History Main / LoveIsLikeReligion

* Music/{{HIM}} has a LoveMartyr song titled "The Face of God".

--->''And the heart is hard to translate\\

And prayers and proclamations''

--->''Then bow your head in the house of God''

[[folder:Theater]]
* In ''Theatre/{{Heathers}}'', JD and Veronica sing a song called "Our Love Is God" about destroying what they've known and building everything new with the power of their love.
-->'''JD:''' I worship you.

This interplay can be complicated, since many major religions now and historically have involved suppression of sexuality and supported power structures that make [[MarryForLove Marrying for Love]] almost impossible, especially for women and UsefulNotes/{{LGBT}} people. This means it may overlap with ProtestSong, and using it may reflect a character's CrisisOfFaith--also can be similar to InterplayOfSexAndViolence.

--->''How many a holy and obsequious tear\\
Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye''

---''> ... like prayers divine,\\

Even as when first I hallowed thy fair name.''

--->''O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art\\

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him''

[[folder:Film]]

--->How many a holy and obsequious tear\\
Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye

---> ... like prayers divine,\\

Even as when first I hallowed thy fair name.

[[folder:Theatre]]

--->O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art\\

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him

* Music/FlorenceAndTheMachine's "Big God". According to [[https://genius.com/14821376 Genius]]:
-->Instead of trying to deal with them herself, Florence decided that she personally needed a being both higher and larger than herself--a God--to which to hand these overwhelming feelings, as she was unable to deal with them alone. She hoped it would allow her to reconcile with her loss and fill the hole her partner had left in her life.

This interplay can be complicated, since many major religions now and historically have involved suppression of sexuality and supported power structures that make [[MarryForLove Marrying for Love]] almost impossible, especially for women and UsefulNotes/{{LGBT}} people. This trope can overlap with ProtestSong, and using it may reflect a character's CrisisOfFaith.

-->O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art\\

* Romeo of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' begins his famous "But soft ... " speech comparing Juliet to the sun and moon, and ends by straight up calling her an angel:

* Zig-zagged by Music/{{REM}}'s "Losing My Religion". The music video features religious imagery, although the song itself isn't about religion: it's derived from the Southern expression meaning "Losing one's temper" or "Being at the end of one's rope"; Thus, the song is about unrequited love.

A common {{Motif}}. Sub-trope of BlasphemousPraise; SisterTrope to the non-romantic LikeAGodToMe and NotChristianRock. Compare InLoveWithLove and ConvertingForLove. Common to characters and artists who were RaisedCatholic. Expect lots of ritual-inspired UnusualEuphemism.

A common {{Motif}}. Sub-trope of BlasphemousPraise; SisterTrope to the non-romantic LikeAGodToMe. Compare InLoveWithLove and ConvertingForLove. Common to characters and artists who were RaisedCatholic. Expect lots of ritual-inspired UnusualEuphemism.

* In ''Theatre/{{LesMiserables}}'', there's a line in Epilogue that compares love to "the face of God."
-->'''Fantine:''' Take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation. Take my love, for love is everlasting. And remember the truth that once was spoken, to love another person is to see the face of God.
* In addition to shamelessly flirting with Juliet at the party using religious symbolism (he calls himself her "pilgrim" and kisses her with a "holy" kiss), Romeo of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' begins his famous "But soft ... " speech comparing Juliet to the sun and moon, and ends by straight up calling her an angel:

* Romeo of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' begins his famous "But soft ... " speech comparing Juliet to the sun and moon, and ends by straight up calling her an angel:

A common {{Motif}}. Sub-trope of BlasphemousPraise; SisterTrope to the non-romantic LikeAGodToMe. Compare InLoveWithLove and ConvertingForLove. AngelicBeauty may be invoked, and the work may [[AsTheGoodBookSays quote from the Bible]] or a similar religious text. Common to characters and artists who were RaisedCatholic. Expect lots of ritual-inspired UnusualEuphemism.

** The similar "Holy Ground":

-->The blood, the blood, the blood of the lamb\\

-->If you were church, I'd get on my knees\\

* "Uma Thurman" by Music/FallOutBoy is a [[IntercourseWithYou heavily sexual song]] incorporating much religious imagery, the singer promising to "move mountains", "work a miracle", and "keep you like an oath" and expressing a desire to "confess" to his beloved.

** "Church" is another Music/FallOutBoy example.

* In ''Film/AKnightsTale'', William compares his love for Jocelyn to "the fear, the passion" of being in church.

Compare DivineDate, where the object of affection is literally divine. Contrast HotAsHell, where they're [[{{Satan}} the opposite]].

The inverse of GodIsLoveSongs, Love Is Like a Religion is a trope commonly found in pop songs and other romantic works where religious imagery and terminology are used to talk about love as though it itself were a faith or as though the beloved were a celestial being.

->''I don't need to stare at stained glass and a steeple''
->''I don't need to dress to impress all the people''
->''Don't need no priest, don't need no pew''
->''You are my religion, my religion is you''

--->How many a holy and obsequious tear
--->Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye

---> ... like prayers divine,
--->I must each day say o'er the very same,
--->Counting no old thing old, thou mine, I thine,
--->Even as when first I hallowed thy fair name.

--->I need redemption
--->For sins I can't mention ...
--->I need a little church

--->Every waking moment
--->Yeah, you always bring me to my knees
--->Somehow no one does it better
--->When you fall down and commune with me

-->You made me wanna pray
-->But I think God's fake

-->Baby, I can see your halo
-->You know you're my savin' grace

-->Holy is my ancient queen
-->A primitive kiss ...
-->Salvation in her dark eyes

-->The blood, the blood, the blood of the lamb
-->Is worth two lions but here I am

--->Lay me down at your altar, baby
--->I'm a slave to this love
--->Your electric lips have got me speaking in tongues
--->I have prayed for a power like you

--->And when you're gone
--->I'll tell them my religion's you

--->My body is sanctuary
--->My blood is pure

--->Got no salvation ''(no salvation)''
--->Got no religion ''(my religion is you)''

--->This is gospel for the vagabonds
--->Ne'er-do-wells and insufferable bastards
--->Confessing their apostasies
--->Led away by imperfect impostors

-->If I sign this piece of paper
-->Do I sell my soul along with my duty?

-->You appear without a face
-->Disappear but leave your trace
-->I feel your unseen frown

--->And darling, it was good
--->Never looking down
--->And right there where we stood
--->Was holy ground

-->Ain't no saint without the sinner
-->No relief without the fever
-->So c'mon and cut me deeper, deeper

-->Worship your body as you walk my way
-->You're the only one who can make me pray
-->I fall at your feet, your breath defined
-->And underneath my skin's an intrinsic shrine

-->O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
-->As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,
-->As is a winged messenger of heaven
-->Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes
-->Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him

Indices: {{Motifs}}, MusicTropes, ReligionTropes