For all you lurking conservative Godsters...I'm an atheist, yet I enjoy Gospel and Christmas carols.

[AlbertCat]

13. Atheist since about the 6th grade....I listen to Bach every day

Literally every day. I love Bach.

And his best stuff are the Cantatas.... written (mostly) for church services and church functions.

So I listen to a lot of church music.

I once did a little personal study of musical settings of the Mass. I was interested in how it changed musically over time, and even within the same composers' oeuvre. ( I can recite the mass in Latin now)

But none of this outpouring of faith and beauty has ever made me "credo in unum Deum." (Though I think the music is sometimes (not always) effected by the subject matter.)

I like Indian religious music too.

And, since it's the season, if you like "Messiah"... check out Handel's 'Chandos Anthems". These are amazing "little Messiahs", (only about 20 to 30 minutes each, "Messiah"? 3 hours, and not about Christmas, but then neither is 2/3rds of "Messiah&quot psalms sung in English. Full of great instrumental intros, choruses and arias. I like this recording:

http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Chandos-Complete-George-Frideric/dp/B000000A5J/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1387142853&sr=1-1&keywords=handel+chandos+anthems

Here's a sample... from #6, "As Pants the Hart..." the amazing duet "Why so full of grief, O my soul?"

Anyway....

Remember! Listen to every kind of music you can! at least once.