A good “atheistic hymn” is simply a song about anything worth singing about that doesn’t happen to be religious.
No, that’s a good non-religious song. Without religion there would be no atheism, only the much broader scepticism. Atheism is a response to religion—to be considered “atheistic”, a song could not avoid the topic. (Alternatively, we’d have to consider “Fear of the dark” a great aspiderman song).
The best atheistic song I’ve heard is “Dear God” by XTC—the last prayer of many a new atheist, who’ve lost faith, but not yet the habit of praying:
Dear God, hope you get the letter and I pray you can make it better down here I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer But all the people that you made in your image See them starving on their feet ’Cause they don’t get enough to eat from God I can’t believe in you
Dear God, sorry to disturb you but I feel that I should be heard loud and clear We all need a big reduction in amount of tears And all the people that you made in your image See them fighting in the street ’Cause they can’t make opinions meet about God I can’t believe in you
Did you make disease and the diamond blue? Did you make mankind after we made you? And the Devil too!
Dear God don’t know if you noticed but Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look And all the people that you made in your image Still believing that junk is true Well I know it ain’t, and so do you I can’t believe in I don’t believe
I won’t believe in heaven or hell No saints, no sinners, no devil as well No pearly gates, no thorny crown You’re always letting us humans down The wars you bring, the babes you drown Those lost at sea and never found And it’s the same the whole world ’round The hurt I see helps to compound The Father, Son and Holy Ghost Is just somebody’s unholy hoax And if you’re up there you’ll perceive That my heart’s here upon my sleeve If there’s one thing I don’t believe in
It’s you
And yes, there is a very clear god-shaped void, the disappointment of a promise unfulfilled.
There is also an “epic vocals” cover by Lawless (feat. Sydney Wayser) that is more hymn-like—prettier, but less angry. Both are worth listening to.
No, that’s a good non-religious song. Without religion there would be no atheism, only the much broader scepticism. Atheism is a response to religion—to be considered “atheistic”, a song could not avoid the topic. (Alternatively, we’d have to consider “Fear of the dark” a great aspiderman song).
The best atheistic song I’ve heard is “Dear God” by XTC—the last prayer of many a new atheist, who’ve lost faith, but not yet the habit of praying:
Dear God, hope you get the letter and
I pray you can make it better down here
I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
’Cause they don’t get enough to eat from God
I can’t believe in you
Dear God, sorry to disturb you but
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
’Cause they can’t make opinions meet about God
I can’t believe in you
Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the Devil too!
Dear God don’t know if you noticed but
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
Still believing that junk is true
Well I know it ain’t, and so do you
I can’t believe in
I don’t believe
I won’t believe in heaven or hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You’re always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it’s the same the whole world ’round
The hurt I see helps to compound
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody’s unholy hoax
And if you’re up there you’ll perceive
That my heart’s here upon my sleeve
If there’s one thing I don’t believe in
It’s you
And yes, there is a very clear god-shaped void, the disappointment of a promise unfulfilled.
There is also an “epic vocals” cover by Lawless (feat. Sydney Wayser) that is more hymn-like—prettier, but less angry. Both are worth listening to.
[Edited: fromatting]