While contemplating why we, as humans, have a desire for religion, I couldn't help but think that we also have an overwhelming desire for music. Like religion, music plays a part in almost every culture. Only a few religious sects deny themselves music, and these same masochistic cults also often deny themselves other pleasures, like sex and comfort. 

  So, it would seem that humans have a need for music just as strong as we have a need for religion. The need for music seems to be a natural and universal need. As Deists, we have a natural religion. Do we also have a reasoning natural need for music? And if so, what is the reasoning behind our love for music?  Does nature play music for us? Why is religion and music so often tied together?  Do Deists have less of a need for music than those following revealed religions do, or do we have more of a need for music? I will attempt to answer these questions.

  What possible reasons do we have for loving music? And are those reasons logical? I would submit, that the vibrations that we feel and the emotions that those vibrations cause, gives us a natural high feeling. In other words, music causes chemical changes in our brains, making us feel and think differently. We become desirous of the feelings that music causes us to feel. This seems logical to me, as long as we recognize the effect that music has on our feelings. To feel better is just a logical thing for a human to want. And to find a way that is natural for us to feel better is a logical reasoned response to the trials we go through in life. By reducing stress, which music can do, we are being logical, as stress can literally kill us. To survive, and to find ways to do so, is a very logical, reasonable thing to do. So, we must conclude that listening to, or making music is a reasonable and logical endeavor for us.

  Some may argue that there is music that is depressing, so what good does it do? We may not like being depressed, but it can be good for us. Depression, as long as it doesn't last too long, can be of value to the human species and to individuals in particular. Being depressed can cause us to seek, and get, some much-needed rest. Depression can help us to perceive things differently, so as to broaden our horizons and suggest different solutions to problems. It can help us to "walk in the other man's moccasins" which gives humans the advantage of being more cooperative as a species. 

  So, although we may not like it, we need some depression. Which is something that many revealed religions do not recognize. As Deists, we can accept that our bodies need a little depression from time to time, in order to restore chemical balances. We as Deists can, and most of us probably do it without conscious thought, seek out and listen to depressing music. By understanding why we are doing this, we can heighten the beneficial effects for ourselves. Those following revealed religions have trouble doing what is natural for them to do, because of the doctrines that prescribe what type of music they can listen to. Also, they have the problem of trying to justify their following of their religion, by supposedly always being happy and or content. This is not a natural thing for humans. We should be depressed sometimes and sometimes we should not be content. The world warrants that we have to be adaptable. Being content is not generally conducive to being adaptable. 

  Which brings us to the positive aspects of music that encourages violence. No, I have not lost my marbles. Nor, am I advocating violence.  What I am trying to do, is to reason logically why music which encourages violence is a desirable thing for humans. As all parents of teenagers know, teenagers tend to like music that parents don't like. This is often an unconscious attempt at rebellion against the authority of adults. Which is, as much as we may not like it, a desirable thing for the species. Teenagers are in a position of wanting freedom, and needing security. In the not to distant past, teenagers would get thrown out of their family's cave, for behaving as most of our teenagers do today. This helped the propagation of a family's gene pool outside of the immediate family. Thus, helping the species by spreading different genetic characteristics.

  Martial music has been around for almost as long as groups have formed to fight other groups. The music was picked to help the combatants feel brave and to help put fear in the enemies combatants. While war is not seen as a desirable thing, quite the opposite, it seems to have been necessary to help ensure that the gene pools of some would become dominate. This in turn helped to keep a community together, as a community that couldn't or wouldn't cooperate, was an easy target for those communities that did work well together. I'm not sure, but I think that martial music, may also help young people get rid of some of their pent-up emotions. Teenagers, and those that don't seem to mature past their teenage self, need some way to get their pent-up emotions out. For many, it is athletics that are used as way that they get rid of pent-up feelings of hostility. For others, it is music. 

  Can we as Deists, find music in nature? Well, of course we can! Why do you think so many people flock to waterfalls? Yes, they are beautiful to behold, but don't we enjoy the sound just as much? Many people enjoy storms. Not that we enjoy the cold or the wind of a strong storm, but the sounds of the storm. How often have we listened to the ruffling of leaves in a gentle wind? Don't bird watchers study and enjoy the "songs" that birds perform? In short, yes, nature does provide us with music.

  It is my uneducated opinion, that the music in nature, is why music and religion get tied together. By simulating the pleasing sounds of nature, we feel better.  Religion for those that follow, rather than lead, is used by the followers to become more content. By using music to stir our emotions, religious leaders can exert more emotional power over their followers. Using the natural effects of music just makes sense for anyone trying to lead others. As mentioned previously, music was a big part of leading groups into battle. As generals use music to influence others, so do the religious leaders. So, although the followers use music for one reason, the leaders of the revealed religions use it for another. Either way, music is going to be used by the revealed religions. 

  Do Deists have more or less of a need for music than the revealed religions? I think that it all equals out. As Deists, we don't need music to influence others or to reinforce our religious indoctrination, but we do have the need to explore and understand nature's use of music. Deists, as a general rule, like music for music's sake. Not for its' ability to stir others to do our bidding. We don't have songs of praise and begging to our God. Just songs that make us feel the way we want to feel. As there are logical reasons for Deists to listen to, or make music, then we have an individual need for music. 

  In summary, Deists should recognize the influences that music has on our culture and ourselves, then just enjoy the hell out of it.