The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #131136 Message #2964835
Posted By: GUEST,spookhandy
13-Aug-10 - 10:33 PM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD: God's Counting on You (Lorre Wyatt)
Subject: RE: Pete Seeger - God's Counting on You (Lorre Wyatt)
ABOUT THIS "GOD" THING THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE COMMENTING ABOUT. Pete has a simple philosphy about God - if I am correct. (I hope you will leave room in your thinking that I might actually be wrong about this, but here is my understanding from what I know of him.)
Pete's belief is that "God" - whatever that is - doesn't want us to simply pray or even pray at all for "him" or 'her" or "it" to do anything for us. Instead, "God" - whatever that is - gave us the brains and the wherewithall to solve our own problems. (I happen to feel similarly.) So, in this song, "God's counting on me. God's counting on you" means precisely the opposite of what commenters who took issue with the word "God" thought he meant. Knowing Pete and listening to this song, it means this to me:
Don't sit back and pray for "God" to take our troubles away. If you pray at all, do as President Obama suggested. Pray that we find the courage in ourselves to face the challenges we need to face. Because in the end it's really up to me and you. Instead of us counting on "God" for the problem TO BE SOLVED, consider the possibility that God's counting on me and you to GET INVOLVED!!!