Jul 08 2008
I’m flying in Winchester Cathedral
Cathedral–Crosby, Stills, and Nash
Six o’ clock
In the morning I feel pretty good
So I dropped into the luxury of the Lords
Fighting dragons and crossing swords
With the people against the hordes who came to conquer
Seven o’clock
In the morning here it comes I taste the warning
And I’m so amazed I’m here today
Seeing things so clear this way
In the car and on my way to Stonehenge
[Instrumental (Piano)]
I’m flying in Winchester cathedral
Sunlight pouring through the break of day
Stumbled through the door and into the chamber
There’s a lady setting flowers on a table covered lace
And a cleaner in the distance finds a cobweb on a face
And a feeling deep inside of me
Tells me this can’t be the place
I’m flying in Winchester cathedral
All religion has to have its day
Expressions on the face of the Savior
Made me say
I can’t stay
Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here
Too many people have lied in the name of Christ
For anyone to heed the call
So many people have died in the name of Christ
That I can’t believe it all
Now I’m standing on the grave of a soldier that died in 1799
And the day he died it was a birthday
And I noticed it was mine
And my head didn’t know just who I was
And I went spinning back in time
And I am high upon the altar
High upon the altar, high
[Instrumental (Strings)]
I’m flying in Winchester cathedral
It’s hard enough to drink the wine
The air inside just hangs in delusion
But given time
I’ll be fine
Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here
Too many people have lied in the name of Christ
For anyone to heed the call
Too many people have died in the name of Christ
That I can’t believe it all
And now I’m standing on the grave of a soldier that died in 1799
And the day he died it was a birthday
And I noticed it was mine
And my head didn’t know just who I was
And I went spinning back in time
And I am high upon the altar
High upon the altar, high
[Ending (Strings and Piano)]
I’ve looked on ruins. I’ve been in hundreds-of-years-old churches. I have had many thoughts similar to these.
“All religion has to have its day.”
Recently, I watched a documentary about radical Islam, a documentary that established the concept of Jihad, or holy war, and portions of programs from Al-Jazeera in which children not yet three years old were being taught that Americans were of Satan and should be killed in the most violent ways. The documentary also called out to moderate Muslims, encouraging them to raise their voices against this travesty.
A few weeks ago, I was walking down the street just after the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago when I saw a group of very nicely dressed men in blue shorts, tennis shoes, and tucked-in shirts. In the midst of the other more vibrant costumes that seemed to characterize the crowd, these guys stood out. I saw that the flag they were carrying read, “a church for us!” Why have Christians so alienated this group so that they do not feel they could attend any church ?
“Too many people have died in the name of Christ…”
Too many people have died in the name of religion because we allow ourselves to become brainwashed. Religion doesn’t tell us to kill; religion tells us to love. Religion calls for peace, not for war.
And yet we humanize heaven and create monsters.
