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Religious music that doesn't suck.

Lately, I've been listening to christian music that I liked back in the day. I still quite like some of it, and I was wondering if there were any christian (or other religious) songs that have a decent message or are simply beautiful songs purely from a poetic perspective. I know there are similar threads on this site already, but none seem to be quite what I'm looking for.

Anyway, I just posted the following on Facebook, and I was wondering if anyone here had similar experience of a decent message being presented in christian music or other religious art/media.

File this one under: "Christian songs that don't suck."

I first heard this song years ago, when I was a hardcore christian and a Relient K fan. Back then I loved the song, and I remembered it again today for some reason.

I stopped believing in god and the supernatural years ago, but this song still has a great message which I deeply appreciate, agree with and respect.
Many christians seem to have perverted the message of the "Jesus" of the bible into one of racism, homophobia, prejudice and bigotry.

Rather than focus on respecting and standing up for the outcasts and the needy, many christians cling to divisive and anachronistic "values" which should have no place in any civilized society.

I still don't believe in any god. But a god who's "gavel would go down before he looked in your heart" is not only one which I do not believe in, but one which I actively disbelieve in, and one which I despise.

And if there is in fact a heaven, what need has any god to excommunicate his own people from it?

Relient k failure to excommunicate

www.youtube.com

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Permalink Reply by Merelen on September 23, 2010 at 4:44pm

I'll throw in most of classical music, but then, I'm a huge nerd. There's so much out there, and fortunately most of it isn't originally in English. There's nothing quite like Bach chorales for harmonization study. Then too, you have to keep in mind that music notation began with monks, so we owe them our ability to write down music the way we do.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Mallory on September 24, 2010 at 12:43am

My favorite Christian album was "I Predict 1990" by Steve Taylor. Cool stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Rachel McAtee on November 15, 2010 at 10:09am

The Chariot's old stuff (including when their lead singer was in Norma Jean)--that is if you dont mind hardcore music
Brand New is really good as well, very good music ( the album "the devil and god are raging inside me")
I understand, i was a huge relient K fan as well, christian music was a big part of my life until about 3 years ago

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Permalink Reply by Gary Berg-Cross on November 15, 2010 at 10:21am

Here's a question that I hope isn't too far off topic. I like to make a CD of non-religious music for the "winter holidays". I like themes of the season (nature, family, comforting others, generosity, struggle, kindness, overcoming fear etc.) apart from ones that are wrapped up in religious symbols. Are there any favorites that people can suggest. They need not be atheist or attach religion. although I sometimes include 1 or 2 of these. I'd like a better balance of humanistic songs, if that is a cateogy.

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Permalink Reply by Rachel McAtee on November 22, 2010 at 9:22am

"White Wine in the Sun" by Tim Minchin is a is a good one. its about being with the family and it highlights being an atheist an liking the a holiday that people who are Christian can be mean and pushy about.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Berg-Cross on November 22, 2010 at 10:43am

@Rachel

Thanks for this song and artist which are new to me. I like the family sentiments and the larger persective.

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Permalink Reply by Craigart14 on December 12, 2010 at 11:17am

A friend tipped me off to this one the other day; it's a great song. In one line, Minchin says that he likes Christmas music, though the lyrics are "dodgy." There's lots of great religious music; there are lots of great Christmas traditions, and most of us, even atheists, have good memories from childhood Christmases. My family's Christmases weren't about Jesus much, though we all knew the stories. They were about family. True, it was an often dysfunctional family, but even dysfunctional families have a good time once in a while. Tim Minchin hits the nail on the head. You can find this song on his Youtube channel.

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Permalink Reply by proto-dan on November 16, 2010 at 8:20am

Seems to me if you dig the rhythm and the melody the words don't matter unless you're looking for some sort of meaning in them then, hey, go for it. If you're floppn' and writhin' on the floor cause you're really into the beat.. Go for it.. Now, if you're in the throes of some weird hoodoo thingy you might have a prob.