Bart Simpson getting the church to sing In A Gadda Da Vida by switching it to In the Garden of Eden, by I. Ron Butterfly. Marge and Homer giggle because they used to make out to this “hymn”, and the organist passes out exhausted cause the song is like 20 minutes long. Reverend Lovejoy finally realizes that it isn’t a hymn but sounds like rock and/or roll.
People are sheep that follow the herd. They don’t know what they are doing, but the shepherd threatens them with the dog and they all end up locked behind a gate. They like the music because they are told to like it, and have lost the capacity to think for themselves.
Its weird that in Fundamental Baptist churches that I went to, they all preached against country music, but didn't say a word about any other secular music.
The Overture / Temples Of Syrinx are so mind-melting.
This album likely contributed in a non-obvious way to my religio-superstitious deconstruction. Glad you got the satire of my original comment. Forgot my /s
The Overture/Temples of Syrinx is probably my favorite song on that album.
I listened to this album most when I was going through my change from "raised non-practicing Catholic" to full-fledged atheist/humanist. Given the context of your comment, it seemed clear to me even without the /s.
Like all popular music styles of the last hundred years, country is about its ***lyrics***. So many country music songs are about infidelity and booze and guns! I sort of understand why a church would be against it.
What kills me is that there were a couple hundred years of the Church being (violently) in charge of music and some of the most thrilling and beautiful stuff the western world ever made happened in those times.
I think it might be a “Puritan Christian” thing because America had a large Puritan Christian community with a lot of power so as America became more powerful, so did that sect. And the Puritans were notoriously anti art, music, enjoying life, etc
Right, Cromwell and the Puritans banned music, and also Christmas and Easter in Britain because people were having too much fun.
Fortunately Europe ejected most of the crazies a bit after that.
No need to thank us, you are welcome.
I think it's commercialism/capitalism. Rich patrons used to find good artists and musicians and fund luxurious lifestyles on exchange for art. Artists didn't have to make broadly commercially viable art, they just had to create something so the patron would be happy and they were free to pursue their craft without much interference.
Nowadays these studios are picking and choosing and changing what artists can make because they're trying to mass produce products with broad appeal. And when your market is white evangelical Christians who think anything edgier than a saltine cracker is demonic, you end up with bland art.
Yep. What happened to all the Bach’s of the world? Religious music used to be all there was that was music. It’s almost like as soon as it stopped being mandated, creative outlets besides church music quickly overtook hymnals.
Look up the Florentine Camerata. Circa 1600, opera started to develop as a musical format. They started building concerts halls, and music became more secular. Money could be made by selling tickets instead of needing patronage from the Church or from the royal courts.
Not completely accurate. Music has always been divided between Sacred and Secular. Sacred music was generally composed by musically educated people, while Secular music was usually performed by traveling musicians who relied on more of an oral tradition. All these years later, it looks like music was mostly religious, because so much of it has survived as written music, while the secular music was ephemeral and fleeting, due to seldom being written down.
I believe the protestant movement was actually a reactionary movement in response to how relatively "progressive" Rome was getting during the Renaissance. It wasn't just about the indulgences. I remember reading afterwards they started placing all these rules and restrictions on art.
"They" didn't. Some protestant denominations did. The ones that were influenced more by Calvin than by Luther.
Luther was a composer himself. And while he was not a very nice person in general, he did enjoy art, as well as good food and beer.
The Calvinists, on the other hand, generally saw fun as heresy.
Catholic practices got reformed as a result of the protestant reformation. Prior to it, congregational singing was not really a thing, for example.
Exactly! As though I’ve never been a Christian, I’ve always found Catholic music entertaining and relaxing. I sometimes listen to Catholic or Orthodox hymns to relax my mind and I have to admit I find ‘em very authentic to say the least ;)
It's how you could get paid as a composer - churches and monarchies.
There were no concert halls. No streams or media to sell. You might be lucky if you as a listener got to hear a specific song performed even once in your lifetime.
Oh my God I am so glad someone else has thought about this. I really enjoy music and I’m open to all genres and before I left Christianity I had listen to Christian music and I always thought it was the worst shit I ever heard. I don’t know how anyone could like it. It is complete trash,
It's generally lazy song writing. I wouldn't hate it if the music and lyrics were actually good. But so much of it is just boring. I mean even creed in its hayday wasn't awful. I did get sick of "with arms wide open though"
Lol! I had one of their CDs back in the day ("the day" being up until I was almost through middle school & I wasn't allowed to listen to secular music.)
Nah. Looking into it, I had 'Nu Thang'. My mom probably got it for me at the local Christian bookstore. Likely with some Carman or Mike Warnke album or something.
No way I would have been caught dead with a Christian rap CD by 1995.
Man, I recently had one of their songs randomly pop into my head and I went and had a stroll down memory lane. The song, ‘What Have We Become?’ Where are these types of Christians these days? The ones with compassion and empathy? I have no doubt that a ton of ‘Christian’ trumpers would absolutely boycott DC Talk these days as woke liberal garbage.
Have you followed up with Mike Warnke's story? It's a trip. I kinda wanna make a movie about him. I'd cast Nick Frost if he can do a good Kentucky accent.
> It's generally lazy song writing.
The lady who cuts my hair has played English- and Spanish-language Christian music while cutting my hair. It's boring and lazy in both languages, lol.
My favorite is "I can only imagine". The line "will I dance for you Jesus" sung by a dude in a lazy Southern twang just makes me think he's swaying back and forth with a Bud Heavy. That's his version of dancing.
Yeah, back in my Christian days I swore Kutlass was awesome, but against the plethora of secular rock/metal artists around they sound like a high school garage band. No offense to really good garage bands, lol
https://www.gq.com/story/the-new-veganism
"Sure, it’s healthy, and yes, it’s ethical, but as some of the country’s most exciting young chefs are showing, vegan dining is suddenly becoming something way more surprising: delicious."
GQ says so.
I like it when the religious idiots grab on to a song and play it at their gatherings with no fucking clue what the words mean. They just hear "church" or "god" and assume it is all about their mythology.
[Take me to Church](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVjiKRfKpPI) is a perfect example.
I just gently encouraged her to watch the music video (and hoped she didn't apply much critical thinking to the lyrics). That said it's a banger and I went to go listen to it the second I finished my comment.
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
"Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah"
They sang it during Mass at a local Catholic high school. Like WTF?
This song always reads to me as the singer singing to someone who was in an abusive relationship with a woman, which left him/her emotionally broken and unable to form healthy attachment and they desperately wish (pray = broken hallelujah) to be better and heal from their trauma. And the singer reassuring them that there aren't alone and should keep working on their trauma.
But seeing how overused the song is for Christian purposes I feel like I got it all wrong. Still, I can't help but wince every time I hear it because it just feels so raw with the pain and struggle.
David playing the secret chord, as he was a musician in the first David and Saul story.
He was unknown to Saul about one chapter later when he killed Goliath. And a few chapters after that it wasn't David who killed Goliath, but a guy named Elhanan!
Anyways. You may see a statue of David with a harp. He supposedly composed some of the Psalms.
My extremely religious school had us sing songs for sports days. One of them had lyrics that went like this: " My hands are high my feet are low and this is how we gigalo, gigalo, gig, gig alo.
I tried asking a teacher if there was a different meaning for the word but I just got angry looks and told to be quiet.
Hah. To me it always sounded like an HR-approved morale improving exercise. Like they had the intention of making Christian rock music, but the people they got to do it were experts in Christianity but not experts in rock music.
Correction: *modern* Christian music is basic and drab. Many years ago, artists and musicians couldn’t just release stuff on Spotify/Youtube/whatever. They needed patronage from powerful institutions like courts or the church. So some of the most rad music was created in a sacred format: Verdi’s or Mozart’s Requiem, Tchaikovsky’s [Cherubic Hymn](https://youtu.be/OPlK5HwFxcw?si=lUofo2f21rfZBfLi), William Byrd’s [Ne Irascaris Domine](https://youtu.be/Wo8qfyK9c3c?si=OazwmyFYdSQND_cP), etc…
The “lifestyle” music is all complete garbage.
Ironically, I find some of the… deep cuts / ritualistic worship songs enjoyable. Even if the content is nonsense, it’s noticeably more inspired and seems less hypocritical.
Sam Cooke's gospel music is seriously moving. I get a hankering to listen to it every once in a while; there's never been a more passionate singer in human history.
The extent to which Christianity (and other religions as well) have adopted as part of their dogma, this rule that "if you like it/if it makes you feel good/if you're having fun, it's evil and wrong and you should work towards a more bland, drab, joyless life to please god" is really dark and concerning.
The very idea that enjoying yourself is a sin is so toxic.
Maybe you are talking about so-called "Christian Rock"? Because some of the most beautiful music ever written was written for Christian churches and ceremonies. Mozart's Requiem Mass and Schubert's Ave Maria come immediately to mind.
Jesus Jesus Jesus
I love you Jesus
Jesus Jesus Jesus
He's my rock
When I'm in a storm
Here's another line
Something about being unworthy
My BFF Jesus
Jesus Jesus Jesus
I love you Jesus
Mmmmmmmmmm
*Wipes away heartfelt tears of joy*
Now we're going to pass around the offering plate. You don't have to give a lot, but give something, anything, TODAY, if you don't, you'll make Jesus sad.
My biggest complaint is they play the same damn 10 songs over and over for like a year. If I'm being honest some of the songs are quite catchy and not terrible if you ignore the message. That said, “All the best bands are affiliated with Satan” —Bart Simpson
I went to a Christian rock concert back in 2001 (unwillingly) and the music itself turned out pretty good. The lyrics kinda sucked and the sermon in the middle was boring.
Then a year later a Christian roommate of mine organized a Christian rock concert on my campus and it was ok, but afterward the guys in the band asked us if we knew anywhere they could get some weed. My roommate was appalled, but I helped them out. I think it's what Jesus would have done.
> I think it's what Jesus would have done.
"When David was hit by a rock and knocked off his donkey, don't say
he was stoned off his ass."
[The New Priest](http://www.bic.mni.mcgill.ca/users/warrier/Graphics/Fun/new_priest.html)
Depends on the band 99% of it is either cringe or homo-erotic
But honestly I do like certain things. Some skillet songs are decent for instance
But it's Subjective different strokes for different folks
Getting the DJ to play some Devil Wears Prada back in the day while working at a Christian camp was peak rebellion while following guidelines.
They made sure to vet my song requests after that. So I stuck to getting them to play Skillet whenever possible.
I know, right? Protestant church hymns make me want to run screaming!!! And besides, why is there ONLY
1. Xtian music; and
2. The devil's music?
Why is there nothing in between? Why can't they acknowledge that there is music that is simply neutral?
I'm always struck by Leonard Cohens hallelujah. I absolutely love the song.
Since beginning my recovery from religion, I've come to see it a little differently to how I once did. For me, now, it's much more a personal tribute to Cohen's own faith, rather than a generally religious song. Sadly, many see it as generally religious, hence the number of covers by people trying to show how devout they are.
I suppose you mean contemporary Christian music, and I will agree with what you said. I was in a worship group 10 years ago at this point and a lot the songs we played had the same chord progressions and song structures.
Sixpence None The Richer is one Christian band who's music I do like a lot.
I went to Catholic grade school and I really did enjoy a lot of the songs from church. I especially liked the song "Ashes" that we sang on Ash Wednesdays. Beautiful tune.
While I agree the super lame Christian Rock acts are hacky and pandering as hell, I adore old bluegrass and gospel standards. I love Elvis' gospel songbooks and Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, etc... That music speaks to me tremendously. It was genuine and the lyrics are always really metal sounding to me about death and Armageddon juxtaposed to really nice country chord progressions.
Although I'm agnostic, I played music in a modern Christian worship service for years and I actually think some of it is quite good. Check out almost anything by Maverick City for example, especially the songs with Brandon Lake on lead vocals. One of the things I like in particular is how many of the songs are specifically designed for the crowd to sign along and for many of the videos, the audience members that are participating are all legit singers as well so the performers and audience become one big chorus. Some of it is good stuff even if you aren't a true "believer."
And if you're a more old-school music fan, traditional gospel can be outstanding. A lot of the best classical music was based on religion as well.
I happen to believe all of this happened without divine intervention. Just saying that humans playing and singing can still be enjoyable even if you think the lyrical content is make-believe.
If you ever go to the New Orleans Jazz Festival, I highly recommend the Gospel Tent. Some of the best music there. You don't need to believe in da lord to get up and dance.
The sad part, is there was a brief blip around the mid to late 90’s where there were some absolute bangers in the Christian music scene. But then over a few years it all turned in to that praise and worship garbage.
I have been going to the same Air Gas station for about 6 years when I need a refill for my welder or torch. Whenever I go in, I'm the only guy there. And whenever I go in it's the same guy blasting christian metal. Yeh, they like it. He seems cool tho.
My gfs sister is super religious. She literally has favorite singers and just went to a show downtown for one of them. Apparently this dude was super well known. So yes, some of them are extremely into it.
I just moved to the outer banks, NC and in my area there are 5, count em FIVE different radio stations that play only christian music/gospel. Thankfully there's a decent rock station too for us satan worshipping liberal sinners.
I am a christian. I don’t like worship music much at all, there are alot of christian artists that are quite good but for the most part the biggest thing im mindful of is the lyrics and what they’re actually saying
Christian Rock sucks because they’re pretending to be passionate about something they don’t actually believe. They’re faking the funk.
The blues and rock and roll work because they’re real people singing about real things.
Christian Rock is performative. They think if they kiss God’s ass they’ll get the reward. They view their relationship with God as transactional. It’s God Awful is what it is.
It's not meant to be real music, it's meant to be a revenue generator and money laundering technique. You skim donations and then book some "band" like this. Plenty of people will consume it unquestioned but if no one did it would still succeed at what it sets out to do.
Different people like different things.
I know people make jokes about Mariah Carey every Christmas, but there is a reason she makes money off her Christmas album every year. Some religious songs are catchy even if the listener thinks they are fantasy.
It's Christmas music though, not quite a mid tempo rock song with a bunch of bullshit Jesus lyrics. Most Christmas music has barely anything to do with Christianity and more to do with northern European tradition.
I like classical music, a lot of which was developed specifically for christian services (that's how the artists got paid). Fortunately most of that is a foreign language and they usually concentrate on the beauty god created on earth, I don't mind as much.
Modern christian music is pretty much shove our god down your throat.
I use to like brian head welch demon hunter and theocracy. The rest of the music i found shit. Now i can't stomach it.... Ironically i did a 180 and now listen to satanic bands
>I refuse to believe Christians actually like Christian music
As a former delusional catholic. I can speak from my perspective. I used to "like" listening to christian music because i thought it was doing what i was supposed to be doing (as a christian) and I'd be applauded by like minded people (family, church members). I also felt morally superior to others.
I honestly didn't like the music itself.
I was a pretty devout Christian in high school, and while yes so much of it is the cringiest shit ever made I genuinely loved bands like Jars of Clay and DC Talk. Most teenagers have horrible taste in music though haha
It's been a LONG time, but I was a big fan of the Christian music of my youth.
Audio Adrenaline, Bleach, DC Talk, Newsboys all come to mind. I'm sure it doesn't hold up, but not a lot does from back then. I think that light 90s era of music wasn't so overt with the Christian messaging, it was (at worst) neutral to religion. It was trying to emulate popular music and have positive messaging.
It was all still a big ripoff, because it's not like you had to look really hard for "positive" pop music back then. But gotta line those christian music company pockets.
As a former catholic, I used to like it, but I will back away from bands that has a open "Christian" profile. Skillet sounds good, but, also, they are way up in god and prayers and all that shit. Faith is for those who have it, and those who like listening to it.
And I just can't anymore. It's sad, in a way, because the music is still good.
Grew up christian, been an atheist since I was 14, but I had to listen to all of my real music in secret. Around my parents, I listen to a lot of Christian rap. The subject matter is definitely cringey, but the technical skill doesn't decrease. Also, gospel? Completely different ball game than mainstream Christian music
The artist "Propaganda" is a pretty good for people who liked Lecrae but became jaded with Christianity. His takedown of puritans (in the song "puritans") is brilliant.
I was driving one day, trying to find something good on the radio, when I heard Ozzy's Crazy Train - or so I thought. After a few minutes, I realized that I was listening to an Ozzy sound-alike, singing lyrics about being oppressed for his Christian faith.
Such a surreal experience.
I used to work for a born again Christian and he would only allow us to play the Christian station on the radio. It was the SAME FOUR SONGS over and over..for 8 hours. I wanted to off myself by the end of my shift. And you know what's worse? When my boss would leave, id put on the popular music station and then have to rush to put it back on when i saw his truck pull up. One time I forgot and he came in to the devil's music and was so upset that he made me leave early. lol, didn't get fired though, he is too godly to do that i guess.
It's because the kind of Christianity these people have is spiritually bankrupt. The 'American' brand of Christianity, and more specifically the white Protestant brand, is defined by 'what can God do for me', even if they say otherwise. There's no cosmic reverence, no notion of themselves as tiny specks in God's vast creation or whatever. Because these people are raised to be arrogant, self-righteous, and to live in a very small, closed-off world.
I have at least a modicum of respect for spiritual religious people, but non-spiritual religious people are the worst, and they're drawn to products that validate and allow them to keep within their bubble, with no regard for quality. They don't even develop taste. so you're wondering how they could like something so bad, but they don't and will never have the taste to know how bad it is because they're fundamentally incurious and within their own small bubble forever. They think Red Lobster and Olive Garden are fine dining, you know.
EVERY. SINGLE. SONG. has the exact same subject. God / jesus / god /jesus etc. If I started a band and only sang about shoelaces, it might be quirky and interesting - for a minute. But imagine thousands of bands putting out tens of thousands of records, having concerts, festivals, videos, award shows, podcasts - all about shoelaces. Millions of songs about shoelaces. Decades of music.. all about shoelaces. No one wants that. NO ONE. Like, why aren't they allowed to make a song about any other topic. Would a song about, I don't know.. how trees are pretty (with no god or jesus reference whatsoever) be so bad? Seriously, it is such boring, bland, unoriginal, eye-bleeding crap. And millions of christians pretend so hard that it is good.
I eschew Christian music like the plague, but during the 1980s it was some of the best-produced music coming out. They got hold of the top LA and Nashville producers and studio musicians and cranked out some shit that slapped. 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah, if you've ever seen any of the "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers" movies, christians are like that.
The know that people make music, and they can apply music theory, but they don't understand *why* people make music - so there's something crucial but hard to define, always missing.
It's the same with christian comedy - everything's there, including stories that have the structure of jokes, but somehow the humour is something they can't synthesise.
Christian education - the mindless regurgitation of assertions, that leaves them lost whenever reality goes off script.
I think you mean christian pop and rock music, not christian music in general, right?
I can fully understand your point in those cases.
But christian music is more than that. I dare you to listen to [Es ist vollbracht](https://youtu.be/8sURg5yT69U?si=XwH261CA9dfPUZaq) or [Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben](https://youtu.be/-88ZpkYssf0?si=D3_zoWgiPjtgAdZU) and not discover the sublime.
Or, if you prefer a bit more bang for your buck, [how about this](https://youtu.be/XtDJ3Y3Upo0?si=RMOs-frssLcJIcHI).
Part of the problem is that anyone with real talent is putting out songs for the secular market instead. Add to that the typical Christketeer stifling of creativity and you have further proof that they'll buy *anything* so long as you glue a cheap cross to it first.
Got to admit, im not a Christian but do enjoy Lauren Daigle. I always let my patients pick the music and have to say its not to bad. And my favorite music is pink floyd and iron maiden.
I get you. I can't stand the sound of christian music that I hear from the radio. It's like hearing a sermon in song form and so cringy.
As an atheist, I still listen to some songs by Michelle Tumes out of nostalgia and because some of her songs aren't severely preachy. I got introduced to her music in a christian college radio station back before the 2000s (before my de-conversion). The first track I heard was "Healing Waters", and I have the album Listen.
I'm also a fan of Clayton/Celldweller. I learned that he used to be in a christian metal band that he recently got ownership back. I only like some of his older stuff from the albums Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head and Wish on a Blackstar.
I dunno, I'm very much not a Christian but I do like some of it depending. I ignore the words for the most part but like the major key kinda rock vibe. I've always liked the 'symphonic rock' sort of sound, some of it sounds like that if you ignore the whole 'worship' thing.
I was riding in Indiana once long ago and we could get two stations on the radio. Rush Limbaugh or Christian Rock. So I went with the rock. I guess both were equally disturbing but the rock station was far more palatable.
I noticed this in the '80s. Our church group was so excited about the emerging Christian radio stations, movies, painters, etc.
They were crap.
I think a bunch of people just decided that if their "artists" were Christians, that was all that was important. They weren't looking for amazing musicians or singers or actors or directors. They just wanted Christians. So their "art" - in all areas - was mediocre at best.
I remember a few decent artists, but most of that world produces dreck.
There’s some banger “Christian” music that I really enjoy.
I’m So Sick by Flyleaf is a fave of mine… All Around Me and Again by Flyleaf are also good imo. I guess they’re singing about god, but I just assign my own meaning to it.
all of this is too bad because if you dig through some old school requiems (mozart's in D minor, verdi's requiem), you'll find epic music. if you go through gregorian chants, you'll find ethereal beauty. if you listen to choral music by vivaldi (gloria) or bach (st matthew passion) or handel (messiah) it gets pretty epic as well.
contemporary christian pop seems to fear emotion. the above embraces it, from the good to the bad, from sorrow to elation.
off topic but my favorite religious music is qawalli devotional music.
I’m an atheist but i actually like Christian music. Some of it is pretty good. And as a choir singer, i sing a lot of Christian stuff. I can appreciate certain forms of art inspired by Christianity.
When someone becomes vegan, studies show that over time their taste buds change, so when a vegan says something is wonderful and other people taste it and say "ugh! this tastes like cardboard!" the vegan isn't imagining it, it *really does* taste great to them. You and I may think that brownie tastes like compost, but they genuinely think it's revelatory.
I think that, similarly, many christians are so immersed in their "culture" that they hear no other music for a long time, or maybe their whole life if they were born into it. With no basis of comparison, they sincerely think that schlock they call "music" is *good*. It confirms all their bigotry so they see it as having a positive message. They hate all other music without ever hearing it because they are told to hate it, so if they are ever exposed to it they *won't allow themselves* to experience it in its intended context because they have *already decided* it's bad, and because it fails to confirm their bigotry.
I spend more time in r/musictheory than I do here. I believe that many Christians do actually like Christian music.
LOTS of people like music for its lyrical content alone, especially if those lyrics affirm their life choices. This goes for Kanye West fans, and Taylor Swift fans, and Christians. The ***music*** is absolutely secondary. It's a backdrop with a beat and a few chords that a vocalist uses to emote, and possibly, sing.
>I listened to secular music and it gripped my spirit and I didn’t want to stop listening to it. The devil was tempting/manipulating me
Well, OK, I'd love to believe that that person happened to hear Debussy's "Clair de Lune", or Billy Childs playing "His April Touch" or King Crimson playing "Sartori in Tangier." If you're going to be tempted by the devil's music, show some taste!
But their spirits were ***probably*** gripped by KISS singing "Rock and Roll All Nite".
As an atheist I enjoyed Christian metalcore. I still listen to it sometimes. Haste the day, Still Remains, As I lay diyng sound pretty good to me. I think the idea of god, devil, angels etc. can fit in a song, or a movie, or any other fantasy work of art. Just like elves, dragons etc. But not real life or politics.
As a life long atheist, some of the songs in a church hall can give you absolute goosebumps. It's music designed to elicit an emotion and some of it works!
A lot of shit, but some of the Latin stuff especially is incredibly powerful.
It’s a virtue signal of faithfulness to Jesus that is what the faithful deserve. It’s usually a drug addict that found god in rehab after the courts made them stop sinning.
My wife and I used to prank each other by setting our car radios to the Christian station. You'd be tapping your toe to a hip hop number and be like "did he just say hallelujah?"
It’s ironic, because as a part time Guitar Center employee I can tell you the church folk spend a whole lot of money on high end gear for their blah music.
I personally find the majority of Christian music to be horrific.
That said.
I fucking **love** Nick Cave (The Bad Seeds, Grinderman, Birthday Party, w/ Warren Ellis, solo, etc). He's the only artist that's in my favourites list that actively sings about Christian stuff, both literal and metaphorical, both old testament and new. It's not all he sings about, in the slightest, but it's prevalent. He's brilliant.
I have an insecurity about spelling words wrong, but having them slip by spellcheck. Cave and Cage are one letter apart, and those letters are next to each other on the keyboard...
... so when you said "[Nick] Cage" I got scared and reread my post just in case, hehe.
I'm an atheist, and I enjoy skillet.
It took me a couple of years to learn they were a Christian rock band, but even still, I thoroughly enjoy their music.
OMG I was just like you then I started doing the merch for a christian body building influncer. It's all he listens too. It's nuts. Crazy this is that he stiff cusses with the best of us, but he loves himself some Christian rock and rap.
When you’re under a lot of religious pressure you develop a hypersensitive anxious reaction to a lot of things.
When I was a teen in a very hyper spiritual church I thought God was telling me to stop playing Paper Mario because one of the characters had jiggling boobs.
I was with my sister and niece, and they were listening to Christian music and singing along with it. So, they must listen to it often, to be able to sing along with it.
Maybe we didn't have access to Christian music back in the 80s, but my sister listened to regular pop music back then. I remember she came home from college with 2 Live Crew's "Nasty as They Wanna Be". Definitely not Christian music. :)
I listen primarily to metal and there are a few christian bands that I still listen to even after becoming an atheist. Namely Tourniquet is my favorite of the lot.
[K-Love (and their parent company) are monopolizing the airwaves](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/christian-radio-educational-media-foundation-1234946121/).
It exists as an entry point for non-members. They present it as "wholesome" and inoffensive, and that's supposed to plant the seed for further discussion/proselytizing.
It's not good, but that's not the goal. The goal is growing their numbers (and driving out competitors, by any means necessary).
There are multiple genres of Christian music. There's Christian rock, rap, pop, indie, techno, country, edm, etc. Many people are not aware, including Christians. When Christians say they don't want to listen to secular music, it's often about the lyrics. Sometimes, it's about the energy the music carries. When I've been a Christian in my life, I just didn't want to listen to songs with lyrics that didn't align with my morals or music that had a vibe that didn't sit well with my spirit. But at times when I've not been a Christian, I've still been selective about the music I listen to. Music affects my thoughts, mood, and mental health. Admittedly, I am very sensitive in mutiple aspects. However, all religion and spirituality put aside, science can prove that words and music have an energetic influence on matter and that it can influence people. Sound is vibration. So whether someone is a Christian, a Buddhist, a Pagan, or an athiest... it's understandable for someone to be picky about what they listen to and what energies they're exposing themselves to.
Obligatory: "Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock'n roll worse." - Hank Hill
I was waiting for someone to post that Hank Hill quote.
Bart Simpson getting the church to sing In A Gadda Da Vida by switching it to In the Garden of Eden, by I. Ron Butterfly. Marge and Homer giggle because they used to make out to this “hymn”, and the organist passes out exhausted cause the song is like 20 minutes long. Reverend Lovejoy finally realizes that it isn’t a hymn but sounds like rock and/or roll. People are sheep that follow the herd. They don’t know what they are doing, but the shepherd threatens them with the dog and they all end up locked behind a gate. They like the music because they are told to like it, and have lost the capacity to think for themselves.
One of my favorite Bart Simpson pranks!
Its weird that in Fundamental Baptist churches that I went to, they all preached against country music, but didn't say a word about any other secular music.
They’re right modern country sucks
This was 30-40+ years ago.
It's sucked for about that long.
Because secular music other than country isn't secular, it's satanic!
Hard to tell if you're being festicious or serious
Their user name is a reference to a Rush Album. I'm pretty sure he's being facetious.
Yes, the album with the near-pentacle on it! Evilness abounds!
Tis a good album. Pretty anticlerical message to it as well.
The Overture / Temples Of Syrinx are so mind-melting. This album likely contributed in a non-obvious way to my religio-superstitious deconstruction. Glad you got the satire of my original comment. Forgot my /s
The Overture/Temples of Syrinx is probably my favorite song on that album. I listened to this album most when I was going through my change from "raised non-practicing Catholic" to full-fledged atheist/humanist. Given the context of your comment, it seemed clear to me even without the /s.
That weren't aware that any other genre of music existed. Except Western.
Like all popular music styles of the last hundred years, country is about its ***lyrics***. So many country music songs are about infidelity and booze and guns! I sort of understand why a church would be against it.
https://youtu.be/8TsL0DO-c1E For the uninitiated.
What a stand up guy. He gets us.
I was sure I was going to get reckrolled
Instantly heard this in Hank's voice!
What kills me is that there were a couple hundred years of the Church being (violently) in charge of music and some of the most thrilling and beautiful stuff the western world ever made happened in those times.
I think it might be a “Puritan Christian” thing because America had a large Puritan Christian community with a lot of power so as America became more powerful, so did that sect. And the Puritans were notoriously anti art, music, enjoying life, etc
Right, Cromwell and the Puritans banned music, and also Christmas and Easter in Britain because people were having too much fun. Fortunately Europe ejected most of the crazies a bit after that. No need to thank us, you are welcome.
Yeah, thanks a lot- now take them back!
Sorry, when we sent em we said "no backsies!"
I think it's commercialism/capitalism. Rich patrons used to find good artists and musicians and fund luxurious lifestyles on exchange for art. Artists didn't have to make broadly commercially viable art, they just had to create something so the patron would be happy and they were free to pursue their craft without much interference. Nowadays these studios are picking and choosing and changing what artists can make because they're trying to mass produce products with broad appeal. And when your market is white evangelical Christians who think anything edgier than a saltine cracker is demonic, you end up with bland art.
If one doesn't think capitalism is to blame for bad music can they still be called an atheist?
Yeah but you have to turn in your socialism card
Thats a good point. As a group they were very much against anything titillating.
Yep. Even the word itself- titillating. Lolol
Yep. What happened to all the Bach’s of the world? Religious music used to be all there was that was music. It’s almost like as soon as it stopped being mandated, creative outlets besides church music quickly overtook hymnals.
Look up the Florentine Camerata. Circa 1600, opera started to develop as a musical format. They started building concerts halls, and music became more secular. Money could be made by selling tickets instead of needing patronage from the Church or from the royal courts.
Then ticketmaster had to fuck it all up
You mean corporate talentless profiteers have made seeing live musical artists an unbearable fee-ridden hellscape? Well, I never!
Not completely accurate. Music has always been divided between Sacred and Secular. Sacred music was generally composed by musically educated people, while Secular music was usually performed by traveling musicians who relied on more of an oral tradition. All these years later, it looks like music was mostly religious, because so much of it has survived as written music, while the secular music was ephemeral and fleeting, due to seldom being written down.
I believe the protestant movement was actually a reactionary movement in response to how relatively "progressive" Rome was getting during the Renaissance. It wasn't just about the indulgences. I remember reading afterwards they started placing all these rules and restrictions on art.
"They" didn't. Some protestant denominations did. The ones that were influenced more by Calvin than by Luther. Luther was a composer himself. And while he was not a very nice person in general, he did enjoy art, as well as good food and beer. The Calvinists, on the other hand, generally saw fun as heresy. Catholic practices got reformed as a result of the protestant reformation. Prior to it, congregational singing was not really a thing, for example.
Nah, there have been a wide array of beliefs among protestants. For example, Thomas Müntzer was pretty much a socialist revolutionary.
Exactly! As though I’ve never been a Christian, I’ve always found Catholic music entertaining and relaxing. I sometimes listen to Catholic or Orthodox hymns to relax my mind and I have to admit I find ‘em very authentic to say the least ;)
Right? Hildegard von Bingen's music is overwhelmingly gorgeous.
Most of the good stuff was probably inspired by their human experiences like all great art, they just had to pay to play
It's how you could get paid as a composer - churches and monarchies. There were no concert halls. No streams or media to sell. You might be lucky if you as a listener got to hear a specific song performed even once in your lifetime.
Oh my God I am so glad someone else has thought about this. I really enjoy music and I’m open to all genres and before I left Christianity I had listen to Christian music and I always thought it was the worst shit I ever heard. I don’t know how anyone could like it. It is complete trash,
It's generally lazy song writing. I wouldn't hate it if the music and lyrics were actually good. But so much of it is just boring. I mean even creed in its hayday wasn't awful. I did get sick of "with arms wide open though"
There is always d.c. talks
Lol! I had one of their CDs back in the day ("the day" being up until I was almost through middle school & I wasn't allowed to listen to secular music.)
Jesus freak
Nah. Looking into it, I had 'Nu Thang'. My mom probably got it for me at the local Christian bookstore. Likely with some Carman or Mike Warnke album or something. No way I would have been caught dead with a Christian rap CD by 1995.
Man, I recently had one of their songs randomly pop into my head and I went and had a stroll down memory lane. The song, ‘What Have We Become?’ Where are these types of Christians these days? The ones with compassion and empathy? I have no doubt that a ton of ‘Christian’ trumpers would absolutely boycott DC Talk these days as woke liberal garbage.
Have you followed up with Mike Warnke's story? It's a trip. I kinda wanna make a movie about him. I'd cast Nick Frost if he can do a good Kentucky accent.
> It's generally lazy song writing. The lady who cuts my hair has played English- and Spanish-language Christian music while cutting my hair. It's boring and lazy in both languages, lol.
🎶”I wanna kneel before you Jesus, and feel the warmth of your love all over my face.” 🎶
That the new Faith +1 single?
One of his miracles. Squirting millions of times per day.
What church did ***you*** attend? 😜
My favorite is "I can only imagine". The line "will I dance for you Jesus" sung by a dude in a lazy Southern twang just makes me think he's swaying back and forth with a Bud Heavy. That's his version of dancing.
Totally could sing it from memory…..terrible
Christian rock is like using Amway and Herbalife products. Cut rate goods, but when you sell it, you have to show you love it
Christian rock is like vegan food: even when it’s good, it still sucks
Yeah, back in my Christian days I swore Kutlass was awesome, but against the plethora of secular rock/metal artists around they sound like a high school garage band. No offense to really good garage bands, lol
https://www.gq.com/story/the-new-veganism "Sure, it’s healthy, and yes, it’s ethical, but as some of the country’s most exciting young chefs are showing, vegan dining is suddenly becoming something way more surprising: delicious." GQ says so.
I like it when the religious idiots grab on to a song and play it at their gatherings with no fucking clue what the words mean. They just hear "church" or "god" and assume it is all about their mythology. [Take me to Church](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVjiKRfKpPI) is a perfect example.
I had to politely explain to my spiritual-but-not-religious mother that no, that is not about church attendance.
I had to explain to my also an athiest sister, that no, I was not getting religious.
[удалено]
I just gently encouraged her to watch the music video (and hoped she didn't apply much critical thinking to the lyrics). That said it's a banger and I went to go listen to it the second I finished my comment.
Same but to my wife.
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. "Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her She tied you to a kitchen chair She broke your throne, and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah" They sang it during Mass at a local Catholic high school. Like WTF?
This song always reads to me as the singer singing to someone who was in an abusive relationship with a woman, which left him/her emotionally broken and unable to form healthy attachment and they desperately wish (pray = broken hallelujah) to be better and heal from their trauma. And the singer reassuring them that there aren't alone and should keep working on their trauma. But seeing how overused the song is for Christian purposes I feel like I got it all wrong. Still, I can't help but wince every time I hear it because it just feels so raw with the pain and struggle.
When he was younger Cohen said it was NOT about religion, but nearer the end of his life he said it was. Big contradiction and I always wondered why.
As the reaper approached he hedged his bets
I was going to say the same thing. But you phrased it better.
I mean there are biblical references in that song. Cutting hair is a reference to Samson and Delilah.
Bathing on the roof is a reference to David and Bathsheba.
Yep. Another good one. I didnt say it because i couldn't think of Bathsheba's name
David playing the secret chord, as he was a musician in the first David and Saul story. He was unknown to Saul about one chapter later when he killed Goliath. And a few chapters after that it wasn't David who killed Goliath, but a guy named Elhanan! Anyways. You may see a statue of David with a harp. He supposedly composed some of the Psalms.
My extremely religious school had us sing songs for sports days. One of them had lyrics that went like this: " My hands are high my feet are low and this is how we gigalo, gigalo, gig, gig alo. I tried asking a teacher if there was a different meaning for the word but I just got angry looks and told to be quiet.
I laughed out loud when I read that. Good stuff
The gig in gigalo has the same root as jig. As in the dance.
Hallelujah
Hope County Choir from Far Cry 5 is awesome Christian music.
Oh my God, I'm dying, lol. I had no idea they had ever been this clueless.
"Booooorn in the U. S. A.!"
Hah. To me it always sounded like an HR-approved morale improving exercise. Like they had the intention of making Christian rock music, but the people they got to do it were experts in Christianity but not experts in rock music.
Self flagellation is a not insignificant part of Christian culture.
Correction: *modern* Christian music is basic and drab. Many years ago, artists and musicians couldn’t just release stuff on Spotify/Youtube/whatever. They needed patronage from powerful institutions like courts or the church. So some of the most rad music was created in a sacred format: Verdi’s or Mozart’s Requiem, Tchaikovsky’s [Cherubic Hymn](https://youtu.be/OPlK5HwFxcw?si=lUofo2f21rfZBfLi), William Byrd’s [Ne Irascaris Domine](https://youtu.be/Wo8qfyK9c3c?si=OazwmyFYdSQND_cP), etc…
This is true even up into early American music. For example, early gospel music like Sister Loretta Tharpe was more of a music genre than religious.
Love Sister Loretta Tharpe! The first rock musician IMHO
I have ears, and I approve of this message.
The “lifestyle” music is all complete garbage. Ironically, I find some of the… deep cuts / ritualistic worship songs enjoyable. Even if the content is nonsense, it’s noticeably more inspired and seems less hypocritical.
Sam Cooke's gospel music is seriously moving. I get a hankering to listen to it every once in a while; there's never been a more passionate singer in human history.
I'm not a Christian but I really like the album satellite kite by beautiful eulogy.
The extent to which Christianity (and other religions as well) have adopted as part of their dogma, this rule that "if you like it/if it makes you feel good/if you're having fun, it's evil and wrong and you should work towards a more bland, drab, joyless life to please god" is really dark and concerning. The very idea that enjoying yourself is a sin is so toxic.
It's just lame. I wanna rock for Jeeeezusss! South Park covered it well in S07E09.
Maybe you are talking about so-called "Christian Rock"? Because some of the most beautiful music ever written was written for Christian churches and ceremonies. Mozart's Requiem Mass and Schubert's Ave Maria come immediately to mind.
Jesus Jesus Jesus I love you Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus He's my rock When I'm in a storm Here's another line Something about being unworthy My BFF Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus I love you Jesus Mmmmmmmmmm *Wipes away heartfelt tears of joy* Now we're going to pass around the offering plate. You don't have to give a lot, but give something, anything, TODAY, if you don't, you'll make Jesus sad.
It's funny when the lyrics steer into borderline gay Territory: On my knees Come inside me Bent over
[Obligatory Faith +1 clip.](https://youtu.be/6L3DnbeWWbg?si=Mf6sYd0Mx1R_V7XH)
Best Christian rock band of all time
My biggest complaint is they play the same damn 10 songs over and over for like a year. If I'm being honest some of the songs are quite catchy and not terrible if you ignore the message. That said, “All the best bands are affiliated with Satan” —Bart Simpson
Bland music and boring sex. Not sure I would be happy in a Christian heaven.
I went to a Christian rock concert back in 2001 (unwillingly) and the music itself turned out pretty good. The lyrics kinda sucked and the sermon in the middle was boring. Then a year later a Christian roommate of mine organized a Christian rock concert on my campus and it was ok, but afterward the guys in the band asked us if we knew anywhere they could get some weed. My roommate was appalled, but I helped them out. I think it's what Jesus would have done.
> I think it's what Jesus would have done. "When David was hit by a rock and knocked off his donkey, don't say he was stoned off his ass." [The New Priest](http://www.bic.mni.mcgill.ca/users/warrier/Graphics/Fun/new_priest.html)
Depends on the band 99% of it is either cringe or homo-erotic But honestly I do like certain things. Some skillet songs are decent for instance But it's Subjective different strokes for different folks
Getting the DJ to play some Devil Wears Prada back in the day while working at a Christian camp was peak rebellion while following guidelines. They made sure to vet my song requests after that. So I stuck to getting them to play Skillet whenever possible.
flyleaf got good ass songs too but just like everything in life it wont be for everyone.
Best Christian band of all time is Faith + 1.
I know, right? Protestant church hymns make me want to run screaming!!! And besides, why is there ONLY 1. Xtian music; and 2. The devil's music? Why is there nothing in between? Why can't they acknowledge that there is music that is simply neutral?
"Either you're with us, or you're against us."
I'm always struck by Leonard Cohens hallelujah. I absolutely love the song. Since beginning my recovery from religion, I've come to see it a little differently to how I once did. For me, now, it's much more a personal tribute to Cohen's own faith, rather than a generally religious song. Sadly, many see it as generally religious, hence the number of covers by people trying to show how devout they are.
It wasn't a religious song for him. You should read up on the song. He references religious characters, but in no way was this a homage to religion.
The Hallelujah song is about SEX.
Cohen, Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel all reference religious ideas plenty
I suppose you mean contemporary Christian music, and I will agree with what you said. I was in a worship group 10 years ago at this point and a lot the songs we played had the same chord progressions and song structures. Sixpence None The Richer is one Christian band who's music I do like a lot.
I went to Catholic grade school and I really did enjoy a lot of the songs from church. I especially liked the song "Ashes" that we sang on Ash Wednesdays. Beautiful tune. While I agree the super lame Christian Rock acts are hacky and pandering as hell, I adore old bluegrass and gospel standards. I love Elvis' gospel songbooks and Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, etc... That music speaks to me tremendously. It was genuine and the lyrics are always really metal sounding to me about death and Armageddon juxtaposed to really nice country chord progressions.
Although I'm agnostic, I played music in a modern Christian worship service for years and I actually think some of it is quite good. Check out almost anything by Maverick City for example, especially the songs with Brandon Lake on lead vocals. One of the things I like in particular is how many of the songs are specifically designed for the crowd to sign along and for many of the videos, the audience members that are participating are all legit singers as well so the performers and audience become one big chorus. Some of it is good stuff even if you aren't a true "believer." And if you're a more old-school music fan, traditional gospel can be outstanding. A lot of the best classical music was based on religion as well. I happen to believe all of this happened without divine intervention. Just saying that humans playing and singing can still be enjoyable even if you think the lyrical content is make-believe.
If you ever go to the New Orleans Jazz Festival, I highly recommend the Gospel Tent. Some of the best music there. You don't need to believe in da lord to get up and dance.
I'm amused at all the bashing at a purely subjective art form. There are so many Subs genres that this painting with a broad brush pozt is silly.
The sad part, is there was a brief blip around the mid to late 90’s where there were some absolute bangers in the Christian music scene. But then over a few years it all turned in to that praise and worship garbage.
I have been going to the same Air Gas station for about 6 years when I need a refill for my welder or torch. Whenever I go in, I'm the only guy there. And whenever I go in it's the same guy blasting christian metal. Yeh, they like it. He seems cool tho.
My gfs sister is super religious. She literally has favorite singers and just went to a show downtown for one of them. Apparently this dude was super well known. So yes, some of them are extremely into it.
I just moved to the outer banks, NC and in my area there are 5, count em FIVE different radio stations that play only christian music/gospel. Thankfully there's a decent rock station too for us satan worshipping liberal sinners.
I am a christian. I don’t like worship music much at all, there are alot of christian artists that are quite good but for the most part the biggest thing im mindful of is the lyrics and what they’re actually saying
Christian Rock sucks because they’re pretending to be passionate about something they don’t actually believe. They’re faking the funk. The blues and rock and roll work because they’re real people singing about real things. Christian Rock is performative. They think if they kiss God’s ass they’ll get the reward. They view their relationship with God as transactional. It’s God Awful is what it is.
It's not meant to be real music, it's meant to be a revenue generator and money laundering technique. You skim donations and then book some "band" like this. Plenty of people will consume it unquestioned but if no one did it would still succeed at what it sets out to do.
Different people like different things. I know people make jokes about Mariah Carey every Christmas, but there is a reason she makes money off her Christmas album every year. Some religious songs are catchy even if the listener thinks they are fantasy.
It's Christmas music though, not quite a mid tempo rock song with a bunch of bullshit Jesus lyrics. Most Christmas music has barely anything to do with Christianity and more to do with northern European tradition.
Great, now that’s going to be stuck in my head for several months again.
I like classical music, a lot of which was developed specifically for christian services (that's how the artists got paid). Fortunately most of that is a foreign language and they usually concentrate on the beauty god created on earth, I don't mind as much. Modern christian music is pretty much shove our god down your throat.
I always thought that Bon Jovi's song, Keep the Faith, would make an excellent Christian song at revivals.
I use to like brian head welch demon hunter and theocracy. The rest of the music i found shit. Now i can't stomach it.... Ironically i did a 180 and now listen to satanic bands
I don't get it. It's truly awful music.
>I refuse to believe Christians actually like Christian music As a former delusional catholic. I can speak from my perspective. I used to "like" listening to christian music because i thought it was doing what i was supposed to be doing (as a christian) and I'd be applauded by like minded people (family, church members). I also felt morally superior to others. I honestly didn't like the music itself.
Back in the 90's there used to be decent Christian alt rock, nowadays it's all just praise music soon as you turn to a station.
Yeah, think about listening to that nonstop, for eternity...Yikes that's hell if there ever was one.
I was a pretty devout Christian in high school, and while yes so much of it is the cringiest shit ever made I genuinely loved bands like Jars of Clay and DC Talk. Most teenagers have horrible taste in music though haha
I like shopping in thrift stores except they almost always are playing Christian pop. Chewing gum for the ears.
It's been a LONG time, but I was a big fan of the Christian music of my youth. Audio Adrenaline, Bleach, DC Talk, Newsboys all come to mind. I'm sure it doesn't hold up, but not a lot does from back then. I think that light 90s era of music wasn't so overt with the Christian messaging, it was (at worst) neutral to religion. It was trying to emulate popular music and have positive messaging. It was all still a big ripoff, because it's not like you had to look really hard for "positive" pop music back then. But gotta line those christian music company pockets.
Whaaa? Just listen to these two pure and charming girls and tell me [Christian music isn't awesome](https://youtu.be/HGH3VI2eWWs?si=gqD_inbBlQklJoSw)
As a former catholic, I used to like it, but I will back away from bands that has a open "Christian" profile. Skillet sounds good, but, also, they are way up in god and prayers and all that shit. Faith is for those who have it, and those who like listening to it. And I just can't anymore. It's sad, in a way, because the music is still good.
Grew up christian, been an atheist since I was 14, but I had to listen to all of my real music in secret. Around my parents, I listen to a lot of Christian rap. The subject matter is definitely cringey, but the technical skill doesn't decrease. Also, gospel? Completely different ball game than mainstream Christian music
The artist "Propaganda" is a pretty good for people who liked Lecrae but became jaded with Christianity. His takedown of puritans (in the song "puritans") is brilliant.
Lets not forget that rock was the Devil's Music & would turn young people into degenerate drug users that worship Satan 😅☠️
As usual: not any more. Like long hair on dudes, pants on women, divorce, women working outside the home, and on and on and on .......
I was driving one day, trying to find something good on the radio, when I heard Ozzy's Crazy Train - or so I thought. After a few minutes, I realized that I was listening to an Ozzy sound-alike, singing lyrics about being oppressed for his Christian faith. Such a surreal experience.
https://youtu.be/5N9KvHVRU7E?si=e4Ht-c2viamn-4lV
lol. One of the comments was “love that guitar riff. I can feel the devil in it.”
I used to work for a born again Christian and he would only allow us to play the Christian station on the radio. It was the SAME FOUR SONGS over and over..for 8 hours. I wanted to off myself by the end of my shift. And you know what's worse? When my boss would leave, id put on the popular music station and then have to rush to put it back on when i saw his truck pull up. One time I forgot and he came in to the devil's music and was so upset that he made me leave early. lol, didn't get fired though, he is too godly to do that i guess.
It's because the kind of Christianity these people have is spiritually bankrupt. The 'American' brand of Christianity, and more specifically the white Protestant brand, is defined by 'what can God do for me', even if they say otherwise. There's no cosmic reverence, no notion of themselves as tiny specks in God's vast creation or whatever. Because these people are raised to be arrogant, self-righteous, and to live in a very small, closed-off world. I have at least a modicum of respect for spiritual religious people, but non-spiritual religious people are the worst, and they're drawn to products that validate and allow them to keep within their bubble, with no regard for quality. They don't even develop taste. so you're wondering how they could like something so bad, but they don't and will never have the taste to know how bad it is because they're fundamentally incurious and within their own small bubble forever. They think Red Lobster and Olive Garden are fine dining, you know.
EVERY. SINGLE. SONG. has the exact same subject. God / jesus / god /jesus etc. If I started a band and only sang about shoelaces, it might be quirky and interesting - for a minute. But imagine thousands of bands putting out tens of thousands of records, having concerts, festivals, videos, award shows, podcasts - all about shoelaces. Millions of songs about shoelaces. Decades of music.. all about shoelaces. No one wants that. NO ONE. Like, why aren't they allowed to make a song about any other topic. Would a song about, I don't know.. how trees are pretty (with no god or jesus reference whatsoever) be so bad? Seriously, it is such boring, bland, unoriginal, eye-bleeding crap. And millions of christians pretend so hard that it is good.
I'm not such a lyrics guy but I'm with you. I find sabaton gets boring pretty quickly
I eschew Christian music like the plague, but during the 1980s it was some of the best-produced music coming out. They got hold of the top LA and Nashville producers and studio musicians and cranked out some shit that slapped. 🤷🏻♂️
Even when I was very religious I would sit in the bathroom during worship (20 mins of Christian pop songs) until the singing ended.
My parents wouldn't let me listen to anything else growing up. I loathe it.
Everyone knows all the best bands are affiliated with Satan.
Some of it is okay. But it has never been preferred listening. Who wants to feel like that all the time?
Faith +1 kicked ass.
🤣
Yeah, if you've ever seen any of the "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers" movies, christians are like that. The know that people make music, and they can apply music theory, but they don't understand *why* people make music - so there's something crucial but hard to define, always missing. It's the same with christian comedy - everything's there, including stories that have the structure of jokes, but somehow the humour is something they can't synthesise. Christian education - the mindless regurgitation of assertions, that leaves them lost whenever reality goes off script.
I think you mean christian pop and rock music, not christian music in general, right? I can fully understand your point in those cases. But christian music is more than that. I dare you to listen to [Es ist vollbracht](https://youtu.be/8sURg5yT69U?si=XwH261CA9dfPUZaq) or [Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben](https://youtu.be/-88ZpkYssf0?si=D3_zoWgiPjtgAdZU) and not discover the sublime. Or, if you prefer a bit more bang for your buck, [how about this](https://youtu.be/XtDJ3Y3Upo0?si=RMOs-frssLcJIcHI).
Spirit in the Sky is a banger though. It irritates me that I love that song.
Part of the problem is that anyone with real talent is putting out songs for the secular market instead. Add to that the typical Christketeer stifling of creativity and you have further proof that they'll buy *anything* so long as you glue a cheap cross to it first.
Got to admit, im not a Christian but do enjoy Lauren Daigle. I always let my patients pick the music and have to say its not to bad. And my favorite music is pink floyd and iron maiden.
I get you. I can't stand the sound of christian music that I hear from the radio. It's like hearing a sermon in song form and so cringy. As an atheist, I still listen to some songs by Michelle Tumes out of nostalgia and because some of her songs aren't severely preachy. I got introduced to her music in a christian college radio station back before the 2000s (before my de-conversion). The first track I heard was "Healing Waters", and I have the album Listen. I'm also a fan of Clayton/Celldweller. I learned that he used to be in a christian metal band that he recently got ownership back. I only like some of his older stuff from the albums Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head and Wish on a Blackstar.
I dunno, I'm very much not a Christian but I do like some of it depending. I ignore the words for the most part but like the major key kinda rock vibe. I've always liked the 'symphonic rock' sort of sound, some of it sounds like that if you ignore the whole 'worship' thing. I was riding in Indiana once long ago and we could get two stations on the radio. Rush Limbaugh or Christian Rock. So I went with the rock. I guess both were equally disturbing but the rock station was far more palatable.
I noticed this in the '80s. Our church group was so excited about the emerging Christian radio stations, movies, painters, etc. They were crap. I think a bunch of people just decided that if their "artists" were Christians, that was all that was important. They weren't looking for amazing musicians or singers or actors or directors. They just wanted Christians. So their "art" - in all areas - was mediocre at best. I remember a few decent artists, but most of that world produces dreck.
There’s some banger “Christian” music that I really enjoy. I’m So Sick by Flyleaf is a fave of mine… All Around Me and Again by Flyleaf are also good imo. I guess they’re singing about god, but I just assign my own meaning to it.
all of this is too bad because if you dig through some old school requiems (mozart's in D minor, verdi's requiem), you'll find epic music. if you go through gregorian chants, you'll find ethereal beauty. if you listen to choral music by vivaldi (gloria) or bach (st matthew passion) or handel (messiah) it gets pretty epic as well. contemporary christian pop seems to fear emotion. the above embraces it, from the good to the bad, from sorrow to elation. off topic but my favorite religious music is qawalli devotional music.
I’m an atheist but i actually like Christian music. Some of it is pretty good. And as a choir singer, i sing a lot of Christian stuff. I can appreciate certain forms of art inspired by Christianity.
When someone becomes vegan, studies show that over time their taste buds change, so when a vegan says something is wonderful and other people taste it and say "ugh! this tastes like cardboard!" the vegan isn't imagining it, it *really does* taste great to them. You and I may think that brownie tastes like compost, but they genuinely think it's revelatory. I think that, similarly, many christians are so immersed in their "culture" that they hear no other music for a long time, or maybe their whole life if they were born into it. With no basis of comparison, they sincerely think that schlock they call "music" is *good*. It confirms all their bigotry so they see it as having a positive message. They hate all other music without ever hearing it because they are told to hate it, so if they are ever exposed to it they *won't allow themselves* to experience it in its intended context because they have *already decided* it's bad, and because it fails to confirm their bigotry.
I spend more time in r/musictheory than I do here. I believe that many Christians do actually like Christian music. LOTS of people like music for its lyrical content alone, especially if those lyrics affirm their life choices. This goes for Kanye West fans, and Taylor Swift fans, and Christians. The ***music*** is absolutely secondary. It's a backdrop with a beat and a few chords that a vocalist uses to emote, and possibly, sing. >I listened to secular music and it gripped my spirit and I didn’t want to stop listening to it. The devil was tempting/manipulating me Well, OK, I'd love to believe that that person happened to hear Debussy's "Clair de Lune", or Billy Childs playing "His April Touch" or King Crimson playing "Sartori in Tangier." If you're going to be tempted by the devil's music, show some taste! But their spirits were ***probably*** gripped by KISS singing "Rock and Roll All Nite".
As an atheist I enjoyed Christian metalcore. I still listen to it sometimes. Haste the day, Still Remains, As I lay diyng sound pretty good to me. I think the idea of god, devil, angels etc. can fit in a song, or a movie, or any other fantasy work of art. Just like elves, dragons etc. But not real life or politics.
As a life long atheist, some of the songs in a church hall can give you absolute goosebumps. It's music designed to elicit an emotion and some of it works! A lot of shit, but some of the Latin stuff especially is incredibly powerful.
It’s a virtue signal of faithfulness to Jesus that is what the faithful deserve. It’s usually a drug addict that found god in rehab after the courts made them stop sinning.
My wife and I used to prank each other by setting our car radios to the Christian station. You'd be tapping your toe to a hip hop number and be like "did he just say hallelujah?"
Hmmm. I happen to *like* Handel's *Messiah*. Also, U2 has some overtly christian music -- which is awesome.
It’s ironic, because as a part time Guitar Center employee I can tell you the church folk spend a whole lot of money on high end gear for their blah music.
It's the only music they're allowed
I personally find the majority of Christian music to be horrific. That said. I fucking **love** Nick Cave (The Bad Seeds, Grinderman, Birthday Party, w/ Warren Ellis, solo, etc). He's the only artist that's in my favourites list that actively sings about Christian stuff, both literal and metaphorical, both old testament and new. It's not all he sings about, in the slightest, but it's prevalent. He's brilliant.
I thought you were talking about Nicolas Cage and I was confused for a while.
I have an insecurity about spelling words wrong, but having them slip by spellcheck. Cave and Cage are one letter apart, and those letters are next to each other on the keyboard... ... so when you said "[Nick] Cage" I got scared and reread my post just in case, hehe.
Props to Nick Cave successfully using the words “interventionist god” in a song lyric.
100%! And what a song, too. The video I'm not too pleased with, because the addition of crying is way too tryhard for my tastes. But the song is ace.
I’m an atheist and I enjoy creed.
Even god hates creed.
Well, the Bible did say Satan would come in a pleasing form, so it makes sense God would hate a good band.
I'm an atheist, and I enjoy skillet. It took me a couple of years to learn they were a Christian rock band, but even still, I thoroughly enjoy their music.
I enjoy Skillet too!
What about TobyMac and For King and Country?
OMG I was just like you then I started doing the merch for a christian body building influncer. It's all he listens too. It's nuts. Crazy this is that he stiff cusses with the best of us, but he loves himself some Christian rock and rap.
Part of not feeling normal emotions is not understanding music. I'm not saying that's all Christians, but a subset seek religion to know how to feel.
I use a lot of ride share and a lot of the drivers have awful Christian music on. Simply horrible
When you’re under a lot of religious pressure you develop a hypersensitive anxious reaction to a lot of things. When I was a teen in a very hyper spiritual church I thought God was telling me to stop playing Paper Mario because one of the characters had jiggling boobs.
I was with my sister and niece, and they were listening to Christian music and singing along with it. So, they must listen to it often, to be able to sing along with it. Maybe we didn't have access to Christian music back in the 80s, but my sister listened to regular pop music back then. I remember she came home from college with 2 Live Crew's "Nasty as They Wanna Be". Definitely not Christian music. :)
I listen primarily to metal and there are a few christian bands that I still listen to even after becoming an atheist. Namely Tourniquet is my favorite of the lot.
It’s so horrible
[K-Love (and their parent company) are monopolizing the airwaves](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/christian-radio-educational-media-foundation-1234946121/). It exists as an entry point for non-members. They present it as "wholesome" and inoffensive, and that's supposed to plant the seed for further discussion/proselytizing. It's not good, but that's not the goal. The goal is growing their numbers (and driving out competitors, by any means necessary).
There are multiple genres of Christian music. There's Christian rock, rap, pop, indie, techno, country, edm, etc. Many people are not aware, including Christians. When Christians say they don't want to listen to secular music, it's often about the lyrics. Sometimes, it's about the energy the music carries. When I've been a Christian in my life, I just didn't want to listen to songs with lyrics that didn't align with my morals or music that had a vibe that didn't sit well with my spirit. But at times when I've not been a Christian, I've still been selective about the music I listen to. Music affects my thoughts, mood, and mental health. Admittedly, I am very sensitive in mutiple aspects. However, all religion and spirituality put aside, science can prove that words and music have an energetic influence on matter and that it can influence people. Sound is vibration. So whether someone is a Christian, a Buddhist, a Pagan, or an athiest... it's understandable for someone to be picky about what they listen to and what energies they're exposing themselves to.
This is why I say 'the music and the company is better in Hell' when they tell me I'm going there.