He said publicly that "hand that feeds" is about politics my friend. Bush. AND I've been to 3 of his concerts in the last year and when this song is played there is ALWAYS a picture of Bush on the screen.

First, let me state that I don't agree that the recent music of NIN is about Trent finding and preaching religion, nor TOOL's. That said, I'd like to respond the the above comment.

I find your statement appalling and incredibly hypocritical.

I have an issue accepting organized religion as you seem to. In addition to all of the reasons one might think I am against it (such as a way to make money, etc) the most prominent reason I against it is because it is basically the same as being a racist, or a nazi, or a supremacist, or whatever. Every major religion believes that if you do not conform to their rules, ideals, etc., then you will be punished. It's pretty much black and white for most, especially Christianity.

If there is a god, or a force, a power, whatever... well it seems to me that IT would be more accepting of all people. IT would be forgiving, fair and NOT vengeful. We are ALL people, and IT would see us as ONE. Religion separates, discriminates and takes us away from the true way of the universe. I could go on, but I won't.

My point is, when you say you won't support TOOL, Trent, whomever, because of their religious beliefs, then you, my friend, are NO BETTER than the organized religions you seem to be against.

This album is actually more atheistic than any he's produced, but he's masking it in allegory that religious people can swallow.

Maynard realized he could sell more albums and spread his memes more effectively if he coated them in non-threatening language.

This doesnt make since to me because the are so many older songs that deal with organized religion, 46 & 2 , Lateralus, Reflection, They may not be very well known but they are still "organized" religions, and I personally think Maynard had a revelation that this whole time he was turning away from organized religion and getting into more occult and metaphysical teachings he was just walking into the new age of religion. There is a man named Drunvalo Melchizedek that wrote the books The Ancient Secrets of the Flower of Life. Its all about Sacred geometry, including the Golden spiral, Fibonnaci sequence, 46 & 2, and alot of other Tool references from their past few albums can be found in there. It has become an organized religion where you can train and become a Facilitator. I believe this also is part of his more acception to Christianity, he still does not believe in it himself but it's hipocritical of him to bash on Christians when he has his own beliefs that could be bashed on by others. So pretty much if you still agree with your statement, you better go ahead and throw out all of your albums with Maynard singing on them, because your just feeding into a new religion. P.S. Melchizedeks books are very good and insightful, I'm not trying to rip on these teachings I'm just saying stay open minded and take everything with a spoonful of sugar.

I'm sorry, I like Tool as much as the next guy, but "MJK is ifinitely more gifted musically than Reznor"?????


umm... ok. here's a guy that recorded a masterpiece album BY HIMSELF, and is an incredibly good composer. And then a guy who has a good voice + a knack for writing great lyrics.

get real.



substitute lyrically for musically in your first post, and I agree.

I believe in God. Got a problem with that?

I don't think Maynard has had a religious conversion....nor do I remember hearing this about Reznor.

I agree with most repliers in this thread, Maynard has never been anti-God or against any of the teachings of any of the prophets. How could someone be so devoted to denouncing organized religion and the way it skews the original lessons of prophets, and yet not give a shit about the teachings themselves? I have always perceived Maynard to be a SPIRITUAL person. Just not RELIGIOUS. His art has reflected that forever. Does anyone understand what I'm trying to say? Just a thought.

um...i think i just fell in love with bellamadia

can i hit you now?

Ok first of I think most reposters are correct. This is not some anti god crap or anything. Maynards not like that in his music. He never criticizes God. only the religions and their corruption. He isnt a satanist or what ever. You dont need some religion to believe in God. So i dont get why people think that Maynard is anti-God or has found a religion or whatever. I believe in God but I dont have a religion I just think there is something out there.

The day maynard believes in god will be the day he reaches the "pearly gates"

"It never ceases to amaze me how people so gifted in some areas can so mispercieve reality and the meaning of life"

You condescending motherfucker.

"The universe is hostile, so impersonal,
devour to survive , so it has, so it's always been"


oh and another thing... in 10,000 days he urges his mother to look God in the eye and demand her place in heaven....

it's interesting how people cling to a few words and just forget to think about the context...

Yes...cause I mean lets face it everyone.

YOU CAN'T MAKE AMAZING MUSIC IF YOU SUPPORT RELIGION!

Our local genius here has pointed that out.

Does faith have to be blind?
Isn't your "trust" in Tool to give you that "deep rooted feeling" simply a form of faith?
Isn't faith in God supposed to "transform" every time you experience the Holy One?




maybe they're more closely-related than you think...

Ha ha, I just saw this now. Aww, I take it you agree with my views. :)

bellamadia, i think EulogyCallinMe may agree more with viewing you than your views!

anyhow, someone mentioned tapeworm above, just to clarify, tapeworm is dead

lol Well i suppose I will take that as a compliment so thank you. I'd like to think it was because he thought I had something good to say and maybe if he thought I was attractive it was an added bonus. :)

No, it's your life. Worship goats for all I care.

No its most definitely both.
ha sorry it took so long to respond i was on vacation for a very long time and then i proceeded to forget about me even posting on this site.

just because a song is about looking inward and growing as a person doesn't mean it is about religion. mjk uses religion as a tool to convey his perspective. hence the name TOOL

well put

The fact that Tool makes me feel good is not faith; it's fact. I'm not like, "I hope Tool's music will make me feel good...". If it does, great. If not, I know that I'm not in the appropriate mood to feel good, but not because of lack of faith.

I learned that lesson the hard way. Damn those cartoons make it look so easy.

Really, have you ever read the Bible? Tell me that the god of the Bible is a peaceful one that doesn't murder and encourage the murder of millions. Tell me what the first Passover was, will you? While Noah was floating on the ark, what were all of the rest of god's children doing?

Religion in general is based on control, most often the means of that control is fear. What is peaceful about telling someone, 'be good or you will burn in hell'?

yes - which one, and why don't you believe in the others?

think he listened to that...





bye!

is there a PROBLEM, though --- why do you even care?

naw. i can see him standing there, looking god in the face and say" Pfft. you dont exist."

best thread title evar!

As a huge fan of both Tool and NIN (Trent Reznor), I can honestly say that MJK is PROBABLY not more musically talented than Trent. In terms of writing it definitely goes to Maynard- You can only use the ''I am the _________'' line for so long until it becomes stale. But musically, as in playing instruments, Trent has the upper hand. It is widely known that he does almost all of the work on NIN records, who else could Jeordie White?

That's a very, very interesting last name.

Your God is dead and no one cares
if there is a hell i will see you there.

Some people exert more energy despising religious sentiment(s) than the "religious people" spend practicing and preaching their beliefs. I read this message you posted again and again, and everytime I get to the phrase "but I can't support his future efforts," it strikes me as even more pompous and foolish than the previous time I read it.

I don't mean this as a personal attack, but to strike out on a crusade against Maynard and anything he or his bandmates might create in the future simply because you have convinced yourself (without having spoken to him yourself, I might add) that he harbors love for one religion or another.

That sounds a little...dogmatic now, doesn't it? You've constructed a tiny little religion of your own, and the basis of that religion is to abhor and scorn anyone and anything that aligns itself with traditional religious bodies. It's like when the emo kids paint their faces and cut themselves and talk about how they'll never be another sheep in the flock. They do and say all of this together, in a nice, safe group of like-minded individuals to which you can't belong unless you're doing everything within your power to be different from those outside of the group. Sound like a familiar construct?

So I'm going on a tangent now. My point is don't throw stones at your own glass soapbox, or something. If Maynard believes in Christianity, or Buddhism, or if he thinks Chocolate Bunny Rabbits are going to save the human race, whatever. Keep an open mind. If you do nothing else with yourself in this life, at least reflect and be aware.

So much for "don't flame me".

MJK, like many people, doesn't hate religion. Just the orginizations. Just the "Give us your money and God will love you more."

In this album, he's saying "Mom, if your God is anything like what you thought he was, if he really exists, he better open those fucking gates for you."

It's not my business to get into. (or yours, for that matter.) Enjoy his work. But for God's sake [=p], you're not doing yourself any favors by not listening to such amazing music because YOU THINK he MIGHT be in the school of jesus fish. You're a pompous, self-righteous idiot and I hope you choke on a biscuit.

Can't read all this shit but what's the fuckin' problem with believing in something? Like some fuckin' teen gossip magazine in here. "OH NOES IF MAYNARD HAS FAITH I'M TRASHING ALL MY TOOL ALBUMSSSSSS!!@!@"

Fuck.

Am I the only person who sees 10,000 Days as an ironic description of how many follow religion. I get the image of someone storming the pearl gates demanding to be let in, assuming that they deserve it. To me, it brings to mind all those that follow religion out of fear of the unknown rather than faith. People who are religious in name but not in practice. Perhaps this song isn't so much about whether to be religious or not, but rather to remind people to be humble in their actions. If you want to follow the teachings of a religion, do so because you believe in the teachings, not so you can get to heaven, etc.

HAhahahahaha.
MJK...greater gifted muscially...gahahahah! That was fucking hilarious.

MJK is not good enough to do anything even close to Reznor's skill. Ever.