Please think critically
Posted April 22, 2014
By BIDLOVE,
First off, I am a huge fan of NeedToBreathe. Second of all, I have a BA in Communications in which I studied in extent the area of rhetorical analysis. With that being said, I have concluded that Bear is no longer following Jesus. I believe he is a talented, humble man who believes in a higher power, but not in that there is no other gospel other than Jesus. I believe he still wants to appeal to Christians though in order to reach their market. Here's why...
Wasteland-A song written while in a tough season of life, while simply only debating and wishing that God's promises are true.
State I'm in- This is a song of confusion and being lost.
Feet Don't Fail Me Now- He has a reason to be taken down and exposed, but no one has figured that out yet. "I would rather die than have to hang it up". I interpret this as he would rather not stand up for what he truly believes in than to not give his audience what they want.
Difference Maker- Verses & Chorus expose that his pride has destroyed what he has built. The chorus unsuccessfully uses the tool of irony(meaning he states the opposite of what he actually means) due to the fact that it has often been missed by his audience. While in attendance of their concert in Davis, CA he took a pause before the bridge to state that people were embracing the chorus as truth, and then explaining we are not difference makers. In a moment where the majority of the crowd expected him to preach the gospel of Christ, he went on to state on the topic of God that "there is no way to know any more than anyone else does", I infer from this statement that he believes there is no objective truth. He started another sentence, then stopped almost immediately, appearing as though he was wrestling with the decision of wether or not to state what he truly believes in and jeopardize losing the majority of his fan base, or to stay quiet in order not to, as well as to not offend anyone the thousands of people staring back at him. He went on to sing the bridge, "I am on the fence about nearly everything I've seen", a line that clearly declares a stance of agnosticism. "I have felt the fire that has been put out with too much gasoline", a line that states his fire has been put out. He has recently offered commentary on this song to appeal to Christians, but it is blatantly obvious to me what he truly is expressing through his music.
Rise Again- "Set my sights on where I'm going, and my goodbyes to where I've been" - Embracing his new beliefs, leaving his old behind. "Singing farewell King of the broken, So long my friend" -Sounds like a break up with Jesus, no?
The heart- "Goes where he wants never does get caught,
Pushing this line like the Lord ain't comin'" - He can write about whatever he wants, the Christian market tends not to question nor think for themselves, but rather accept what is given to them.
"Where the money is" - He knows the money is in the Christian market, but wishes it weren't. The guilt he feels for appealing to Christians for financial gain is the reason why he wishes he didn't know where the money lies.
Multiplied- A song meant to appeal to Christians. I believe he still believes in a higher power, the concept of God, but like he stated live in Davis, CA.. "there's no way to know about anything that is above you".
"More heart, less attack" - A call to all to live a life of love, not of attack. Assuming this is also directed at judgmental Christians, with the potential that he knowingly will eventually be attacked... He drank the water and felt his veins block. Sorry NeedToBreathe fans, but I don't think he's drinking the water anymore. View All Music And Book Reviews By BIDLOVE | View BIDLOVE's Profile
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