They're Only Chasing Safety

So I decided that I should listen to the rest of Underoath's They're Only Chasing Safety since I have only heard about three or four songs off of this CD. This album was release in 2004 and became the third album that the band released.

Although I have listened to many different albums by this band I never spent the time realizing what they were about. Some have labeled them as a Christian band while others put a secular label on them. When the band was asked whether they were a Christian and they stated that they all loved God and they do what they do because of him and for him, but that they didn't want to label themselves as a Christian band just to sell out. Guitarist Timmy McTague wrote a wonderful blog while they were on tour a couple years ago:

The Velocity of Existence

It's 3:30 am and I'm feeling a bit emotional pressed so I'm writing on this computer screen hoping that somewhere someone is needing something. I'm listening to the new Mogwai record in an almost pitch black front lounge in Chicago. What a night. Sometimes life seems to throw you curve balls for no other reason than watching you hurt. A flawed people medicating a flawed people...resolution is unreachable. I watched "W" today. It's cast and acting was a mediocre attempt at being a worthwhile performance, but the content overshadowed any flaws in casting/directing. It is just the thousandth piece to the puzzle of our corrupt government, and it's doings therein. So many times Christians naturally move toward to the conservative candidate due to pro-life issues with abortion, while they ignore the utter disregard for life already being lived out on earth. Is standing up for unborn children enough to negate the disregard for human life already in motion pertaining to the acts of war and sacrifice? Misplaced energy seems to be a re-occurring theme in our society as of late. We're based on hard lined inconsistency and selective conscience. The left and right are far off the mark at this point, but a line must be drawn somewhere. Secondly, Humanity is meant to self destruct itself, im sure of it. We are born to be children of purpose and hope, yet we are filled with lies and sow destruction at every turn. We have no regard for others, just selfish gain on all accounts. What a waste my life has been, so many days of this last quarter century....the only thing bringing any validity is God's grace and purpose. I feel that if there were some way to tally up my days of purpose against my days of neglect, they would be out numbered 100/1. We spend our days sneaking and lying through sleepless patches of existence. We are going to hurt and be hurt. God is the only thing worth living for. I see this clearly at such random points in life. I know it's truth, but only at the most desperate points do I see it so beautifully and clearly. I've given up on this life, but the future is bright. We just have to do our best to push through and seek God in all things until it's time to move on. God's mercy on us all.

-Tim McTague, Underoath

:I was very intrigued at how true I thought this was. I really enjoyed his line, "We are born to be children of purpose and hope, yet we are filled with lies and sow destruction at every turn. We have no regard for others, just selfish gain on all accounts."

When I read this line, it instantly reminded me of the documentary we watch, 'The Corporation'. I myself am a global business marketing major but I was appalled by the measures companies would take just to get good numbers on their quarterly report. I don't blame people who work for that corporation for the things that the corporation is doing, but I think that they should all be aware of what the company is doing. Sweat shops in other countries employ kids whose only option is to work their to stay alive. The corporations know this and they know that the labor is cheap and that their products will still sell for the same price, and so they take advantage of this situation.

I work for a company that distributes Maytag appliances. These parts are made in factories in Mexico where the labor is cheap and are shipped to the United States to be assembled. Maytag hides the fact that these parts weren't actually made in Mexico by only put the "Made in Mexico" stickers in small locations or inside of the machine while they print "A product of the USA" in big letters on the side of the box as a marketing strategy.

It amazed me that my mind could wander from Underoath's album to kids slaving away in sweat shops. I guess that just goes to show how well that movie was directed to get me to think about these situations while I sit on my couch drinking grapefruit juice with my laptop on my lap listening to music. I have it so well of and I thank God that he has placed me where I am in life today.

What can we do, as an employee under 'the Corporation' to further God's Kingdom?

How is sin so powerful to allow for situations for those in the sweat shops and poor countries when we complain when the only job we can get pays $8 an hour:?