I understand where you are coming from, these affects can be powerful, however singing rationalist hymns seems in a very basic way wrong to me. Whenever I get swept up by a hymn it is because I indulge (or so I believe) in accepting the values it really promotes.
A hymn feels to me like rejoicing the object you value of existing. It induces the belief that the very existence of God, the Revolution, the Tsar or some undefined X in itself hold value, and you then after excepting this premise rejoice and give up a part of yourself for the “common cause”, melding with the others in intent. A intent to keep things as they are, or perhaps to aspire to make even more X-like or to make sure as much of existence is touched by X.
Rationalism dosen’t really include ultimate values and this is why I feel uncomfortable risking making proxy values that help me achieve my primary values creep into the same emotional space.
What I just wrote is completely based on introspection, I can’t really know if a hymn,anthem or whatever fits the OP, really can or does hijack my value system without (or perhaps with) my consent. But it sure feels like it.
This isn’t a post arguing for rationalist hymns. I’m skeptical that there can be rationalist hymns, for the reasons you mentioned. It’s doubtful that there are any ultimate values—it’s even more doubtful that anything concrete and easy to visualize, like a single person, is an ultimate value. In a sense, what I’m talking about here is worship. Is there anything that it’s all right for rationalists to worship?
I think the answer’s probably “no,” and I’m trying to find out if there’s any way that can be made less disappointing.
Slava Bogu na višavah in na Zemlji mir ljudem!
I understand where you are coming from, these affects can be powerful, however singing rationalist hymns seems in a very basic way wrong to me. Whenever I get swept up by a hymn it is because I indulge (or so I believe) in accepting the values it really promotes.
A hymn feels to me like rejoicing the object you value of existing. It induces the belief that the very existence of God, the Revolution, the Tsar or some undefined X in itself hold value, and you then after excepting this premise rejoice and give up a part of yourself for the “common cause”, melding with the others in intent. A intent to keep things as they are, or perhaps to aspire to make even more X-like or to make sure as much of existence is touched by X.
Rationalism dosen’t really include ultimate values and this is why I feel uncomfortable risking making proxy values that help me achieve my primary values creep into the same emotional space.
What I just wrote is completely based on introspection, I can’t really know if a hymn,anthem or whatever fits the OP, really can or does hijack my value system without (or perhaps with) my consent. But it sure feels like it.
This isn’t a post arguing for rationalist hymns. I’m skeptical that there can be rationalist hymns, for the reasons you mentioned. It’s doubtful that there are any ultimate values—it’s even more doubtful that anything concrete and easy to visualize, like a single person, is an ultimate value. In a sense, what I’m talking about here is worship. Is there anything that it’s all right for rationalists to worship?
I think the answer’s probably “no,” and I’m trying to find out if there’s any way that can be made less disappointing.