I thought that it was pretty clear why he describes Gacy as being "just like him".
The majority of the time when he refers to Gacy he talks about his childhood -and its normality. He gives a few little details which underline this.
To all intents and purposes there is no reason that I, nor Sufjan can work out why Gacy turned out the way he did and Sufjan did not. That's what the song is mostly about.
When he says "and in my best behaviour" it's like he's transporting himself back to his childhood (no adults seriously talk about themselves as being 'on their best behaviour') for the purposes of comparing himself directly with Gacy.
In this respect the song is partly about a loss of innocence and the mystery behind why similar people take different paths.
It always annoys me slightly when christians try to read too much into sufjan. It's like theyre claiming him and every song he's ever written for god.
I love the purity of his spirituality (he references faults of and doubts about his god in his lyrics.)
I doubt that god enters into everything stevens does -sure his religion is an influence but I think it would be a mistake to say that his beliefs influence his songs any more than say, the town where he grew up or his childhood.
your interpretation is good. being a psychology major myself I agree with you on the childhood issue. BUT I might be one of those annoying Christians you speak of. I don't claim Sufjan nor his lyrics. truth be told I only came across this song because Tim Keller (pastor of Redeemer Church in NY) quoted him in one of his sermons.
your interpretation is good. being a psychology major myself I agree with you on the childhood issue. BUT I might be one of those annoying Christians you speak of. I don't claim Sufjan nor his lyrics. truth be told I only came across this song because Tim Keller (pastor of Redeemer Church in NY) quoted him in one of his sermons.
Romans 7 says "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing."
I know this is true because I see it played out in my own life everyday. We all have the capacity to do terrible evil things. Unfortunately that's just where our hearts are. take motives for example. I may think that my intentions are good but in my heart I'm really doing certain things for selfish gain. Sufjan (and yes he might be referring to the innocence of childhood, I'm not an expert) could be referring to the fact that we all have the capacity, like Gacy, to do terrible things. "look beneath the floor boards" refers to our hearts. check your hearts. there is evil in there that might not appear on the surface.
I'm a Christian and to me Sufjan is something else. I agree, not every song of his has a religious meaning or needs one. And I know of the people you're talking about that "claim him", it's kind of embarrassing, haha. But I do think the last line is a reference to the way God views sins. All are equal. But I'm sure this can be said for humanity itself, what's to say stealing is worse than drinking under age? Sure we have laws... but everything is relative. I think it can go both ways. But Sufjan is wonderful, the...
I'm a Christian and to me Sufjan is something else. I agree, not every song of his has a religious meaning or needs one. And I know of the people you're talking about that "claim him", it's kind of embarrassing, haha. But I do think the last line is a reference to the way God views sins. All are equal. But I'm sure this can be said for humanity itself, what's to say stealing is worse than drinking under age? Sure we have laws... but everything is relative. I think it can go both ways. But Sufjan is wonderful, the sometimes Christian singer I like. Seriously, everything else Christian I've heard sucks.
I thought that it was pretty clear why he describes Gacy as being "just like him". The majority of the time when he refers to Gacy he talks about his childhood -and its normality. He gives a few little details which underline this. To all intents and purposes there is no reason that I, nor Sufjan can work out why Gacy turned out the way he did and Sufjan did not. That's what the song is mostly about. When he says "and in my best behaviour" it's like he's transporting himself back to his childhood (no adults seriously talk about themselves as being 'on their best behaviour') for the purposes of comparing himself directly with Gacy.
In this respect the song is partly about a loss of innocence and the mystery behind why similar people take different paths.
It always annoys me slightly when christians try to read too much into sufjan. It's like theyre claiming him and every song he's ever written for god. I love the purity of his spirituality (he references faults of and doubts about his god in his lyrics.) I doubt that god enters into everything stevens does -sure his religion is an influence but I think it would be a mistake to say that his beliefs influence his songs any more than say, the town where he grew up or his childhood.
your interpretation is good. being a psychology major myself I agree with you on the childhood issue. BUT I might be one of those annoying Christians you speak of. I don't claim Sufjan nor his lyrics. truth be told I only came across this song because Tim Keller (pastor of Redeemer Church in NY) quoted him in one of his sermons.
your interpretation is good. being a psychology major myself I agree with you on the childhood issue. BUT I might be one of those annoying Christians you speak of. I don't claim Sufjan nor his lyrics. truth be told I only came across this song because Tim Keller (pastor of Redeemer Church in NY) quoted him in one of his sermons.
Romans 7 says "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing."
I know this is true because I see it played out in my own life everyday. We all have the capacity to do terrible evil things. Unfortunately that's just where our hearts are. take motives for example. I may think that my intentions are good but in my heart I'm really doing certain things for selfish gain. Sufjan (and yes he might be referring to the innocence of childhood, I'm not an expert) could be referring to the fact that we all have the capacity, like Gacy, to do terrible things. "look beneath the floor boards" refers to our hearts. check your hearts. there is evil in there that might not appear on the surface.
I'm a Christian and to me Sufjan is something else. I agree, not every song of his has a religious meaning or needs one. And I know of the people you're talking about that "claim him", it's kind of embarrassing, haha. But I do think the last line is a reference to the way God views sins. All are equal. But I'm sure this can be said for humanity itself, what's to say stealing is worse than drinking under age? Sure we have laws... but everything is relative. I think it can go both ways. But Sufjan is wonderful, the...
I'm a Christian and to me Sufjan is something else. I agree, not every song of his has a religious meaning or needs one. And I know of the people you're talking about that "claim him", it's kind of embarrassing, haha. But I do think the last line is a reference to the way God views sins. All are equal. But I'm sure this can be said for humanity itself, what's to say stealing is worse than drinking under age? Sure we have laws... but everything is relative. I think it can go both ways. But Sufjan is wonderful, the sometimes Christian singer I like. Seriously, everything else Christian I've heard sucks.
amen to that, brother.
amen to that, brother.
LOL.
LOL.
I didn't really think of Sufjan as religious until I went online and read some of these comments.
I didn't really think of Sufjan as religious until I went online and read some of these comments.
That's probably just because I'm an atheist and Jesus isn't really ever on my mind.
That's probably just because I'm an atheist and Jesus isn't really ever on my mind.