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What is a particular creative piece -- a work of art, a book, a movie, a song, a performance, anything -- that has a religious theme or overtones, and yet you can't help but like it or even love it?

I'm thinking of this because on Easter Sunday there will be a live broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar with a pretty cool cast. Being raised Jewish and being an agnostic, one would think I'd get myself far away from this. But this show has one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best scores and awesome songs, I've liked it for years, and I'm very much looking forward to the broadcast.

bleurowz 8 Mar 18
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63 comments (26 - 50)

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1

Gulliver's Travels. It only pretends to have religious overtones, but Jonathan Swift was actually writing brutal social satire.

1

I still enjoy Madeleine L'Engle's books, and Christianity was important. Same with Shakespeare, not to mention CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.

Music by the Cruxshadows, who regularly use religious references as a shortcut in their music. Old music written by Hildegard von Bingen in the Medieval era.

For that matter, the reboot of Battlestar Galactica had a lot of religion in it, especially the two season spinoff Caprica (which I don't like). Babylon 5 had a lot of religious references as well.

1

There are many things with religious notions that I enjoy being it music, films even some of my favorite comic books have some basis in religion

1

I don’t have that problem.

10

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen always gets to me.

2

Johanne Brahms Germanic Requiem

4

A Love Supreme - John Coltrane

2
Jnei Level 8 Mar 18, 2018
13

"Let It Be" by the Beatles

2

Paradise Lost, The divine comedy, and of course Don Quixote

1

I like this mildly anti-abortion song. Despite some lyrics rubbing me wrong, it makes some valid points and is gorgeous.

1

This is the best!

2

There's a lot of magnificent music - Ave Maria, Jerusalem (and did those feet in ancient times...), Hallelujah (Cohen), the list is endless. So many composers were brought up in religious states, that's where their talents had to be directed in order to gain favor and ear a crust.

1

Plenty of people have already mentioned Hallelujah and Let It Be. I also really like the Prince of Egypt.

1

One of my favorite books is "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov which takes place in both early 20th centu ry Moscow and the days leading up to the crucifixion. Great book - Satan is actually portrayed as a protagonist... Pontius Pilate is a hypochondriac and Jesus is sort of awkward.

Another is "Lamb" by Christopher Moore - funny retelling of the life of Christ from the viewpoint of his childhood BFF, Biff.

2

tHE Pieta

2

The Recordare from Mozart's Requiem. Although it's a plea for Jesus' mercy on judgement day, it is so earnest and stunningly gorgeous. It also is a work of complete technical and expressive mastery.

1

Why me Lord by Kris Kristofferson. You will have to watch the You Tube version where he explains how he came to write the song.
I don't care if it rains or freezes from the movie Cool Hand Luke. Don Imus use to have if as his theme song for his radio show in the 70's. Imagine by the Beatles and 'This Train' by the Band.

1

A lot of Beethoven, for example. A Love Supreme by Coltrane. 10,000 Days by Tool. A lot of churches have amazing architecture.

5

I love the songs "Hallelujah" and "Amazing Grace".

1

Saint Matthew's Passion, and all J.S. Bach music. It truly makes me feel that there is a divine spirit who inspired his music.

3

Dogma. Even though it is completely ridiculous I much enjoyed it.
Life the Universe and Everything bookset. Though really only touching on any religion very marginally.
Exorcist - because holyshitOMG...nononono

1

Not into the myth either but it does explore human traits and longings and failings more than most things about the character.

More relateable than the perfect boy/man/god who never ever sinned or had sex.

2

Schubert's Ave Maria.

1

Love this song. But the singer refers to "him", a veiled reference to Jesus I'm pretty certain, as he eventually became born again. The lines between 2:50-3:09 show great humanity & warmth.

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