Oh Come, Let Ye Faithless Have Their Carols

Why do non-believers go to carol services? Because we like the music. You don't have to believe that the Herald angels sang Hark to love the greatness and exalt at the joyousness of the carol any more than you have drink at the breast of nature to be allowed into a performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

 

Even the most hardline atheist will admit that Christianity got the music right. Our lives would be impoverished had the churches not commissioned or inspired Mozart's Exsultate, Jubilate, Bach's Zion Zion Hört from Wachet Auf, Rachmaninov's Vespers, Durufle's Requiem and much else. But enjoying belting out Oh Come All Ye Faithful should not be conditional on believing that lo, he abhorred not the virgin's womb. Or that said virgin was impregnated by an archangel, a winged man from the divine ministry of the sort that appears on farms to service bulling cows, and agree that the result of this pregnancy was destined to be crucified for the sins committed by sinners as yet unborn.

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