Entertainment

What Happens at an Atheist Concert?

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

USA Today reported last week that the US Army has approved an atheist-themed concert at Fort Bragg (NC) after a group complained that they had not received the same support as did organizers of an Evangelical event held last year.  Among those  scheduled to appear is Richard Dawkins.  I didn’t know Dawkins was a singer! But then again, I really never gave it a thought.

I wonder: What does an Athiest concert look like? In other words, what would distinguish an Atheist concert from a simply secular concert, or a humanist concert? Do people gather for anything? Or do they just sing and talk about what they don’t believe?

Comedian Steve Martin might give us a hint.  In the video above Martin takes the mic at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz festival and shares what he calls “The entire Atheist hymnal”.  Funny!

Here are the lyrics to Martin’s Athiest Don’t Have No Songs:

Chris­tians have their hymns and pages,
Hava Nag­i­la’s for the Jews,
Bap­tists have the rock of ages,
Athe­ists just sing the blues.

Ro­man­tics play Claire de Lune,
Born agains sing “He is risen,”
But no one ever wrote a tune,
For god­less ex­is­ten­tial­ism.

For Athe­ists there’s no good news. They’ll never sing a song of faith.
In their songs they have a rule: the “he” is al­ways low­er­case.
The “he” is al­ways low­er­case.

Some folks sing a Bach can­ta­ta,
Luther­ans get Christ­mas trees,
Athe­ist songs add up to nada,
But they do have Sun­days free.

Pentecostals sing to heav­en,
Cop­tics have the books of scrolls,
Nu­merol­o­gists can count to seven,
Athe­ists have rock and roll.

For Athe­ists there’s no good news. They’ll never sing a song of faith.
In their songs they have a rule: the “he” is al­ways low­er­case.
The “he” is al­ways low­er­case.

Atheists don’t have no songs.
Chris­tians have their hymns and pages,
Hava Nag­i­la’s for the Jews,
Bap­tists have the rock of ages,
Athe­ists just sing the blues.

Catholics dress up for Mass,
And lis­ten to, Gre­go­ri­an chants.
Athe­ists just take a pass, Watch foot­ball in their un­der­pants.
Watch foot­ball in their un­der­pants.

Atheists don’t have no songs.

The Help

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

Went yesterday with my wife and daughter to see the movie The Help.  While in one sense this film might fall into the category of Chick Flick, it is more than that.  For us it was somewhat nostalgic.  The area of Jackson, Mississippi where this was filmed and set is the same neighborhood where we lived in for three years while I was in seminary – Belhaven.  (Though the story is set 30 years before we got there.)

This film is poignant – both  funny and sad.   Laced with humor throughout, it is a discomforting reminder about oppressive attitudes that prevailed only a generation ago.  Though the tide had turned by the time we had arrived in Jackson, it was not unusual to stumble upon lingering remnants of the past prevailing prejudices.   I suspect they still linger, and not only in Mississippi.  So in that sense this movie is a good reminder of the ugliness and foolishness of bigotry.  Such reminders insulate against a resurgence of bigoted attitudes.

More than just a moral reminder from days of old, this story is a wonderful demonstration of the power of even just a few to bring about social justice and renewal.  In this way, though God is not central to the plot, it is a reflection of the gospel promise to make all things new.

In short, the movie was well worth the extended lunch that took up a portion of my afternoon.  So guys, no need to be turned away because this movie may initially appear to be gender in-apropros.

The Gospel of Mark by Max McLean

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

If you have not seen the Bible brought to life through one of Max McLean‘s performances you have missed out. I first saw him when he came to chapel while I was a student at Reformed Theological Seminary. McLean is an acclaimed thespian who lends his substantial talents to verbatim oral interpretation of Books of the Bible, among other roles.

I learned from Justin Taylor that McLean’s live portrayal of John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark, from the show run last year in the Chicago Theatre District, is now available on DVD.  I also leaned that it is available free online.

Click the chapters and watch McLean bring the Gospel of Mark to life, word-for-word:

Try reading along to dramatize your Devotional time for several days.

Things We Leave Behind

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

There sits Simon foolish and wise
Proudly he’s tending his nets
Jesus calls and the boat drifts away
All that he owns he forgets

More than the nets he abandoned that day
He found that his pride was soon fading away

It’s hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful of taking the tax
Pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call he responded in faith
And followed the light and the way

Leaving the people so puzzled he found
The greed in his heart was no longer around

Every heart needs to be set free
From possessions that press in so tight
Freedom is not found in the things that we own
It’s the power to do what is right

With Jesus our only possession
Giving becomes our delight
We can’t imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives
Worshipping goods we possess
Jesus said lay all your treasures aside
And love God above all the rest

When we say no to the things of the world
We open our hearts to the love of the Lord

Song by:

13 Letters

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

There is no stretch of an imagination that would cause anyone to classify where I live as Urban.  BUT I still appreciate what the folk at Reach Life have developed.

13 Letters is a curriculum designed with Urban Youth in mind.  Taking the substance of the Paul’s letters, this curriculum applies Sound Doctrine to the lives of Urban Youth.  There is also an accompanying HipHop album that serves as a survey of the Pauline Epistles. Listen to the songs:

  1. Romans
  2. 1 Corinthians
  3. 2 Corinthians
  4. Galatians
  5. Ephesians
  6. Philippians
  7. Colossians
  8. 1 Thessalonians
  9. 2 Thessalonians
  10. 1 Timothy
  11. 2 Timothy
  12. Titus
  13. Philemon

Each of these songs is a remarkably faithful and in-depth exposition of the respective letter.  In addition to those songs written to reflect each of the Pauline Epistles, there are a handful of additional songs:

These songs can be purchased or downloaded from Amazon: 13 Letters

Heidelberg Rap

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

Some truths really are stranger than fiction.

The Heidelberg Catechsim is one of the oldest confessional expressions of Faith in use.  Developed in the 16th Century, it is one of the Standards of the Dutch Reformed Tradition. The Dutch Reformed, with their “Mecca” in Grand Rapids, are often caricatured (perhaps unfairly) for their stoicism, stuffiness, and for being sticklers for the old traditions.

But now there is a Rap song celebrating the Heidelberg Catechism.  It’s by a guy named Curtis Allen, aka Voice. Who would have ever thought?

To listen, and to get the background, watch this video:

 

Brian Regan: Little League Baseball

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

This past weekend we had several friends over for lunch after church. Two of the guys, both youth baseball coaches, were laughing and commiserating about the lack of concentration some of their players – Kindergarteners and First Graders – seem to bring to their game.  Brian Regan telling of his days on the diamond came to mind. 

This video of Brian Regan is animated by cartoon sketch.  While Regan’s non-verbals add to his shows, this bit is funny enough even without them.

If you ever coached, played, or just watched Little League, Regan will  crack you up.