I\u00a0enjoyed this song before the radio played it to death, however anything can rise from the ashes when watered with new meaning. The song is “Love the Way You Lie,” by Eminem\u00a0and Rhianna. I rediscovered it while in the fiery throes of doubt\/faith this month. Indeed, every blow of doubt, confusion, and\u00a0ecstasy felt as if I were in an abusive relationship. We all know people locked in these cycles with a significant other, and most of the time we advise our friends to abandon them. How easy it is to pass judgment…when we aren’t part of the situation.<\/p>\n
Are the ups and downs, doubts and revelations of our faith\u00a0not unlike\u00a0the tears and fears,\u00a0break-ups and make-ups of our human relationships? How often\u00a0are we presented with “evidence” that forces us to question\u00a0faith (our spiritual significant other) and\u00a0accuse it of lies? Then,\u00a0if we flirt with\u00a0doubt are we unfaithful (pun intended)? But in many cases we\u00a0return, because faith isn’t\u00a0always a quiet stream–it’s\u00a0an inferno of glorious pleasure and\u00a0agony. There’s nothing in this world quite like it, and\u00a0we love the warmth of the flames regardless of how they are ignited.<\/p>\n
Like much of our scripture, art is malleable in that it can be\u00a0interpreted in many ways depending on\u00a0what the\u00a0observer brings to the piece.\u00a0When I listened to “Love the Way\u00a0You Lie” and in particular watched the video, the flames and the screams, the passion and the violence resonated with me in new ways. Listen to the words. Try and assign them to your own spiritual struggles.\u00a0Can you not see truth?\u00a0I don’t expect everyone to agree with my new interpretation of this song, but that’s okay,\u00a0I’m here to create conversation, not consensus.<\/p>\n