Offended by Green Day

[darenmay]

you won't get really affected in any way because you're not a catholic.

but try to take it from a catholic/christian's point of view.

maybe it's easy for you to say that there was nothing really wrong on it,

but other people might have a different opinion, too, just as you do.

but really, what is that picture for?

i'm sure green day won't use that backdrop if they play in mexico or spain,

and they know why.

[Hermione]

People shouldn't take themselves so seriously.

[Farah]

well billie had religious pictures on top of his chimeney, so i don't think he's really against jesus n stuff...... lol

why can't he get over it? it's only someone's opinion, i don't think they are trying to get everyone to think the same way as them, see, your friend needs to respect people's opinions.

[GDM]

but really, what is that picture for?

i'm sure green day won't use that backdrop if they play in mexico or spain,

and they know why.

Really? Hmm... I'd like to bet you that they will, but I have nothing to bet you with at the moment. We'll see if they use it or not. I can't really see them changing it just because they are in a Catholic country.

As to your friend, Katie, Green Day offends a lot of people because those people look on the surface of what the guys do and say and take it no further. If he wasn't familiar with the words to EJN, then I can see how he can be offended, particularly if Billie said what he said in one of the concerts I went to, "Jesus Fucking Christ... that is his middle name, isn't it?" Cracked me up, but I'm sure others aren't so cracked up.

Is your friend a really big fan or a casual fan?

They lost a lot of fans with American Idiot because all those fans could think of was that they were bashing the country and didn't take the time or the energy to understand where the band is coming from. When I went to see Green Day come out of rehearsal at Radio City Music Hall the other day, I ran into a girl who had been a huge fan at one time, but was seriously offended when Billie jerked off onstage (her words) during an AI concert and was really outspoken. She hasn't been a fan since she said. Apparently she never knew who they were and are, just as your friend really doesn't either.

You can't really change his opinion, but you can stick to your own. Does it offend you? Why or why not? What is your opinion of EJN or their religious views, etc., etc. Stick to your guns, don't let his opinion sway you and hopefully you won't lose your friendship over it, either.

There is nothing you can say or do that will change his mind. Religion in this country is a hot topic, hence the reason why EJN isn't coming out immediately as the next single like it had been reported at one time. People can't objectively look and see that folks have differing opinions on the subject, and that truthfully, EJN is about your friend... and while the backdrop may have been offensive to him, your friend doesn't seem to have taken the time to think any deeper about what the boys were trying to get at. It's a shame that he missed the rest of the show. EJN was what... like the third song in the set? What a drag for him! haha!

Good luck with your relationship with him. It might be uncomfortable for a while.

[Luci_Minority]

The song is more of a testament (ha) to the state of today's Church and the hypocrisy that's associated with it than anything else.

That. I'm catholic of but I'm not offended about the song...I think they're right about the hypocrisy of the church today...and I'm not absolutely offended about that backdrop! But that's only my opinion...

[Mari91]

That. I'm catholic of but I'm not offended about the song...I think they're right about the hypocrisy of the church today...and I'm not absolutely offended about that backdrop! But that's only my opinion...

im an orthodox christian and completely agree with the song. im not offended at all. Even my parents agreed with it, and they're way more religious than me

in my opinion they are absolutely right about the hypocrisy of the church today, there are stories all the time about priests and little boys.

[Juan]

I thought my dad was gonna get upset in the concert, but he loved it.

[GDM]

you won't get really affected in any way because you're not a catholic.

but try to take it from a catholic/christian's point of view.

maybe it's easy for you to say that there was nothing really wrong on it,

but other people might have a different opinion, too, just as you do.

but really, what is that picture for?

i'm sure green day won't use that backdrop if they play in mexico or spain,

and they know why.

I grew up Pentacostal, which is much harsher than Catholicism will ever be.

So when you say I don't understand about how people can be offended about the backdrop, you are assuming something you have no right to assume. So please don't attempt to say to me who would be offended the most by a Christian perspective since you don't know anything about me or my upbringing.

Thanks!

I completely understand how people can get offended, which is what I said in my post. What you didn't read is that I personally don't find it offensive because I understand where they are coming from.

We'll see if they use it in Portugal, Mexico, Spain, Italy, or any other Catholic country. But if they have to stop using it in Mexico or Spain, then they also have to stop using it in every South American country that they are going to. If they change it for one, they have to change it for all of them.

Like I said, we'll see. But I don't think they will do it.

By the darenmay,

are you thinking that there will be a riot in the stadium if they use it? EJN comes the third song in the show... do you think the stadium is going to walk out?

Do you know what Billie does during that song? He saves a child. Should they stop doing that, too?

"and they know why."

can you elaborate on why they "know why"? will someone pull a gun out on them and shoot them dead on the spot? Will their concerts be cancelled? I'm sorry, but your statement really makes no sense. maybe you are thinking that they will be excommunicated? i don't know about Tre and Mike, but Billie is Catholic. Is that what you are thinking?

best, tanya

[Brian]

Nope.

[IscoredWaddlesgoals]

I don't think the picture is that bad, I found Madonna draping herself over an MDF sparkly cross (in the name of HIV awareness - ?) more offensive than that.

If the song is about the hypocrisy of religion (rather than just Christianity) then why not put some symbols of other religions up ? It seems a bit unfair to take pot shots at just one. Some text might be interesting as well.

[minorityxdisturbed]

The song is not anti-jesus it's just abpout the hyprocresy of the religions, but Green Day lyrics are always so polemic, a lot of people are offended for some few things, Billie has his own oppinions as Mike or Tre and they expressed like people who have differents oppinions so it's impossible that nobody get offended by something, all of us are so different.

[Bastard of 1967]

I gotta ask you guys something, and I wasn't sure where to post about it..

BUT, I had a couple of friends that were at the concert with me on August 12th, and during East Jesus Nowhere, one of them got extremely offended at the backdrop. I guess it has jesus on it, with a bloody cross, he got so offended that he actually left.

Yep, that's the backdrop....one of *the* most compelling images they brought with them IMO, and unfortunately your friend's reaction I think sums up the entire meaning of the song. So many people in this country (if not the whole world?) just drink the damn kool-aid that their so-called leaders -- religous, political, whatever -- dish out to them, without stopping to think even for a moment about what's in it and what the consequences are. "YOU BLASPHEMED JESUS AND THAT'S AN UNFORGIVABLE SIN!!!!"......It's that mindless, brainless hypocrisy -- and the centuries of persecution and bloodshed that result from it -- that the song intends to challenge, and the imagery pounds home the message.

Yet because of how visceral a reaction it generates in the people who most need to hear that message, it will get lost on some, and sadly there may be nothing you can say to your friend right now that will change his mind. The best I can suggest is along the lines of what t ann already recommended -- understand the song and the backdrop for yourself, develop your own interpretation and stick to your guns....so if and when your friend ever becomes ready to engage the subject from an intellectual perspective rather than a knee-jerk emotional reaction, you can discuss it with him intelligently. If that does happen, I'd say Bille Joe and the boys did their job well.

[Hermione]

I don't think the picture is that bad, I found Madonna draping herself over an MDF sparkly cross (in the name of HIV awareness - ?) more offensive than that.

If the song is about the hypocrisy of religion (rather than just Christianity) then why not put some symbols of other religions up ? It seems a bit unfair to take pot shots at just one. Some text might be interesting as well.

I agree that it's about the hypocrisy of religion in general, but the religion the members of Green Day will have directly experienced is Christianity.

Even though the song applies to every religion I think it's fair enough to just use Christian symbols because the reality is it was the Christian church that affected Billie into writing the song. Living in the US it's the religion that surrounds them. I think if they put a symbol up for every religion it'd seem like they were only doing it to be PC.

[.Militza.]

Why did he even go to Green Day show if he can't stand that kind of art...

[IscoredWaddlesgoals]

I agree that it's about the hypocrisy of religion in general, but the religion the members of Green Day will have directly experienced is Christianity.

Even though the song applies to every religion I think it's fair enough to just use Christian symbols because the reality is it was the Christian church that affected Billie into writing the song. Living in the US it's the religion that surrounds them. I think if they put a symbol up for every religion it'd seem like they were only doing it to be PC.

I understand what you're saying in that Green Day probably won't have had experiences of many religions outside of Christianity, but I think if you're going to criticise religion in general you can't just choose one. Plus, they must know that out of all of them Christianity is probably the one where they might cause offence, but nothing too huge. I can't imagine them putting up a picture of Allah (do you have to put pbuh if you just write it ?) and getting away with it (or at least only having people walk out) quite as much.

[Robin105]

To tell you all the truth I think this is the reason Green Day decided not to make EJN a single (at least not yet anyway) because of how offended people get over religion. I think all religion is horseshit anyway. And it's not like Green Day's saying "There is no god. Don't believe in him" There just saying how obsessed everyone is with religion which is true.

[Hermione]

^

^Good point about Allah! Yeah maybe that did affect their choice. I don't know, I think both options (just Christian or lots of different religions) would be appropriate, both get across the message of the song. But using just that one image of the religion that actually affected them seems more direct and I quite like that. Either would be alright though.

[KCoyote]

I have friends who would be offended because they swear. Really, no matter what we do we will at some point offend somebody so I say, I do what I want and people can either deal with me as I am, or move on. I think it's great that they don't worry about offending somebody, because no matter what, they will.

[Jesus*Of*Suburbia]

A lot of people don't realize this though.

That's probably because they don't take time to listen to the lyrics.

The song is more of a testament (ha) to the state of today's Church and the hypocrisy that's associated with it than anything else.

Agreed.

[IscoredWaddlesgoals]

^

^Good point about Allah! Yeah maybe that did affect their choice. I don't know, I think both options (just Christian or lots of different religions) would be appropriate, both get across the message of the song. But using just that one image of the religion that actually affected them seems more direct and I quite like that. Either would be alright though.

Thank you

It's nice that they're actually trying to do something interesting with the backdrops/video rather than just pictures of the album artwork or close ups of the band.

[Trotsky]

Please direct him to Encyclopedia Dramatica's Offended page. (warning, not for children, I'm serious)

[Jesus*Of*Suburbia]

You know, this actually reminds me of sumfin. I seen a father from a local church last week, he took one look at me and said oh you are a Green Day fan eh? They are a cool band. I never in a billion years expected that to come out of a priests mouth. I suppose I thought of this because I realized how close minded people can be when they don't take the time to even listen to the lyrics, obviously even this priest had and he understands that they are not mocking religion and so forth.

[LibertyBelle.]

Wow, Jesus...bloody...on a cross...How offensive?

Think your friend gets up and walks out of the classroom every time the teacher shows him a picture like that?

[mad hatter.]

Religious nutcases...we could do with less of them.

yes.

[LouLou]

I know exactly how you feel. My friend who religious went with me and got offended. I try to tell myself that she cam have an opinion and I shouldn't be offended just like she shouldn't be offended but it's hard not to feel sad when your best friend is complaining and saying how mad she is right after you get done seeing your favorite band, something you waited so long to do. It's a time your supposed to be at your happiest and they end up dragging you down. It kinda makes feel like a hypocrite to say "you can't be offended, but I can." But it does really end up ruining your whatwas supposed to be a great night.