Human

Human - The Killers

This song has been around for 2 or 3 years now, although I've only recently started hearing it on my local Christian radio station. I think it's a great piece of dance music with very memorable melody and lyrics.

It's not classed as a Christian song but it does seem to have themes running through it which I think many Christians would recognise in their own moments of self-reflection about our relationship with God.

Equally there are very strong sentiments which could only be classed as extreme anti-Christian secularism.

I was wondering whether people here have thought about the words to the song, and have formed an opinion about the message it sends.

My own view is the song is self contradictory but could be a good prompt for people to think about their relationship with God.

No doubt both Calvin and Arminius would have both spent much time pondering the question "Are we human, or are we dancer?"

 

Yes, of course we need to check the content of songs for their worship value, but that does not mean that Christians cannot benefit from songs which are not explicitly worship. Just as study of theology may not be approached in a worshipfull manner, but can never the less benefit the person doing the study.

I am astonished that you don't recognise the themes running through this song which would be part of the personal reflexion of any Christian as we consider our relationship with the Lord.

I don't think the song presents a coherent agument about our relationship with God - It's actually a very disjointed collection of thoughts. The following are a few of the things I considered when listening to the song and just like the song and my own thoughts, these points are disordered and disjointed:

"sometimes I get nervous when I see an open door".
I encounter many situations where I have to stop, consider and ask the Lord what God is asking me to do. Quite often the open door I'm confronted with can lead to situations which are uncomfortable. But do I have a choice, or am I a puppet, a dancer, performing without choice?

"My hands are cold, And I'm on my knees, Looking for the answer".
Who has not prayed to the Lord asking for clear understanding of the choices the Lord has given us? Who has not wondered whether our actions are the result of personal choice, or controlled my the master choreographer.

"And so long to devotion, You taught me everything I know".
I've given my life to the lord, and he has changed me and taught me over many years. Without the presence of the spirit and the guidance of God's word I would be a very different person. Why would the person in this song turn away from the very thing that created him?

"Close your eyes, Clear your heart..., Cut the cord".
Lord purify my heart and mind. I give my life to you willingly. Cut the ropes that bind my heart, and actions to your will. Let my dance to your glory be my choice. Let my submission to your will come from my love and devotion.

This forum has many topics about Calvinism and the theology of free choice vs predestination. It is that logical tension that I see being reflected upon in this song. And I think it is worthwhile. I should add that I believe Calvin's theology is a true representation of God's Biblical revelation.

There is no need for songs to match the Biblical standard. That would be a pretty impossible demand. I would ask only that songs don't explicitly drive people away from God, or drive us to self-worship.

Songs which help us reflect on our relationship with the Lord, I think are a very good thing.