Random little question for ex-religious people.

Since I began my journey away from religion, whenever a religious song (not a hymn or even worship, just religious) pops into my shuffle I've begun to immediately skip it. I can't bring myself to get rid of them because I love the music, but the message just irks me now.

I'm just curious if anyone still listens to their Christian music just for the love of the music. It feels sort of hypocritical for me to listen to it and enjoy it but I mean it is just music.

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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on May 21, 2012 at 7:06pm

I understand the sense of what you mean. I listen to all sorts of music and depending on my mood it could be Motorhead or Mozart. I love old choral music all of which is inspired and influenced by religious devotion. I don’t have a problem with that because I see it as one aspect of what is beautiful about the human experience. It is art which comes from the inner essence of what one human creates and yet speaks to all of us universally. I think you probably agree or would you not have deleted them from the shuffle by now? Here is a present for you though I do prefer it without reading the translation as it spoils it a bit. Bet it will be on the shuffle soon!! It also confuses Theists when I introduce them to it, usually around Easter - :-)

There is a good story behind it if interested wiki

 

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Jorgensen on May 21, 2012 at 7:12pm
I agree with it's just music. I never really cared for Christain music before I realized I was an Atheist. Of course, I lived and thought as an Atheist long before I ever realized it. However, I used to love Christmas music and whatnot. I now no longer listen to any of that, but I also no longer celebrate Christmas either. But if you don't have a problem with it, then do so. There are no prescribed rules of Atheism.
Permalink Reply by Nerdy Keith on May 21, 2012 at 7:53pm

No I don't. I like to listen to music I can relate to, I can't relate to religious music especially Christian music. I have actually deleted a few of Green Day's songs from my iPhone. They are just too preachie in my opinion.

Permalink Reply by Kent Dozier on May 21, 2012 at 8:01pm

Some Christian music is really good and brings back fond memories of growing up.  Why ignore beauty just because it's full of brainwashing nonsense?  I sing some Christian songs to my kids at night because they are nice and I remember all the words - "We Three Kings", "Silent Night", The "Gloria Patri", "Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore", etc.  But when they ask if God is real, I ask them if the Easter Bunny is real, if Santa is real, etc.  I never give them a full answer because I want them to figure it out on their own.

Permalink Reply by Mike Hawkins on May 21, 2012 at 8:03pm

I love Jesus Walks by Kanye West and that song came out quite a few years after I decided religion could blow me. I like a bunch of religiously inspired music but can't think of anymore right now.

Permalink Reply by jharbs on May 21, 2012 at 8:55pm

haha yea i totally know what you mean. The other day I started playing guitar with a guy who played in a christian worship band and he taught me some really cool sounding chord progressions and we jammed a little... i also like to listen to jars of clay's first album, its just good music. the great thing about atheism is that it has no doctrine so it's impossible to "offend it". U CAN LISTEN TO WHATEVER U WANT AND NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!!!! 

Permalink Reply by Tom Holm on May 21, 2012 at 9:38pm
I do the same thing sometimes like I love music and some gospel songs I still listen to. But sometimes I can't bear listening too it. I even find myself singing them sometimes. It wouldn't be that bad if it weren't for the message behind it all I mean gospel music is beautiful but sometimes the talk of god just throws me off
Permalink Reply by Kyle Bates on May 21, 2012 at 10:15pm

Depending what it is, it may not be just music.

There are a lot of religious messages that seem kind in a religious context, but are reprehensible outside of that context.

Permalink Reply by Kyle Bates on May 22, 2012 at 9:06pm

I don't listen to Christian music so I can't give you specific examples.  Well, here's what a quick Google search found... 

Who are we that You would be mindful of us?
What do You see that’s worth looking our way?
We are free in ways that we never should be.
(“God With Us”)

What does this kind of mindfuck even mean?  Or what about this...

Can a nation be changed?
Can a nation be saved?
Can a nation be turned back to you?
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees again.
Matt Redman – “Can a Nation Be Changed?”

Not sure what nation he's talking about here but this isn't exactly a positive message.  Speaking of more overt idiocy:

Same-sex marriage in a state where they don’t care
Murder is wrong but the jail time’s not fair
Not to mention date rape, felony, and car theft
Break it down and tell me what we’ve got left
-  Tooth & Nail

Because clearly same-sex marriage belongs in the same category as rape and murder in terms of what's wrong with society.

But for me, it's the more innocuous messaging that really gets me.  How much of it glorifies the idea of giving up one's self for God or having faith in God despite evidence or espousing a sense of human exceptionalism or personal specialness that can give a person a really wacky view of the universe and humanity's place in the environment.  

Sure, some songs have enough artistic merit to trump whatever religious messaging is implied.  Leonard Cohen's "Helleluhaj" sung by k.d. lang at the Winter Olympics is a good example.  http://youtu.be/rVq0L4kkpKM

Obviously, without knowing what music you're referring to I can't say.  Just look at the lyrics yourself and really deconstruct what is being said.  And of course, decide for yourself whether or not you like the music and want to listen to it. 

Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on May 21, 2012 at 11:50pm

My wife and several of our friends (all atheists) love to get together and sing gospel music!  I, being Catholic, only knew Latin hymns.

Permalink Reply by Ashley Bryant on May 22, 2012 at 1:41am
I personally don't. Anytime I here a reference towards religion or "god" I roll my eyes and change it. I just can't take it seriously and I get a little annoyed.
Permalink Reply by Brittany Mezzo on May 22, 2012 at 1:55am

The closest I get to "Christian" music is Mellencamp. He strikes me as different because not all his songs have some sort of religious theme to it, and even the ones that do aren't overbearing to me. Human Wheels is still one of my favorites.

Other than that, I find the "Christian" variants of any given genre to be...well, safe. Too safe. None of them want to expand beyond singing about stuff in a book, there's no risks involved...It's boring to hearing Christian song after Christian song rhyme "voice" with "rejoice".

It'd be like me making an entire genre devoted to singing songs about Harry Potter. After awhile, stuff is going to all sound the same and mush together.

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