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My Religious Studies Professor

jamitjamit Posts: 49
edited February 2008 in The Porch
My professor likes to play music videos of songs he thinks he can relate to religion. He says everything can relate to religion... and he might be right.

He played GTF during class yesterday, and I had totally mixed feelings. He was asking us to try and relate the song/video (it was a live version) to these 5 stages of ritual.

Someone said that the band is a ritual because people prepare for the show by buying the albums and the merchandise and listening to the music. Then going to the show and jumping up and down almose in a ritualistic mannor. I might agree with this statement.

I raised my hand to comment. I said that I had been a fan for about 5 years and had never compared Pearl Jam to religion before, but I would have to say GTF is related to ritual with salvation. That the guy in the song finds salvation and is given to fly. I don't fuckin know. The interesting part of the story is how my professor managed to really make my fuckin day. He totally said all that I needed to hear to make my little bit of anger going away for me thinking that he was trying to say GTF had a religious message from Eddie Vedder. He said that he, "was not trying to say this song was about religion..although some of us may think that Eddie Vedder is a God. I think Eddie Vedder is a God."

WOW. Pretty awesome right? So has anyone else thought about comparing Pearl Jam to religion before? Or taken them religiously...?

I'm not sure how I feel about it really. I've been a huge PJ fan since I was 16, and I used to post on this board every fuckin day and I just wanna add that I am glad to be back on here.

~Peace
YOU ARE..FAITHFULL, but no TREMOR CHRIST, and there's a DEAD MAN..GIVEN TO FLY

"I feel the same way about disco as I do herpes" -Hunter S. Thompson
Post edited by Unknown User on

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    keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Music is the closest thing to religion I've got.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
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    FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    Music was always like religion to me...
    Its the only thing that makes sense lol



    When im in that crowd, i feel as close to heaven as humanly possible...
    what a sweet addiction :D
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    FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    ps. Welcome back jamit! (sweet name btw)
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    FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    edited July 2012
    ..............
    Post edited by Fahka on
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    not4unot4u Posts: 513
    to me, spirituality
    we don't want war, but we still want more?
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    Vedderlution_BabyVedderlution_Baby Posts: 2,545
    LeatherMandi wrote:
    Music was always like religion to me...
    Its the only thing that makes sense lol



    When im in that crowd, i feel as close to heaven as humanly possible...
    what a sweet addiction :D


    My exact thoughts
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    tkepearljamntkepearljamn Posts: 581
    When I was in high school I had a teacher that taught religion. HE was only 5 years older than I was. First day of class he started writing on the board. 3 words in I realized it was the Even Flow lyrics. We studied Even Flow for 2 weeks. It got as intense as a high school religion class could. We Then disected Exit Music by Radiohead for the next two weeks. He then got in trouble... But that month was an 18 year old music nerds dream for a catholic high school
    07-02-98, 10-11-00, 04-22-03, 04-23-03, 06-09-03, 06-10-03, 06-18-03, 06-21-03, 06-22-03, 10-02-04, 10-03-04, 10-05-04, 05-16-06, 05-17-06, 05-22-06, 06-24-06, 06-29-06
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    DarkStarDarkStar Posts: 734
    if you really think about it, regarldess of what the band thinks and does, the hardcore fans show all the classic signs of being a cult.

    ds
    And no one sings me lullabyes
    And no one makes me close my eyes
    So I throw the windows wide
    And call to you across the sky....
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    stevehomeairstevehomeair Posts: 318
    To me ed is more like an agnostic prophet. His beleif in God needs some proof to validate what he is feeling or thinking. Music to me is more about the human struggle over love, god, and government. Most of all music is just an artists expression even if a song makes no sense it has a feel to it or an emotion.. Except for tecno which unless super high is meaningless. people put to much pressure on artists to "say somthing that important to me" instead of just enjoying the groove or the tempo.
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    wouldyouhitmewouldyouhitme Posts: 166
    I LOVE Pearl Jam - And they certainly inspire me. Eddie Vedder is talented- An incredible musician, and seems to be an all around great guy.... NOT A GOD.

    He is who he is by following his true beliefs and religion. Why worship and admire someone who would never do that themself.

    Imagine meeting Eddie Vedder at his home and seeing pictures of pete Townsend, Elvis, or Michael Jackson everywhere. Imagine him calling them a god because their MUSIC spoke to them. Being a songwriter who has the same feelings as you doesnt make someone else a god.

    If your looking for faith- try a Bible.
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    DavanitaDavanita Posts: 854
    DarkStar wrote:
    if you really think about it, regarldess of what the band thinks and does, the hardcore fans show all the classic signs of being a cult.

    ds

    true.
    stevehomeair wrote:
    To me ed is more like an agnostic prophet. His beleif in God needs some proof to validate what he is feeling or thinking. Music to me is more about the human struggle over love, god, and government. Most of all music is just an artists expression even if a song makes no sense it has a feel to it or an emotion.. Except for tecno which unless super high is meaningless. people put to much pressure on artists to "say somthing that important to me" instead of just enjoying the groove or the tempo.

    agreed.
    wouldyouhitme? wrote:
    I LOVE Pearl Jam - And they certainly inspire me. Eddie Vedder is talented- An incredible musician, and seems to be an all around great guy.... NOT A GOD.

    He is who he is by following his true beliefs and religion. Why worship and admire someone who would never do that themself.

    Imagine meeting Eddie Vedder at his home and seeing pictures of pete Townsend, Elvis, or Michael Jackson everywhere. Imagine him calling them a god because their MUSIC spoke to them. Being a songwriter who has the same feelings as you doesnt make someone else a god.

    If your looking for faith- try a Bible.

    absolutely.


    i would like to add that, not having any religious beliefs myself, i would say that music, or a certain band can be very close to a religion of sorts to a fan. it requires faithfulness (loyalty if you will) and a sense of commitment that you're not going to blow out at the first disappointment the band hands you. it's a matter of giving and taking. the more a band gives you in music, (live) experiences and even a sense of spirituality, the more you'll be able to give in return, i.e. going to shows, paying for merchandise and simply staying true to this band that has been a big part of your life for however many years.
    and like DS said, in the case of Pearl Jam, if a band manages to make such an incredible impact on SO many people for such a long time, the fan community becomes... well... a cult. ;) and to be part of such a movement, such a dedicated community for years on end, well... if that doesn't give you a sense of "religion", i don't know what will.
    Jon Stewart: "[about Russia's new president]...Dmitri Medevvvevv.... Dmitri Meh..... Dmitri M.! Or... as George W. Bush would probably pronounce it... Eddie Vedder."
    __________________________________
    http://www.myspace.com/pearl_jamn_it
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    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSunLikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    PJ fans are cultists. :)
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    HorosHoros Posts: 4,518
    I once started a similar thread about how I felt Pearl Jam was like church music and the board ripped me apart. I certainly would never refer to Eddie as God but their music does have an overall spirituality.
    #FHP
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    DavanitaDavanita Posts: 854
    Horos wrote:
    I once started a similar thread about how I felt Pearl Jam was like church music and the board ripped me apart. I certainly would never refer to Eddie as God but their music does have an overall spirituality.

    hehehehe... i was going to mention that thread and our erm... let's say "animated" discussion, to put it mildly... ;)
    Jon Stewart: "[about Russia's new president]...Dmitri Medevvvevv.... Dmitri Meh..... Dmitri M.! Or... as George W. Bush would probably pronounce it... Eddie Vedder."
    __________________________________
    http://www.myspace.com/pearl_jamn_it
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    FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    DarkStar wrote:
    if you really think about it, regarldess of what the band thinks and does, the hardcore fans show all the classic signs of being a cult.

    ds



    "Don't wanna drink the koolaid... i just want to dance .."

    - me lol
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