"Religion is so tied up with political manipulation that it is hard to see if there could be a nugget of spirituality in there that can genuinely influence your life." - Tom Morello
For those of you who are familiar with Tom Morello's background--that statement shouldn't come as a surprise. Ever since high school, Tom has been a socially active fellow. During the 1980 mock elections in Libertyville High School, he campaigned for a fictitious candidate named "Hubie Maxwell" who, suprisingly, came in at fourth place. He also wrote an article in his high school's alternative newspaper entitled: South Africa: Racist Facism That We Support. It was in the same high school where Tom found his other interest: Music. From then on, the course of Tom's life has been set on these two pillars, with his years as the lead guitarist in Rage Against the Machine as the pinnacle.
Controversial, unique, influential, radical. These are words that best describe Tom Morello as he tries to elevate the social awareness of his listeners. The following is an excerpt from an interview that occured in 1993, when HM writer David Jenison talked with Tom.
HM: What do you think about religion, Christianity in particular?
TM: "I was raised a Catholic, and went to a Catholic school for a year, and it was at Catholic school that I had my first problem. My mom realized I was being treated differently because of the color of my skin. I do not believe that racism was a Christian tenant being prescribed, but it was something the positive ideology of Catholicism had no power over. You cannot control a racist nun. My family is Italian Roman Catholic and goes to church every single day, and I think there can be an empowering aspect to religion. In Liberation Theology, for example, the desire to affect social change and matters here on earth for the better, whether it be bringing down tyrants or helping people who have nothing, has proven to be an empowering instrument. Given the right spin, religion can be helpful. Otherwise, completely regardless of any sort of celestial beings, religion is used as a political tool on this earth by those who are in power to keep people who are not in power, powerless. Regardless of what really happened two thousand years ago in Bethlehem, that is the reality of religion's social manifestation today."
HM: I agree with you that the majority of churches are stuck in power struggles and social manipulation--how would you suggest they should be changed?
TM: "I can honestly say that no one has ever asked me that question before In Catholicism especially, the people are deeply locked in tradition and doctrines. For example, they cannot have women priests or use contraceptives. It is alright if there are starving babies, but a person cannot put latex on his penis. Every so often, though, they do back off on something. For example they said: 'Okay, the pope is not infallible.' We say: 'Good. We knew that. But now, we are glad you do too.' Progress"
"On the other hand, people have found inspiration to confront tyrants from Christian doctrine. My aunt and uncle are deeply religious, which gives them a peace of mind they might not otherwise have."
HM: Outside of the corruption of the Church, what do you believe about God, if you do believe in Him?
TM: "I do not know. My concentration has always been on throwing people against the wall who use our tax money to finance death squads. Those are the issues which occupy my head, and not religion."
"In the town which I lived in as a youth, religion was king. In fact, rock religion was king. I mean, Libertyville, Illinois must have been the Christian rock capital of the Midwest. I was so surprised when I came out to Southern California and there were no Christian rock bands."
HM: Actually, there are a large number of Christian rock bands in California
TM: "Really? They must not have the same profile. Well, in the ad sections of music newspapers, a third of them were asking for a Christian musician. The ads would say something like: 'Wanted: a Christian bassist.' Well, I am an agostic bassist, but they would say: 'You will not do.'We will be needing a Christian bassist for this band.' There was a real intolerance with Christianity against outsiders.
"This is a little known fact, but I used to go to a church youth group. I did not go for the religious aspect, but because they would say. 'Let's keep kids off drugs' and then we would go play all these games. I had a great time going and the people were really nice. However, I never went again after this one time. It was around Christmas time, and the climax of the service was singing a song about happy they were that it is Christmas, while the song dissed every other world religion in sarcastic terms like: 'Aren't those people stupid!' There was no respect or tolerance for other people's beliefs. Even if a person is so vain as to believe the religion he was indoctrinated into is the one true religion, what about the person who was born in Hindu India?"
"When I first went to Harvard, there was a guy who was always attempting to convert me. We always had great theological discussions. We would argue continuously. He always stuck on the point. 'If you do not accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are just going to go to hell.' That is just so unfair, because what about the kid who never heard those two words put together--Jesus Christ? The kid grew up a Buddhist, and he never heard about Jesus. My friend responded by telling me some story from the Bible about a guy going down a road and an angel came down and said something. Some story about a guy who knew nothing about God and was converted through divine intervention. You and I both know that in Bangladesh there are not like a billion angels descending right now, and that all these people who may be good, bad, or indifferent, just like you and me, are all going to be cast into hell because they were cursed with being that semen and that egg that got together in the Sub-continent of Africa. They will spend eternal life in misery merely because they were born in the wrong continent"
HM: I am interested to hear what you would say about the person who has heard the name Jesus Christ. What do you think will happen if he does believe?
TM: "I do not know. Maybe I would have a more positive view religion if I was impressed by the behavior of those who preach it, not meaning preachers, but anyone, from the heads of the government to the people I know in the school who confessed to be Christians. Some of those Christians were the biggest (expletive) who mistreated their fellow men in the worst ways. Religion is so tied up with political manipulation that it is hard to see if there could be a nugget of spirituality in there that can genuinely influence your life. It is hard to find. Zack, our vocalist, is more into spirituality. He draws on examples of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, two deeply religious people, whom he claims would never have been able to translate their radical philosophies in as powerful a way if it were not for their deep religious convictions and spirituality, which was linked with their belief in their different gods. Without their beliefs, they would not have been able to communicate with the same kind of passion, which is what made them important. However, I counter Zack by saying: 'While they were both very important communicators, we still live in a racist, capitalistic society despite their efforts, because neither of them realized that the principle problems we have here are class based and not based on race and religion."
[Originally printed in September/October '93 Issue #43]