Harder to Believe Than Not To

From Steve Taylor's I Predict 1990 album.

"The song takes its title from a line found in the collected letters of Flannery O'Connor, acclaimed short-story writer and novelist from Georgia. Her literary friends in New York had a hard time believing that a writer of her caliber could profess to be something as common and unfashionable as a Christian. She reacts in her letter to the criticism that Christianity's primary function is as a crutch for the weak-spirited, writing how they don't understand the cost involved in following Jesus, that 'it's much harder to believe than not to believe.'

"The quote stuck. The cost of discipleship--the ideal of taking up your cross everyday and following Jesus--makes it hard to believe, because Christianity demands things from us that we don't naturally want to give. In the words of playwrite Dennis Potter, 'There is, in the end, no such thing as a simple faith.'" [From the liner notes of "Now The Truth Can Be Told."]

A beautiful song.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Steve
• Taylor
• Predict
• 1990
• Harder
• Believe
• Than
• Not

[KhomarBlog]

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

(Mat 7:14 ESV)

This is what Steve Taylor is talking about. Taking up the cross of Christ is not an easy thing to do. It is guaranteed to result in persecution and suffering. Thus, "it is harder to believe than not to". It is much easier to simply go with the flow.

[NightAire]

This song makes me so sad, even though I recognize its many truths.

For me, it's always been a song talking about how the demands of the physical world, internal & external, blind us to the basic, unchanging spiritual principles. We get so caught up, & we don't know why we believe what we believe...  & eventually the world just drowns out the truth.

I thought of this song recently when I met up with a friend who used to preach the Gospel in churches; he now believes "all paths lead to God."

[pairingaddict]

I'm not Christian, but I still think this song is beautiful. <3

[DanSquaredStudios]

So true. Its sad that some believers out there give up faith the moment the times get tough.

[DanSquaredStudios]

@saulnathaniel Ill pray that you find your way. By the way I do recommend you check out a book. "Evidence that demands a verdict." By Josh McDowell.

[uriah768ok]

Grew up and realized it was a fairy tale, huh? Wow. I really feel put in my place now. How could I have NOT realized it was all a fairy tale?? Geez. Thank you, Brandy. You have presented such a compelling argument here, I just have to accept that what you say is true. Thank you. Wow. Fairy tale. I should have known...

[BrianBinOR]

@tomtrilobite Actually, Taylor DID credit Rachmaninoff for Vocalise -- on the album cover on which this song first was released.

[johnnyarockalypse]

@brandywinevalentine so you would like to believe there is nothing left after death? or all this here on earth is for nothing? or do you believe in reincarnation like the Hindus? do you want to keep coming back to this? the "chosen are few" because so many are too gutless to put faith into something they can't see.

[jaameschangg]

@brandywinevalentine or maybe the chosen are few because majority of the people give up because its harder to believe than not to

[davidcurp]

@brandywinevalentine

So that would explain the sweet reasonableness and largeness of mind and heart that characterize so many secularists and makes their views so personally compelling?

[brandywinevalentine]

Maybe "the chosen are few" because some of us grow up and realize it's a fairytale.