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Reason 3 - Shallowness

After joylessness and hypocrisy this one is a little out of the box, and it's not really hate, more just contempt.  It comes from Tom Waits 1999 album Mule Variations and it's called "Chocolate Jesus".

Don't go to church on Sunday, don't get down on my knees and pray
Don't memorise the books of the bible, got my own special way
I know Jesus loves me, maybe just a little bit more
I get down on my knees every Sunday, at Zarelda Lee's candy store

Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, make me feel so good inside
Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, keep me satisfied

Don't want no Yabba Zabba, don't want no Almond Joy
There ain't nothin better suitable for this boy
Well its the only thing that can pick me up, better than a cup of gold
See only a Chocolate Jesus, can satisfy my soul

When the weather gets rough and its whisky in the shade
Best to wrap your saviour up in cellophane
He flows like The Big Muddy, but that's okay
Pour him over icecream for a nice parfait ....

Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, good enough for me
Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, good enough for me

Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, make me feel so good inside
Got to be a Chocolate Jesus, keep me satisfied

There's always a lot going on in Tom Waits' mind and it's usually strange, but here is a parody on shallow, self-centred religion.  So many of us, including myself, love Jesus in the way we would love a chocolate, because it "makes us feel good inside", because it's easy and undemanding.  If that Jesus starts to get a little out of control, though, and wants to take on some shape of its own, demand something of us and get us in a mess, we can quickly freeze it.

People like Tom are happy to laugh at us and indeed are free to do so, because we hardly take it that seriously ourselves.

Comments

lukeisham said…
The other three are very true and worth paying attention to, this one is true as well, but maybe its more of a problem in larger more hyped up churches? Just doesn't seem to have the same punch.
Jon said…
Calm before the storm - like I say, more contempt than hate.