this before, but sums up all those tele evangelists

I really don't care as long as it is good and not in my face. "Fear the Reaper" great song.

Interesting post. I've thought about this for years. My take in being into music as a musician and songwriter is separating the music from the lyrics. A lot of traditional Xmas songs have very strong memorable melodies which make them enjoyable to listen to. That's why they last so long. Other songs like 'My Sweet Lord', 'Day By Day', 'Spirit In The Sky', 'O Happy Day', 'Let It Be'. I enjoy the performance, or the music itself, and can disregard the lyrical messages I don't believe in.

I regularly perform in churches during the service so I have to sit through the whole thing, in front of everyone. Despite that peer pressure, I don't repeat the passages they repeat because I feel that it is self indoctrination. I don't have any trouble singing the songs. Those are just lyrics. Strange eh?

Those songs are mostly popular pseudo religious references, not really preachy.

I'm glad you asked that question. I have a decades-old problem with Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky". Since the first time I heard it to this very day, I can't decide if it's supposed to be sincere or if it's very subtle sarcasm. This is the line that started me wondering: "never been a sinner, I never sinned, I've got a friend in Jesus".

Though I don't believe it, I have made a point of understanding Christian doctrine, and anyone who understands even the most essential elements of Christianity can tell you whoever wrote those lines, presumably Norman Greenbaum, doesn't understand anything about Christianity. That's why I wonder if it's a put-on.