I've had the opportunity to have some conversations with people who have heard some of our songs that make rather bold statements in regard to religious belief.  I appreciate that many of them have been able to approach me and "confront" me politely about their disagreements.  Others have taken a more aggressive tone, which has at times escalated into a full blown religious debate.

I welcome both responses.  Although I would prefer an engaging dialogue where I can explain my reasoning, as it's much more enjoyable, I also feel like my beliefs (or lack thereof) have enough of a solid foundation that I am open to religious debates that involve logical consistencies and claims based on rational evidence.  However, I understand that much religious belief is based on faith, and is therefore a matter of accepting things that cannot be humanly proven.  But that is one of my contentions, and one of the subjects I tend to write about often.

I don't address any religious subject with ignorance.  I studied the Bible and Christianity in the Chrisitian schools and churches I grew up in, and began college with hopes of becoming a youth minister.  Although I had bad experiences with some people in the church, my views on religion are not based on my interactions with people, but upon learning and education that I have received that have opened my eyes to the logical inconsistencies in Christianity, or any religion with a supernatural deity.

Some of our songs were written about specific interactions with specific people and should not be taken as my evaluation of Christianity, Christians, or any religious belief or its believers.

I think that religion can be good on an individual level.  Many people need something outside of themselves to trust, and if that something happens to be God, and it helps them to live a more fulfilling life, then I can't argue against its benefits, and don't wish for my beliefs about the non-existence of God to interfere with something that helps them.

The nature of being offended is to assert one's beliefs and values as unequivocally superior, and negatively respond to any belief, action, or statement that may negate, question, disprove, or otherwise threaten that superiority.  An easily offended person has set up his or her own rules, and feels that everyone else in the world should live by their specific set of restrictions and liberties.  Most people who are easily offended have a repressed sense of doubt about their own beliefs, or recognize hidden hypocrisies that they feel can be covered up or somehow forgiven by becoming offended at the mere mention of the topic...

For those who really want to know more about the context of lyrics like "If the Lord is your protection, you're gonna be surprised to find the Lord is not on your side", or things like that, I want to give some background on the specifics of some of the more "controversial" lyrics.  I will be writing a series of blogs about the songs that I feel could be misinterpreted in an effort to promote critical thinking and encourage those who take offense to examine why they are offended.