Because song lyrics only need to be good enough, and neither Prince or MJ were theologians.

It's one of those inaccuracies that stick, even though it's untrue. It's the same with "money is the root of all evil". That's false. The scripture says "the love of money is the root of all evil", which gives it a while different meaning.

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Those lines in "We Are The World" and "4 The Tears In Your Eyes" always bugged me.

isn't "turning stone to bread" more about the work involved in milling grain into flour to ultimately make bread? Or at least The Work Part I.??

Matthew 4:1-4

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

.....

This analogy by Prince could mean that every word that came out of this man's mouth was the Truth or Word of God (thus the turning stone to bread).

prittypriss said:

kenkamken said:

The line that irks me is "make the dumb understand", when Jesus actually healed a man who was mute and couldn't speak. Oh well.

In that case, he sacrificed accuracy to save the rhyme.

Again, in the Bible, in Exodus:

⁹ And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

¹⁰ And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

¹² Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

¹³ And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

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Moses was stating that the people would not believe him. God was saying that he would help them to understand. The verse in the song always reminded me of this, that God would make those that did not understand, to understand. *shrug* But could be reading more into it.

cardinal said:

prittypriss said:

Matthew 4:1-4

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

.....

This analogy by Prince could mean that every word that came out of this man's mouth was the Truth or Word of God (thus the turning stone to bread).

phenomenal pick up! of course it was in the bible somewhere and he knew exactly what he meant. " do i have a friend tonight?" --prince at his last concert in atlanta

It's not in the Bible somewhere, that's the point. The devil challenges Jesus to turn stone into bread, and Jesus refuses to.

Genesia said:

weirdozmedia said:

cardinal said:

prittypriss said: phenomenal pick up! of course it was in the bible somewhere and he knew exactly what he meant. " do i have a friend tonight?" --prince at his last concert in atlanta

It's not in the Bible somewhere, that's the point. The devil challenges Jesus to turn stone into bread, and Jesus refuses to.

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Read what I had said, though. A different take on the analogy. That it is not what goes into a man's mouth, but what comes out of it. Therefore, in a sense, turning what is dead (the stone) to what nourishes (God's word - bread of life).

TraSoul82 said:

Genesia said:

In that case, he sacrificed accuracy to save the rhyme.

How is that inaccurate? "Dumb" is/was often used to describe the mute. If they were suddenly able to speak, then they would understand his power. I'm not vouching for the validity of the statement, but logically it makes sense if you take the bible literally.

That is my point, the reference in the Bible is dumb as in mute, not dumb as someone stupid or ignorant (in need of understanding).

Matthew 9:32-33

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

So much fun dissecting Prince lyrics, any other instances of Prince malaproprisms?

kenkamken said:

TraSoul82 said:

Genesia said: How is that inaccurate? "Dumb" is/was often used to describe the mute. If they were suddenly able to speak, then they would understand his power. I'm not vouching for the validity of the statement, but logically it makes sense if you take the bible literally.

That is my point, the reference in the Bible is dumb as in mute, not dumb as someone stupid or ignorant (in need of understanding).

Matthew 9:32-33

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

So much fun dissecting Prince lyrics, any other instances of Prince malaproprisms?

I think the context in the song is that the dumb would understand how to speak by understanding God's glory or w/e.

weirdozmedia said:

jcurley said:

Regardless...prince turned a crass psuedo virtuous pile of wank into something quite delicate and beautiful. X

As always he took a lot of flak for his decision at the time, which later proved to be the best choice. I am glad he opted out of that mess, yet contributed something quite beautiful on his own terms.

kenkamken said: