[habiTat]

Hey guys,

I've been writing a fair bit lately, with no opportunity to record, it's a good way to carry on this music lark. This one might be controversial, a bit. I am quite sceptical about the whole religion thing and generally try to live my life without it, my family are more religious than me and it's always a bit of a sticking point. I wrote this cos it's what I'd like to say, but won't. We also had the vicar round to discuss a christening thing and the whole thing made me very uncomfortable as he preached at me. I'd rather just live my life as a good person and not feel I have to swear allegiance to anyone or anything.. So this is really a song to the vicar who made me feel like a bad person in my own lounge...

Anyway, here it is...


Magical Books

If it is true
All the stories you tell
From books bound by men
In the past
Are statements of fact and
Not to be challenged
Then why'd so many questions
Get asked?

I'm sure not the first
And won't be the last
To doubt the path you follow
So blind
I can't help but think
It's a weapon a trick
A control and suppression
Of minds

Tell to me how
With your magical books
That galaxies spin and they fall
How stars are exploding
But your answers are hiding cos
Your stories are just stories that's all

I'd like to be
Faithfully sold to this truth
But it doesn't sit quite right
with I
It all seems to stem
From a fear of the end
And reassurance that no one
Will die

Tell to me how
With your magical books
That galaxies spin and they fall
How stars are exploding
But your answers are hiding cos
Your stories are just stories that's all

I know you'll have clever answers
Out argue my every ask
But I won't buy your yarns
And I won't take up arms
For a dusty old tale from the past

[The Corsair]

So you think religion is a load of bollocks, that's not controversial. What it is is your view, and you're allowed to have one, and any decent person will respect your right to have that view no matter how much you disagree with it.

The song seems a bit forward though. I don't mean 'it's too blunt and aggressive and it will offend people', I am actually just plainly critiquing the writing. There's not a whole lot of subtlety in it, which is often a good thing if you're singing/writing about a fairly contentious topic. The other avenue is to go balls-out aggressive (like Punk does), but I don't think that's what you're going for anyway, but if it is then you're not quite there.

In other words, you're going middle-of-the-road in terms of delivery and it doesn't really suit the subject IMO.

[S.T.C]

i think it`s well done from a writing point of view...can sort of hear Donovan sing this...

i do believe in spiritual things...but i don`t believe in vicars....

[habiTat]

So you think religion is a load of bollocks, that's not controversial. What it is is your view, and you're allowed to have one, and any decent person will respect your right to have that view no matter how much you disagree with it.

The song seems a bit forward though. I don't mean 'it's too blunt and aggressive and it will offend people', I am actually just plainly critiquing the writing. There's not a whole lot of subtlety in it, which is often a good thing if you're singing/writing about a fairly contentious topic. The other avenue is to go balls-out aggressive (like Punk does), but I don't think that's what you're going for anyway, but if it is then you're not quite there.

In other words, you're going middle-of-the-road in terms of delivery and it doesn't really suit the subject IMO.

I see what you're saying, the thing is, too ambiguous and it might miss the point, too aggressive and, well, there are good people out there who do believe all that stuff and who am I to tell them otherwise?. If I preach, I'll be the same as that vicar. All I was trying to say really, is that it'd be nice to blindly accept all that stuff as 'truth' (I mean, then you'd have less worries, right?) but there are just way too many unanswered questions and too many consequences of being tied to it all, for me. I guess I'm trying to stick with my 'live and let live' mantra, saying what I think but trying to avoid offending anyone.

Thanks for reading it, I appreciate your comments

[Sing4me88]

I don't see a problem with this at all, in fact I think there isn't enough questioning of certain universal 'truths' as spouted by multifarious holy men across the globe. I like the topic and it's right up my street. I think it's a great write too, the chorus is brilliant it's very well written and really brings home the point but in a very clever and articulate way rather than the blatantly obvious 'God does not exist you're talking s**t' style others might have gone with!

PS I don't normally advocate violence but in this case I'll make an exception and say you should've hit the sanctimonious c**t square in the face with the bible

[tina m]

IPS I don't normally advocate violence but in this case I'll make an exception and say you should've hit the sanctimonious c**t square in the face with the bible

excuse me but he is asking this vicar to baptise his child in the vicars church which he obviously doesnt attend or believe in baptism...why shouldnt the vicar lay down some rules when non believers want to use his church for fashionable practises where people have forgot there true meaning 
your language makes you look a complete dickhead

[habiTat]

IPS I don't normally advocate violence but in this case I'll make an exception and say you should've hit the sanctimonious c**t square in the face with the bible

excuse me but he is asking this vicar to baptise his child in the vicars church which he obviously doesnt attend or believe in baptism...why shouldnt the vicar lay down some rules when non believers want to use his church for fashionable practises where people have forgot there true meaning 
your language makes you look a complete dickhead

And therein lies the sticking point, and reason I was uncomfortable. I was actually against the christening as I don't want to 'commit' or oblige my daughter to feel like she must be tied to all that stuff. To even go to church makes me feel like a hypocrite. But the OH wanted something to celebrate her arrival and we may have to compromise with a thanks giving ceremony. That was what we had the vicar round for, and I know it's his job to preach and convert folk. I still didn't like it though..

[Sing4me88]

Tinaim:

The thread is about the song so I'm not going to hijack it to have a rant or pontificate about the supposed shortcomings of others - other than to say the church ISN'T the vicars it belongs to the parishioners believers and non-believers alike and I'd have thought that when one makes a point as dogmatically as you did you would have known that, but hey thanks for the petulant and infantile personal insult, it hasn't made me stop and think if anything it's convinced me further of the merits in my initial stance as after all that type of futile personal attack has been used by religious fundamentalists the world over from time immemorial to over compensate for the lack of tangible credit in their 'story' and views - so let's just stick to the topic in hand instead of hurling derogatory insults about the place

Habitat:
Stick to your guns, you've a good thing going here. Would love to 'hear' it at some point instead of 'reading' it (as good a read as it was!)

[tina m]

you realy are a child arent you
the church belongs to the Church & the vicar is the Churchs representative there... what makes you think it belongs to evryone ...evryone might be welcome but its a centre for christian worship & the vicar wouldnt be doing his job if he didnt encourage that

you start spouting a load of ignorant nonsense & foul mouthed abuse about attacking a vicar & then attack me when i just point out to you why the vicar behaved as he did & that your language makes you look like a  idiot
you need to grow up & get out in the world & look a bit deeper into life & explore the spiritual side before you open your silly little gob

[Sing4me88]

Please read above -and again thanks for the personal insult, childish behavior really especially when one does it out of necessity due to the execrable quality of their 'argument'- this thread is not about hitting a vicar who has the audacity to preach to someone in their OWN living room nor is it about my distaste for everything connected to organised religion and the cretins that hide behind that fantasy as escapism or a way to indulge their need for self righteousness or their penchant for a 'holier than thou' attitude its about the very well written lyrics Habitat has penned. I implore you again please stick to the topic in hand

[habiTat]

Erm..

I didn't mean to start a barney!

This is always going to be a topic of strong, opposing views, I stick by what I said before.. Live and let live.

I agree there is no need for insults, but I also agree that there is no need for aggression, so no, I wouldn't have hit him with his Bible. I respect both of your arguments, and can see sense in a lot that you both say. I wish I was more spiritual than I am, I've pondered all this stuff for years and have read a fair bit on both sides.

There is never going to be a right answer to any of this, but please don't argue, I feel responsible for stressing you both out

hab..

[tina m]

Please read above -and again thanks for the personal insult, childish behavior really especially when one does it out of necessity due to the execrable quality of their 'argument'- this thread is not about hitting a vicar who has the audacity to preach to someone in their OWN living room nor is it about my distaste for everything connected to organised religion and the cretins that hide behind that fantasy as escapism or a way to indulge their need for self righteousness or their penchant for a 'holier than thou' attitude its about the very well written lyrics Habitat has penned. I implore you again please stick to the topic in hand

awww you poor little darling .. tell mummy baby wants to have a tantrum!

[Kafla]

Enough guys - c'mon this is getting stupid and childish

Great lyrics habitat - I am a practising catholic and retuned to my faith about 5 years ago - don't really want to explain why - but to say my life has benefited from my faith would be an understatement

You need to do what you think is right with your beautiful child but don't do it so they can make their own mind up - if you let your child do that about everything in life it could get quite dangerous - ha ha

Nice clear lyrics though - you have a good style and it all flows and presents your feelings accurately 

You are a top guy with or without faith 

[tina m]

dont worry habitat i wont respond to this little boy anymore till hes grown up & learnt how to behave in public ..hes the only 'self righteous cretin' here & hes not mature enuff to see it