“His mind is not for rent,
To any God or government…”
In fact, a lot of Rush songs are agnostic in bent. They were followers of Ayn Rand at one point, and she hated, hated, hated religion. The second side of “Moving Pictures” has a song that’s just a picture of fear and hatred caused by superstition and mass paranoia.
Did I miss it or has no one mentioned Randy Newman’s “God’s Song?”
Also his (lesser known) “He Gives Us All His Love,” which a casual listener could even think is pro-religion.
And my wife would argue that “From a Distance” is skeptical.
Patti Smith’s “Horses”. At the end she says “Jesus died for somebody’s sins…but not mine”
“Plastic Jesus”…(sitting on the dashboard of my car…surely you remember that one?)
There are 2 parodies of old timey hymns which fit:
“Pie in the Sky” is a parody of “In the Sweet By and By”. Very critical of hypocritical religious leaders, I think.
There is also a parody of “Gimme that old time religion” which lists druidism as one of those old-time religions. The original and parody lyrics are all be in the “Sing Out” group singing song book…can’t remember the book’s actual title, but it’s really good. Check their web site or local library, I guess.
By the way, Malvina Reynolds wrote songs with a skeptical tone.
And to those who mentioned Tom Lehrer, isn’t he great? Deserves a revival, I think.
I’ve been a Tom Lehrer fan since before I knew what most of his songs meant, thanks to my parents! But onto my song–“Tomorrow, Wendy” by Concrete Blonde
I told the priest
Don’t count on any second coming
God got his ass kicked
The first time he came down here slumming
He had the balls to come
The gall to die and then forgive us
No, I don’t wonder why
I wonder what he thought it would get us.