Religious music for less than devout

If God created camels He has a sense of humor. Perhaps camels also say that about us.

If God exemplifies the perfection of all virtues, and a healthy sense of humor is a virtue, then ...
Among any groups of monastics or religious I would say look for the always happy and chipper. If the group is always glum run the other way. In my Irish tribe those not picked on (in a nice way) are considered neglected. It is how one develops a sense of humor and humility.

I had a youngish teacher in mid school, she assumed in the mid to late 60’s we listened to folk music like she did. When I told her about Carlos Santana, Cream, Jefferson Airplane and Grateful dead she was horrified.

I did learn to like folk music, only much later in life, the pre-electric Bob Dylan. Odetta, Richie Havens, Harry Belafonte, Carolyn Hester, Barbara Dane, the Big Three, Joan Baez all sport some musical chops and are well represented in my musical library. And many of them had religious music in their act. Speaking of which Cat Stevens "Morning has Broken" is recommended.

@n80 Thank you for jumping in, I had wondered if I had murdered the thread.

"Poor Imitation of God" John Hiatt

Jazz music.

"Requiem" by Hector Berlioz.  Normally the Verdi and Mozart Requiems are most often heard and performed but the Berlioz is simply outstanding.  One might even say this was one of the first adventures in surround sound!  The work is scored for a very large orchestra. Berlioz positioned brass instruments in the corners of the cathedral to give an open, grand, and otherworldly effect.  Stunning on a nice sound system. Honorable mention should also be given to the B Minor Mass by J.S. Bach.    

@jafant : "Jazz music."

How so? I've been listening to jazz intensely for the last few weeks being new to it and trying to figure out what its all about. I'm most of the way through Ken Burns' documentary.

Outside of some gospel influence I am not seeing a religious trend through the whole genre.

Maybe listening to jazz is a "religious experience" for some. It isn't for me, yet, but I think plenty of people might feel that way. But, that could be extended to almost any experience that is intense or pleasing enough even if the nature and content of the experience aren't religious.

Or maybe the existence of jazz suggests the existence of something higher than us???