Difference between revisions of "Atheist music"
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== Atheist Dan Barker still receives royalties from his popular Christian children songs. His atheist music is not widely heard == | == Atheist Dan Barker still receives royalties from his popular Christian children songs. His atheist music is not widely heard == | ||
| − | [[File:Atheist Dan Barker.jpg|thumbnail| | + | [[File:Atheist Dan Barker.jpg|thumbnail|left|175px|[[Dan Barker]] ]] |
The [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] reports about atheist [[Dan Barker]] who is a co-founder of their organization: | The [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] reports about atheist [[Dan Barker]] who is a co-founder of their organization: | ||
{{Cquote|For more than two decades, Dan was accompanist, arranger, and record producer for Manuel Bonilla, the leading Christian singer in the Spanish-speaking world. He accompanied on the piano such Christian personalities as Pat Boone, Jimmy Roberts (of the Lawrence Welk Show), and gospel songwriter Audrey Meier, and was a regular guest on Southern California’s “Praise The Lord” TV show (Spanish). One of Dan’s Christian songs, “There Is One,” was performed by Rev. Robert Schuller’s television choir on the “Hour of Power” broadcast. To this day, he receives royalties from his popular children’s Christian musicals, “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1977), and “His Fleece Was White As Snow” (1978), both published by Manna Music and performed in many countries.<ref>[https://ffrf.org/about/getting-acquainted/dan-barker Dan Barker - Minister turned atheist -bio]</ref>}} | {{Cquote|For more than two decades, Dan was accompanist, arranger, and record producer for Manuel Bonilla, the leading Christian singer in the Spanish-speaking world. He accompanied on the piano such Christian personalities as Pat Boone, Jimmy Roberts (of the Lawrence Welk Show), and gospel songwriter Audrey Meier, and was a regular guest on Southern California’s “Praise The Lord” TV show (Spanish). One of Dan’s Christian songs, “There Is One,” was performed by Rev. Robert Schuller’s television choir on the “Hour of Power” broadcast. To this day, he receives royalties from his popular children’s Christian musicals, “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1977), and “His Fleece Was White As Snow” (1978), both published by Manna Music and performed in many countries.<ref>[https://ffrf.org/about/getting-acquainted/dan-barker Dan Barker - Minister turned atheist -bio]</ref>}} | ||
Revision as of 02:21, March 18, 2016
Atheist music is music that has been written to express atheist ideology or atheist religious concepts (see: Atheism is a secular religion).
Despite atheism existing for thousands of years and predating Christianity, there is a small proportion of music compared to religious music. For example, Wikipedia, which was founded by an atheist and agnostic, has no article on "Atheist music", but Wikipedia does have an article on Christian music. The comedian Steve Martin wrote a satirical song entitled "“Atheists Don't Have No Songs”.[2] There are no atheist radio stations dedicated to playing atheist songs. In addition, although there are full-time Christian musicians who support themselves by playing for churches (or other Christian audiences) and through the sales of their music, there are no full-time atheist musicians who devote themselves to playing atheist music.
During the Christmas season many businesses play Christmas music and there is a large collection of Christmas songs. Businesses in the Western World rarely have atheist music playing in their establishments and when it does occur it is purely unplanned (for example, a radio station playing John Lennon's song Imagine).
See also: Low amount of quality atheist art: Atheism is an uninspiring and negative concept
Richard Dawkins sings Christmas carols. Religious leaders do not sing atheist songs
The Daily Mail declared about the new atheist Richard Dawkins:
| “ | Scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins has admitted he does celebrate Christmas - and enjoys singing traditional Christmas carols each festive season.
The writer and evolutionary biologist told singer Jarvis Cocker that he happily wishes everyone a Merry Christmas - and used to have a tree when his daughter was younger.[4] |
” |
Dawkins wrote at the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science website:
| “ | Nor do I shy aware from singing the familiar and much loved Christmas songs that I sang for years in choir or at home. Silent Night still can bring a tear to my eye because it recalls memories of childhood.[5] | ” |
Christian leaders or the leaders of other theistic religions do not sing the relatively few atheist songs which exist.
Atheist churches play some atheistic music. The music is not exclusively atheistic
Although atheist churches are few in number. Atheist churches employ some atheist music, but the songs are not exclusively atheistic in nature.[6]
The journalist Kimberly Winston reported in the Huffington Post:
| “ | At London’s Sunday Assembly, which attracts as many as 300 people and frequently turns people away at the door, the music has included songs by Queen and Stevie Wonder. At Houston Oasis, a community of nonbelievers established last fall, there are covers of popular songs, rewritten renditions of old songs and original music as well.
“We say we are a community grounded in reason, and music is a part of that,” said Mike Aus, Houston Oasis’ founder, leader and a former Lutheran pastor. “The music we include is intended to inspire and improve your life somehow.” A recent Houston Oasis gathering that drew 80 people featured the singing of Smythe and Taylor, a Texas-based award-winning musical duo who performed John Waite’s “Missing You,” James Taylor’s “The Frozen Man” and their own “Heaven’s Not the Great Beyond,” about an encounter with a homeless man who may — or may not — be Jesus.[8] |
” |
Christian comedian Tim Hawkins on atheist songs being played at atheist churches
The Christian musician and comedian Tim Hawkins pokes fun at the concepts of atheist songs being played at atheist churches and atheist kids song[9]
Atheist Dan Barker still receives royalties from his popular Christian children songs. His atheist music is not widely heard
The Freedom From Religion Foundation reports about atheist Dan Barker who is a co-founder of their organization:
| “ | For more than two decades, Dan was accompanist, arranger, and record producer for Manuel Bonilla, the leading Christian singer in the Spanish-speaking world. He accompanied on the piano such Christian personalities as Pat Boone, Jimmy Roberts (of the Lawrence Welk Show), and gospel songwriter Audrey Meier, and was a regular guest on Southern California’s “Praise The Lord” TV show (Spanish). One of Dan’s Christian songs, “There Is One,” was performed by Rev. Robert Schuller’s television choir on the “Hour of Power” broadcast. To this day, he receives royalties from his popular children’s Christian musicals, “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1977), and “His Fleece Was White As Snow” (1978), both published by Manna Music and performed in many countries.[10] | ” |
Barker has also written atheist music. Given the low market demand for atheist music around the world, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has not reported that Barker's music has achieved widespread appeal.
In 2007, Chuck Norris wrote about internet atheism:"YouTube, the most popular video site on the Net for young people, is one of their primary avenues for passing off their secularist propaganda."[11] Some atheists have hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers. As of 3/17/2016, the most popular YouTube video which features Barker's song "Nothing fails like prayer" has less than 10,000 views despite being uploaded to YouTube four years ago.[12]
Propagation of religions/worldviews via music, art and culture
See also: Atheism and apathy
Music, art and culture is often employed as means of evangelism and/or serve as an means of introduction to a religion/worldview.
According Pew Research:
| “ | In the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, self-identified atheists were asked how often they share their views on God and religion with religious people. Only about one-in-ten atheists (9%) say they do at least weekly, while roughly two-thirds (65%) say they seldom or never discuss their views on religion with religious people. By comparison, 26% of those who have a religious affiliation share their views at least once a week with those who have other beliefs; 43% say they seldom or never do.[13] | ” |
At the present time, global atheism is shrinking in terms of its world percentage of adherents (See also: Desecularization).
See also
- Atheist art
- Atheist poetry
- Atheism and musical–rhythmic intelligence and artistic intelligence
- Atheism is uninspiring
Humor:
- Indian Christian culture is better than low class atheist "culture"
- Great and inspiring music by atheists on atheism
Notes
- ↑ Atheist Church Split: Sunday Assembly And Godless Revival's 'Denominational Chasm', Huffington Post, 2014
- ↑ Steve Martin - Atheists Don't Have No Songs (Live on Letterman 03-16-2011)
- ↑ Why I celebrate Christmas, by the world's most famous atheist, The Daily Mail]
- ↑ Why I celebrate Christmas, by the world's most famous atheist, The Daily Mail
- ↑ A very atheist Christmas by Richard Dawkins
- ↑ ‘Atheist Churches’ Embrace Sunday-Morning Music by Kimberly Winston, Huffington Post
- ↑ *Stevie Wonder surprises Minneapolis Baptist church
- ↑ ‘Atheist Churches’ Embrace Sunday-Morning Music by Kimberly Winston, Huffington Post
- ↑ Tim Hawkins - Atheist Kids' Songs
- ↑ Dan Barker - Minister turned atheist -bio
- ↑ http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55789
- ↑ Nothing Fails Like Prayer, Dan Barker
- ↑ 7 facts about atheists, Pew Forum