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Neil Peart's religious affiliation?


Guest Quigley_Moog

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Guest Quigley_Moog
What is his religious affiliation, if any? I have never heard him acknowledge a god of any sort. It seems like he may be agnostic or atheist.
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This has been the subject of debate before, but I believe "agnostic" would be the closest we could come. I don't think Neil really fits definitions in any area of his life, including this one.

 

For the record, the dictionary defines agnostic this way:

 

1. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.

2. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.

 

I think the 2nd definition would probably be the closest to his situation. But let's ask someone who knows a great deal more than I about the subject.

 

GG, care to weigh in on this? biggrin.gif

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I can only state my opinion based on his lyrics, and the books he has written.

 

No! I do not believe his has any affiliation with any religion. I do however believe he understands a certain aspect of human spirit, maybe not spirituality, but that man has a certain depth that Neil does not put a "label" on.

 

Just my eduated opinion, I'd be very interested to others opinions on this as well.

 

 

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We can all be spiritual and deep without being affiliated with an organized religion.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/palominodweezil/icon_meditate.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/palominodweezil/icon_meditate.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/palominodweezil/icon_meditate.gif

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Guest Quigley_Moog

QUOTE (invisibleairwaves @ Mar 20 2005, 04:38 PM)
If you try to determine this based only on his lyrics, there are conflicting messages. There are bible quotes (2112) and songs that seem very atheist (Freewill, Roll the Bones). I think the best place to look for his religious affilation would be his books.

I couldn't agree more with the songs you chose to represent both sides of the argument. Freewill and Roll the Bones are the first one's I'd have chosen to represent his disbelief or unbelief.

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Here is a letter Neil sent to an editor of a paper which did an article of a Christian group which was running some seminar on the "evils of rock music". He pretty much sums up his beliefs as far as religion goes...I believe this was done in 1981. He also talked about this in his book Travelling Music (pages 265-267).

 

http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/sat31.htm

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As a Christian, I get very annoyed when people will denounce anything that seems a little bit incorrect as satanic, evil, the work of the devil, etc. I have heard of a few groups claiming that things such as rock music, black clothing, the Internet, cable TV are things that only a satanic, foul devil-worshipper would participate in. Sure, there are things related to these items that are evil, but I would never go so far to say that they are totally evil.

 

(Sorry about the rant-I get carried away sometimes.)

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QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Mar 20 2005, 04:43 PM)
QUOTE (invisibleairwaves @ Mar 20 2005, 04:38 PM)
If you try to determine this based only on his lyrics, there are conflicting messages. There are bible quotes (2112) and songs that seem very atheist (Freewill, Roll the Bones). I think the best place to look for his religious affilation would be his books.

I couldn't agree more with the songs you chose to represent both sides of the argument. Freewill and Roll the Bones are the first one's I'd have chosen to represent his disbelief or unbelief.

Roll The Bones is considered by some to be the most atheistic album in music history. Robert Price, an atheist philosopher, wrote a book about Rush's lyrics (I believe it was called Mystic Rhythms:The Philosophical Vision of Rush). It is an interesting read but it is only Price's opinion and it is not really a "factual" book but it does bring up some interesting points concerning Neils lyrics...

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QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Mar 20 2005, 01:51 PM)
Here is a letter Neil sent to an editor of a paper which did an article of a Christian group which was running some seminar on the "evils of rock music".  He pretty much sums up his beliefs as far as religion goes...I believe this was done in 1981.  He also talked about this in his book Travelling Music (pages 265-267).

http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/sat31.htm

Thanks for posting that T4VS. I've only heard about the letter, never read it before, funny how he used the same ending as in TM, "if you don't belive me, just ask my mom!" wub.gif I love it!!

 

Also in GR he mentions the Christian bikers, he actual entertained the idea of confronting them in a nobel gesture of politeness, but feared proselytizing, and respectfully declined to approach them, but made it clear he did not fault them or their belief.

 

Neil's just a class act!!

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Neil Peart said on the "Roll The Bones Radio Special":

"The Big Wheel is a good example on this album;

where it seems to be autobiographical.

 

 

The Big Wheel

 

Well, I was only a kid - didn't know enough to be afraid

Playing the game, but not the way the big boys played

Nothing to lose - maybe I had something to trade

The way the big wheel spins

Well, I was only a kid, on a holy crusade

I placed no trust in a faith that was ready-made

Take no chances on paradise delayed

So I do a slow fade

Playing for time

Don't want to wait for heaven

Looking for love

For an angel to forgive my sins

 

 

Playing with fire

Chasing something new to believe in

Looking for love

The way the big wheel spins

Well, I was only a kid, cruising around in a trance

Prisoner of fate, victim of circumstance

I was lined up for glory, but the tickets sold out in advance

The way the big wheel spins

Well, I was only a kid, gone without a backward glance

Going for broke, going for another chance

Hoping for heaven - hoping for a fine romance

If I do the right dance

Wheel goes round, landing on a twist of faith

Taking your chances you'll have the right answers

When the final judgment begins

Wheel goes round, landing on a leap of fate

Life redirected in ways unexpected

Sometimes the odd number wins

The way the big wheel spins

 

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He is an agnostic...deeply spiritual but spurning organized religion and its trappings. He speaks of being moved by a choir of nuns at a vespers service he attended when in Africa, by the grandeur of a baroque cathedral, and by the warmth of the human spirit. But for the most part:

 

Angels and demons dancing in my head, lunatics and monsters underneath my bed...media messiahs preying on my fears, pop culture prophets playing in my ears... I believe in what I see, I believe in what I hear...I believe that what I'm feeling changes how the world appears.

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QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Mar 20 2005, 04:29 PM)
I have never heard him acknowledge a god of any sort.

no hero in your tragedy

no daring in your escape

no salutes for your surrender

nothing noble in your fate

Christ, what have you done? - N. Peart

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QUOTE (Indica @ Mar 21 2005, 03:58 AM)
QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Mar 20 2005, 04:29 PM)
I have never heard him acknowledge a god of any sort.

no hero in your tragedy

no daring in your escape

no salutes for your surrender

nothing noble in your fate

Christ, what have you done? - N. Peart

IMO Neil was just using Christ's name as an expression of horror or disbelief at what the song's suicidal character done...he wasn't actually acknowledging a god per se....

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QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Mar 21 2005, 04:24 AM)
QUOTE (Indica @ Mar 21 2005, 03:58 AM)
QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Mar 20 2005, 04:29 PM)
I have never heard him acknowledge a god of any sort.

no hero in your tragedy

no daring in your escape

no salutes for your surrender

nothing noble in your fate

Christ, what have you done? - N. Peart

IMO Neil was just using Christ's name as an expression of horror or disbelief at what the song's suicidal character done...he wasn't actually acknowledging a god per se....

Yes, John Lennon did this in The Ballad of John and Yoko.

"Christ you know it ain't easy" was repeated 5 times in that song.

 

It's really doesn't matter.

 

Neil is a master lyricist and drummer, excellent writter and sensible guy.

That's what I believe.

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PersonallyI am a practicing Roman Catholic, and I regard Neil's lyrics as vitally important, because they challenge me.

 

They challenge me to look beyond the structures of my religion and base my decisions not on what a book or a preacher says, but on what I believe to be right.

 

The teachings of my church and my religion inform my conscience, but ultimately I too must choose Freewill, I must make my own decision and live my life freely as best I can.

 

Neil's core problem with organised religion as far as I can see is it can provide a cop-out, and remove the need for choices and decisions. I fully agree with that, and see no contradiction between exercising free will and being a christian.

 

What does Neil believe? - To be honest, I'm not particularly bothered.

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Guest Quigley_Moog

QUOTE (dweezil @ Mar 21 2005, 08:29 AM)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/palominodweezil/jesus.gif


I don't think it's important what Neil believes.

What he brings as a musician and man is enough.

I am certainly not going to judge Neil by his beliefs, mine was just curiousity of the purest form.

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QUOTE (madra sneachta @ Mar 21 2005, 06:49 AM)
PersonallyI am a practicing Roman Catholic, and I regard Neil's lyrics as vitally important, because they challenge me.

They challenge me to look beyond the structures of my religion and base my decisions not on what a book or a preacher says, but on what I believe to be right.

The teachings of my church and my religion inform my conscience, but ultimately I too must choose Freewill, I must make my own decision and live my life freely as best I can.

Neil's core problem with organised religion as far as I can see is it can provide a cop-out, and remove the need for choices and decisions. I fully agree with that, and see no contradiction between exercising free will and being a christian.

What does Neil believe? - To be honest, I'm not particularly bothered
.

 

That's the best way to put it!

 

 

 

 

QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Mar 21 2005, 07:39 AM)
QUOTE (dweezil @ Mar 21 2005, 08:29 AM)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/palominodweezil/jesus.gif


I don't think it's important what Neil believes.

What he brings as a musician and man is enough.

I am certainly not going to judge Neil by his beliefs, mine was just curiousity of the purest form.

 

I can't imagine a Rush fan doing that either. I'm glad you brought it up though.

Good dialogue!

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