers. Gotta love them – and before any of the holy rollers on here ask, I’ve not brainwashed my kids – they have always been free to go to church with friends, etc, which they HAVE in the past whenever they want to. They already knew my view, they’re free to make their own choice about religion, whatever that is, unlike I was.
Sorry for the ramble…
18 November 2006, on 2:22 pm
Like the song, Stardust. Thanks! Good one for working off some of that stress the “come join us” bunch heap on us as we try to navigate through our world.
Lisa W,
Thanks for telling us about your son’s courage. That girl no doubt cries about a lot of things.(Xians tend to be overly emotional about their religious fantasies.) Hope your son doesn’t feel guilty about making her think. Sometimes it hurts to think, but it’s better than not thinking.
My first husband once questioned a preacher during a church service about the validity of his teachings. The minister had a minor heart attack right there at the pulpit. Crying ain’t so bad.
18 November 2006, on 6:00 pm
Ammusingly, between fiddling with the volume controls during the introduction to the song, not paying close attention to the words, and my general ignorance of pop culture, I thought that this was a Christian Rock band, at first.
“Wow, those christian rockers really are getting edgy these days”, I thought.
18 November 2006, on 7:30 pm
Skeptical James wrote (in jest)
“Wow, those christian rockers really are getting edgy these days”, I thought.
My Fundie ex-wife was a huge CREED fan. I admit, their music is okay, and the lyrics are rather indirectly religious, sort of stealth messaging.
Now I have to go check out BAD RELIGION to see what I else I’ve been missing.
Totally Off Topic, but the Texas ACLU this past Thursday hosted a free sneak preview showing of the new Documentary SHUT UP AND SING about the Dixie Chicks and their battle with Bush and Red State America in the wake of their lead singer’s anti-war/anti-Bush commentary in 2003; their lives, personal and professional, as they weather the storm, and struggle to redefine themselves as a band, no longer having a home in mainstream Country.
I really enjoyed the film, and endorse it highly. NBC just recently refused to air advertising for the film, so all the more reason to go. I also went out and picked up a couple of Dixie Chicks CDs, especially the album with the hit song “Not Ready to Make Nice”, and the older album with their hit crowd pleaser “Wide Open Spaces”, which I’ve always loved. When I was in library school, I’d always line this song up on the jukebox in my favorite watering holes, especially after the war started…in part for my own enjoyment, and in part to thumb my nose at my fellow Texans who sided with Bush.
Anyway, the Filmmaker was in attendance, and there was some good Q&A afterwards. The Chicks are definitely now in the territory of Alternative Country…Steve Earle, the late Johnny Cash to some extent, and lots of good stuff as heard every Saturday on KPFT 90.1 in Houston on the Lone Star Jukebox. Stuff you will NEVER hear on mainstream country radio, but sung defiantly in an undeniably American Country style.
I think I’ve even heard a few Freethought alt country songs before, but I can’t think of specific artists or titles right now.
19 November 2006, on 9:29 pm
Now I have to go check out BAD RELIGION to see what I else I’ve been missing.
Here is a link to Bad Religion lyrics.
YouTube has some of their videos.
19 November 2006, on 10:39 pm
JJR: I saw “Shut Up and Sing” about two weeks ago in a private showing hosted by the Music Row Democrats, here in Nashville.
It’s a great documentary. Watching the trio ride the roller-coaster of emotions while it was happening was revealing. I gained even more respect for Maines at the end, when she had balls-up courage to repeat it this past spring, on the anniversary of the event and at the same venue in London.
Both my theater crowd and the concert-goers cheered!
Yo! Natalie–rock on!
Naomi
20 November 2006, on 10:09 am
Against the Grain and Recipe for Hate are my two favorite Bad Religion albums.
I don’t think they’ve ever had a bad album, they’re all really good.