as a christian myself, his music from PTL to his solo stuff now has had such a profound effect on my life. and when i fully ingested curse your branches, i was so thankful and even proud of his honesty and experience. doubt is not incongruous with faith. it is faith. and whether one falls from practicing a faith or not, to express one's journey like david has is a massive blessing and a gift. never stop making your music, david.
I really enjoy and admire David's honesty through his life journey that he expresses though his music. I am a christian and I know that those who truly want to explore themselves and their place in the world struggle with faith. I am one of those who struggle, I enjoy Davids music no matter what he believes... he is a voice of truth and honesry about how he sees and feels things. He is an inspiration for me.
Bazan is gifted musician, but his lyrics are particularly outstanding. PTL and his solo work are among the few records where I really enjoy listening to what the artist is saying.
If I grew up in a fundamentalist pentecostal environment like him I would as well start questioning my faith at a certain point. Just hope he doesn't close himself completely to the christian religion. There's still so much beauty and truth in it.
I have always really loved Dave's music too, and I even met him a couple times, saw him happy with his family, and I know he's a good guy. I like where he's at right now, he's not afraid to show his doubt and his frailty in faith. This is an honest man.
It is admirable what David is going through. Admirable because he had the courage of taking the beaten path and questioning why he believed what he believed. I can imagine even til today there must be some turmoil over his rejection of his childhood faith. Losing your faith is like losing someone your truly loved. It will always haunt you for the rest of your life.
as an ex-christian, it's easy to get an angry tone when talking about christianity... but it's so amazing to see how humbly david talks about the journey of the breakdown of faith. he's really a bridge between my present and past... a true poet
he tops the list for me, music and thought should not be separated. namely today when music is just mindless for the generation that chooses to be ignorant to death.
Back in the '90s I was friends with the singer's girlfriend from MXPX. Her name was Andrea. I asked her as a joke who her favorite band was, assuming she'd say MXPX. Instead, she said Pedro the Lion. I had never heard of them, but she opened a whole new world up for me that day. I wouldn't be who I am today, had I never asked that question.
many feel the same way as he does, regardless whoever was their god of choice is. since all religions claim their god is the ultimate god, how can we experience equal doses of all of them and then make an educated decision? you can't. hence we have doubters amongst us... may god bless you, AND EVERYONE ELSE TOO now if leaders were made accountable for their self pursuits, then count me in as a believer! may god bless you and hence we have doubters amongst us...
I loved pedro when they were christians and now that he's a skeptic. Doesn't matter to me, this man has got talent. I don't usually confront christians about their faith but I'd always wanted to discuss it with Bazan.
I can certainly empathize with David in his struggle for authentic faith. He comments at the end that he can now have beer without feeling bad. Why not before? Because he had a immature faith based on blind acceptance of what a certain group of people said about God and the Bible. Immature faith will crumble or live in denial. See Stages of Faith, Coleman. Oz Guiness "Doubt".
When I listen to his old work with Pedro the Lion, I always thought it had a bit out doubt underlying in it and that's why I connected and still connect with it. Curse Your Branches just seems like a logical extension of it. I guess I was wrong, Bazan says it himself, but that's how I still view it.
Quite heavy news for me to absorb. Back in the late 90's I was a huge Pedro fan, and a devout Christian. In the past couple of years I have become agnostic, and it's very interesting for me to see Bazan move towards a similar stance in life. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that many other Christian indie acts from that time period are now agnostic or atheist. It's been a while since I've listened to Bazan, but this philosophical change makes complete sense when you consider his lyrics.
@jadanzzy your comment was great and really mirrors my own feeling about PTL, although from the opposite end of the spectrum. i'm not at all religious, but i've always liked PTL cuz even the most explicitly christian songs didn't come off as preachy or judgemental. just a man singing about things that are important to him, and always looking for some kind of 'truth'. it's a very universal feeling, regardless of your own faith (or lack thereof). anyways, good songs are good songs. period.
Really Sad. I've been there doubting and even turning on my faith. I pray it never happens to me again and I pray Christ opens his heart up again. God works mysteriously who knows what his future will bring. He's a great singer/ songwriter.
@IronGrommit i agree basically about how the Assemblies of God either make hardcore believers or hardcore atheists... im an ex AoG member as a child and now atheist, and Bazan's lyrics illustrate the unraveling of these beliefs and why it's so complex. but at no point does he ever talk about pot in his lyrics, his vice is clearly alcohol, and that can be learned in one listen.
Those who believed in leprechauns and pots o' gold may be disappointed to learn that rainbows have no end, but we who always saw them as they were, as a million falling prisms, splitting light as they go - we are never disappointed. The world didn't hurt him. It was hope herself who did that. I also wish him well.
Blasphemy my ass. Think outside the box... Make one of the most amazing, heartfelt records of all time because of it? Please and thank you. I'll have seconds if you don't mind.
So many Christian punk guys have fallen away, not all will finish the race. I didn't listen to them but I heard they were a Christian band originally and I've seen some new videos and that's why I'm hear. It's weird this guy is interviewing him but it's probably because he's "not a Christian" anyway because I doubt they would have if he was still walking with the Lord at this time. I hope he realizes just because you don't believe doesn't mean God doesn't exist.
