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An Interventionist God Hot

Avatar Written by Eric Kuiper     September 05, 2007     Favorites 0 Add to favorites
 

Music Video

Title Into My Arms
Artist Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Director Jonathan Glazer
Year Released 2005

The lyrics of this song are beautiful on their own, but when they are paired with what seem to be people responding to their beauty, they are even more powerful.

It makes me ask, what is behind the tears? Are they moved by the sincerity of the words? Do they weep because of a lost love? Or could it be the emotion of a person who does not believe in a God who will listen and act but desperately wishes such a god existed?

The production cost of this video must have been relatively small, but Glazer is able to make it work. Capturing raw emotion on film like this cannot be simple. Either these people are truly connecting with Cave's lyrics or they should all be nominated for an Oscar.

And to walk, like Christ, in grace and love
And guide you into my arms

Beginning with the line “I don't believe in an interventionist God” is what brings this song such depth and complexity. This song is one of the more wonderful prayers ever put to music—and it is uttered by a person who doesn’t seem to think that it will make any difference.

I wonder how many people pray ever day even though they don’t think it matters. How many of us pray, not out of belief, but because it seems like a beautiful idea?

Do you weep along with the people in this video? Do you not believe in a God who will ‘intervene’ but are moved by the idea of One Who Would?

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Into My Arms (lyrics)

by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

I don't believe in an interventionist God
But I know, darling, that you do
But if I did I would kneel down and ask Him
Not to intervene when it came to you
Not to touch a hair on your head
To leave you as you are
And if He felt He had to direct you
Then direct you into my arms

Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms

And I don't believe in the existence of angels
But looking at you I wonder if that's true
But if I did I would summon them together
And ask them to watch over you
To each burn a candle for you
To make bright and clear your path
And to walk, like Christ, in grace and love
And guide you into my arms

Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms

And I believe in Love
And I know that you do too
And I believe in some kind of path
That we can walk down, me and you
So keep your candlew burning
And make her journey bright and pure
That she will keep returning
Always and evermore

Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms

Comments (4)add comment

Leslie said:

0
 song review
I do not think this song is about different spiritual beliefs, or ideas of different God between two. No. Everyone has his/her own relationship with God, so it's God's love and heart that unite them, and makes them to have the one God in their hearts, and grow their love. God is Love.
October 01, 2011

David Busic said:

0
 Which God?
Nick Cave says he does not believe in an interventionist God. What God is that? Is it the god who wishes to intervene but is powerless to do so? Is it the god who could intevene but doesn't care? Is it the god who has chosen to be removed from the real world and left humanity alone? The images in the video may reveal the answer.

The faces in the video are young and old, black and white, male and female. They are as diverse as the world. What they have in common are their tears. Is this Cave's artful way of identifying that what all humanity shares is their suffering? Is Cave allowing the questions of his lyrics to poetically say what he really does believe about God?

At the end of the video a hand reaches out to touch the face of a woman who is weeping. It is not clear who the hand belongs to because the face is hidden. Is this Cave's hand? Is he saying, "I will reach out to you"? Is it the generic hand of the global family reaching out in compassion? Or could it be something else? Could it be the incarnated hand of God? Is Cave trying to say that the god he does not believe in is the aloof god of heaven who stands idly by as people cry out? Perhaps the God Cave wants to believe in is the One who puts on skin and gets into the river with us. The God whose hand looks a lot like our own.

This is the Christ the song calls us to emulate: "... To walk, like Christ, in grace and love . . . And guide you into my arms."

Into my arms, O Lord.
April 30, 2011

Thomas A said:

0
 ...
The third and final verse is my favourite.

The line "So keep your candle burning and make her journey bright and pure" is sensational and turns the whole context of the verse upside down. At the start it appears that Cave is still speaking directly to his female love as he's been with the rest of the song. But then this line comes along and it seems that he's no longer communicating to his girl but - in my opinion - to God and asking, nay praying to him to keep a watchful eye over his love and always direct her back to him.

The final futile act of praying to a God you don't even think exists really reflects on how fragile and fickle our deepest beliefs can be when put under the strains fo great emotion.

Beautiful.
October 26, 2010

steve sherwood said:

steve sherwood
 ...
That is a phenomenal song and video! Incredibly haunting. Made more so by the fact that Cave actually is a man who professes faith.

As to the crying? You may well be right. My take watching was that their tears were what moves Cave to sing. He's offering comfort. Their tears caused by pain of life that we don't know.

Regardless, I LOVE this video. Thanks for sharing it.
September 08, 2007

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