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Hoobastank Gets It Wrong (2004-11-25 - 8:00 a.m.)

whenever i step outside, somebody claims to see the light
it seems to me that all of us have lost our patience.
'cause everyone thinks they're right, and nobody thinks that there just might
be more than one road to our final destination

but i'm not ever going to know if i'm right or wrong
'cause we're all going in the same direction
and i'm not sure which way to go because all along
we've been going in the same direction

i'm tired of playing games, of looking for someone else to blame
for all the holes in answers that are clearly showing
for something to fill the space, was all of the time i spent a waste
'cause so many choices point the same way i was going.....

so why does there only have to be one correct philosophy?
i don't want to go and follow you just to end up like one of them
and why are you always telling me what you want me to believe?
i'd like to think that i can go my own way and meet you in the end.

but i'm not ever going to know..........


Those are the lyrics to Hoobastank's recently new song, "Same Direction." I'm not sure I have time or space to single out all of the problems with this song.

I thought that Hoobastank might have stumbled onto something with their song "The Reason," but obviously, I was mistaken.

It is sometimes tragic when rock bands try to venture into the deeper aspects of philosophy/theology. Especially theology. People who don't know God shouldn't try to explain him. It usually doesn't work.

Let's take this song apart, then, and see what's wrong with it.

"whenever i step outside, somebody claims to see the light"--Seems to me that's a good thing. If people really do see "the light," they need to be letting others know about it.

"it seems to me that all of us have lost our patience."--Not sure I get that line. Is it just filler? I guess that would-be street evangelists might seem impatient at times, but, hey, they believe that the times are urgent, and that their message is urgent.

"'cause everyone thinks they're right,"--Ok. I'll give them that one. Most people do think that they are right. Including Hoobastank.

"and nobody thinks that there just might be more than one road to our final destination."--That's just a stupid line. First of all, it's contradictory to the message of the entire song, because at least Hoobastank thinks that there is more than one road. Folks, there are lots and lots of people who think that there is more than one road to "our final destination." It all depends on what your "final destination" is (by the way, that was a fun movie). If your final destination is heaven, there is only one road. Unless Jesus was wrong, crazy or lying. In which case, we are all screwed anyway. If your final destination is hell (yes, Virginia, there IS a hell), then you can pretty much take any other road you want to. Hmm...maybe that's what Hoobastank is trying to say after all.

"but i'm not ever going to know if i'm right or wrong"--Here we go again with a "no moral absolutes" proclamation. Once again, that's just stupid. Of course you can know if you're right or wrong. And, yes, someday, you will know for sure.

"'cause we're all going in the same direction."--No. We are not. That, too, is obvious, if you just use the brain that God gave you.

"and i'm not sure which way to go because all along we've been going in the same direction"--You're not sure which way to go because you're not listening to the people who claim to see the light. If you listen to the wrong voices (Hoobastank's, for example), of course you will be confused. At this juncture, I'll try to explain how you know the right voices. You might not like my answer. The best way to know is if it lines up with what The Bible says. Yes, the Bible, God's "Holy Word." I believe in it; I believe it's true. You don't like that, tough. But that helps me know which "voices" to listen to. And believe me, there are a lot of so-called "Christian" voices that aren't worth giving the time of day.

"i'm tired of playing games, of looking for someone else to blame"--Good for you. That's another line that's got a good message. As Led Zeppelin said, it's "nobody's fault but mine."

"for all the holes in answers that are clearly showing"--Just a bit of horrible grammar here, I think. Is it the answers that are clearly showing or the holes? I admit that there are many answers that have holes in them. In fact, most people's answers to anything have many holes in them. Mostly, that's because we are humans with finite minds and understanding. We aren't God, therefore, we cannot fully comprehend God or his plan. Therefore, our answers are usually somewhat incomplete.

"for something to fill the space, was all of the time i spent a waste"--Now this is a profound line. It almost hurts to read it, because it seems to indicate a person that was looking for the right answers and has given up. it all depends on where he was spending his time. I hope he keeps looking for the Thing that he needs to fill that space.

"'cause so many choices point the same way i was going"--But you have to find the One Choice that is pointing in the other direction!

"so why does there only have to be one correct philosophy?"--There doesn't. In fact, there are many philosophies that are at least partially correct. But we aren't really talking about philosophy here, are we? This is more about theology. And, honestly, there is more than one correct theology, too. There is no theology that is entirely correct (see explanation above about holes in answers), but there are many that are partially correct. For example, I am a five-point Calvinist. But Jean Calvin led movements to kill a lot people that didn't believe the way he did. I certainly can't go along with that. But some of his teachings were great, and I believe Biblically sound.

"i don't want to go and follow you just to end up like one of them"--That is actually a very safe philosophy to have. Unfortunately, he seems to wind up following all of "them."

"and why are you always telling me what you want me to believe?"--That's a really tired old question. In reality, we all do that. Everyone believes something about something, and we are all trying to convince someone else about it. But, if I'm telling you about Jesus, it's not because I necessarily want you to believe it, it's because I care about your "final destination." It's not about me. It's about God and his glory. I don't get any "extra points" if you believe me.

"i'd like to think that i can go my own way and meet you in the end"--This is, perhaps, the most fatal philosophy that exists. Because you can't. And there are probably millions of people who would also like to think this. But you can't. Well, you can go your own way (hmm...sounds like a song), but you won't meet me in the end, because I'm not going my way. I'm going God's way. If you go your way, you WILL meet up with all of the other people who are going their own way. And that group, according to that Bible I mentioned earlier, will probably be a lot bigger than the group that is going God's way.

*whew* That was long. And probably a big waste of time, because nobody reads this, anyway. But perhaps someone will stuble across it and give it a thoughtful read. Feel free to comment about it, but please, please keep the comments tasteful.

My word to Hoobastank? Don't give up the search for something to fill that space, and don't keep "going in the same direction."

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