Music Is My Religion

Some people believe in God, I believe in music.  Some people pray, I turn up the radio.  Those very words were spoken by a girl at the end of the video clip for the 30 Seconds To Mars song, Closer to the edge.  When I heard that phrase I connected with it, I understood what she meant.  Religion for many people is about believing in something that speaks to your soul, whether its God, Buddha, Allah or one of the many other names used to describe the head deity within a religious movement. 

I was raised in a Christian home, granted it was just me and my mother in the home but Christian it was.  I don't mean the type of Christian a lot of people are, where they go to church on a Sunday, sing a few hymns, confess their sins and then go straight back to doing what they shouldn’t be, but feel absolved because they had done their weekly time in the house of the Lord.  I was a full on Pentecostal, evangelical, praying in tongues, healing the sick, casting out demons kind of Christian.

I’m no longer what is considered a practicing Christian in those circles, I left the church when I was 17 because I wanted to explore the world outside those walls.  I didn’t want to be another pew warmer that was out drinking, having sex and taking part in other “sinful” activities during the week and then say a few “praise be to Jesus'” to make me feel better about myself.  One thing I’ve never stood for is hypocrites and liars, so I made the choice to follow the ways of the world.

The funny thing I’ve noticed about the Christian world is that if you make the choice to walk away they tend to turn their backs on you, or try to convince you that you need to have some devils cast from you.  Either way if you’re not playing by their rules, they no longer want to have anything to do with you.  Of course you are always going to get the odd few who have outstanding values and uphold the laws of loving your fellow man despite what life they choose, but for the most part they will ignore you. 

Personally I find this method of treating those that have “back slid” disgusting and goes against all that is taught in the bible.  Are we not supposed to love mankind despite their sins and faults?  We don't necessarily have to agree with peoples actions or decisions, nor do we have to like them, but we have to love them despite all this.  As I’ve become older I’ve kept my faith in a higher power that I choose to call God.  However, I also believe that we can learn various important things from other religious movements and should implement them into our life journey.  What I have lost faith in is the idea of organised religion or Christianity, where we all meet once a week to worship our chosen “leader” and failure to do so means you are having problems with your faith. 

Which brings me to 30 seconds to mars.  There have been rumours abound and joking that they are in essence a cult.  Today I read a post by a girl where her father threatened to take her CD’s away from her because he believed the band to be a cult.  When they play their hit “Kings and Queens” they get a bunch of fans on stage to dance around, have fun and partake in The Church of Mars.  The video for Closer to the Edge touches on this a little more, with fans at the beginning and end of the video talking about what music and the band mean to them.

For these people music is about the sound and words speaking to your soul, making you feel alive and as if you have something to believe in to help you walk your path through life.  I’ve watched many times the videos of 30STM, and watched frontman Jared Leto raise his hands up as if he is praising something.  Much like we would see people in a church doing while they are singing their songs of worship. 

 

I’ve always liked this band and their music, but in the last few weeks I have really rediscovered them and taken the time to really listen to the message they are sending people.  Many of their songs are about discovering who you are, embracing who you are, embracing and protecting the earth we share.  I see their messages as being positive and one that is meant to uplift their followers and give them something positive to hold onto.  When I listen to their songs it reaches my core, it speaks to my soul and makes it soar, like I have found something amazing to put my faith in and believe in. 

Isn't that exactly what having faith is all about?  At the end of the day does it really matter what we have faith in?  Isn't the most important part that we have faith in something or anything?  These guys are speaking to the youth of today, filling them with hope and something great to believe in.  In my mind they deserve an award for managing to do that.  I don't see them as being a cult or that Jared Leto is our God, rather that we all have a love for music and how it makes us feel.  We are all believers in music, including the members of the band.

Some people may be wondering what has led me to even discuss this.  There is no one single reason for my post, other than I have too much time on my hands and a brain that works overtime churning thoughts.  So I’m here to say that ultimately music is one of my religions, next to writing of course, as I will always worship at the alter of the written word.  Blasphemy I can hear Christians crying across the world.  And my response is that at least I am part of something that comes with TRUE unconditional love and acceptance, no matter what path I walk in life, I have my brothers and sisters of music.  Perhaps churches might want to try testing that philosophy out once in awhile.