I was perusing the BS threads and noticed the one titled "Can a believer sing Atheist songs" and thought: Can an atheist sing believer songs?

As an atheist, later in life, I often sang "believer" songs to my young son while I rocked him when he was sick (Amazing Grace) or 'He's got the Whole World' we he tagged along while I worked. At the table I taught him to say Grace by reciting "Our Hands We Fold, Our heads we bow, For food and drink We thank Thee now". For fun when he was learning to talk we would sing Who Built The Ark? (Noah, Noah! Talk about a religious song earworm!), Onward Christian Soldiers, Do Lord, and 'I'm In The Lord's Army'. To help keep him from getting into trouble and avoid time-outs, I taught him Jesus Sees Me (…"when I sleep, play, all the time", and I took some lyrical liberties and expanded them to include "Jesus sees me when I'm bad").   Whisper A Prayer was sometimes sung in the evening I would sometimes help him recite the old standard 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep' as a bedtime prayer. I still often think of those good old church hymns, spirituals, and country music "gospel" standards. They will forever be part of my "mental song" repertoire even though I may never sing them again. I must add that the world of music would be much less rich without these songs penned by ecclesiastically inspired lyricists and songwriters.   


I knew and loved all those songs (and many more, especially 'The B-I-B-L-E') as a lad going to Sunday School and church with my Mother and sometimes by myself. I looked forward to singing those "Jesus" songs:
'Jesus Loves The Little Children', 'Jesus Loves Me', and 'Oh, How I Love Jesus', and 'What A Friend We Have In Jesus'. I was baptized a Christian in a Southern Baptist church. I often got attendance pins for not missing any scheduled functions, including choir practice (which I loved), for the whole year.

While in college I began to question my faith partly because of the freethinking atmosphere. My science courses made me wonder how an anthropomorphic God could exist without credible, objective, empirical evidence. I slowly became an agnostic but still wanted to believe after my college graduation and through my tour of duty in the Army during the Viet Nam era. I lost my brother, a fine Green Beret Officer, in Laos and that was the turning point for me.

Even though I consider myself a "strong atheist" I am tolerant of religious belief though I don't see why a belief in the "God Hypothesis" should be necessary. All of my relatives are bible-belt Christians and I respect their beliefs and customs but don't participate in prayer before meals though I stand or sit quietly while other heads are bowed and grace is spoken. My relatives can't understand how I can be the moral person I am with out being a believer. It is very clear to me because I know I am solely responsible for my actions with out guidance from a voice or image "up above" but from a conscience within.

I reason that if humans knew this was their only chance at life (no afterlife) they would treat their fellow man justly based on moral grounds instead of the threat of holy punishment (fire and brimstone) or for reunion with loved ones as a reward for obedience. One would also realize that punishment (including death for serious crimes) would be meted out here and now instead of at the improbable pearly gates. Often you will hear a criminal that is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, (and others that probably got away with murder) say "God and I know I am innocent and he is the only one that can judge me". What bothers me is Christians and other believers think that God will punish the person later and he avoids the real "he can feel" punishment on this earth. He therefore never receives what he deserves and his crimes are forever unavenged while his victims and their families suffer. I also don't see the logic of wasting mental and physical energy asking for holy forgiveness for "sins" committed or sins one might be capable of committing in the future.

The conundrum: I am not sure I would have become the same decent, moral man if I had not been exposed to the Christian teaching as a young boy and young man. So, and to finish the reason I started this thread, an atheist can sing believer songs. The reason I did was to give my son the opportunity to experience many sides of the issue and let him make up his own mind as to the value of believing in a deity or not. He now is a Christian, goes to church, helps out at many ecclesiastical functions, and is a drummer in a church band. He, like his old man did, is asking some of the same questions about the existence of God. I simply tell him my reasoned opinion, to read all he can on the subject, and reach his own researched conclusions. I would prefer he follow the science and reason out the evidence for himself. I told him whatever conclusion he reached that to berate the other view maliciously or with contempt is unjustified. However, I mentioned fringe religions espousing irrational martyrdom and "if you don't believe in Christ the way we do you are going to …" proclamations are radical and deserve complete skepticism and measured criticism. Finally, that the separation of church and state is crucial. As a registered Republican who voted for Mr. Bush, I abhor his preachiness and the omnipresent "may God continue to bless America" valediction after his speeches (especially the day after September 11 were we could use less of those kinds of "continued blessings").

To close, an important lesson I learned from the powerful Scientific Method is "right or wrong, the God hypothesis is untestable". Simply stated, "the concept of God is outside the domain of science and science cannot legitimately say anything about "him".

Ron

Humming "Beyond the sunset, oh blissful morning, when with our…" as I prepare for the night and another beautiful sunrise tomorrow, the first day of winter.