Discussing
Chris Cornell Screamed for Me

Yes, this world is being redeemed, but Chris Cornell spoke to the truth that pain still abounds.

I'm so sorry your generation looked to such depths of desparation for your catharsis. I'm glad you finally found the Only One who can truly heal. I pray for the rest of them. He may have been brilliant musically but was hardly a healthy role model. Take your position in Christ now and help the rest.

I experienced a Damascus Road conversion listening to Black Hole Sun back in 1996. It was dawn. I was strung out and lost, driving to to the beach to contemplate my failure. That's when this song came on the radio. The lyrics where an encrypted message from God. Hopelessness and despair overtook me in the first two verses, then the chorus kicked in. A beam of sunlight pierced the dawn sky an I was overcome by the Holy Spirit. As the song came to a close the feeling started to subside.Jesus wasn't cool, and after years of persecuting and mocking Christians I didn't want to admit what I had just experienced. I arrived at the beach and walked to the surf. There was a man standing alone and looking out at the waves. He held a long surfboard emblazoned with Christian fish symbols. without turning to look at me the man said,"Where have you been and where is your surfboard?" I just shrugged my shoulders. Still looking at the breaking surf, the man said, "You better go back and get it. There is a nice left breaking right over there and I don't like surfing alone."

Have you heard similar conversion stories? I always said that if Jesus ever came back he'd come disguised as a rock star.

In Reply to sid (comment #30397)
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that's a cool conversion story, catch the wave surfer dude.

What a wonderful article. Although on the surface Cornell may have appeared to be anti-religious that is just what it is -- the superficial appearance of his lyrics. If one were to do a careful study of his lyrical oeuvre, one finds a tremendous struggle with religion (Christ and Christianity in particular), not from a negative perspective but rather from someone who was trying to understand. Stephen, you definitely hit the nail on the head with this article. Christ died for a broken humanity, not perfect people, and I think in a way Cornell expressed that in his music. God is much more merciful than we are. God rest your soul and comfort your family, Chris.

Good article. Loved his voice. Could relate to his pain.