Believe

I saw this on the back of a tee shirt once.
The “be ve” were in green, so that under the black light I could barely make them out…
but theLIE was white, and it shone in my eyes with all the brilliance of the sun.
Right smack dab in the middle of the word believe is a great big fat LIE!

This stupid clubber’s shirt had triggered an epiphany.
I mean, did the crafters of the English language intend this subversive little trick
or is it mere coincidence? Why have I never heard anyone expound on this stunning revelation?
I mean come on, the very word that speaks of faith and acceptance of something that can only be
guessed, the star that every religion revolves around, the handmaiden of truth…
and the very heart of this word is a LIE!

Perhaps everyone knows this, perhaps they taught it in kindy-garden on the day I was absent, it is
quite possible that most people figured it out the same day that they realized that the olden days did
not occur in black-n-white, or that chocolate milk does not come from brown cows. But for me, it is a
new concept that would have been quite a blow to any faith I had in ordered religion
(had I any).

Fortunately, I have for quite some time now, adopted the beLIEf that all words are lies, for they are a
map to only one facet of reality, and though they are powerful, they are false. Language can only serve
to wrap words around the truth, but truth itself is translanguistic, and can only be felt, or known, not
spoken or written. I speak of course of the BIG TRUTHS and not the “I went to the store” or
“thefez can eat glass and smile” kind of truths.

Be that as it may, the word beLIEve is a very potent word. It causes people to war with one another,
handle venomous snakes, refrain from eating, weep and shout with profound sorrow and ecstatic joy.

This LIE is hidden so well, that it took a tee shirt manufacturer to point it out to me…

The sophomore effort from metal/nu-metal act Disturbed, released on September 17, 2002. Believe is 11 tracks of crunchy riffing with mostly light vocals on top, capped off by a dark acoustic ballad. Sorry kids, no death metal screams or blast beats here. What we find instead is an easy flowing album. The disc was recorded at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Il with producer Johnny K, the same man who produced their previous album, The Sickness. As I listen to the album, I find it hard to figure out if their previous disc was better. It was definitely heavier, with more groove and punch, but Believe stands as a good disc. Think of it as Staind with a big pair. In an interesting note, All the track titles are one word long.

MTV is stupidly boycotting the video to Prayer, the lead off single from the album. They're not showing it because it depicts a modern city crumbling as disasters hit it. The idea for the video came not from Assholes trying to prove a point in the complete wrong way but instead the Book of Job from the Bible. MTV decided to play parent for all those parents who can't do it themselves and will not show the video because of the destruction in it. However we can turn on CNN and see all the real carnage we can eat cheeseburgers to, while we have raging hardons. God Bless America, and God Bless MuchMusic!

Tracklisting:

Sources:

Maybe a bit too ranty for the MTV part, but this is a good album. Prayer is a cool song with a cool video. That and Censorship is stupid.

Be*lieve" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Believed (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Believing.] [OE. bileven (with pref. be- for AS. ge-), fr. AS. gelfan, gelfan; akin to D. gelooven, OHG. gilouban, G. glauben, OS. gilbian, Goth. galaubjan, and Goth. liubs dear. See Lief, a., Leave, n.]

To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; as, to believe a person, a statement, or a doctrine.

Our conqueror (whom I now
Of force believe almighty).
Milton.

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ?
Acts xxvi.7.

Often followed by a dependent clause.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts viii. 37.

Syn. -- See Expect.

© Webster 1913.

Be*lieve", v. i.

1.

To have a firm persuasion, esp. of the truths of religion; to have a persuasion approaching to certainty; to exercise belief or faith.

Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Mark ix. 24.

With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.
Rom. x. 10.

2.

To think; to suppose.

I will not believe so meanly of you.
Fielding.

To believe in. (a) To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; -- as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead. "She does not believe in Jupiter." J. H. Newman. (b) To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; -- especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." John xiv. 1. (c) To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to believe in sea bathing, or in abstinence from alcoholic beverages. -- To believe on, to accept implicitly as an object of religious trust or obedience; to have faith in.

© Webster 1913.