We lit out first candle in church this morning. I like Advent. Anticipation, preparation, waiting. Amen.

I love Advent Music.

After December 25 it's like a big letdown, even though that's when Christmas starts.

I like going to Evensong at St Thomas on Fifth Avenue during the 12 days of Christmas because they sing carols you miss at mass.

It was designed by the same architect that built the parish church I grew up in.

http://www.csvf.org/

But I despise religion.

But one cannot separate religion from the cultural influences it has had and the inspiration it has had on the arts throughout the centuries.

The question is. Would Bach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, Mozart, and all the other artisans throughout history have had their influence without religion?

My answer is yes. The only reason why many of them were patrons of the church is that the church had money, and a willingness to sponsor art.

The next time you go to Washington, DC, take a tour of the Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress. There you will see astounding awe-inspiring art which has no religious underpinnings, equal to any cathedral exalting a god, except the god of knowledge and learning. It is an unforgettable tour and one which puts into perspective the principles on which the USA was founded.

Here are some small samples:






This is a cathedral of learning, not of ideology. The pictures here do not begin to portray what one can see within this institution, either visually or intellectually.

That is how Thomas Jefferson would have wanted it. And that is why people leave the tour with awe and inspiration.

As I said, it is one of the best DC tours. It certainly is the most inspiring.

on edit: And yes! I also confess to be a pillar biter. I love cathedrals. My favorite is St. John the Divine in New York City. When I lived there, I would go to St. John's on Sunday afternoon to hear the organist practice and kick the dust out of the pipes. There was a lot of Bach, and Cesar Frank, and an occasional modern work. I would take a book with me and read. It was like heaven as the music washed over me while I read. (Not that I believe in heaven.)

Even atheists can have numinous experiences. We just recognize that they come from within, not from without. That's the most important thing a person can learn, I think. It does not diminish the feeling when one understands it.

Don't get me started about Mozart operas!

Unfortunately, it's not on the main tour. I've been to the White House twice, certainly wonderful both times. I've been to the Congress once, a long time ago (want to do that one again). The National Archive tour is great. The Smithsonian... Well, one could spend all ones time in DC there. And the monuments are all great. (I especially love the FDR.)

But the fucking Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress just blows my mind. It is what every cathedral in the world expresses, except that it is like our Constitution. There are no gods there, only learning.

When one first turns the corner into the main hall and gets a glimpse of what lies ahead, one thinks... OMFG! What is this about? Bernini or Michelangelo could not have expressed it better.

The best DC tour!

In terms of favorites, I'm torn between the Kaiserdom in Aachen and the Hohe Domkirche St. Petrus in Cologne. The former is a Romanesque masterpiece littered with artifacts supplied by a few more-than-notable Holy Roman Emperors--like Charlemagne and Frederick Barbarossa--while the latter is probably the greatest example of medieval Gothic architecture in Germany.

As for Mozart... I can appreciate the man's genius, and I do enjoy his music, but I prefer Bach for his technical skill and Beethoven for his feeling.

But Bach did not do opera, and Beethoven only did one (and wonderful it is).

Mozart cranked out an astounding number of them in his short life. There is nothing quite like Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro in the rest of the literature. But I would say the same of Bach and Beethoven. They are all very special in their own way.

I love it all. Even Alban Berg.

...though I was raised with classical music, I never really got into opera until recently. A few months ago, I saw a BBC broadcast of Tosca and rather enjoyed it.

I have had the great fortune to see a few operas in magnificent settings. When a student in NYC, they had seats for students at the MET where you could bring your libretto and follow along. Simply magical.

And I saw Madame Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House.

I've been smitten every since.