Thursday, May 12, 2005

I spent some time last night loading music into my iPod and I finally got all of my Sting collection in there. As I was listening to "Ten Summoner's Tales" this morning, I was reminded of an incident in college.

I tried really hard to connect with other Christians in college but I always felt like an outsider. If you weren't completely immersed in Christian culture (listened to Christian music, wore Christian t-shirts and jewelry, read Christian fiction), then you did't fit in. At one point, I joined my friend Kate's bible study. She came up with this idea that each of us would bring in a song that meant something to us spiritually. A song that described our faith walk with God. So, each week, we began bible study with someone's song. Lots of Michael W. Smith and other Christian singers I had never heard of. Finally, it was my turn. I brought "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" by Sting because I felt it accurately described my relationship with God. I got the strangest looks from the women in the study. They made me feel like a pariah. After that, I never went back. I think this is one of the problems with the Christian community. They can be every elitist and it's all or nothing with them. It alienates a lot of people.

Anyway, I still feel the song describes my relationship with God so I feel like posting the lyrics today:

You could say I lost my faith in science and progress
You could say I lost my belief in the holy church
You could say I lost my sense of direction
You could say all of this and worse, but
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
You could say that I'm a lost man in a lost world
You could say I lost my faith in the people on t.v.
You could say I’d lost my belief in our politicians
They all seem like game show hosts to me
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
I could be lost inside their lies without a trace
But every time I close my eyes, I see your face
I never saw no miracle of science
That didn’t go from a blessing to a curse
I never saw no military solution
That didn’t always end up as something worse,But
let me say this first
If I ever lose my faith in you
If I ever lose my faith in you
There’d be nothing left for me to do
There’d be nothing left for me to do
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith in you


Thanks Sting.

3 comments:

Ellen said...

Hey! I remember that! At the time, I thought you were very brave to be honest about your spiritual, and not all gushy. (I still think that)

As I recall, I quit that bible study before they got to my song. I like the chapel better anyway.

Ellen

Anonymous said...

Hey - I just did a google search for these lyrics and found your blog! This song is just amazing how it describes my feelings! I read a bit more of your blog and we're so much alike. I'm also a liberal christian who's working in a field completely different from what I studied...I'm heading to grad school in the fall, I can't wait!

I've really appreciated the insight you share in your blog, I wish I were that articulate! Keep up the good work!

Amy M. said...

Hey thanks! It's always nice to know there are like-minded people out there!