Can you sing gospel without belief 2

Subject: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Jun 01 - 05:30 PM

Created at the request of bbc. Part 1 is here

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: bbc
Date: 21 Jun 01 - 07:36 PM

Thank you, Jon. Whether anyone still has new thoughts to express, I don't know, but it seemed Pt. 1 was getting unwieldy. I was impressed to see that 57 different people had posted. I think it's been a great discussion. Some may want to go over to "The experience of singing gospel" thread instead. Thanks for the thoughts & the tolerance. Turtle & Alex, I appreciated your posts at the end of Pt. 1.

bbc

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Jun 01 - 11:24 PM

Thanks, bbc. I wondered if anybody read it!

Alex

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: flattop
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 01:27 AM

Little Hellraiser wrote in part 1: >> Hell, flattop can do it, and if he can it's my opinion anyone can.

One more crack like that and I'll remove you from my prayer circle list, LH.

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: chip a
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 11:39 AM

Thank you alex for your last post on the previous thread. If I could express myself as well as you do I'd have said the very same things. So, if you don't mind, I'll hop on and just say "me too."

: ) CHIP

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: Turtle
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 12:02 PM

I read your post too, Alex, and I appreciated you being so forthright (in a gentle kinda way). It seems to me that we really don't have any way of *knowing* what the truth is--or maybe "proving" would be a better word. So we all have to go by our inner knowledge and experience of what moves us in our lives, what works for us in terms of giving us that joy and peace and strength bbc was talking about earlier, and in terms of helping us be in right relation to other people around us, and the world. I appreciate the fact that although you believe there is one true way, you find a way to respect those of us who don't. And for that reason, I hereby include you in the great toleration game!

Turtle

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 12:49 PM

Thanks Turtle!

I realized I posted that to the wrong thread -- it should have been under separation of church and state II -- so I re-posted it there.

Alex

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 12:50 PM

Thanks for the kind words, chip a!

Alex

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: radriano
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 03:56 PM

I find that I can not sing gospel. Christianity's message of "It's my way or the highway" is disturbing and most arrogant. I guess I've had too many negative experiences with organized religion. It's true that there are some songs that are spiritual in nature without being religious but Gospel, for me, doesn't fall into that category.

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 05:24 PM

flattop - Ah, good! You saw it. I promise to be good...

- LH

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: Matt_R
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 06:14 PM

What about the question "Can you believe and not sing Gospel"? Personally, I think Gospel in corny. Religious-themed songs, I like. And there are some really good worship songs for church that were written recently. But Gospel to me is always nasal bluegrassy, or cornball "Christian Contemporary," or modern African-American gospel, all of which are those "Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus!" kinds of songs. Give me a good Negro Spiritual, or a Latin Verdi, Bach, Vivaldi, or Berlioz Mass, or religion-related rock song anyday!

--Matt

Subject: RE: Can you sing gospel without belief 2
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 06:44 PM

And here I was beginning to like you, Matt. Just shoot me down.

Alex