Out in the Darkness

I have been asked about the title for my blog.  "Out in the Darkness" is a song by Martin Orford (formerly of the progressive rock band IQ) with lyrics and vocals by Steve Thorne.   It is from his recent (and probably final) album entitled "The Old Road."  If you have an eMusic subscription (highly recommended BTW) you can find the song here:

Martin Orford - The Old Road

It can also be download from Amazon (for only $.89) here:

Martin Orford - Out in the Darkness

Out in the Darkness
Music by Martin Orford
Lyrics by Steve Thorne

I don’t believe there’s a true religion

I’m not afraid of your Holy Ghost

You’ve wage the wars and you’ve caused division

The true believers who sin the most

You can’t condone all your strange behaviour

Don’t quote to me from your crazy book

Why burden Jesus to be my saviour?

To let my conscious right off the hook again

I’m getting tired of your lame excuses

It only seems like you’re un-evolved

I’m feeling sick at your cruel abuses

Without your lies, every problem’s solved

Why hold us back from our bright new morning?

You’ve reigned with bloodshed around the earth

I live in hope that the day is dawning

When Man will know what religion’s worth, at last

Man is an animal, out in the darkness

We’re just children deep down inside

Lost throughout history, guided by madness

Biological consequence

We’re nothing special just searching for kindness

All the billions who’ve lived and died

Dwell not in heaven nor out in the darkness now

Even world leaders believe in this fable

Men with their fingers on buttons of red

Someone should give them the Cain if they’re Abel

They won’t be happy ‘til everyone’s dead

Fair and blue-eyed is the image they’ve sold us

Seems very strange for a man

From that part of the world

Bet your life he was black as night…

I’m finding out what I always knew now

I’m taking in what you feel inside

I won’t agree to your thought control and

You’ll never get me to take that ride

You’ve all distorted a simple teaching

The man who taught it would surely weep

We’ve heard enough of your righteous preaching

Go throw your pamphlet upon the heap, my friend

Man is an animal, out in the darkness

We’re just children deep down inside

Lost throughout history, guided by madness

Life on earth is no miracle

We’re nothing special, just searching for kindness

All the billions who’ve lived and died

Dwell not in heaven nor out in the darkness now

I think that the lyrics are fairly self explanatory.  Religion has been responsible for much bloodshed throughout human history.  There really can be no debate on that.  Most of the wars that we have fought have religious underpinnings.  There are those who say that the good that has come out of religion, outweighs the atrocities that have been committed in the name of religion, or that such atrocities are past history and don't represent religion in the 21st century.  This is simply not true, and something I will go into more deeply in future blogs.

Another point that the song makes is that religion is largely an artifact from a simpler time. Religion was used to explain things before science could take its place.  Science has brought us into the light, though many of us refuse to embrace it and dwell out in the darkness.  Ironically, those who have found religion often speak of having been shown the light, but it is really just the opposite.  In my personal acceptance of the idea that there is no God, I feel as if I have been shown the light.  For the first time in my life I am comfortable with my belief system: that being the belief in science and reason, and not in myth and superstition.  Unfortunately this is not a widely accepted belief system in our society, so in a sense I feel like I am the one out in the darkness.  "Out" in the sense that I have "outed" myself as an atheist, and in the darkness because I can feel somewhat alone when surrounded by others who do not share my views.  However, there are enough persons out there who are outspoken in their rejection of religion, that I know I am not alone.  Besides I would rather be true to myself and be alone, than dwell out in the darkness of religion that I believe to be false. 

The last line of the song is: "All the billions who've lived and died dwell not in heaven nor out in the darkness now."  I do not have the false comfort of a heaven where I will go to after I do, but I do have the comfort of knowing that I am no different from anyone else who has lived before me.  A great quote from George Hrab  in his song "Everything Alive Will Die Someday" says "the fairness of unfairness is in everything's demise."    In the sense that we are granted differing amounts of time on earth, and that some people's time is significantly shorter than others, than yes, life is unfair.  But death on the other hand is fair.  Every living creature in the universe will at some point cease to exist.  Universally we are all in the same boat.  What could be more fair than that?