Music1 min ago
Can Religion Move An Atheist?
32 Answers
I would have thought not, but I watched this woman sing live many times. It didn't make me religious, but the sheer quality and beauty of her voice made me well up.
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"Why should the Devil have all the best tunes?" asked William Booth, on hearing the tune of "Champagne Charlie is my Name". And that's the point, surely, it is the tunes that are attractive, properly performed. Only someone impressionable would be persuaded to believe in the truth of the lyrics because the song was good. Beethoven's Choral Symphony is a great work, but the lyrics lose me when they argue that there must be creator above the stars who is helping us, the evidence being that the world is essentially happy! But for all that, it's intensely moving.
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If you're asking can a religious person's acts, deeds and writings cause a non-believer to be moved to tears then yes, of course they can.
Just because a religious person can sing beautifully or write the most amazingly moving prose does not validate their beliefs.
Birdie, my thoughts were more, would those of an atheistic bent disallow/disavow a beautiful song like this purely because the connotations were religious?
Just because a religious person can sing beautifully or write the most amazingly moving prose does not validate their beliefs.
Birdie, my thoughts were more, would those of an atheistic bent disallow/disavow a beautiful song like this purely because the connotations were religious?
Can humming be beautiful? I'd say it could, so the meaning or intention of a song might be largely inconsequential. A song is generally just words set to music, so I am sure someone could compose a 'hate-song' that sounded wonderful, especially if it was in a language other than his/her own.
In musical and religious terms, Gregorian chant is beautiful, but I would never allow that to persuade me that those singing it are right to believe in a supernatural god who loves me...and I too had a Kirk of Scotland upbringing.
In musical and religious terms, Gregorian chant is beautiful, but I would never allow that to persuade me that those singing it are right to believe in a supernatural god who loves me...and I too had a Kirk of Scotland upbringing.
Would an atheist disavow a piece because it was religious ? They shouldn't . That's reminiscent of people banning Wagner because of he was anti-semitic and the Nazis liked his works, or Stalin's banning Sibelius's work because of the Finnish patriotism in some of it. Even the Horst Wessel song has quite a good tune and is enjoyable at that level, though the sentiment of the words is hardly agreeable and they have unhappy connotations.
Who would refuse to listen to the Hallelujah Chorus, or not be affected by it, because it celebrates something they don't believe in or regard as corrupting? That's as bigoted a stance as that of any 'relgionist'.
Who would refuse to listen to the Hallelujah Chorus, or not be affected by it, because it celebrates something they don't believe in or regard as corrupting? That's as bigoted a stance as that of any 'relgionist'.
For me it wasn't religion or beautiful singing that moved me but the living world that I see around me , particularly insects and plants . Something "clicks" one day and it dawns on you - the complexity and interdependence of the living world .
I've read many answers and seen very good points made by atheist contributors , but I can't see how life occurred randomly or created itself .
I've read many answers and seen very good points made by atheist contributors , but I can't see how life occurred randomly or created itself .
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