So the Death Cab show was all that could be expected. It was my first show, and it was great. I met Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmon, and Chris Walla and a bunch of Kellys other scenster friends. Kelly played a bit of the new CD for Matt and I on the way down (it’s great but a lot different than “Plans”), and they opened with a new song. They also played a bunch of songs that I love including, Why You’d Want to Live Here, Crooked Teeth, New Year, and quickly becoming more of a favorite of mine, Soul Meets Body. My favorite Death Cab song, “I Will Follow You into The Dark”, was the first song of the encore last night. As they played, I realized how much I love this song simply for the hook:

If heaven and hell decide,
That they both are satisfied,
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs:

If there’s no one beside you,
When your soul embarks;
Then I’ll follow you into the dark.

These lyrics made me think about an orthodox prayer I had heard while at TWU. “…may we one day find the caverns of Hell to be empty.” Something that I think has happened to the artists in the church is that they have been discouraged to think. What I mean is sometimes we are told to speak only truth and never ask questions. Lyrics like these could be viewed as theologically incorrect. Personally, I believe they are, but sometimes I wonder what would happen if there is no heaven? What if there is no hell? What does this look like?

What is happening is that as artists and christians, people are being told not to question but to only give truth. But what if these questions lead to answers? What if these questions lead us closer to God?

 

peace,

ron