Music that's anti-religious

[Josh]

Here's a thinking question.

As Christian listeners, how should we respond to music that is explicitly against religion?

Anti-religious might be a poor choice of words... I'm not talking about songs that bash religion so much as songs that simply say, "No, thanks, religion is not for me."

REM's "New Test Leper" is a good example. Stipe sings from the perspective of an AIDS victim who has been condemned and ridiculed by the Christian media. Understandabley, he doesn't want anything to do with Christianity. However, he never bashes Christ- in fact, he directly quotes some of Christ's teachings.

Other REM songs are similar: "Undertow" ("I don't need religion"), "Hope," ("And you want to trust religion... but the people who are followers have written their own story"), etc.

So, how should we as listeners respond? Should we not listen to these songs? Should we be taking notes on why people are turned off from religion? Any thoughts?

[beautifulmess]

I think that we can learn quite a bit from songs such as those. Sometimes we get so caught up in our little Christian circles and completely lose sight of the world around us. To me, those songs are reminders that the world is watching the moves we make. They see us for who we are. Our words mean nothing unless we live our life to back them up.  If Christians, including myself, focused more upon their actions than their words, I believe a lot of lost hearts would be changed. I don't think we realize how often we give the Gospel of Jesus Christ a bad name. If one of the songs you mentioned could open up someone's eyes in some way, then I don't see a problem with the song.  

[Josh]

I agree.

Some of those songs have done a lot to open my eyes to the way the lost relate to Christians. I think Stipe's lyrics in those songs are so sharp they'll really cut into you, and I'm sure the same is true of other lyricists who are escaping my memory right now. (Ron Sexsmith's "God Loves Everyone" is NOT one such song!)

[Vlad!]

I think such songs might have something to say to a Christian listener. If it was a bad song AND it bashed Christianity, I wouldn't listen to it just to try and get something out of it. But if it's a good song in its own right, I don't see why you shouldn't listen to it.

[Escuchame]

Jewel
"Jesus Loves You"
From This Way (Atlantic)

They say that Jesus loves you
What about me?
They say that money breaks you
I still wanna see
They say that you're only half alive
Till you give extra whitening a try

Well, I wanna see, I wanna see
What can you do for me?

Showing ta-tas on the TV is OK
I wanna be OK, too
Having my picture in a magazine makes me special
How special are you?
They say that if I donate, even I
Can buy a lot in heaven before I die

Well, I wanna see, I wanna see
What can you do for me?

I want someone else to pack my lunch
Gonna get someone else to pull the punch
Pay a psychic for romance
Gonna pay a priest for a...
Will you give me a second chance?
Will you give me a second chance?

They say abortion will send you straight to a fiery hell
That is if the fanatics don't beat Satan to the kill
It's not what I can do for anybody
It's what their body can do for me

Well, I wanna see, I wanna see
What can you do for me?

They say that Jesus loves you
What about me?