Definitely not on the moderate wing of the atheist pops party, but by popular demand thanks unity) - here's some lyrics and a youtube clip of the song:
He sewed his eyes shut because he is afraid to see
He tries to tell me what I put inside of me
Hes got the answers to ease my curiosity
He dreamed up a God and called it christianity
Your God is dead and no one cares
If there is a hell I will see you there
He flexed his muscles to keep his flock of sheep in line
He made a virus that would kill off all the swine
His perfect kingdom of killing, suffering and pain
Demands devotion atrocities done in his name
Your God is dead and no one cares
Drowning in his own hypocrisy
And if there is a hell I will see you there
Burning with your God in humility
Will you die for this?
Nomination Seven Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Born secular
About time we had something approaching alternative country in this list so here's Jenny Lewis doing it with a secular twang. Live performance of the song right here:
Nomination Eight The Shamen - Jesus loves Amerika Psychedelic garage boys who went to love their dance music in their inbetween stage reacting badly against the US religious right. Take it away lads:
Many thanks to Danivon getting in contact with some recommendations for the top of the freethnking pops. One I had certainly missed was "I Aint Superstitious" originally by Willie Dixon but covered by Megadeath, the Rolling Stones and the White Stripes amongst others. Here's a link to the lyrics and here's a live performance of the song by Johnny Thunders:
In the US CNN have just held a two hour special on Democrat presidential hopefuls "talking about their faith". Yes, sounds absolutely ghastly, so I was moderately relieved to read this review of the event by Rev Debra W. Haffner:
"But, parts of this were
troubling. Was it really appropriate for Soledad O'Brien to ask Mr.
Edwards what his greatest sin was? Or Mrs. Clinton how her faith helped
her deal with her husband's infidelity? And how many times could the
CNN pundits and personalities state that abortion and gay issues are
not the only moral issues, yet try to focus on them? (And with Mr.
Edwards "no" on marriage equality and Ms. Clinton's softball answer on
abortion, I'm beginning to feel like the conservative Republicans who
don't think they have a candidate who supports their issues.) But,
more troubling to me is that secular CNN gave two hours to covering a
program primarily aimed at evangelical Christians and implicitly
promoting the idea that personal faith practices are criteria for
judging candidates. Does it matter that Joe Biden prays the rosary each
day or that Hilary Clinton and John Edwards have turned to faith in
their times of great personal trial? Would it matter to our voting if
they did not? Surely I trust that George Bush means it when he says he
prays to God for advice and that Jesus is his favorite philosopher --
but that doesn't mean that I think his decisions and actions are moral
or right for America. "
Can anyone out there provide me with a single shred of evidence that parents want more church schools?
I don't mean the popularity, or otherwise, of existing church schools, but the idea, and the policy which is being implemented at the moment of more church schools.
To get more church schools you either have to build a new church school or you have to convert an existing community school into a church school. So please, supporters of church schools, and those who think it's giving parents what they want, please supply just one study, one piece of evidence that parents want MORE church schools.
I have already blogged the research that found where parents got together to campaign for a new school in their neighbourhood they almost NEVER want that school to be a church school.
Isn't the truth of the matter that the government, and now David Cameron and the Conservatives, aren't giving parents what they want they are just caving in to the selfish interests of the churches?
Nomination Four Ziggy Marley - Love is my religion
Not sure what to make of Ziggy, in interviews he is clearly comfortable with the mysticism of roots reggae, and yet, some of his work gives us a very clear rejection of religion. Take the lyrics to "in the name of god":
"all religion should be wiped out
so that people may just live
what divides us is an illusion
made up by men in their confusion
in the name of god you kill in the name of your god
in the name of god you conquered in the name of your god
in the name of god you hate in the name of your god
in the name of god you boast in the name of your god"
No fence sitting there from Mr Marley Jr. But we're going to nominate another song "love is my religion". As Ziggy signs in this one "bring all the lovers to the fold, cause no one is gonna lose their soul" bang on! It's a great humanistic message of sharing common humanity and rejecting the idea we should divided up into narrow religions and their desire to regulate our emotional lives. Take it away Ziggy in this video where he appears to resist invitations to repent and what looks like a rather fearsome tarot card reader:
Nomination Five: The Hoodoo Gurus - Middle of the land
It is with the greatest of pleasure that the Labour Humanist can nominate a song by Australia's Hoodoo Gurus. The gurus were big in Australia in the 80s and 90s and had wide cult following in Europe and America. In the all their power pop and rock stomp glory this song takes aim at the poison and lies of the TV evangelists. The original recording from the blow your cool album is great. I've found a live version of the song on youtube (below) and here a taste of the lyrics:
"Someday someone will try to confuse you.
They'll say things you want to hear and they'll use you.
I thought we'd live and learn
But some folks seem to yearn
For values unsophisticated.
Those days are dead and gone
I won't wish them back upon
A world that's much more complicated."
First Nominations Here Disclaimer!!! These songs are suggested for their content on a one-off basis. I know it is highly likely that in the hundreds and hundreds of other songs composed by the artists in this list there may be some songs which slightly, or even fully contradict the freethinking sentiments in the song chosen for the list. We also have to accept that the publicly stated beliefs of any single group member or singer may have changed before, during or after the song's publication. This is the nature of life, it changes nothing as each song is chosen on its own merits.
This is a Tokyo sushi bar at about midnight. The camera has been placed on the conveyor belt for the plates. The result is very simple and almost hypnotically watchable:
OK here we go, the first 3 nominations for the coveted prize that is a final place in the Labour Humanist's top 30 songs of freethinking atheism. But, first here is the small print, Criteria for inclusion:
1) Expresses positive affirmation of the non-religious outlook on life and/or favouring reason and humanity over superstition and sectarianism.
2) And/Or has a direct, or indirect, crack at the problems caused in this world, and to indivduals, by religion and superstition.
3) Passes some notional hurdle of quality. Nice lyrics but in a terrible song by someone no-one has ever heard of won't cut the mustard I am afraid.
And here is the very important disclaimer to any passing cyber pedants:
Disclaimer!!! These songs are
suggested for their content on a one-off basis. I know it is highly
likely that in the hundreds and hundreds of other songs composed by the
artists in this list there may be some songs which slightly, or even
fully contradict the freethinking sentiments in the song chosen for the
list. We also have to accept that the publicly stated beliefs of any
single group member or singer may have changed before, during or after
the song's publication. This is the nature of life, it changes nothing
as each song is chosen on its own merits.
Ok with all that out the way, here's the first three nominations:
Nomination One:
The Cardigans: Godspell
So first out of the secular traps come Sweden's The Cardigans with Godspell. It's a grand old rocking, but in a poppy way, number this one, and I think we can see where the band's sentiments lie with these lyrics:
I've heard about a great big swindle I read about it in a book The book flew out the window Was later found by thieves and crooks
And now they're singing hallelujah I'm wondering just what did they find They say "what's it to ya?" Just take a place in line
And wait So I wait I wait And wait And I...
You can listen to a sample of the song by selecting it from this panel below:
Nomination Two:
That Petrol Emotion – Creeping to the cross
Absolutely no sitting on the fence from this belter of a track from That Petrol Emotion (mostly comprised of former members of The Undertones) who hit the creative heights for a while in the late 1980s. I don't know for sure, but in all likelihood this song was inspired as a response of the role of religion in creating sectarian divides in their native Ireland. The chorus is a striking rejection of submitting to the dubious and tainted moral authority of the church:
"And I'd rather be the devil than go creeping to the cross..."
I can't find any copies of the song to embed at the moment, I'll keep on looking, but for now, you can listen to a rather unsatisfactory snippet here via amazon.
Nomination Three
Oasis - Do you know what I mean
Noel Gallagher is once quoted as saying “Anything that disproves God, bring it on”, and in this song the band express their disdain for the outmoded idea of an all-knowing maker..."get up off the floor". Lyrics and video provided for your continued enjoyment:
"I don't really care for what you believe So open up your fist and you will receive The thoughts and the words of every man you'll meet
Get up off the floor of the leaving line No one's ever gonna ever ask you twice Get all the fuss and bring it all home to me
I met my maker, I made him cry And on my shoulder, he asked me why As people won't fly through the storm I said listen up now, we don't even know you're born"
Here's some striking statistics on why Bullingdon Dave and the Conservative Party cannot possibly hope to claim to represent the British people in any meaningful sense.
Around 85% of British children attend a comprehensive school, but only 14% of Conservative MPs attended a comprehensive. Thanks to this Guardian survey we also know:
·Number of Tory MPs: 198 ·Number who attended private school (independent or public): 112 ·Number who attended a grammar: 46 ·Number who attended a comprehensive: 27 ·Number who attended a secondary modern: 2 ·Number who attended an undefined state school: 11 ·Number whose school's status is unknown: 1 ·Number who refused to disclose: 1
So by my calculations that's nearly 80% of Conservative MPs went to a private or grammar school. Cameron's policy on grammars is an embarrassing dog's dinner - no more grammar schools as they are a bad thing, except for areas where there are already grammar schools, in which case more grammar schools will be set up! But then as this survey shows the Tories are so unrepresentative of the British voter how could they ever hope to understand our issues and our priorities?
As an opponent of the handover of our community schools to churches and evangelical car salesmen I can't say I am surprised by this story. The Church of England's head of education Jan Ainsworth has said she wants "intelligent design" to "be part" of science lessons in the 4,600 (and rising) schools they control.
What we should consider and learn from this story is that the churches - although knowing they are constricted by public opinion, the national curriculum, the need to get pupils through exams and the overall regulatory environment - are actively seeking out ways in which they can push their beliefs at pupils during science lessons. They know science blows huge holes through their creation myths and they want to undermine and distort the proper teaching of science in order to promote their own beliefs. They are looking for wriggle room on this one calling into even more question why on Earth we are according them so much trust and responsibility.
Amongst other things I personally object to the arrogance of the churches who are given billions in tax payer's money, and given the honour of managing so many of our schools, but then behave, and indeed talk, as if they these are "their" schools.
"Intelligent Design is not a "way of looking at the evidence". It is a
way of dismissing the evidence, being a mere variant of biblical
creationism. It has no place whatever in courses in the history of
science. An educational administrator who doesn't understand that
should be hounded from her post."
Quite so, churches are not some neutral volunteers who just happen to take an interest in education - they are an organised vested interest who see the ownership and management of our community schools as a means to their ultimate strategic end - recruiting more members for their churches.
"Write down 100 times: Intelligent design is not a theory, it is an
opinion with no supporting evidence and is based on an argument from
ignorance and incredulity."
From the folks who brought you the weekend, a sometimes happy human blogging from the left of centre and keeping it sceptical, freethinking, secular and humanist. Because every reasonable human being should be a moderate socialist – or drinker – or preferably both.
“It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. Carl Sagan.
About Labour
‘The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few. Where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe. And where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.’
The Labour Humanist Group
A Labour Humanist Group exists to spread awareness of humanism and humanists within the Labour Party and to promote humanist and Labour values. Membership of the Group is open to any person, who agrees with the aims of the group and is a member or supporter of the Labour Party, or a member of a group officially affiliated to the Labour Party.
To find out more visit Labour Humanist Group
What is Humanism
Humanism is the belief that we can live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs. Humanists make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values. We seek to make the best of the one life we have by creating meaning and purpose for ourselves. We take responsibility for our actions and work with others for the common good.
About time we had something approaching alternative country in this list so here's Jenny Lewis doing it with a secular twang. Live performance of the song right here:
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