Post by Slaine mac Roth on Nov 6, 2004 0:26:07 GMT
I've been getting into a few religous discussions on other forums and, the more I think about it, the more I feel that Roll the Bones seems to sum up the position of the agnostic in this world.
At first, I felt that it was an atheist's anthem but, upon closer reflection, the more it seems to represent the agnostic's viewpoint.
A number of the questions raised in the song seem to echo questions asked by both atheist and agnostic. "Why are little ones born only to suffer/For the want of immunity or a bowl of rice?" being the most pertinent on. However, if you consider the line before - "Faith is cold as ice" and a line later on in the verse - "If there's some imortal power to control the dice", the agnostic view becomes clear.
Taking the first of these two lines, initially it could stand for either viewpoint. However, the cold as ice speaks to me of a certain degree of remoteness in the questioner. It conjures a very dispassionate view of the matter whereas an atheist is equally passionate about the non-existence of god as theist is about god's existence.
The second of the two lines is the clincher. By putting it in the form of a question, Neil is placing the song firmly in the court of the agnostic. For an atheist, a more appropriate phrase would be "When there's ni imortal power" because an atheist is sure. The question is the realm of the agnostic, especially if that question begins with if.
Anyway, these are just some idle musings with I've passed the day but I'd be interested to hear what anyone else thinks.
At first, I felt that it was an atheist's anthem but, upon closer reflection, the more it seems to represent the agnostic's viewpoint.
A number of the questions raised in the song seem to echo questions asked by both atheist and agnostic. "Why are little ones born only to suffer/For the want of immunity or a bowl of rice?" being the most pertinent on. However, if you consider the line before - "Faith is cold as ice" and a line later on in the verse - "If there's some imortal power to control the dice", the agnostic view becomes clear.
Taking the first of these two lines, initially it could stand for either viewpoint. However, the cold as ice speaks to me of a certain degree of remoteness in the questioner. It conjures a very dispassionate view of the matter whereas an atheist is equally passionate about the non-existence of god as theist is about god's existence.
The second of the two lines is the clincher. By putting it in the form of a question, Neil is placing the song firmly in the court of the agnostic. For an atheist, a more appropriate phrase would be "When there's ni imortal power" because an atheist is sure. The question is the realm of the agnostic, especially if that question begins with if.
Anyway, these are just some idle musings with I've passed the day but I'd be interested to hear what anyone else thinks.
