What's the worst Christian hymn?

[Smoke]

What's the worst Christian hymn? The one that you just can't believe they put into the hymnal?

Do you think, honestly, that "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is kind of nuts?
Are you bothered by the martial imagery of "Onward, Christian Soldiers"?
Do you think "The Old Rugged Cross" is idolatrous?
That "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder" is unscriptural?
Do you shake your head at Isaac Watts?

Lord, I ascribe it to Thy grace
And not to chance, as others do
That I was born of Christian race
And not a heathen, or a Jew
​

Do you think "Trust and Obey" conveys the wrong message?

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way
While we do His good will
He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey ​

Do you think "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus" is a strange hymn for people who believe in the divinity of Jesus?

Tell me the stories of Jesus
I love to hear
Things I would ask him to tell me
If he were here [!]​

Are you repulsed by the imagery of "There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood"? Or is it the repetition that gets to you?

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel's veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains
Lose all their guilty stains
Lose all their guilty stains
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains
​

Come one, give. What's the hymn that drove you out of Sunday School and into the streets?

 

[Sola'lor]

mmmmm. Not sure I'd have to think of some. There are a few that seem a bit odd on the surface. But aside from that, I LOVE YOUR SIGNATURE!

 

[logician]

Onward Christian soldiers is a catchy tune but is very militaristic - indicative of the evangelistic nature of Christianity which I consider to be a very negative aspect of that religion.

 

[MaddLlama]

I cringe every time I hear "Amazing Grace"

 

[Smoke]

I cringe every time I hear "Amazing Grace"

They played it at my friend Mikey's wake, and I remember thinking, "How inappropriate for an atheist's wake!" In life, Mikey preferred Kid Rock's take on it: "I once was lost, but now I'm just blind."

 

[MaddLlama]

They played it at my friend Mikey's wake, and I remember thinking, "How inappropriate for an atheist's wake!" In life, Mikey preferred Kid Rock's take on it: "I once was lost, but now I'm just blind."

I find the song to be the anthem for people who are happy to wallow in self-pity and low self esteem.

Hey, whatever works..

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I cringe every time I hear "Amazing Grace"

Bravo! I find it so sad that such hauntingly beautiful music should be tainted with those words.

 

[ayani]

I cringe every time I hear "Amazing Grace"

as do i a bit... i've heard it so many times and the waves of prickly self-consciousness kind of distract from listening to the words. it's a lovely hymn, but over-played imo. in its defense i find the last verse to be the most beautiful and the least appreciated.

"Onward Christian Soldiers" always makes me bristle. same complains as Logician on this one.

also, "God Said to Noah" needs to be blotted out from human memory.

 

[doppelganger]

Those are all awful, but of the one's that are still regularly sung (setting aside the likes of the Isaac Watts hymn), "Amazing Grace" is the most grating.

 

[madhatter85]

there's a few that i just don't get, some that just sound obnoxious.

As for myself i Love hearing and/or singing Battle Hymn of the Republic, and other miitaristic, Charismatic, and profound well-spoken and strongly Sung songs.

 

[Mister Emu]

I sing Amazing Grace just about every time I think about it

I honestly don't know by memory many hymns... and none that come to mind are bad

 

[Aqualung]

I hate all christmas songs. The fact that they are played for two months straight in every department store and office building in america has really ruined them for me.

 

[doppelganger]

I hate all christmas songs. The fact that they are played for two months straight in every department store and office building in america has really ruined them for me.

There are several I still really look forward to. Particularly "Oh Holy Night" "Carol of the Bells" and "Song For A Winter's Night."

 

[Aqualung]

There are several I still really look forward to. Particularly "Oh Holy Night" "Carol of the Bells" and "Song For A Winter's Night."

Yeah, "Oh, Holy Night" is a good one. I had forgotten about it.

 

[Booko]

I cringe every time I hear "Amazing Grace"

My thoughts exactly. I have strict orders out to all my friends and family members that if "Amazing Grace" is to be heard at my funeral, it had darned well better be on a bagpipe.

I'm not so fond of "Washed by the Blood of the Lamb."

Honestly, it sounds like a title for a horror flick. :cover:

 

[Nanda]

I hate all christmas songs. The fact that they are played for two months straight in every department store and office building in america has really ruined them for me.

He he he... I love Christmas songs. In fact, the only one I hate is the one about the shoes.

 

[Bishka]

He he he... I love Christmas songs. In fact, the only one I hate is the one about the shoes.

Shoes?

 

[jonny]

I love the song but hate singing "I believe in Christ" because it's sooooooooooooooooooo long. I swear the composer tricked people into singing eight verses every time by turning eight into four.

I'm not a fan of "Amazing Grace" either.

 

[Aqualung]

I love the song but hate singing "I believe in Christ" because it's sooooooooooooooooooo long. I swear the composer tricked people into singing eight verses every time by turning eight into four.

YES! Not only is it long, but it's slow, so that drags it out to like two hours. Fine maybe not that long, but it feels like it.

 

[BruceDLimber]

I don't know which hymn is the worst one, but I still remember, many decades later, the lady who always sat directly behind us and who, on those rare occasions when we sang "Rock of Ages," would always do the more horrible (and very loud!) downward slide possible on the fourth word:

"Rock of Ages, cle
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
eft for me!"

I'm still traumatized half a century later.

Bruce