Religious Views in Context

The fourth verse is as follows:

And the sign says “Everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray”

But then they passed around a plate at the end of it all

And I didn’t have a penny to pay

So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own fuckin’ sign

I said, “Thank you Lord for thinking ‘bout me, I’m alive and doing fine,” oh


My argument is that the meaning behind the fourth verse of lyrics has to deal with religious views. The character reads a sign in front of the church that reads, “Everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray.” He finally finds a sign that lacks social status or stereotyping and applies to everyone. However in the second and third line of the song, “But then they passed around a plate at the end of it all,” “And I didn’t have a penny to pay,” he finds something socially unequal. Apparently in a place that everyone is welcome; some people are still opted to give money. Not saying that it is bad for people to give money to the church, just that it makes the people with less money feel bad for not being able to contribute. Wealthier people are able to share their wealth and make big donations, whereas people without money aren’t able to contribute as much and receive the donation credit from the church. I personally feel that even though some people may feel like this, in reality they shouldn’t because in God’s eyes he loves them even though they may not make a donation. As long as they love God and the church then financial donations do not matter.


In the last line, “So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own fuckin’ sign,” “I said, “Thank you Lord for thinking ‘bout me, I’m alive and doing fine,” oh; it is the characters answer to the issue of whether or not contributing to the church makes you better in God’s eyes. He uses his message as his donation to the church. Instead of using money to thank God’s presence in his life he uses his own words.