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Music Monday: Dear God, by XTC (and covered by Sarah McLachlan)

Posted by John on March 24th, 2008 at 9:58 pm · 7 Comments

One of my old atheist standbys:

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I was delighted to learn later that Sarah McLachlan covered it (sorry, good music, sucky visuals):

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Any preferences?  I like ‘em both, for different reasons.

Tags: Music Monday

7 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Lessie // Mar 25, 2008 at 7:02 am

    Well, the imagery in XTC’s was certainly much better, but I think I liked Sarah McLachlan’s rendition better. These remind me of a country song I heard after taking my first philosophy class and then coming home for the summer (except it’s less angry and they ultimately come out still believing). But anyway, here’s a link to it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
    6klJN_086Cc. The reason the song stuck with me is because it’s so uncharacteristic of country music fare. I don’t listen to that kind of music any more, but that one song still strikes me as pretty good.

    Also, I enjoyed hearing Sarah McLachlan do something a little less tame than what one hears from her on the radio. It was neat to hear so much passion and determination coming from her.

  • 2 Green Oasis » God’s Away on Business // Mar 25, 2008 at 9:54 am

    [...] (music videos via mind on fire) [...]

  • 3 Raquel // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:36 am

    i love this song! it reminds me of “losing my religion” by R.E. M. One of my BYU art professors transformed the HFAC with an installation he titled “Losing my Religion”. He put in a three-story tall wire cage with real birds inside pooping all over the floor, and showing the deaths of three personages. I was surprised that no one in the adminsitration “got it”. (probably because there were no nudes so they didn’t pay attention). Well, that was the last show my prof had before he retired (and became a free bird!)

    Also, John, have you seen Ashley Sander’s blog http://www.projectdeseret.com? I think you’d really enjoy reading her journey. I don’t think she’ll be writing for Sunstone anymore as she just got hired by Ralph Nader.

  • 4 wren // Mar 25, 2008 at 1:20 pm

    I created a blog response which highlights another form of talking to god, this time from an author who used poetry.

    Beyond that, I like the song because it carries the anger and frustration that I think can only come from having once believed. True, there is a frustration in seeing the stoopid things believers do but there’s a whole tenor to it when you once believed yourself. I sense that in this song.

  • 5 xJane // Mar 25, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    ah, it still brings tears to my eyes. I discovered this long after I went through it, but it still brings the pain and anger back to the surface. What I love most about this is the paradox: “Dear God, I don’t believe in…You.” I’ve been there, as have probably most of us here at MoF, and yet it’s one of the paradoxes religionists can’t seem to get around.

    I’ve always liked Sarah McLachlan’s version better: she seems angrier. But I also always really liked the child at the beginning and the end of XTC’s. So yeah: both for different reasons :-p

    Lessie: there’re actually a lot of country songs that grapple similarly to Just a Few Questions. Everyone always seems to end up Christian in them, tho. Thank you for the link :)

    Wren: great poem. I like the issues it raises, lol

  • 6 lisa delay // Mar 27, 2008 at 12:22 pm

    Why would somebody be angry at someone who doesn’t exist. Just so silly.

  • 7 xJane // Mar 27, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    hehe, that’s the paradox, lisa ;)

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