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With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the epic "(Antichrist Television Blues)" uses a chilling mixture of theatre and parody to lampoon the intersection of faith and fortune. The song is essentially a prayer of a devout father asking God to allow his daughter to become a singing sensation—some sort of Christian American Idol (or maybe an explanation of Jessica Simpson's career). If God answers, the father promises to give him all the glory, so long as he can get a cut of his daughter's earnings:

"Lord, will you make her a star / So the world can see who you really are? … Lord, would you send me a sign / 'Cause I just gotta now if I'm wasting my time." (The remaining lyrics are too lengthy to quote, but each verse in this one-way prayer only gets better—and scarier—as it goes).

But not all of Neon Bible is about cultural jabs and attacks opposing the status quo. When not griping about society, the group, however inadvertently, knows how to point heavenward, past our own limitations into a realm unaffected by humanity. The excellent "No Cars Go" (excerpted above) ponders with innocent wonder a place where no earthly means can enter, where only the childlike at heart can see the kingdom of heaven.

The clearest indication of the band's spirituality comes from album closer "My Body Is a Cage," an elegy brimming with biblical references. The title is a paraphrase of Romans 7:24. The line "I'm living in an age that calls darkness light" is a modern interpretation of Isaiah 5:20; and "You're standing next to me…My mind holds the key" is similar to the tender image of Revelation 3:20, where Jesus stands at the door of the believer's heart and knocks.

While these allusions are rewarding, there are enough seeds of doubt elsewhere to confuse even the least demanding parishioner. The cynicism doesn't mean Arcade Fire is necessarily out to down religion, though. In the same Paste interview, Butler said Neon Bible is ultimately about "addressing religion in a way that only someone who actually cares about it can. It's really harsh at times, but from the perspective of someone who thinks it has value."

Unless specified clearly, we are not implying whether this artist is or is not a Christian. The views expressed are simply the author's. For a more complete description of our Glimpses of God articles, click here

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