A Sceptical I

New Sceptic Anthem?

August 18, 2009

Posted in: Humanism, media, music, scepticism

I have heard it said among sceptics and humanists that, lyrically inspiring as it may be, John Lennon’s Imagine is just wearing a little thin. Surely it’s not the only explicitly secular song out there!

Well, I was thinking about this recently, and at least one possible alternative sprang to mind – Queen’s Innuendo. Hardly one of their better-known tracks, written and released very much toward the end of Freddie Mercury’s life (and therefore never performed live), it is nevertheless one of my favourites. Musically, I would argue it is one of their darkest offerings; lyrically, it certainly raises the right questions…

While we live according to race, colour, or creed…
While we rule by blind madness and pure greed…
Our lives dictated by tradition, superstition, forced religion…
For eons, and on, and on…

[cut]

If there’s a god or any kind of justice under the sky,
If there’s a point, if there’s a reason to live or die,
If there’s an answer to questions we feel bound to ask,
Show yourself, destroy our fears, release your mask!

You can listen to the full track here, on Last.fm.

Like Imagine, it’s not what might be called “militant” in its questioning of religion (and believe me there are plenty of examples of that, particularly in the extreme metal fringes). Instead, it is more of a cross between statement/interpretation of fact (in the earlier verse) and a challenge which is likely to simply provoke thoughts in its audience.

What it lacks, of course, is Lennon’s optimistic utopianism. Perhaps this is what people look for in a humanist anthem, which is why they come up short when looking for alternatives. What do you think? Is there a viable alternative to Imagine somewhere out there, just waiting for the masses to discover it and fall in love?