It is a song about the Inquisition and its constant besetting of our civilization. The force of the
Inquisition still rears its ugly head, even today. Interestingly, no one has written the ultimate history of the
Inquisition. It is a project I would love to undertake someday. Christianity will not play a friendly role in
this epic. If you are aware of a history of the Inquisition, I would greatly appreciate the reference.
Sincerely,
Greg Graffin
Dear Greg:
I must admit that it was a kick getting a note from a guy I've listened to, off and on, for about twenty years.
Congrats on your Ph.D.! Mine is in history, much easier than science. Are you on the job market for a
university position now? Maybe you'll end up close by, in Tulsa or at the University of Arkansas,
Fayetteville-a hip little city. I grew up in South ern California-San Bernardino, and don't miss it at all.
I'm curious about your thesis, that religion is essentially atheistic. I'll see if I can get my paws on your
dissertation-I can probably get it via interlibrary loan. As you know, the science-religion nexus is hot in
the academy these days. And Cornell and UCLA are great schools. You're in good shape.
Your song "Voracious March of Godliness" made me think you had an interest in the Inquisition.I'd guess that a psychologically compelling account of the Inquisition would be really useful. It's a topic
that lends itself to cliches and sloganeering. The task, I guess, would be to treat all involved with charity
while also being critical and truthful.
By the early 1980s, Southern California was well on its way to becoming the asphalted calamity it
now is, and I remember talking with friends about the disappearing fields and orange groves as we
hiked foothill trails late at night, with Rush or Led Zeppelin or Peter Gabriel (or Devo, U2 or the
Christian "new wave" band Undercover) blasting from a portable cassette player.Our valley, the San Bernardino one, had never been one of So Cal's hip sections. The valley of the
"Valley Girl" craze (circa 1982)-which, like, permanently altered casual American speech-sprouted
in the distant ravines of San Fernando. And while San Bernardino was too much of a backwater for
us to be up on the lesser known fashions afoot nearer to LA-and especially in The Valley-we heard
from to time about the emerging punk rock "scene."Preston Jones, "Punk Rocker with a Ph.D." (2003)Something tells me you're a Christopher Hitchens fan.
Hope the gigs in San Francisco are great.
All the best,
Preston Jones