Keith Snyder

As a little commemoration of both the CREDO listing at IMDb going live today (though I don't know why our names aren't on it yet) and our upcoming road trip to its world premiere at the West Chester Film Festival in less than 48 hours, I thought it would be nice to finally share the text. I've posted teasers and couplets before, but tonight I'm feeling expansive.

At the suggestion of a festival director who really likes the film and wants to see it make a splash on the festival circuit, we're now including a lyric sheet with each submission.

Every time I look at the finished film, I see the budgetary constraints and the things I wish we'd had the time and money for. But I don't think I've ever watched it without also thinking You know... I really love this little flick...

Enjoy.

CREDO

Lyrics by Keith Snyder

Story and music
by Larry Picard and Keith Snyder


                                     GOD

               My prophets brought commandments writ in stone.

               Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not kill! Alone,

               This dictum be the most important of

               The set, that most illuminates My love.

               For if one loves, one wishes life, not death!

               Live breath, not still! Thou shalt not kill!



               I am a God of no religious preference.

               My love is for the Midwest and Mideast,

               The planet, the galactic cluster, each

               Bacterium and each of you who does

               Or does not bow his head in deference.

               No stern commandment but a point of reference:

               Who preaches most doth heed that preaching least.



               Which brings Me to your murdering each other.

               The slaughter is My fault, Mine and no other.

               I speak to you, each daughter and each mother,

               For you must rectify my sin. To each

               And every son and father, I beseech:

               Forgive Me, for I knew not what I did.



               Omniscience! I know everything there is.

               But some things haven't happened yet, and so

               Those things aren't things. They're non-things. 

               There's no way to know them, even if you're God.

               Which seems to me, and I am God, odd.

               But if a thing exists, Ah! Let me show you.



            He displays three objects and identifies them:



                                     GOD (cont'd)

               Strawberry vanilla cream cake. 

               Iguana. 

               Ten megaton suitcase nuke.



               Blessed art I, the Lord thy God,

               King of the Universe,

               Who conveniently hateth thine enemy. 

               Who sanctifieth thy unsavory whims,

               And justifieth whatever the fuck 

               you felt like doing anyway.

               For I am the LORD THY GOD!

               Who righteously endorses thy foulest of trespasses,

               And damns those who trespass but lightly against thee!



               No wonder you do that which I've outlawed.

               No one could hope for more from anyone

               Who follows the example of a God

               Who teaches peace by murdering His son.



               The slaughter is My fault, Mine and no other.

               But now we close that book—and start another.



               I say for every human being to hear,

               So none can claim that something else was said:

               If you decide your enemy to murder,

               Let's get this straight: I did not give that order.



               A burning bush did not appear.

               No angel came to you in bed.

               I did not whisper in your ear

               That I wished your opponent dead.

               No signs, no harbingers, no apparitions.

               No more shall I appear to thee in visions.



               I will not with a burning sword.

               I will not as a vengeful Lord.



               I will not on a mystic hill.

               I will not, will not say to kill.



               I will not say to use a bomb.

               I will not say to kill your Mom.



               I will not say to use a knife.

               I will not say to kill your wife.



               I will not say to use a gun.

               I will not say kill anyone.



               I did not say to kill that guy.

               If someone says I did, they lie.



               Blessed art I, the Lord thy God,

               King of the Universe. Who loveth thee.

               Who desireth to make thee happy.

               Who apologizeth for His misguided example,

               And the lamentable results of His interference.

               Who withdraweth His endorsement of murder,

               And seeketh thy forgiveness for His terrible mistake.



               (Who indemnifyeth Himself from culpability,

               For thy future excuses for violence, 

               Both sacred and profane, 

               Throughout all time and space, Amen.)



               Though still in murderous vain thou take My name,

               On thee and thee alone now rests the blame. 



                                           FADE TO BLACK.