Rise Up! Rise Up!

I'll be frank: I'm not religious. Religion works for some people, but in most cases I've experienced, I'm not fond of it. This particularly applies to Christianity, but this may be because that's the only religion I've had much of any experience with. However, I do have to say I had no problems when I went with Elie to the Chabad House and experienced brief glimpses of Judaism; I've never felt more comfortable in a religious environment than I did there.

In any case, I was thinking recently about how awesome this song and its lyrics are, so I'm going to share them with you lucky readers. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Rise Up! Rise Up!" by Cursive.

~ * ~

Dear preacher, thanks for making time for me today
Hope you don't mind if I hide behind the curtain
It's been fifteen years since my last confession
By your good book's standards, I've sinned like a champion
But that book seems a tad bit out-dated

Please forgive me, for questioning divinity
It's an ugly job, but I think I'm up for it
I'm not saying who's right
I'm just saying there's more than one way
To skin a religion
There's more than one way
To explain our existence

Reverend, sir, I don't want to seem malevolent
My teenage angst is far behind me
But father, certainly it's troubling to see
All these people kneeling, instead of dealing
With the fact that we are all we have

So, rise up! rise up!
There's no one to worship!
But plenty of life to lose!
I'm not saying "Let's burn down the church"
But do you want to hear my confession?
It's my greatest sin...

Okay, here it is:
I wasted half my life on the thought that I'd live forever!
I wasn't raised to seize the day, but to work and worship
'Cause "He that liveth and believeth" supposedly never dies

Rise up! rise up!
Live a full life!
'cause when it's over, it's done
So rise up! Rise up!
Dance and scream and love!

~ * ~

--Jon