Last Call Worship

I'm not exactly a Carson Daly fan, since I have only seen two of his new shows that I can recall. However, the other night he had a couple of interesting things. First off I am glad he introduced me to another book discussing militarism which I would like to read. Secondly he showed this band's song Lean into the Fall-Mona. They recorded a live show Mona played at SXSW in Austin. At the show people were raising their hands, pumping fists, staring glossy-eyed, and generally really "into" the music.

If you have ever been to a show where you really loved the band, "that" particular song, were just awe-struck (not in the you-are-just-wanting-t0-get-with-the-lead-singer way) at the performance, you know what I'm talking about. I liked the song, but since I wasn't there, I wasn't "moved" to express myself in this way. In other words there wasn't an emotional height that I had reached to which my response was to move my arms or legs out of my normal set of motions (like walking or fiddling with my hair).

Anyway, I was watching these people dancing, jamming out, clapping and screaming in response to the music and whatever emotions and excitement it invoked. I sat wondering what the difference was with worship.

When people speak of worshiping God, the modern Christian will immediately jump to a list of ways that they like to worship. Common things are singing, praying and reading the Bible. Some would consider their tithe a way of worshiping God by means of obedience and commitment. Focusing on the music part, though traditional and contemporary music in the church buildings these days is obviously different than going to a concert, it's still music. In the same way, I would like to extend the parallel to the response to music (tapping feet, clapping hands, cheering, etc.) whether it is in a church or club is also worship.

You get what I'm trying to right? I'm saying that people, humans, whatever your beliefs are worship. I propose that worship is merely the natural, somewhat unconscious response to some sort of invocation. It is simply letting go and allowing SOMETHING to move through you. Whether you are a Christian and want to devote this worship to God, or you're another religion and devote it to God With A Different Name, or you're Hindu and call it Prana (life-force), or perhaps you are Obi-Wan and call it The Force, whatever.

Some people might agree that "worship" defined this way is mostly universal (let's account for exceptions), but will throw in that it does indeed matter "who" you're worshipping. I'm not so sure that this makes any sense at all. Coming from a Christian perspective, I "worship" God. I "put no Gods before God" as in I try my best not to worship idols.

A thought: if worshipping is "letting go" of one's self-consciousness and joining in a community of worship (whether others are physically present or not.. I believe you can worship "alone") then how COULD you be putting any other God before God. How can you even be directing your worship anywhere? To me, worshipping is the letting go... the giving up of restraining power... and submitting to the way in which the Spirit (or at the concert, the music) moves you. It is a conscious unconsciousness. Like returning to innocence. Just "being".

This experience if you are willing to attain it (whether at church, at a concert, a yoga session, etc.) is invigorating and life-giving, and I am thankful for it.

So see, yet another way that we as humans are the same, despite the words we use to describe our spirituality. I would be willing to bet that many of the "nonspiritual" people of the world have tapped a toe or caught themselves humming a tune at some point in time. I would be even more willing to bet that we were capable of physically expressing rhythm before we could verbal express much of anything.