If you listen to a song...

....and then later find out it has religious meaning behind it, does it change your opinion of the song?

I'll give an example. The other day I was listening to a song, only to later find out the band is a Christian rock band. I understand now that the lyrics are SUPPOSED to represent Jesus and the Christian faith, but prior to finding out the band is Christian I understood the lyrics to mean something completely different. Now that the lyrics are in religious context for me, they're lame; has this ever happened to you?

I'm atheist. No. You know the artists interpretation isn't the only valid one, right?

It's just a song I don't believe in it cause I listen to it. I have Number of the Beast- Iron Maiden and Alive- POD on my laptop so yeah. NOTHING.

I don't pay attention to lyrics, only the words if that makes sense. Lyrics to me are important in the sense that it creates beautiful sounding words for the vocalist to sing (or simply syllables for less euphonic forms of singing), not that I pay special attention to the meaning. If the meaning of the song is blatantly obvious then I will catch on to it of course, but if the lyrics are deeply poetical or something then I don't really care. All that matters to me is good singing, which includes carefully choosing words that sound good in succession or simply on their own.

[QUOTE="GmasterRED"]No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.gameguy6700

[QUOTE="gameguy6700"][QUOTE="GmasterRED"]No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.dann14v

Atheism != amorality (or even immorality). Christian people generally do adhere to the morals of that religion, but that doesn't mean people that aren't Christian don't have a sense of morality.

Of course I'll still like it. I'm not religious, but many musicians have written great songs when inspired by faith. I loved Sixpence None the Richer before I knew they were a Christian band, and I still do. As long as it's not too overtly religious, I have no problem with it.

I listen to metal for the most part, so the only religious lyrical undertones in my music are for the most part anti-religious or based on obscure or self-created beliefs. There's not really any serious Christian/Islamic/etc. metal artists out there.

I do actually like when metal bands throw their own "religious" or philosophical ideas out there though.

[QUOTE="gameguy6700"][QUOTE="GmasterRED"]No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.dann14v

Yes, but it only increases my like of the song. I suppose being a Christian has something to do with that. However, I do not remember ever listening to a song and not realizing that it has Christian components.mindstorm

I listen to metal for the most part, so the only religious lyrical undertones in my music are for the most part anti-religious or based on obscure or self-created beliefs. There's not really any serious Christian/Islamic/etc. metal artists out there.

I do actually like when metal bands throw their own "religious" or philosophical ideas out there though.

Saturos3091

Depends what you mean by "serious", although Believer and Incubus are two bands that use Christian lyrics that I can immediately recall. I don't know if they are extremely devout or anything, but they are at least Christians and "serious" about their music.

No, while atheist I have no quarrel with others expressing Christian values, and I really like religious imagery as well. Actually, now that I think about it I really enjoy when people are faithful, I don't know why, it's just very inspiring. Of course barirng discriminatory or violent actions, etc...

Not really. When singers go all anti-Christian to be "TEH BR00TLZ LOLOL HAIL SATAN" it annoys me, but if it's not blatantly attacking anything for no reason I'm fine with it. Albeit I've been listening to a fair amount of Slayer lately...but oh well, Kerry King's a dumbass anyways. =P

When I found out One Rode to Asa Bay by Bathory was about how the Christians invaded Scandinavia and converted them through torture and force - the song doubled in awesomeness. KHAndAnime

Of four to man of new God

Whipped was twenty and put in chains then locked

By their neck to the log

And so all of Asa bay did build

A house of the cross

Every hour of daylight they did sweat

Limbs ached because faith does cost

A lot of Norwegian Black Metallers had a pretty crappy grasp on English; not Quorthon. Epic, epic stuff.

[QUOTE="mindstorm"]Yes, but it only increases my like of the song. I suppose being a Christian has something to do with that. However, I do not remember ever listening to a song and not realizing that it has Christian components.D_Battery

But not really. I am very analytical about such things and even if there is a hint of disagreement theologically with what I believe and the intended meaning of a song I have issues with singing it. I say this because I mostly use music for worship purposes. However, that does not mean I cannot appreciate the talent of a musician, I just may not enjoy the music as much without the spiritual component.

Though, do not think my way of thinking about this is considered normal. Only in the past year have I begun to care about music at all being that I finally found some artists that I truly like. Example here.

I listen to music with secular ears. There are a few artists that I like that have religious influences in their lyrics. Despite the undertones they are beautiful lyrics.

Sort of like the Bible. I don't follow any of it in a non secular sense, but it is a goodread.

I really don't care either way. I listen yo music for the music, not the lyrics, so if I already like a song and then find out the lyrics have christian, buddhist, satanist, or any other kind of religious meaning, I'll still like it regardless.

I only like lyrics because they let me sing along to a song I like, but I couldn't care less what the message in a song is.

[QUOTE="GmasterRED"]No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.gameguy6700

[QUOTE="Saturos3091"]

I listen to metal for the most part, so the only religious lyrical undertones in my music are for the most part anti-religious or based on obscure or self-created beliefs. There's not really any serious Christian/Islamic/etc. metal artists out there.

I do actually like when metal bands throw their own "religious" or philosophical ideas out there though.

ex-mortis

Depends what you mean by "serious", although Believer and Incubus are two bands that use Christian lyrics that I can immediately recall. I don't know if they are extremely devout or anything, but they are at least Christians and "serious" about their music.

[QUOTE="gameguy6700"][QUOTE="GmasterRED"]No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.GmasterRED

:|

:lol:

On top of that, one look at the world's prisons is enough to tell you that being religious hardly precludes a person from committing acts like rape, murder, and theft.gameguy6700

I rarely care what the lyrics say anyways.

I really dont care what a song is about if its at least a good song.

Kinda, but I tend to interpret a song to a personal meaning if it is possible. Great examples are U2's stuff.

It's very unlikely that I'll like any Christian rock song just because most Christian rock follows a musical template I just happen to find very boring, but there are a few songs with Christian themes in the lyrics that I enjoy just fine. For some reason all that's coming to mind right now is Turn It Off and Let the Flames Begin by Paramore :P, but I'm sure there's a lot more.

But, yeah, religion in music doesn't bother me at all. An artist is going to sing about what he/she is passionate about, and if that happens to be religion and they can make a good song out of it, whatever.

[QUOTE="GmasterRED"]Seriosuly, people who are Christian tend to have higher moral standerds then everyone else. black_cat19

:|

:lol:

When that happens, I feel betrayed. It's like entering a relationship with a woman you like only to find out that she's only into you because she's trying to convert you to her religion. I want to like songs with religious means, such as The Fray's "You Found Me" or most anything by Flyleaf, but it's really difficult without feeling that I'm contradicting the notions that I base my life upon. [QUOTE="black_cat19"]

[QUOTE="GmasterRED"]Seriosuly, people who are Christian tend to have higher moral standerds then everyone else. Genetic_Code

:|

:lol:

I wouldn't go so far as to say "betrayed" but i agree for the most part

When that happens, I feel betrayed. It's like entering a relationship with a woman you like only to find out that she's only into you because she's trying to convert you to her religion. I want to like songs with religious means, such as The Fray's "You Found Me" or most anything by Flyleaf, but it's really difficult without feeling that I'm contradicting the notions that I base my life upon. [QUOTE="black_cat19"]

[QUOTE="GmasterRED"]

:|

:lol:

Genetic_Code

Now that you mention it, I think I completely misunderstood that statement; I thought it was something along the lines of "people without religion lack morality; the only way for people to have morals is to believe in god". I honestly have no idea why I read it like that... :?

EDIT: Wait, after re-reading the whole quote chain, I remember why I took his statement to mean that. It was because of this previous statement:

No, I just like it better. I'm no Christian, but it indicates that the artists have morality. But the lyrics do seem lamer after the fact, that's true.GmasterRED

Particularly the part in bold.