Rebellion Against Religious Institutions

24 CHAPTER IV DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS

4.1 Rebellion Against Religious Institutions

The term religion comes from Latin, religare, which means “to tie orto bind”. Moreover, religion can be defined as an institution which ties or binds its followers by its regulations. Religion involves more than a simple belief in the existence of God or even a complex belief regarding supernatural beings. Instead, religiousbeliefsinvolvelinkingmoral values, position in society, the meaning of life, rituals and all things which are connected through people and God. Shoni Labowitz in his book, God, Sex and Women of the Bible, expresses the definition of religion: “Religion is an institution established by man for various reasons. Exert control, instill morality, stroke egos or whatever it does. Organized, structured religions all but remove God from the equation. You confess your sins to a clergy member, go to elaborate churches to worship, and told what to pray and when to pray it. All those factors remove from your god.” Labowitz, 1998: 10 From the statement above, it can be concluded that a religion is an institution established by man for some reasons to make them closer to God. Furthermore, the presence and absence of belief in God make some perspectives. For those who believe in a religion, submitthe regulations is a must to be done and there are some punishments for those who rebelled. 25 How do we know that God exists, while hecannot be seen? That is a common question emerging in society. It is not easy to answer, because the experience of each person towards God is different. Kelley Mahoney in Nye 2003:56 says: “Understanding that God is there when we can’t see him sometimes takes some reminding. A great place to turn when we’re feeling abandoned or doubting God’s existence is the Bible itself. God’s word reminds.” 2003:56 In Mahoney’s perspective, to understand about God can be found in the Holy Book itself, because each person has a different perspective of God. Religion ties person who belief the existence of God by making some regulations that must be obeyed by its followers. Time by time, religionhas evolvedandemergedmany kinds of religionsinthe world. Global Religious Landscape released in 2010shows thatbased on the analysis of the approximately 230 countries in the world more than 2,500 censuses, surveys and population registers that there are at least 9 kinds of religion evolved in the world Retrieved frompewforum.org.This showsthatmanypeoplehave chosentolivereligiouslyandreadyto follow theexistingrules. However, not all people want to be too religious in their lives. Rebellion against religion is one ways to show that religious regulation cannot satisfy the desires of its followers.Shelley Segal for instance. She was not born from unreligious or atheist family.She was born ina religious family where her father was known as a local president of the synagogue. From her background, it is known that she has been tied with so many religious regulations in her life. However, Shelley chooses to 26 reject the existence of God and the regulations because she wants to follow things that can be seen. Shelley Segal is a songwriter and singer who likes to express her feeling in beautiful songs. In her album, An Atheist Album, she clearly shows her rebellion against religious institutions towards the existence of God and dogma and religious regulations. In the middle of her life journey, she found that many unfair regulations in religious life, such as a woman who should submit to the man. Personally, Shelley likes to live in a freedom where no one ties her, even religious regulations. In An Atheist Album, sheclearlyexpressesher rebellionagainstseveraltypes ofreligious institutions and religious regulations and choosesher own waytobe an atheist to getfreedom. This thesis focuses on some kinds of rebellions against religious institutions towards the existence of God and religious dogma and rebellion against religious regulations written in An Atheist Album. There are two kinds of Shelley Segal’s rebellions against religious institutions which are expressed in songs entitled Eve, Gratitude, Saved, Afterlife, I Don’t Believe in Fairies, House with No Walls and Apocalyptic Love Song. Rebellionagainstreligious institutionstalksaboutallthingsrelated toreligion itself. Religious institutions are made of variousdogmasandrules. Inthisthesis, rebellion againstreligiousinstitutionscan be seenthrough Shelley’srebellionagainst theexistenceof Godas expressed in the song I Don’t Believe in Fairiesanddogma as expressed in the songs Saved and Afterlife. 27 4.1.1 Rebellious Idea Against The Existence of God Religion and God or supernatural power have a close relationship. A religion is made of the belief in God’s presence and makes a few ways to get closer to God. People began to think that God is in the highest place that cannot be reached by man and His power is beyond human logic. Thiscauses people to make various regulations that can make them closer to God. Before realizing the existence of God, people had realized another power in the Earth, such as ghosts, fairies, goddesses, etc. Until this time, the topic ofthe existence of Godandothersupernaturalthingsare stilldiscussedinseveralaspects ofhuman life. But, the recognition of the existence of God is not followed by faith of its follower. ShelleySegalalsoraises the issue ofthe existence of GodinAnAtheistAlbum. Inthisalbum, shemakesasongthat liftsher perspectivetowardsGod. In her life, Shelley rejects the existence of God because she doesn’t believe in the invisible power. In the song I Don’t Believe in Fairies, she expresses that she is not only rebel against the existence of God, but she also mentions her rebellion towards all the supernatural powers of the earth. I Don’t Believe in Fairies is a song which has a strong statement showing that Shelley does not believe in mythology or supernatural. Although itis notpossibletodenyall themythological creatures, butthere is noevidence of their existenceandthatis why shechooses not tobelievethem.In this song, Shelley makes an important point towards her doubt of all supernatural things. Shelley can survive in her life without the help of supernatural powers in her life. This song shows her rebellion against all supernatural things and in the end she declares that all supernatural power is 28 useless. Further, in this song Shelley says that she is not only rebelling against a religious institution, but also to all religious institutions. The SongI Don’tBelieveFairiesisthe sixthsong in An Atheist Albumwhich describes Shelley’s attitude towardsreligious institution through the existence of God. From the title, the readercanunderstandthatthissongspeaksabout therebelliousattitudetowardssupernatural things. The song is writtenprimarilybyusingrepetitionI do notbelieve in, itmeansthatShelleywants toinserther feelingsthatshe does notbelieve in the existence of God and any supernatural things. Inthissong sheuseslessfigurativespeechandusesimple words because shewantsthe reader focusonthe meaning in thissonglyric. I don’t believe in fairies I don’t believe in ghosts I don’t believe in vampires Hungry for our throats I don’t believe in Fairies-stanza 1 The meaning of the first stanza is to showing the readers that there are so many kinds of supernatural power in this world. In the first stanza Shelley opens the song by directly expressing her feeling that she does not believe in any fairies,I don’t believe in fairies-line 1. This stanza consists of four lines where Shelley uses sense device of repetition in the words ‘I don’t believe’ as three times in the first line to the third line. In the first line Shelley mentions that she does not believe in fairies, and then in the second line she describes several kinds of fairies, one of them is a ghost, I don’t believe in ghosts-line 2. This shows that people around her still believe in the power of ghost. 29 Shelley does not only describe that she does not believe in ghosts, but also mention that she also does not believe in vampires, I don’t believe in vampires-line 3. Vampireportrayedasa ghostwholikesto suckthe bloodfromthe throat, Hungry for our throats-line 4. Inthe first stanza shedescribes thevarioustypes offairies whicharecommonlyheard bychildren. Thisshowsthatsincethe early children have beenintroduced withvariouskinds ofsupernatural powers. I don’t believe in Jesus I don’t believe in Zeus I don’t believe in Allah I think they have no use I don’t believe in Fairies-stanza 4 Then, in thefourth stanza,Shelleybecomesmoreradicalin expressingher ideas. In thisstanza shevocallyrebelsagainstallkinds ofreligions. In line twelve, sheimplies herrejection to Jesus, I don’t believe in Jesus-line 12. Jesusisthe name of GodinChristianity. Itmeansthat sherefusestoChristianitybelief. The firstsupernatural powers sherebel is Jesus. It seems that she wants to tellthe readerthatmost of peoplearound her arebelieve inJesus. Later, she expressesthat not only does shenotbelieve inJesus, but shealsodoes notbelieve inZeus, I don’t believe in Zeus-line 13. Zeus is the highest goddess in Greek Mythology who has a super power than another goddess. Moreover, she expresses that she also does not believe in Allah, I don’t believe in Allah-line 14. In this song, Shelley uses Allah to refers th Moslem. Then, in the last line of four stanza she mentions why she chooses to rebel and doesn’t believe in all religious institutions. She says that they have no use,I think they have no use-line15. They in this line is refers to all God that she had mentioned. Shelley not only rebel 30 against religious institutions, but she also mocks them. It seems that she wants to show her desire to live in freedom which doesn’t believe in a specific religion and follow its regulations. I don’t believe in heaven I don’t believe in hell I don’t believe that we are children Who need to fear to behave well I don’t believe in Fairies-stanza 7 Religious institutions usually teach what people should do and shouldn’t. As a reward to someone who obey all the regulations is heaven while those who break the rules is hell. Moreover, unfortunatelyShelley does not choose one of them. In line 23, she immediately expresses that she does not believe in heaven, I don’t believe in heaven- line 23 or in hell, I don’t believe in hell-line 24. Religious institutionsteach its followersto be faithfullike a childbecausethe childis stillpureandspiritso thattheycan be morefaithfulandspiritedinobeyingthe rules. Still, Shelleyrebelagainagainstthisstatement. She thinksa child isobeying the rulesbecauseheis afraid of being punished.Shesaidthat she would notactas childrenwho are afraidof punishmentso thatthey will behavewell, Who need to fear to behave well-line 25. I don’t believe in salvation I don’t believe in sin I don’t believe it will be easy But I believe that reason can win I don’t believe in Fairies-stanza 8 In this song, Shelley shows her rebellion against some mythologies and religious institutions, such as Greek, Christian and Moslem, but she more often shows her 31 rebellion against Christianity rather than other religious institutions, stanza nine for instance. This stanza expresses that Shelley thinks about the salvation, but she mentions that she will not believe in a savior, I don’t believe in salvation-line 26. In the song Saved, Shelley has mentioned that she doesn’t believe in salvation, even the consequence if she does not believe it, she will not be saved. Then, she adds that she also doesn’t believe in sin, I don’t believe in sin-line 27. Shelley has mentioned her doubt towards some mythology and religious rules, but the line 29 she shows that she believes the reasons can win over it all, But I believe that reason can win-line 29. Shelley writes this song by using less figurative speech but strong in repetition, in ninth and tenth stanzas for instance. Ninth stanza is the repetition from third stanza. This stanza talks about her courageous that she is not afraid of being in dark situation because she considers that all supernatural things is only human’s imagination, Of creations imaginations have made-line 32. As in the ninth stanza, tenth stanza is also a repetition from the sixth stanza. This stanza also repeats her place when in the dark, but she will not be afraid because she thought that it is only her and what she face, I know it’s only me and what I face-line 35.What her face in this case is refers to the problems that should she face in her life. Dark place refers to difficult situation in her life, it expresses that in this situation she is not afraid of anything that she should face. The song I do not believe in fairies is a song expressing the thought of Shelley Segal as the against religious institutions through the existence of God. In this song, Shelley makes the important point that she will not believe in any religious institutions because she is doubtful that God and religious institutions can help her. In this song, 32 Shelley also expresses her rebellion against all religious institutions by saying that they are useless and she takes responsibility for herself and her own actions. 4.1.2 Rebellious Idea Against Religious Dogma Religious institutionis notjust talking aboutthe rulesthathave tobe obeyedbyit followers. Dogma becomes one of the essential things in religious institution besides the religious regulations. Dogma has a wide meaning. Based on Wikipedia, dogma’s definition is: “Dogma is the principle or set of the principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. It serves as part of the primary basis of an ideology or belief system, and it cannot be changed or discarded without affecting the very system’s paradigm, or the ideology itself. The term can refer to acceptable opinions of philosophers or philosophical schools, public decrees, religion or issued decisions of political authorities”. Retrieved from wikipedia.org Dogma is being one of the important thing in religious institutions since it refer to the ideology or belief system. Eduoardo Le Roy in Gregoriana1985:96 also defines dogma. He states: “Dogma are not simply dark and enigmatic formulae that God promulgates in the name of his omnipotence in order to humble the pride of our mind. They have a moral and practical sense. They have a vital sense more or less accessible to us, according to the degree of spiritually we have attained.” Gregoriana 1985:96 G.K. Chesterton said that in truth, there are only two kinds of people; those who accept dogma and know it, and those who accept dogma and don’t know about it, Retrievedfrom goodreads.com. From these quotes, it can be concluded that dogma 33 plays an important role in religious life. Each religion has different dogmas and regulations. In An Atheist Album, ShelleySegalalsocriticizes religious dogma. Religious dogmais aprinciplewhichcan be foundinreligious institutionsasthe characteristics of eachreligion. In this album, Shelley rebels against the religious institutions which talks about dogma that people need a savior in their lives so they can be saved as expressed in the song entitled Saved. Morever, she also criticizes another dogma which talks about the issue of afterlife as expressed in the song Afterlife. These dogmas are the issues found in her society and have disturbed her mind for a long time. She isrebellingagainstthese issuesbecause shehas anopinionwhich iscontrary tothesedogmas. In the songsSaved and Afterlife, Shelleyclearlystates to rebellingagainstthese issuesandtrytofind her own way. The song Saved is probably the most critical song in this album. This song is the expression of Shelley’s rebellion against the dogma which says that people need a salvation in their life so they can be saved. Saved is a song which expresses a direct mockery that she needs a salvation and when she refuses, she would be punished. Shelley was born in Jews family where her father was known as the local president of Synagogue, so the mockery of a salvation has been familiar to her. Say that i need to be saved Say with me the devils got his way I want to know how when you are praying And when you are dooms-daying How you think you know that someone is listening to what you are saying Saved-stanza 1 34 The meaning in the first stanza is to shows the rebellion of Shelley Segal towards the isuues in the society. This stanza showing the sound device of onomatopoeia where each lines in this stanza uses consonant ‘S’. In the first line of first stanza, Shelley doesn’t use any metaphor or another figurative of speech to open her lyrics. She directly talks about the issues of dogma that she needs to be saved, Say that I need to be saved- line 1. When she says that she needs to be saved, it seems that she wants to show the reader that she is in danger. Danger in this case is referring to the life nowadays, which becomes difficult and life can be hard. Then on the following line Shelley shows her attitude towards the issue. She disagrees with the issue and rebel against it. She challenges the people to show her if the devil gets his way when she is saved, Say with me the devils got his way-line 2. Shelley expresses her doubt towards the issues that she must be saved and the devils will go away. Then Shelley challenges how holy they are that they dare to judge her to be saved or not. She wants to know how when they are praying, how close they are with God, I want to know how when you are praying-line 3. Shelley continues to challenges the people in the following lines. She wants to know when they are dooms-dying, to prove whether it is true that they are saved or not, And when you are dooms-daying-line4. Later, she closes the first paragraph by expressing her feeling to people by mocking them of how they will know when someone listens to what they are saying, How you think you know that someone is listening to what you are saying-line4. She thinks that people around her are talking too much without realizing whether their words are accepted or not. So you think that you Can tell us how to live our lives Never questioning the source from which your moral code derives You think that suffering is part of some great plan that’s been devised 35 I wonder, I wonder When we’ll be rid of your lies Saved-stanza 3 Shelleyconstantlyexpressesher rebellionin thenext stanza. She turns to ask people to prove how good their lives, Can tell us how to live our lives-line 7. Shelley knows how people live their lives where not all people are too religious in their life, but unfortunately they like to force her to accept the salvation that she will be saved. Shelley seems to be disturbed with this issue because it is so incompatible with her character. Shelley describes people todays as she has written in the song House With No Walls, she shows her feeling in order to reject her friend’s attitude which chooses a certain religion but at the last he doesn’t follow the regulations at all. Her friend is the picture of people todays who have decided to choose a certain religion but later they don’t follow the regulation at all and this condition which makes Shelley rebel against the religious institution. In the line 8, Shelley tells that do not ask where the moral code of these people come from, Never questioning the source from which your moral code derives-line 8. She believes that a religion doesn’t teach its followers to obey only some regulations and ignore the others then combine the knowledge with their half of religious regulations. Shelley argues that if people have chosen to follow a certain religion, then they must obey all the religious regulations completely. She also expresses the perspective around her that says a great plan is followed by sufferings. Ithasbecome like adogmawhich is believedbythe society, You think that suffering is part of some great plan that’s been devised-line 9. Further, Shelley continues to expresses her opinion that she disagree with this statement. In the fifth stanza it seems she wants to say that there is no connection 36 between religion and human life.She mentions that she hesitates to this statement. Shelley uses repetition in word wonder, this is to emphasize that she is really hesitate of this statement. What will it take for you To start opening your eyes To start questioning the bullshit everyone around you buys You think it’s any of your business what goes on between my thighs? I wonder, I wonder, When we’ll be rid of your lies Saved-stanza 5 The song Saved consist of five stanzas where the last stanza is the climax of this song. In this stanza Shelley closes the song with a sharp statement. Shelley says What will it take for you seems she wants to ask how to open the people’s eyes so that they believe. In Shelley’s opinion, she argues that everybody has a freedom in all the aspects of their lives, even in choosing a salvation. In her song entitled Gratitude, it does not need to be religious in live to be able gratitude to something. Peopleare toobusytocomply with allthe religious rules, so thattheydo nothave timeto questionwhat happens to thepeoplearoundthem, To start questioning the bullshit everyone around you buys- line 24. She directly tells what happened to her, about her life or her choice of a religion, that these are not the people’s business. Shearguesthatifpeoplehavefolloweda certain religion, thentheyshouldfocusonallthe rulesanddo notinterfereherlife anymore, You think it’s any of your business what goes on between my thighs?-line 25. Furthermore, she shows her doubts of the statement that she needs a salvation by repeating the word I wonder. As the closing of this song, Shelley expresses that what 37 people saying about need a salvation is just a lies, and what she wants to do is riding the lies and living in her perspective. In the songSaved, Shelley expresses the rebellious idea against the issues in society which talks about the Christianity dogma of salvation. It implies that Shelley does not only live in the religious family, but she also lives in the religious society. This is indicatedbythe issues in her society which is connected withreligious lawandbecome the themein one of her song entitled Savedwhich is the expression of rebellion against religious dogma towards what people said about the necessity to have salvation so that they will be saved. Actually, Shelley Segals rebellion against religious dogma is not only talking about salvation, she also criticizes about the afterlife. As well as in the song Saved, the songAfterlife also contains the issues of religious dogma in her society. Afterlife raises issues concerning the return of the Messiah, and the end of life in which most religions believe the existence of heaven and hell. The song Afterlife deals with the issues arising from religious dogma regarding an afterlife. These issues include religious dogma about the coming of the Messiah, the belief in an immortal soul and the belief about heaven. From this song, Shelley expresses her attitude towards these issues. These issuesare talking aboutthe end of the timewherethere is noevidenceonthisissue. These issuesaffectShelleySegalin writingthissong. Finally, after Shelleysays about the issue of the return of the Messiah who saved the people, she then reveals her choice of life on these issues Follow the guidebook for an afterlife Which one do I try which one do I try? I’d like to believe that i’ll never die But I can’t comply, no I can’t comply 38 Afterlife-stanza 1 In the first stanza, Shelley opens the song by saying the issue which stuck in her minds, it is about afterlife. She says that to have a life after the afterlife or doomsday she needs a guidebook, Follow the guidebook for an afterlife-line 1. Guidebook talks about what should people done and shouldn’t. Moreover, a guidebook in this line is a metaphor which refers to the Holy Book, or in other hands Shelley wants to criticize the regulations in Holy Book. In the following line, Shelley expresses her confusion about this situation. Shefeels confuse whether to followwhat is saidinthe Holy Bookornot. It is because she has heard the issues that she will not be saved if she does not accept the savior. Then, she will get the consequences if she does not follow it, she will not has a life after the afterlife. But, her confusion does not take a lot of time; she immediately shows her choice on the following line which says that she will believe that she will not be dying,I’d like to believe that i’ll never die-line 3. This statement implies that she doesn’t believe either the Holy Book or afterlife. She prefers not to comply with the guidebook which shows in the fourth line that she uses figurative speech of repetition to emphasize her choice that she will not believe the guidebook, But I can’t comply, no I can’t comply-line 4. This statementdescribes thehuman charactersin this periodwhodo notwant to be boundedbyrules. Thousands and thousands are humming that the second comings coming And environmental responsibility is succumbing To the suicidal longing for paradise Can’t we see it’s already before our eyes? Afterlife-stanza 5 39 The fifth stanza deals with Shelley’s attitude towards the issue of life after theafterlife. In this song Shelley rebel against the Cristian dogma in which it teachesthateverypersonneed a salvationso thattheywillbe savedandhave a life after the afterlife. Christianityalso talksabout the second comingwhichmeansthat theMessiahwillcomeagainto savethe people who have belief in Him, thatis whymanypeople choose to be religious in theirlifeso they can be saved. But in the fifteenth line, Shelley describes that the people around her are humming the time of the second comingis getting closer, Thousands and thousands are humming that the second comings coming- line 15. The issue of the second coming is growing very quickly so that thousands of people talk about this issue. It shows that people around her are afraid of not being saved,it is the reason why the issue continues to be discussed by many people. The word‘thousands’impliesthatactuallyShelley has tired of hearingthisissue. Furthermore, in the next line Shelley expresses that she does not just get tired of hearing this issue, but she also talks that the people around her have forgotten their responsibilities to the environment. She thought that the people around her are too religious in their life so that they only think of paradise, they love to dream, but they become negligent to pay attention to their surroundings, To the suicidal longing for paradise-line 17. Shelley mentions that she does not agree with the attitude of these people who are only concern the religious life, but forget about environmental responsibility. Further, she expresses why she rejects theguidebook, it is because she thinks that this issue has not proved the righteousness. The issue can only prove to be true if someone has died, therefore she does not believe this issue because there is no one who proved it. She mocks the people by shouting that they are still humming about 40 the second coming, but in fact they have never seen it before, Can’t we see it’s already before our eyes?-line18. She argues that the issue is only nonsense. This showsthe attitude ofrebellionagainstreligiousdogmaof salvationby rejectingthe Holy Bookandrejected the second coming. All that makes us who we are we find, cannot survive without a mind But you’re so afraid to die you’re willing to sacrifice Living through it all with the knowledge that you have only ONE LIFE Afterlife-stanza 6 In the sixth stanza, Shelley expresses the reason why people decided to choose a certain religion. She mentions that people are too afraid to die, thats why they chose a religion which offers a life after theafterlife, although they have to make sacrifices in the world to be saved,But you’re so afraid to die you’re willing to sacrifice-line 20. This is in accordance with what has been said before that people are too busy to think of paradise so they forget to environmental responsibility. From this statement it is known that the salvation is not free, people have to make sacrifices in their lives to be saved. Then, Shelleysays that she still believes in heropinion that there is only one life and nolifeafterthe death, Living through it all with the knowledge that you have only ONE LIFE-line 24. Fromthis statement,it can be seenthatShelleyslifebased on her knowledge, not byfaith. Shelley likes to compare the Biblical ruling with her knowledge and perspective becauseshe onlybelievesto what canbe seenandproven, notjusta mere issue.This describes the character of Shelley, who prefers seeking the truth to trusting the issues, including in religious life. I spend my days, trying to engage with the world, To learn as much about everything as I can 41 Using the body of knowledge which is our shared heritage to further understand The historical and evolutionary context of man Afterlife- stanza 9 In the ninth stanza, Shelley describes what she has done in this life. Sheexpressesthat she istryingtofollowthe worldbecause shewants tofeel close withothers,I spend my days, trying to engage with the world-line 29. Why does she want to be close to the world? This is because she wants to learn everything as much as what she could learn. She wants to expand her knowledge more than trusting the issues towards the salvation.Thislive showsthat shewants tobe closerto theworldly thingsrather thanreligious thingswhich are notproven.Still, unfortunately, the knowledge does not make her accept the existence of God. By comparing all the Biblical rulings, she makes a conclusion not to believe in any religion and chooses to follow her own way as an atheist. This is in accordancewith thefeelingsthat shewritesinline 31,Using the body of knowledge which is our shared heritage to further understand. In addition, she explains that a person who holds a higher revelation is like spitting to people who choose to dedicate their lives to enriching in many aspects of life, To hold revelation in a higher place is to spit in the face of those who chose to dedicate their lives to enrich our own- line 34. The people whohold therevelationsarereligious peoplewholike tojudge othersso thatothersbelieve it, but ifsomeonedoes notfollowtheir instructions, they will be judgedlike being spitted in their faces. For the fourth times, she repeats the common issues in the community towards a guidebook, and she refuses to believe it,Follow the guidebook for an afterlife-line 22. Sherepeatsthe sentenceto clarifythat 42 sherebelledagainst thereligious dogmaanddoes notwant tobe boundedbyanyrulesbecause shewants tolive in freedom. Afterlifeis asongthat was createdasa criticism of theissueof theguidebookwhich talksabout the lifeafterdeath. Guidebook in this case is refers to the Holy Bible. When in the song Saved Shelley expresses about people who judge her to receive the Messiah so that she will be saved, then in this song she continues that she believes there is no life after death so that she does not need to believe in that Holy Book. In this song, Shelley expresses her feelings that she believes there is only one life, so she prefers to trust in knowledge rather than religious issues. This songconsistsofelevenstanzasandeach stanzatalks aboutissuestowardthe second coming,the reasonwhy sheshouldbelieve in theguidebook, andthe reason shedoes notbelievethe guidebook. Shelley wasbornfroma religiousfamily, so she has understoodaboutsome of therules ofthe Bible, but shelikestocompare thereligiousregulationswiththe knowledgeandfinally shechoosesher ownnot tofollowanyreligiousinstitution. The songsSaved and Afterlife talk about the same theme of the religious dogma which develops in Shelley Segal’s environments. These songsarewrappedinmelody, but the meanings of every word in these songs expressher rebellionagainstreligious dogma towards salvation. In Savedsong, Shelleyexpressesher thoughtstowards the issuewhich saysthat sheneeds asaviorso that shecanbe saved. This songdescribesthat the world is increasinglyroughandthatswhypeopleneed a salvationin their lives. In contrastwiththe peoplearound him, Shelleyshowsher contrast attitude by rebelling against religionandchoosingher own way as the atheist. Furthermore, in thesongAfterlife shegivesthe same attitudetothe religious 43 issueswhichsaysthateverypersonshouldfollowtheguidebookso thattheywillbe savedandhave alifeafterthe afterlife.Inthis song, she also expressesher rebellionby comparingthe religious ruleswithknowledge. Further, this song describesthe character ofShelleywhichlikesto believewhat canbe seen bythe eyethanto believewhat she had never seen.

4.2 Rebellion against Religious Regulations