I have Jewish friends who love Christmas carols. As an atheist, I love some Christian Hymns. None more than "It Is Well With My Soul". I often sing it when I am sad.
This video explains the inception of this hymn very well. I only hope that as the Spafford's eventually shared Christ in Jerusalem, their Muslim and Jewish neighbors had fair opportunity to share and witness their cultural traditions, too.
Other hymns that I love:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Blessed Assurance
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
And Can It Be
Now Thank We All Our God
O God Our Help In Ages Past
The Churches One Foundation
Jesus The Very Thought Of Thee
When I sing these songs of Christian praise and desire, I do not do so as a Christian. The images to me are pure metaphor. The result in my mind and heart are no less satisfying than when I did want to believe that there is a god and Christianity's explanation was the correct one.
In some ways, my metamorphosis to metaphor has enabled me to still cherish my past without feeling cheated or embarrassed by my allegiance with other doctrines. It's all part of my search for meaning. I only thank the impersonal nebulous universe that I was born in a post reformation, post enlightenment era in a nation that affords many privileges to even modestly intelligent, landed and correctly born (white male) citizens of this most fragile experiment in what is called "Democracy" as it seeks to expand these unquestioned rights to others. I don't emphasize my homosexuality in moments related to such freedoms of conscience.
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