Jun
26
Mason Jennings: Great Musician, Not-so-good Philosopher of Religion (Part I)
Filed Under General religion, Religious Pluralism
In his newest album, In the Ever, Mason Jennings includes this provocative song:
“I Love You and Buddha Too”
Oh Jesus, I love you
And I love Buddha too
Ramakrishna, Guru Dev
Tao Te Ching and Mohammed
Why do some people say
There there is just one way
To love you God and come to you
We are all a part of you
You are un-nameable
You are unknowable
All we have is metaphor
That’s what time and space are for
Is the universe your thought
You are and you are not
You are many, You are one
Ever ending, just begun
Alright, alright, alright
I love you and Buddha too
Mason Jennings is probably my favorite musician. I have listened to him for years and always enjoy his songs. Actually, my favorite concert of all time was a concert of his I went to in Tucson, Az a few years back.
In “I Love You and Buddha Too” Mason is clearly promoting Religious Pluralism, i.e. all religions are equally valid ways to God. The problem with Religious Pluralism and with Mason’s view is that many religions contradict each other. Thus, Mason is forced to reshape the teachings of various religions in order to make his point.
1. First, he incorrectly applies the Christian teaching about loving God (i.e by loving Jesus) to other religions. Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, never taught that people should love him. This would imply desire and attachment, which is the opposite of what he wanted. The Buddha actually diverted attention from himself at all cost.
I am not sure why Mason included “Tao Te Ching” (maybe because it fit in the song) because this is the title of a collection of works from philosophical Taoism. There is no concept in Taoism about loving “Tao Te Ching.”
Although there is the concept of loving Muhammad in Islam, especially in the hadith, it is not equivalent to Christians loving Jesus. Muhammad is the last prophet, the perfect man, but he is not to be an object of worship (at least in orthodox Islam).
Mason adopts the Christian belief that God is a personal deity that is to be loved and erroneously tries to apply it to other religions.
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5 Responses to “Mason Jennings: Great Musician, Not-so-good Philosopher of Religion (Part I)”
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Nice! I’m looking forward to part two! I haven’t thought about Mason’s song that way. Very interesting!
I see what your saying but I think you’ve misunderstood the song! I think you’ve taken it way too literally.
For starters, he’s saying that its HIM who’s loves Jesus, Buddha, Ramakrishna, Guru Dev, Tao Te Ching and Mohammed. Not that it is a requirement for others to, or a stand point for the religions. It’s his personal feeling.
What the song is saying is that take what you can from all religions, because they all have the same fundamental ambition’s so to speak.
Religions are a bi-product of these leaders. They didn’t create the religions. So we have put our own ‘meanings’ to them. He’s saying take what you can from all these people, because they are all showing us their own different way to God. Buddha just worked in a different way to Jesus, whether he ‘diverted attention away from himself’ or not, the outcome was very similar.
Each path is leading to the same place basically.
Mark,
Thanks for taking time to read my post and commenting. My point was to critique his “personal feeling,” by showing that it does not make sense. He is obviously free to hold his own personal views. I just wanted to point out how misguided they are. If you look at all religions, you will see that they do not have “the same fundamental ambition so to speak.” For example, Buddha did not point people to God. Actually, he did not believe in a creator God. He taught that by getting rid of desire one could be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth. In contrast, Jesus claimed to be God and called people to turn away from sin and devote their lives to him. The Buddha and Jesus did not teach the same thing. I am glad that you “see what I am saying.” Although Mason has the right to hold a pluralist position, it is logically incoherent.
Peace,
I am first time visitor and reader and based on what I have glanced so far, i would like to commend the overall respectfulness and attempts at accuracy when dealing with religions other than your own(i came for the Mormon/Scientology article).
I rarely take the time out to provide corrections / input to non-Muslim websites that speak about Islam, mainly because the information is usually so distorted and/or blatantly false, that i figure this could only have been done intentionally (and with malice) in an age when correct information is so readily available. Thus far, this website appears different, so my “brief” and respectful correction is as follows…
you stated at the end of your article that; “There is not even the idea of loving Allah in Islam (except in Sufism).”
in response, i would just like to provide you with the following verses from The Holy Qur’an;
002.165
YUSUFALI: Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah): They love them as they should love Allah. But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty.
002.177
YUSUFALI: It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.
003.031
YUSUFALI: Say: “If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
005.054
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things.
021.090
YUSUFALI: So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife’s (Barrenness) for him. These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.
076.008
YUSUFALI: And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive,-
Mohamed,
Thank you for posting a response. You are correct. I was wrong when I stated that “There is not even the idea of loving Allah in Islam (except in Sufism).” My intent was to communicate that the concept of loving God is not a central theme in Islam, as compared to obedience or submission to God. I ended up editing what I wrote since this point was only a side note. Thanks for taking the time to post.
wmc