What's so suspicious about it? The emphasis was put on the father and the Son. It's quite simple, really. Dude couldn't find anything to rhyme with Holy Spirit,. I'm sure he recognizes God's active force, though not in a Trinitarian way.

and musically cohesive.

Well, I would. And I would go so far as to say it's the best thing he's done this century. I'd also like to see him top it...this century.

Were should I start?

"The Wise One who understood the law that was handed down from God long ago
reflected the true meaning 2 his woman every day
and she surrendered her discerning of it in2 his care and keeping
4 she trusted he would lead in the right way.
Her children in subjection 2 her, she subjected 2 the Wise One,
and the Wise One in subjection 2 the only begotten one,
all - 4ever in subjection 2 God"

hmmmm let me get this straight...the woman cant interpret God's word for herself. She must "surrender" it to her man...the children are subjected to her and she to her man and the man to god...Does this sound like the Prince you grew up with????

"Holocaust aside, many lived and died
But when all truth is told
Would u rather b dead or b sold? "

What is this supposed to mean...my people suffered worse than yours?...what are we talking about here..compartive atrocities??? whats the point???

"Sold 2 the one who can now mate the displaced bloodline with the white jailbait."

Huh?....


"Every time I watch the other people news "...

Other people's news??? is this the opposite of YOU people???

"There's a theocratic order now
This is how it's gonna b
If u wanna b with me
Ain't no room 4 disagree "


Interesting....so we're gonna switch one oppressor for another? The Taliban was a theocracy..they also have one in Iran...its not pretty. "room 4 disagree" is one of the few things that make this country great

"First of all, the term "black and white" is a fallacy. It simply is another way of saying "this or that". Let's examine the term "this or that" in its ultimate form which is: "this" means the truth or "that which is resistant 2 it. When a minority realizes its similarities on a higher level- not just "black"- but PEOPLE OF COLOR, and higher still "INDIGENOUS", and even higher still, "FROM THE TRIBE OF.", and yet higher- the "RAINBOW CHILDREN". When this understanding comes, the so-called minority becomes a majority in the wink of an eye. This action will cause a Reaction or Resistance. The source of this Resistance must b banished as it is in direct conflict with the initial action. It cannot be assimilated, 4 its very nature is resistance. In other words, ONE CANNOT SERVE 2 MASTERS. U r either "this" or "that" which is not "this". "

So if all the "Rainbow Children" become a majority then who is left to be the "minority"? Who exactly is being "banished" here? You are either with us or against us?....compare with the message of LoveSexy, PartyUp etc...

Those are the most obvious examples but the whole thing reeks of moral superiority and condemnation of that which he doesnt agree with....
[Edited 2/8/05 18:09pm]

He's come full-circle from "Controversy" on TRC. It's the end of a spiritual journey.

Yes, I'm very eager to hear what he'll come up with next as a spiritual statement, after the nostalgia-laden "Musicology."

Well, I would. And I would go so far as to say it's the best thing he's done this century. I'd also like to see him top it...this century.

For example, the "dem devil come dressed as light" lyric. Some folks have been so determined to make that into a somehow racist lyric. I'm not even a Christian and I know that Biblical teachings are full of references to the devil disguising himslef as goodness and light in order to deceive people. It's sad to hear some people try to twist this into something against white folks.

Rose-tinted glasses are added when some people talk of "classic" Prince lyrics circa the 1980s.

For example, the "dem devil come dressed as light" lyric. Some folks have been so determined to make that into a somehow racist lyric. I'm not even a Christian and I know that Biblical teachings are full of references to the devil disguising himslef as goodness and light in order to deceive people. It's sad to hear some people try to twist this into something against white folks.

I've spoken at length about my interp of the lyrics on TRC, so I won't bore y'all with that again.

One thing I will repeat is my opinion that the lyrics to TRC are some of the strangest, obtuse ones of his career. To try to say with any kind of conviction that you KNOW what Prince was trying to say on some of these tracks is just foolish. They are open to interpretation probably more than any other album (with the possible exception of Lovesexy). Hell, the whole thing reads more like some sci-fi epic than it does a religious diatribe. Prince is myth making like he does on MOST of his albums, so its going to be viewed differently than most of his stuff. I really think that the average person, not knowing Prince is a JW, would probably find this the equivilant of watching David Lynch's adaptation of Dune without having read the novel: "well, that sure was neat, but I have no idea what its about".

One's spiritual journey should not end until you die, and last I check, Prince was still alive and kicking.

"A spritual journey," vs. HIS spritual journey.

Not the same thing.

One can have many spiritual journeys.

Then again, not everyone spends his/her life endlessly searching, without finding. He's found something here, and he'll find other things.

Maybe you should listen to it yourself before going by the posts of others.

Listen and decide for yourself.

The holocaust aside line is just as it says.....he's not saying that the Holocaust didnt happen or was irrelevant....he's saying that MOST people consider the Holocaust a true tragedy, but fail to realize that the slavery times were just as tragic. The question of, "would you rather be dead or be sold?"....think about it, the Holocaust victims were TRAGICALLY killed no doubt.....BUT, just as parallel, the slaves were stripped of their roots, family values, and MADE to be someone and something that they werent. Which was worse??? Neither.....THATS HIS POINT!! That both should be looked upon as equal as far humanity goes. At the very least, if the slaves had been killed in mass(which some were), they at least would have died as people who died with their God-given DIGNITY, not made to live as "another" man figured them to be. No disrespect intended by P or me....just take down the defensive outlook and listen to how he says it!!!