awatt Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Just curious what you think of JT's views on religion. I'm sitting here listening to Blood of the Lamb (I know a Guthrie song) and wondering if JT has ever stated whether he's agnostic, atheist, Buddhist, or whatever. UT covered some old traditional religious songs (Satan is an old standard, I think) and I've also been listening quite a bit to the new Loose Fur, which has been covered here, but the ridicule and disdain for Christianity seems pretty strong. I must say that that cd has grown on me tremendously.... Later Wilco releases also have more ambiguous references to religion--Theologians, Hell is Chrome, Jesus, Etc.--are a few that come to mind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Preferred B Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 You should listen to some of the banter from the small Christian college solo shows he played last year. Messiah College is one that comes to mind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
awatt Posted September 28, 2006 Author Share Posted September 28, 2006 I'd love to but don't have it. Can you summarize or give a sense of his comments? Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Can you summarize or give a sense of his comments? He's devoted his life to Scientology. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Preferred B Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I know I have the show somewhere. Let me see... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yankhotelfox Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 You should listen to some of the banter from the small Christian college solo shows he played last year. Messiah College is one that comes to mind. I was at the show the next night in Northampton, MA. I got to meet Jeff after the show. Yaaaah. Right before he played "The Ruling Class" he announced how "last night I played this next song at a Christian college. They liked it." He goes on to sing about Jesus smoking crack. I'm pretty sure a few folks were caught off guard. I'm not a "Christian" and even I was a little surprised. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Honestly, I'm not sure that his views on religion have been made known very clearly. The Loose Fur album definately shows a disdain for religious dogma, but that's not the same as religion itself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Preferred B Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Okay. Here is the "religion suite" of songs played at the Messiah show. After "The Ruling Class" and "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down" there's some fun discussion. I'm sure it's not definitive, but it was pretty interesting. The Ruling ClassSatan Your Kingdom Must Come DownTheologians Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I've gotten the impression from interviews that he's agnosticish. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Honestly, I'm not sure that his views on religion have been made known very clearly. The Loose Fur album definately shows a disdain for religious dogma, but that's not the same as religion itself. hmm, apart from the george bush rants on those late 2004 shows, i'd take anything the man says between songs with a grain of salt.... we've been had oh, and the "talkers" rants seem legit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Colb Masta M Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I haven't seen a disdain for Christianity in a lot of his lyrics. I actually see a lot of Christian thought in some of them. Lines like "Theologians, dont know nothin about my soul" Never rung cynical to me. The way I interpreted it was that he saw theologians as people who always talk about religion, but when it comes down to individuals souls, they "don't know nothin". I thought he was talking about a God that did know individuals souls. A disdain for theologians, is not the same as a disdain for God. In Theologians, he talks about the "illiterate light" which he has defined as something that does not communicate with language(I couldnt find the inteview on my computer, so if someone wants to correct that . . .) I think that is really beautiful imagery to describe a God who is "with us in the night" I am a Christian, so maybe my thoughts made it sway the way that I tend to think about things, but I was very surprised to hear that people think that Jeff is an Agnostic. I have always seen a lot of spiritual imagery in his words. Maybe that is the beauty of art, or maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I thought I should throw out a counter point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parisisstale Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I see a guy who has some definite issues with organized religion but is working on his own conceptualization of his spirituality. Oh, wait...that's me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkycharming Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I am a Christian, so maybe my thoughts made it sway the way that I tend to think about things, but I was very surprised to hear that people think that Jeff is an Agnostic. I have always seen a lot of spiritual imagery in his words. Maybe that is the beauty of art, or maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I thought I should throw out a counter point. It is possible to be a spiritual, deep, good-hearted person without being a Christian, you know. I was raised Catholic, went to church every Sunday of my life until I was 16 and had 13 years of Catholic school. I do not consider myself a Christian any longer, but I did not throw out the baby with the bathwater. There is plenty to love about the teachings of Christ. I just don't happen to buy into the idea of "God" in the Christian sense. I have no idea whether Jeff identifies as an agnostic, but I was at that Messiah College show and it definitely seemed that he didn't identify as a Christian. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shortage of Cashews Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I think Tweedy has a disdain for common day organized religion--the way it's presented, preached, and feed to the masses, but I don't think he has anything against the spiritual side of life. I think too many people take an artist's observations about the ills of religion as them being non-religious when in fact that's most likely not the case. Tweedy's being critical of relgion presented as a right-wing, upper middle class, political toy. He's being critical of the brimstone, the negative messages, and the hate that radicals are breeding inside many religions. There need to be more voices such as this, especially since the negative ones get all the airtime and attention. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rufer Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Jeff Tweedy is an ordained minister in the church of rock n' roll. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
purplestallion Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I think Tweedy has a disdain for common day organized religion--the way it's presented, preached, and feed to the masses, but I don't think he has anything against the spiritual side of life. I think too many people take an artist's observations about the ills of religion as them being non-religious when in fact that's most likely not the case. Tweedy's being critical of relgion presented as a right-wing, upper middle class, political toy. He's being critical of the brimstone, the negative messages, and the hate that radicals are breeding inside many religions. There need to be more voices such as this, especially since the negative ones get all the airtime and attention. I think you gave a head on interpretation of his views. At least this is what I take away from him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 In the liner notes to the re-release of the UT March album on "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down" he says something about liking the song and not thinking of a traditional satan, but general evil like kids that threw pizza on him in JR. High. My impression is that Tweedy is generally pro-spirituality and anti-zealotry. Not a real denominational type but maybe enjoys gabbin about God on a real long tour bus ride, maybe looking more towards the cosmic and a little less to the punitive God. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a_quiet_domino Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Jesus don't cryYou can rely on me honey I think he lays out his entire cosmology in 'jesus etc' I'm just not sure I'm smart enough to figure it out (and I have a master's degree in poetry, of all things) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Jeff Tweedy is an ordained minister in the church of rock n' roll. i thought he was maimed by rock n roll got his name from it too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rufer Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 i thought he was maimed by rock n roll got his name from it too That's all part of the ordination ceremony. You can tell he's orthodox by the beard. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 My impression is that Tweedy is generally pro-spirituality and anti-zealotry.That's been my impression as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Jesus don't cryYou can rely on me honey I think he lays out his entire cosmology in 'jesus etc' I'm just not sure I'm smart enough to figure it out (and I have a master's degree in poetry, of all things) I don't find "Jesus, etc" to have any religious meaning at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
therosycrucifixion Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 god-shaped hole Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parisisstale Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 I don't find "Jesus, etc" to have any religious meaning at all. Jesus sounded better to lead off the song than, "Hey you, don't cry". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
awatt Posted September 29, 2006 Author Share Posted September 29, 2006 Illuminating comments, much more stimulating than hearing undergraduates talk about religion and pop culture. Most of you are old and wise, yes? I'd highly recommend grad school in religion for you folks. Who needs to study Christianity or Islam, Buddhism or Judaism, when the real religious cosmologies and relevant spiritualities can be found in rock, or film, or art, etc. Someone should write a book.... Thanks for the banter. I don't think Jeff is a church-goer but do hear profound religious themes throughout his music, not all negative about religion. Amen from the choir in the church of rock and roll. Music is my savior, too. ps--don't you folks work? How can there be so much traffic here during the day? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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