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Religion

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rug

(82,333 posts)
Fri Dec 20, 2013, 04:13 PM Dec 2013

What makes an atheist love religious music? [View all]

By Jason Heller
Dec 20, 2013 • 12AM

Years ago a cute girl walked into the record store where I worked. That was not remarkable. What was remarkable was this: She started talking to me. Not only that, but when I rang her up, she asked me out. This sort of thing simply did not happen to me. I was giddy. She suggested we go to a punk show that some of her friends were playing that weekend. I couldn’t say yes fast enough. We exchanged numbers, and she said she’d pick me up Friday night. If I’d been a religious person, I would have thanked God for the stroke of good luck.

As it turned out, God did not deserve my thanks. After we arrived at the venue that Friday, an odd feeling crept over me. Why was a punk show being held in a well-lit unit of a suburban office park? Why were there so many parents hanging around? And why the hell was someone serving slices of cake? When my date led me deeper into the venue, it all became clear. Against the nearest wall leaned a smiling teenager with a foot-high Mohawk and a T-shirt that proudly proclaimed, “JESUS WAS A PUNK.”

Being suckered into attending a Christian-punk show isn’t the lamest thing I’ve ever had to endure—but it’s close. As far as I’m concerned, such a thing is reverse blasphemy. I am not agnostic, undecided, or otherwise straddling the fence about the existence of God; I am an atheist. I also came of age in the punk scene, and one of the first things you figure out is that God and punk mix about as well as funk and metal. Sure, there are Christian punk bands. But why listen to peppy crap like MxPx when you can crank up Amebix’s scathing “No Gods No Masters” or Dayglo Abortions’ snotty “I’m My Own God”?

In addition to being an atheist, I am a hypocrite. I love religious music. For as long as I’ve been a serious music listener, I’ve been drawn to all kinds of devotional artists and songs—just not Christian punk, with which I have a personal beef that may or may not have been aggravated by a certain young woman and a certain bad date. My first dilemma came when I was 15. A huge fan of The Smiths, I’d gotten into a vaguely similar band called The Housemartins. Jangly and chirpy in that ’80s-British kind of way, The Housemartins are remembered mostly because the group’s singer, Paul Heaton, went on to form the far more successful outfit The Beautiful South—and its bassist, Norman Cook, took up DJing and became Fatboy Slim. But The Housemartins did have one chart-topping hit in England: the 1986 Christmas single “Caravan Of Love.”



http://www.avclub.com/article/what-makes-an-atheist-love-religious-music-200686



More songs at link.
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Must be the same thing that makes this pagan okasha Dec 2013 #1
Yeah, and the chants just transcend. rug Dec 2013 #2
That's beautiful. okasha Dec 2013 #6
Some of the greatest music ever written The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2013 #3
Followed closely by Christian Gangsta Rap. rug Dec 2013 #4
Love just about any classical choral pieces. justhanginon Dec 2013 #8
inspiration has no religion, even if it is triggered by religious beliefs Voice for Peace Dec 2013 #5
It's been said by many okasha Dec 2013 #7
I have always loved sacred music, but christian rock not so much. cbayer Dec 2013 #9
There's a certain logic to it markbark Dec 2013 #10
ears and a brain. Evoman Dec 2013 #11
Almost everybody loves this anthem, practically a signature for the Stones......... dimbear Dec 2013 #12
This is the closest they've come to a religious song. rug Dec 2013 #13
Charlie looks extremely bored. Manifestor_of_Light Dec 2013 #30
Really like that video goldent Dec 2013 #35
Because it has a good beat and well written lyrics and... LostOne4Ever Dec 2013 #14
That's tough. My town is between hills and I can usually get only two stations clearly. rug Dec 2013 #15
The burden we pay for not living near a large city LostOne4Ever Dec 2013 #16
Have you looked into Sirius XM? cbayer Dec 2013 #22
I thought about it but I just like the surprise of driving into range of a new station. rug Dec 2013 #25
I enjoy that as well, particularly when on a long road trip. cbayer Dec 2013 #26
This is a good answer. cbayer Dec 2013 #23
much great art is religious art, too. kwassa Dec 2013 #17
I listen to good music and appreciate all forms of good art. uriel1972 Dec 2013 #18
Why did you name yourself after an archangel? rug Dec 2013 #19
Heh wasn't always an atheist... uriel1972 Dec 2013 #20
The Housemartins are too square for my taste. The Silver Bells rock! immoderate Dec 2013 #21
I also listen to a lot of music in other languages. cbayer Dec 2013 #24
I know some religious people that like this song. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #27
I don't care for it but he seems to like it. and yes I would have had a beer with him after. hrmjustin Dec 2013 #29
Consider, if you will, Seals and Crofts, Hall and Oates, Nash and Young,........and so on. dimbear Dec 2013 #28
The Tallis Scholars and Anonymous Four are great. Manifestor_of_Light Dec 2013 #31
The same reason I can enjoy Lord of The Rings whithout believing in Orcs and Elves. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2013 #32
That's how I feel about Dawkins' speeches. rug Dec 2013 #33
It's moving. Irregardless of religious pov, it touches people as much music does. pinto Dec 2013 #34
It's a love/hate thing with me. jeepnstein Dec 2013 #36
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