I r ead this and thought how good is this interpretation. How relevant is this to the present world in utter confusion, a world that no longer is recognisable, a world where lies are the order of the day, where truth is hated , where evil is seen as good and good seen as evil. Where identity is lost and where governments are taking total control.
Indeed this great song sends a message but alas it appears too late.
‘The Sound of Silence’ is a hymn to resistance | by Carlo Romeo | Medium
In total agreement with your comment.
Very well put.
So just out of interest what era do you want us all to go back to if the world now is such a terrible place.
To me we are living in the best times that humans have ever known.
We live longer, so many illness are now treatable, child death rates have plunged from double figure to under low single figures (in developed countries)
So much information is readily available and so many questions have been answered the majority of people are educated and live a lifestyle undreamt of even 100 years ago .
Knowing you its probably because science is proving your religion is BS and people are waking up to the fact. The masses are not so willing to cower to child molesters in dress's anymore. Don't worry another 100 years and your god will have gone the way of Zeus, Thor and all the other imaginary gods that man has invented.
Well there’s some merit to those points. But it’s uneven progress. Is anybody writing music like Mozart, writing books like Dostoevsky, writing poems like Yeats, coming up with scientific insights like Einstein, producing movies as beautiful as Lawrence of Arabia.
And do people even appreciate those things any more. Do they stop and look at the ocean or are they too busy looking at their mobile device? Is being a robot really conducive to joy?
"Knowing you its probably because science is proving your religion is BS and people are waking up to the fact. The masses are not so willing to cower to child molesters in dress's anymore. Don't worry another 100 years and your god will have gone the way of Zeus, Thor and all the other imaginary gods that man has invented."
You can't help yourself...all that pent-up anger...someone sure did a job on you.
You are probably right Draad...cannot figure out the cause Sader goes about sttacking believers...but hatred of things beyond him is fairly common in fear.
Let me tell you a true story, it is both tragic and humorous if that's possible.
Many years ago, in Cape Town, a girlfriend of mine had an elder brother that just qualfied as an advocate. One of the cases he was given was a "skollie" gangster charged with murder and he was to defend him, pro-deo. He faced a death sentence.
On a visit to his gaol cell, he noticed a tattoo on his arm, it read : "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...if God won't take me, the Devil must"
Plenty of decent music being made out the snowflake, music is a personal thing. For myself classical music is bunched in with country and western, rap, pop a couple that are ok but the majority is crap. just because classical music is not popular it doesn't mean the worlds gone to shit or there are no talented musician around.
Plenty of great scientists making ground breaking discoveries, according to you nothing has been achieved in science since Einstein kicked the bucket
And I was simple pointing out that sebs view is very likely because the masses are turning their backs on religion so the world must be in a worse position now.
Why do so many religious people get so butt hurt when people point out a fact and then have to label its some bitter person that the world has shit on because he doesn't believe in your pretend god. Face it your religions is rapidly sinking into oblivion and I am sorry you cant handle me pointing that out to you
Still waiting for one of you to tell me what decade we need to return to that was so much better for everyone.
Seb
It is not6 as easy as you claim. We had democracy that in countries where applied did well for the population. That era is rapidly coming to an end.
We now have Governments developing in democratic countries whose idea is that they govern and bugger the people. The so-called press is supporting the leftist Governments and they believe that they will win elections because of support by the Big Tech companies and the media. The USA was always regarded as a protector of Democracy - it is now in chaos with the present Government believing the Democrats will govern for ever and opposition needs to be destroyed.
The Biden Administration is a daily disaster area with opinion polls indicate only 36% of the voters support him - but according to Biden - they will win if they can get the Bill - which is Stalinist in origin - passed. That means the elections would not even be necessary - since the results would be predetermined.
The Governments already used climate change and Covid to implement undemocratic measures on their own without the authority of the legislature to control people. It can only get worse with the evident drive to a world government that would never be democratic in nature. However, seems to me that New Zealanders do not mind being controlled by China - but for people believing in Democracy the whole concept is unacceptable.
By the way this has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with Government by the people for the people - not the other way around.
"And I was simple pointing out that sebs view is very likely because the masses are turning their backs on religion so the world must be in a worse position now. (No you weren't, you also made a lot of snide remarks)
Why do so many religious people get so butt hurt when people point out a fact and then have to label its some bitter person that the world has shit on because he doesn't believe in your pretend god. Face it your religions is rapidly sinking into oblivion and I am sorry you cant handle me pointing that out to you."
Your the one behaving butt hurt...and bitter...something/someone caused that monkey on your back.
The world is a tougher place for Christians now. They were happy to go along with Democracy, but only when they were the majority.
Kids nowadays would be ridiculed in school if they spoke of their imaginary friend that controls destiny and everything in between.
Everyone creates God in their own image. That is the problem, it is self-delusion, self brainwashing oneself. They are led to believe their own opinions are the views of God.
SB
Are you some nutcase carrying on with the religion story - you claim you are an atheist - but nobody has discriminated against you as a result. What people think about religion is surely their own business - but living a free and acceptable life is what Democracy is about. You are in for deep trouble in future if you trust the politicians and their ultra-rich bribers who wants to control the world. Life under them would be as unbearable as it was under the Communists in Russia.
The result was that the oppressed will do what is inevitable - like happened in Russia - they will have no means to support themselves other than to revert to religion as a quiet opponent against the oppressors and in the end that is what got rid of the Communist Regime.
I cannot understand how you can link anything to religion and miss out the whole world in the process.
The 60's would have been the date I would suggest.
Then perhaps we could have prevented your arrival.
Scumbag.
Compared to the late 1960's and early 1970's the world at present is a dump and a disaster. I spent 6 months in Europe in 1973 and in that time I saw happy people with great friendship and camaraderie. I also saw the damage the anti-religious Communists caused in East Germany and Hungary - in fact in all Communist countries, When I went back to Europe in 1993, 2000, 2001 and 2007 the situation was already much worse for the ordinary people and now it is much, much worse than it was in 1973.
Intolerance of religion and intolerance against religion are two sides of the same coin. People’s beliefs are their own choice. One of the necessary freedoms, like freedom of speech. It’s remarkable how many liberal institutions have forgotten these foundational principles.
Its also amazing how many religious people have forgotten these foundational principles as well.
It works both ways you know
Religious intolerance in advanced Western countries ended a long time ago, although it is alive and well elsewhere eg in Moslem countries. It’s amazing how many anti religious nutters forgive that while going after Christianity with radical zeal.
Its amazing how many christian zealots in the western world there are trying to impose their belief onto the unbelievers and blaming them for all thats wrong in the world. You make it sound like t hey are all sitting round the camp fire singing kumbaya and giving the gays/muslims/jews/atheists a welcoming hug and treating them as an equal.
You have more than your fair share of radical halfwits with no tolerance for people of other faith or no faith so don't go trying to pull the wool over peoples eyes by saying it not a christian thing.
And why is it religious intolerance to point out the stupidity of christianity, its a free world, I am not stopping you from believing in fairy tales or stopping you from practicing your religion, merely voicing my opinion just like you are allowed to.
Its your lot who keep trying to pass laws forcing everyone else to obey your book of nonsense.
One of the points stressed in the lyrics is that people don't communicate, are indifferent and don't hear or discern what is happening, too centred around themselves to see the bigger picture.
Another lyric written at about the same time was written by Paul McCartney...Nowhere Man..."he's as blind as he can be...just sees what he wants to see...isn't he a bit like you and me "
The irony is shown here on this very forum where the communication is so poor...points are made on assumptions and guesses without really listening to the context or wider picture of what each is saying.
Mike is right, the song is not religious in the wider context. Neither am I. I just believe in the scriptures as truth. True faith is not a religion in the wider sense but a way of life that does not encroach on others. God gave us a choice...the freedom to think, believe and choose what is right and good and ofcourse Himself ultimately, which is the biggest gift of all. At the same time He never forced you into a human automaton or clone to believe.
Sader if you really took the trouble to read the Good News and Gospels you would not talk absolute tripe...your interpretations are just your opinions and are indeed far from what Christ stood for.
I have spent a lot looking into your religion and the bible is full of genocide, slavery and promotes hate. You can cherry pick the bits you think are good and ignore the majority of your book that's up to you but don't accuse me of reaching my decisions on your book without having a serious look at what it is about
You are like most christians you can't comprehend someone can have a serious look at it and still not believe it. You have to say that we are closed minded and another imaginary being is blinding us to your gods words.
If you take a logical look at the bible surely even you have to say it doesn't make sense it contradicts science on so many points but still people believe it. Can you name 1 instance where a miracle has been proven that a god was responsible, there are thousand of instances where what man once attributed to a god turned out just to be a part of the natural world.
And FYI things that have no explanation cannot be appointed solely to a god as they can just as easily be appointed to nature as we just don't know.
When your god decides to prove himself to me I will believe but it will take more than another person telling me they know the truth but do not have a shred of evidence to support their claim.
"True faith is not a religion in the wider sense but a way of life that does not encroach on others"
"i cannot be what I ought to be unless you are what you ought to be and vice versa as the quote goes..
Has nothing to do with religion and doesn't need the support of religion.
Yes, the "holier than though" attitude is there for all to see. God's master race...
Makes it hard for them to bring any objectivity to the table.
Hence the Sounds of Silence still remains.
Your are quite right Plum in a certain sense...we know very little in essence with our feeble minds and you and every one including me have a free choice to believe whatever and really it's none of anybody's business.
We are all accountable for our choices, whatever it is...but you have no right to attack, belittle and insult people who do. If an individual finds peace, joy, happiness and freedom in their conscience that's their business and nothing to do with you. If that disturbs you then deal with it further. What comes around goes around.
People with hyper contentious attitudes have very little space for love in their hearts...you just cannot communicate with them and it is a total waste of time to even try....
When your religion tries to force its beliefs on me I have every right to attack those beliefs
Why do your nutty beliefs get a free pass, why is it ok to ridicule and point out the stupidity of things like flat earthers, lizard people etc but as soon as there is a god involved we cant say anything?
You ne ed to refill your prescription for concrete pills and harden up
Plum absence of any evidence is when you can dismiss any claims that are made. The time to believe these claims is when there is evidence supporting the claim.
CF
Nobody should ever try to force their beliefs on anybody - I do not think you have ever been forced to do something iro religion at all.
However, there are strong support of religion linking it to politics on this site. Political affiliation has nothing to do with religion and has not had for near to a century in most democratic countries.
In democratic countries where race, religion and other issues are part and parcel of politics - like the ase of the Democratic Party in the USA at present - the moral fiber of the country collapses and the result leads to corruption and breakdown in the law and order.
"I do not think you have ever been forced to do something iro religion at all"
Sadly, this is never true
From a young age and up, particularly when young kids don't know any better, there is a lot of push / brainwashing / indoctrination of religion....... of all kinds, and it's wrong.. on so many levels.
All individuals should be ab le to determine for themselves what they wish to believe and support.... at their own pace, and at whatever age.
Religion causes more war and deaths than anything else...... and what surprises me the most, is that one would think that a just and fair God would want to prevent all that unnecessary death and destruction, by just revealing himself once in a while..... it would certainly shut a lot of people up and make them see the world differently and would most definitely make all humans behave differently than what they are now......
Very interesting points Plum
Here is another weird scenario....
Imagine for some very strange reason, mankind knew for a certain fact, that to go through into the afterlife and live a fantastic everlasting life, after your time here on earth is up, you needed to inherently be a good person whilst you were here on earth....... I wonder how much that would change how each person interacts with each other, irrespective of religion, race, sex etc etc....
If a person knew without any shadow of a doubt, that their actions now on earth could completely derail their chances of living a phenomenal new life in the afterlife, after they die...... surely they would behave differently...... I would like to think.
Obviously as it stands now, there is no concrete proof of anything after death, hence all the uncertainty about anything.
But, having said that, humans beings are a funny breed..... you could be faced with the death penalty for certain crimes now, and that still does not necessarily deter certain people from committing these horrible crimes, but then again, the local town policeman would not really be that "ever knowing" big eye in the sky, whoever it may be.
Ag..... just more food for thought really..... we know nothing at all compared to what exists around us..
Plum
Exactly, I have seen zero evidence of a god or even anything you would call supernatural and until something convinces me otherwise why should I consider it anything but?
"If a person knew without any shadow of a doubt, that their actions now on earth could completely derail their chances of living a phenomenal new life in the afterlife, after they die...... surely they would behave differently...... I would like to think."
Fair point DA, but what about the opposite?...what if everyone knew for a fact that there was no such thing as an afterlife?... or Karma...you can do whatever you want, if you don't get caught, you're home free...do what thou wilt...actions don't have consequences...let's kill 70 million people for the greater good.. Earth is overpopulated, let's trim the hedge, cull the herd, nothing wrong with that....
All deeds should have consequences if others know about it or not...Karma might be a bitch, but without her fairness is out of the window...we need order...chaos don't work....we have a conscience for a reason...if all is pure chance, morrals is fantacy...
How do you explain people that that have had a near death experience and experienced nothing of the sort?
Why when people do have these experience's you don't (or hardly ever) get a christian meeting Thor or a Buddhist meeting Jesus its always the god of their own faith. Surely they would all meet the same god?
And Dradd I have been an Atheist all my life and I have never once felt like murdering 1 person let alone 70 million, nor have I raped anyone or ever felt the need to.
But there are millions of Christians that have done exactly that and they continue to do it. Atheists make up less than 2% (or is it less than 1% cant remember exactly) of inmates in American jails yet make up around 5% of the population in general. The vast majority are christians. So this proves being religious in no way stops people from raping and murdering and by the way don't you ever lose your religion as I don't want you out there raping and murdering as its obviously in your nature to do these things and only controlled by your fear of a god.
Well lets use commom sense and wisdom and make it very simple.
Was there a man called Jesus ? If there was not then why is there a BC and an AD...every year in recorded in the dates of each year. Logically there had been such a person and if so why is he so significant.
Secondly look at his claims. You cannot ignore or be indifferent to them...He was either what He claimed or a deranged, madman and terrible liar and conman.
When asked what is truth, He answered I am ...the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except by Me. What a claim...one must then see what He did and see only good. He reached out to men and woman. Also he made statements that are peculi ar like "love your enemies" or if a man lay down his life for his brother...greater love has no man than this. Strange things to say if he was a liar and deceiver. This is neither a thing or an attitude of some one bad.
One can only decide or determine if he was one of the other. There is no middle road. If you honestly believe he was a con artist then he is one of the worst and deceptively wicked one.
On the otherhand if you can accept that He is what He claimed to be, well then that's entirely a different story.