# Do you like religious music?



## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

NT's tend to be a pretty irreligious lot in general, especially in our current secular society, but I've personally always been drawn to sacred music. It frequently brings tears to my eyes. It is amazingly structured with poignant chord changes and (often) cosmic themes. But I love a lot of older music in general, so perhaps it has more to do with that.

Any other NT's in my boat?


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## PseudoSenator (Mar 7, 2010)

I like a couple Christian pop/rock songs, and a handful of hymns and gospel songs [mainly the ones you hear around Christmas time such as Oh Holy Night] but I mainly prefer the religious music without lyrics such as Gregorian chanting, Hindu meditation and worship music which also involves chanting and rhythms, etc.

The music may serve to validate false beliefs, but there's no doubt that the passion, emotion, and soul that religion evokes from people can be harnessed and used to create brilliant music--and art in general. Architecture and painting created for religious purposes still retains tremendous aesthetic value and is to be admired.


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## Apollo Celestio (Mar 10, 2010)

Teacher style.. 
the order itself isn't necessarily exclusive to religious music.. but I admit I like the grandoise air it has.


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

PseudoSenator said:


> The music may serve to validate false beliefs, but there's no doubt that the passion, emotion, and soul that religion evokes from people can be harnessed and used to create brilliant music--and art in general. Architecture and painting created for religious purposes still retains tremendous aesthetic value and is to be admired.


Yeah, these are pretty much my thoughts on it exactly.:happy:


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## amosbanga (Nov 25, 2010)

I'm agnostic. Definitely agree with the above sentiment that religion has inspired great works of art.

My favorite music is from Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Most of what is left from that time is religious vocal music, from Gregorian chant to polyphonic masses. Many pieces since then time were also religiously inspired, from Handel and Bach in the Baroque period to Arvo Pärt and Gorecki much more recently. Sublime, beautiful music. Now that I think of it, a lot of my favorite "serious" music is religious in nature. Odd.

As for more popular music...I've heard some bad Christian songs, but some good ones as well. I do have some Christian rock CDs. I don't really care about lyrics so much anyway, compared to harmony, how instruments are used, etc.


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## mnemonicfx (Sep 5, 2010)

Religion was at a point in time a great art. Until politics came along with it.

I don't like religious pop/rock music. But, I like the instrumental or classic ones.


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

mnemonicfx said:


> Religion was at a point in time a great art. Until politics came along with it.
> 
> I don't like religious pop/rock music. But, I like the instrumental or classic ones.


Yeah, I'd have to agree with this as well. Religious ritual strikes a very visceral chord with me and I get a great deal out of it, especially when approaching it from an intuitive/interpretive/symbolic mindset.

Don't like religious pop much in general either. But there are a few modern Christian songs I appreciate very much.


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## Valiums (Aug 29, 2010)

I will be honest, and say it creeps me the fuck out. :|
Especially Christian pop.


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## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

I don't listen to religious music and have no intention to do so. The religious message attached to the music puts me off the music.


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## Lucretius (Sep 10, 2009)

I don't as as general rule, but "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen is actually one of my favorite songs.


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

Azrael said:


> I don't as as general rule, but "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen is actually one of my favorite songs.


I love Hallelujah too, but I wouldn't call it sacred music, just a song that references religion and makes religious allusions. I'd define sacred music as music written to glorify a deity.


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

Valiums said:


> I will be honest, and say it creeps me the fuck out. :|
> Especially Christian pop.


Yeah, I was more referring to older sacred music. Like classical stuff. But perhaps that creeps you out too? Do Christmas carols creep you out as well?:tongue:

But yeah, Christian pop is generally insipid and usually really annoying.


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## sarek (May 20, 2010)

I very much enjoy traditional religious music, not the modern stuff. I like choirs singing, Gregorian chants and such.


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## Valdyr (May 25, 2010)

I seem to fall into the general INTP line here. I love traditional "sacred' music, like Gregorian chants and religious-themed classical music (like the work of Haendel, Haydn's "Die Schupfung" etc.), but I really dislike "Christian pop" and the like. I can find things to enjoy about even standard dance pop, but Christian pop just reeks of a new level of bland.

I've also noticed that I tend to dislike more modern, happy religious songs, such as those commonly sung in suburban Protestant churches (I've been dragged to a few), preferring traditional songs.

Did I mention how much I like Gregorian chants?


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## The Exception (Oct 26, 2010)

I'm not religious and I normally don't listen to religious music but I can appreciate for qualities like the vocals or the instrumentation. There are a few religious songs I like for the sound itself. I don't pay much attention to the lyrics anyway.


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## Ziggurat (Jun 12, 2010)

I absolutely hate the general themes of love, faith, and subservience in every *goddamn* song.

(Oh yeah, the music itself tends to suck imo :S)


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## Proteus (Mar 5, 2010)

Lyrical themes don't prevent me from enjoying music. If it sounds good I'll like it and the lyrics have to be really, really bad or ill-fitting to put me off. I've plenty of music in my collection with lyrics about various pagan religions/themes, a few that are christian, and lots of stuff that would probably fit into the "spiritual" category.


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## noz (Dec 7, 2009)

Yes.

I've said for some time now, I may not believe in God, but I can hear him in here:

YouTube - Civilization 4 Soundtrack: Media Vita (Part 1)

I only wish I could tolerate the verbal behavior of modern theists to discover more such great works :/


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

Interesting that almost everyone responding to this thread so far has been INTP. I would have thought there would have at least been more INTJ's commenting...


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## mnemonicfx (Sep 5, 2010)

INTPs could appreciate classical art or instruments. While I don't know about INTJs, but most religious folks prefer the religious excitement or experience from it.

I never understand those Christian pop/rock music lovers.


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