Theism v. Atheism in Prog

Tony R wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: Tony R wrote: So far so good. Unfortunately I feel it necessary to intervene with a short message. I dont intend this as a sleight against the people who have posted so far. To potential contributors to this thread: any posts discussing the merits/demerits of atheism/theism will be deleted. The original question is an utterly facile one...it's like asking if people prefer Beethoven or Mozart but only allowing the deaf to reply.... It should be self-evident that our responses are going to be indicative of our beliefs ? Here's a better one: Which do you prefer, chocolate or fish ? (Only those allergic to both chocolate and fish are permitted to respond to ensure fair, balanced and unbiased objectivity) Delete this post at your pleasure Your analogies are facile Mr 5 Posts only. What I dont want is a discussion about the merits of atheism or theism and deliberately antagonistic posts from people like you.

OK Mr 13,515 posts (and counting)

(Quote) "People like me" (unquote) could offer ELP's 'The Only Way' from 'Tarkus' as my favorite treatment of the atheistic side but could not offer an equivalent to the theistic side, as this is precisely because I have an atheist perspective on such matters. It would be both unreasonable and illogical to expect me to be moved by a paen to say, Buddha when I am not a Buddhist ? Yes, I may find the musical content and delivery moving, but as much as I may admire the messenger, the message itself cannot constitute a part of my admiration. This seems very obvious to me but you and others on the forum may have differing perspectives on the matter.

As far as evaluating the merits or otherwise of contributions to a given topic based on the arithmetic sum of their postings, I would be hard pressed to devise a more facile measuring system if I tried.

ExittheLemming wrote: Tony R wrote: So far so good. Unfortunately I feel it necessary to intervene with a short message. I dont intend this as a sleight against the people who have posted so far. To potential contributors to this thread: any posts discussing the merits/demerits of atheism/theism will be deleted. The original question is an utterly facile one...it's like asking if people prefer Beethoven or Mozart but only allowing the deaf to reply.... It should be self-evident that our responses are going to be indicative of our beliefs ? Here's a better one: Which do you prefer, chocolate or fish ? (Only those allergic to both chocolate and fish are permitted to respond to ensure fair, balanced and unbiased objectivity) Delete this post at your pleasure

I don't think that Tony would mind if we discussed why we like the chocolate...just as long as we don't talk about how disgusting and stinky the fish is.

Tony R wrote: So far so good. Unfortunately I feel it necessary to intervene with a short message. I dont intend this as a sleight against the people who have posted so far. To potential contributors to this thread: any posts discussing the merits/demerits of atheism/theism will be deleted.

The original question is an utterly facile one...it's like asking if people prefer Beethoven or Mozart but only allowing the deaf to reply....

It should be self-evident that our responses are going to be indicative of our beliefs ?

Here's a better one:

Which do you prefer, chocolate or fish ?
(Only those allergic to both chocolate and fish are permitted to respond to ensure fair, balanced and unbiased objectivity)

Delete this post at your pleasure

Trademark wrote: "CTTE is as close to a religious experience as you can get since the second coming" UNTIL the second coming.  It hasn't happened yet.  Otherwise a completely true statement.

explodingjosh wrote: fuxi wrote: [QUOTE=keiser willhelm] Its not impossible to make good, religious music but so far no one has. Thats because too many people see the point of religious music to be NOT the music itself but the message, the lyrics. thats why the lyrics so often get in the way. They come before the music which only acts as a context for the message. bleh. Well said. I totally agree, as far as prog is concerned. I can't think of any prog that's determinedly atheist, apart from the well-known AQUALUNG.

Woah, woah, woah. Aqualung wasn't atheist. It was very anti-church and anti-religious, but the song "My God" (well atleast my interp. of, it but I thought the meaning was pretty clear) is about how the church has God locked up in a golden cage, not about how he doesn't exist altogether.
[/QUOTE

OK no more wisecracks about coming again. 

Trademark wrote: "CTTE is as close to a religious experience as you can get since the second coming" UNTIL the second coming.  It hasn't happened yet.  Otherwise a completely true statement.

Trademark wrote: "CTTE is as close to a religious experience as you can get since the second coming" UNTIL the second coming.  It hasn't happened yet.  Otherwise a completely true statement.

Ha ha thanks. i was having trouble wording that.

fuxi wrote: [QUOTE=keiser willhelm] Its not impossible to make good, religious music but so far no one has. Thats because too many people see the point of religious music to be NOT the music itself but the message, the lyrics. thats why the lyrics so often get in the way. They come before the music which only acts as a context for the message. bleh.

Well said. I totally agree, as far as prog is concerned. I can't think of any prog that's determinedly atheist, apart from the well-known AQUALUNG. Something like VDGG, perhaps? QUOTE] In my opinion it's one thing to question the existance of a creator...explore the reasons why we're here as everyone does (VdGG), and to look at the downfalls of organized religion (Aqualung).  Neither of these imply that there is no "god", it's more of attempt to be critical but fair.  As I've said, if an artist can pull it off with class in either direction, then they should be respected and applauded, regardless of philosophical stances.  So...yes, in this case, I think that the music, or the ART, is bigger than the belief.

I would go as far as to say Yes in the early days was a religious band. . . but who knows what the hell that man was writing about. CTTE is as close to a religious experience as you can get since the second coming. there was even a lyrical analysis of CTTE that someone did a while ago that linked religion into the song as an intrinsic part. That organ solo alone is a big nod to bach/church music, bach writing almost exclusively religious music (even if only in theory, i think he said at one point tat everything he did he did to glorify God so. . . he must have peed fountains of gold and turned urinal water to wine. id believe it too, listening to his music) and being well known for his organ skills/composing.