Wait - is someone who doesn't believe in Christianity automatically someone who doesn't believe in God?

There is a difference...

My $0.02:

When I sing "Let us break bread together" I am singing from the viewpoint of one who has faith in God (and Goddess, btw, but that isn't really relevant). I do not have faith in the Church, as I find it hampers my connection to God rather than helping me connect to that Sacredness. (But that's just me.)

Many American Spirituals express a longing for freedom. I have heard that "crossing the River Jordan" is a metaphor for freedom found in death. It doesn't take a Christian to understand that. If you have ever been oppressed, and thought that the only way out was death, then you know what those songs are about. At least they had a heaven to look forward to, where ALL would count as one in love of God, and the colour of their skin (or the state of their bank accounts) wouldn't matter. Even if you can only *imagine* what that would feel like, you know what those songs are about.

Spirituality is universal. Yes, it helps to know where the particular religion's songs are coming from - but I am as comfortable expressing the Sacred in Christian Gospel as in "Om Namah Shivaya", a song dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva. And I'm not Hindu, either. (And I don't even understand the words!)

And when I sang "Amazing Grace" as my first EVER solo, in a Church, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I'm not even baptized, but I KNOW what it's like to be blind and then to see...

Maybe so-called "unbelievers" merely believe in something else? Or maybe they merely NAME it something else? Or maybe it only has different adornments than what you are used to in your own religios tradition?

But, that has nothing to do with music. Spirituality can come through music, but if something feels good to sing, then sing it! If it's a spiritual song, and you don't believe in that Tradition's God or whatever, consider it an exercise in religious tolerance. Sort of like playing both team's National anthems in sports.

At the end, we are all part of that which is.