I see this as rather a desperate song. I don't see where Smith sees positivity in the lyric. Here's how I understand it.
At the start of the song the narrator is seeking help as he feels so desperate. In his desperation he turns to God, who is the idea of perfection. Faith is supposed to move mountains but the mountain doesn't move.
The environment Smith grew up in was catholic and the line about raping children is probably a reference to Catholic Priests' reputation for pedophilia. Saints are numerous in the Catholic faith but who really knows much about each individual Saint.
People often turn to religion in later years ('trust in me through closing years') and are told heaven comes to he who waits ('perfect moments wait'). But yet when people pray they are often praying that someone doesn't die ('please say the right words' is surely a reference to prayer).
The bible contains references to acts of kindness and charity but this song suggests that 'no one lifts their hands, no one lifts their eyes'- ie, indifference and an unwillingness to help- in other words people's engagement with the teachings of the bible are just empty.
In an interview on French TV Robert Smith talked about his views on religion. He said it was for idiots and was all nonsense. The interviewer replied 'but you did an album called Faith'. Smith didn't dispute that the album was referring to religious faith but instead said that he was brought up in a Catholic environment and that although he saw it all as bullshit from the age of about 8 he still grappled with the legacy of that upbringing for many years afterwards.
I see this as rather a desperate song. I don't see where Smith sees positivity in the lyric. Here's how I understand it.
At the start of the song the narrator is seeking help as he feels so desperate. In his desperation he turns to God, who is the idea of perfection. Faith is supposed to move mountains but the mountain doesn't move.
The environment Smith grew up in was catholic and the line about raping children is probably a reference to Catholic Priests' reputation for pedophilia. Saints are numerous in the Catholic faith but who really knows much about each individual Saint.
People often turn to religion in later years ('trust in me through closing years') and are told heaven comes to he who waits ('perfect moments wait'). But yet when people pray they are often praying that someone doesn't die ('please say the right words' is surely a reference to prayer).
The bible contains references to acts of kindness and charity but this song suggests that 'no one lifts their hands, no one lifts their eyes'- ie, indifference and an unwillingness to help- in other words people's engagement with the teachings of the bible are just empty.
In an interview on French TV Robert Smith talked about his views on religion. He said it was for idiots and was all nonsense. The interviewer replied 'but you did an album called Faith'. Smith didn't dispute that the album was referring to religious faith but instead said that he was brought up in a Catholic environment and that although he saw it all as bullshit from the age of about 8 he still grappled with the legacy of that upbringing for many years afterwards.