Grateful Dead

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I vividly remember one really ( i don't know how to term it (religious?) intense experience I had at the Greek Theatre when the Dead were playing Queen Jane (7/15/88). It was my first Greek show. But, anyway, I always thought that the band was just relaying a message from a higher power, and it's not like they knew it either. It just happened naturally. Right down to Hunter's lyrics...(and Barlow's). The Grateful Dead to me is bigger than the sum of its parts. Their job was to spread some sort of message that is UNIVERSAL. Perhaps that's' why they lasted much longer than their contemporaries? At the same time they were still never quite like any other musical ensemble. When I read Weir's quote about "Misfit Power," I often wonder, was all this chosen ahead of time? Are we puppets and everything is already planned out? I have a million questions and thoughts, but not too many opinions on it. I do know that no other band gave me that feeling that there was a higher power somewhere nearby. One of spirituality, one of more than just a band. Then you've got the name! That in itself is a great topic of discussion, and what the reverse of it means. Don't get me started. If you know me already, It will take you 10 minutes to read what I write. So, for now...... On a side note. I listen to a lot of other music too, and reading Tiger Lily's quote about Jesus, Buddha, makes me think of the band XTC, and one of their songs, "Merely a Man." I believe they had the right idea. Religion is uch a broad topic, when we're all, after all, only human. Here are the lyrics, it's a great song, and an awesome album (Oranges & Lemons..1989). Higher! I'm a king, yes, I'm a head of state. But I'm the kitchen boy who'll wash your dirty plate. I had no message and the message was, we're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz! I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do! And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll be lifting humanity higher! Higher! I'm all religious figures rolled into one, Gaddafy Duck propelled from Jimmy Swaggart's tommy gun. Don't promise rainbows with some golden pot, In fact what I can offer I know you've already got! I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do? And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll have power enough to raise consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher! Higher! And you know it's true. We should chase superstition and fear from our hearts if we're going to survive and take levels of sanity higher! Kick it up... Higher! I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do! And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll have power enough to raise consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher ~Tom ( "takes the dark out of the nighttime, paints the daytime black")

here we are again on a Sunday night-anyone playing any music? Sunday night with the GD was a religious experience...........it's been interesting reading what yall have said in the previous week. Gotta get some zzzzzzzz's-we're hitting the road soon.......love ya, Gypsy Cowgirl

Quite the Biblical historian you are-should tell my dad to come to this thread and read some of this stuff. He would be soo delighted to read such an intelligent discussion on religion. " I do however think we should know what we believe in whether it is Jesus, Buddha or whatever" Agree with you 8,000%, and is think is a favorite nugged phrase of this fascinating thread!!!!!!1 ********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens

What Jesus was reported to have said and what he actually said is a topic of great interest to me perhaps because a lot of what constitutes "Western" civilization is based on these writings. The man we know as Jesus was born around 6 BCE. His name was Joshua not Jesus. an apostrophe was left on a translation from the original Aramaic to the Greek editions of the Gospels. He was a Nazarene and as most Hebrew males was given a decent enough education to read the Torah and geometry. Evidently he was an intelligent man because he was known as "techton" meaning a designer-builder ( not as a carpenter as most people believe). In other words he designed buildings and supervised their construction like a general contractor today. He spoke both Greek and Aramaic. Hellenistic influence was heavy in the area. some of this was evidenced in the writings of having eternal life etc. Jesus was born during a time of great turmoil for his people. The Romans had taken over his country and allowed the Herodite family to govern. The Herodites were more than happy to cut a deal with the Romans and taxed the people almost to the point of starvation. The Jewish tradition of forgiving debts every 7 years was disallowed. This forced large amounts of people off their farms and into slavery- many fled into the cities. The Temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt and the temple priests lived lavishly while the average people had a hard time surviving. The area we know as the Holy Land was a smoldering fire with countless uprisings. Messianic figures were common, the population had to endure both the tyranny of the Romans and their own Jewish kings. There were many many "prophets" urging the Jews to rise up. Into this world came Joshua. His message was different. He did not want the people to overthrow the Romans, he expected God to do that. He preached a return to the old Jewish traditions. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" was a plea to stop dealing with the Romans and the temple priests and return to their roots. The stories of his healing are probably accurate. He had a following of perhaps a few hundred people. Around 35 CE he decided to go to Jerusalem and confront the temple priests. His actions at the Temple in which he overturned the tables of the money changers was a direct challenge to the temple leaders. He wanted to be arrested.His night of prayer in the Garden was one where he pleaded for God to come and smite the Romans. It did not happen. He did not expect to be crucified. " My God My God why hast thou forsaken me?" was the cry of a man broken at last by the knowledge he had failed. In later years his original followers the Nazarenes broke away from the followers of Paul who had decided to make Joshua a diety. The belief was adapted by the Roman empire who then used it to their own ends. I used to be a Christian and find many people to be good examples of their faith. I do however think we should know what we believe in whether it is Jesus, Buddha or whatever. And the road goes on forever.... BobbaLee

Peakin' says... if "everyone" in the world lived the way "Jesus" taught us to live, there would be no war, no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no hate, no greed, and a healthy planet. I say...Amen to that! Marye says... I think churches (of whatever stripe) can be a great community for folks and do wonderful stuff. People's trips and the wish to impose them on people sure do get in the way though. I say...agreed, churches can be great, and if everyone shared the love of Jesus in the way He shared/shares His own love, and if we share it in the way in which He'd have us to share it today, then I don't think people would be making others feel like they were imposing and getting in the way. It seems like one of the things that people have a hard time with, or don't like, is Jesus' claim to be the only way. He says that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and that there is no eternal life apart from Him. I believe in Jesus. I also pray that many would experience the love of Jesus, in the way He intended. Peace, and may you experience Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Ben Jesus Loves You The Best! greateststoryevertold.org (if you want a free CD(s) with Jesus-centered jam music, Jesus-centered reggae music, or Jesus-centered blues/rock music, email me and I'll send you free CD's. p.s. I'll be in San Francisco the next 3 weekends for Outside Lands Festival, Phil Lesh & Friends @ Slow Foods Festival, and Power to the Peaceful Festival. Hope to see you there!

"The actions and words of all humankind are but a ripple on the water." We all need to slow down and realize this. Thank you to all who have shared your thoughts and stories in this interesting thread. One common theme in these stories though is the open mindedness, tolerance and peace that have been instilled upon you through your religious beliefs. To me this sounds like these are the issues that are not taught through religion, but by your parents and your surroundings; the religion aspect only seems to grow from these teachings. This leads me to a the theory that religion is not at the core of our values, rather our environment is, which is another reason to protect it. Guess you could say that I am one of those people on the science side of the argument :) "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstein ~littlebri

I am with you there. For me however there are many sources to the truth and I find the teachings of and living example of Jesus to be one of the many shining stars to guide me on the road of life. Peace brother. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

and leery as I am of human authority, I think churches (of whatever stripe) can be a great community for folks and do wonderful stuff. People's trips and the wish to impose them on people sure do get in the way though.

Regardless of what you guys think of "organized" Christianity, and I don't blame ya, I think that if "everyone" in the world lived the way "Jesus" taught us to live, there would be no war, no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no hate, no greed, and a healthy planet. That's why I believe. Gimme,gimme, gimme,gimme some love! Ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait.

The actions and words of all humankind are but a ripple on the water. They start from a single drop of energy and spread outward until the whole body is affected. It is how you react to that ripple, and how you send it back into the body of water that makes up the world we live in. Listening to the music and lyrics of the Grateful Dead for numerous decades, I still hear notes and words every day that expand that body of water and therefore make me strive to send back out those ripples with peace, love and above all thoughtfulness to all humankind.peace and love to all in this wonderful world, pk