I sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and felt no guilt.

Since I'm only now getting back to you since Christmas due to pc-related problems, I'm hoping you had a wonderful holiday.

Given my profession and connections to the art and music world, I receive many invitations to concerts, plays and recitals. I received a ticket to a Christmas concert that included many complex and superbly executed holiday-oriented musical pieces. The audience was invited to sing "O Come All Ye Faithful." I stood respectfully but remained mute. Later in the program we were once again invited to sing, this time the piece of the title. I could not help myself. I burst into lusty and robust voice and it felt wonderful!

There's a first time for everything.

Freedom is great!

CoCo Chanteur

O Holy Night is my fave. We sued to sing all these Christian hymns/carols in public school before Supreme Court rulings. I am so grateful that I had that exposure. The first time I sang carols/hymns at midnight mass I cried. It was a giant leap into the world. The church was magnificent. Thousands of people were present. Normally, about 100-150 show up for services. Every space was taken and then some. The New York Fire Department was on hand.

Another cool thing I noted is that this elite NY location was full of not nerdy single people. The bishop esp. welcome those who were newly out of relationships or lost loved ones.

I don't like the silly Santa pop songs.

I'm glad you couldn't help yourself!  Must have felt great.  

Peace CoCo, and I'm glad to have you back here :)

Tammy

Thank you, Band, for that wonderful experience! "O Holy Night" is also my favorite.

It takes a while to get past the mind control, but fully accepting that normal activities and interactions with the world are not inherently evil is liberating.

All the best,

CoCo

Thanks, Tammy! It did feel great.

Take care of yourself.

Love,

CoCo

Good for you. One thing I did when a jw was stand up for the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Placing my hand over my heart, yet never reciting the words. Never saw the urgent need to make a skeptical of myself. Being young and dumb already did that enough.......no need for add ons. ...

Great words, Quentin!

We've all had our dumb moments. I likewise stood for both the pledge and the anthem. I could never understand the convoluted reasoning over the stand-sit-stand-whatever scenario.

Just be respectful!

Take care,

CoCo

Sweet! I also sang many Christmas songs during the holiday season, including that song and many others. I actually sang with my nieces in front of the whole rest of my husband's family (we did mostly the religious ones and Feliz Navidad too lol) and it was totally fun. Christmas night I went with some of my in-laws to a Catholic church (normally I attend a baptist church) and they had beautiful organ music and lots of people singing. I sang Joy To The World =)

It was totally sweet, lilbluekitty! Glad you had fun also. It's a shame we can't share the joy we feel with JW friends and family.

Have a good evening,

CoCo

Thank you CoCo....by the way meant to say "spectacle of myself"....my favorite Christmas music is "Wizards of Winter" by Trans Siberian Orchestra. "Silent Night"[ sans music, voice only ], "Little Drummer Boy" and "Do You Hear What I Hear"

Those are all great tunes, Quentin. Thanks for posting them.

Till later,

CoCo

That is wonderful. We went to our friend's Christmas concert at school and I started crying because of a song that I always felt guilty for enjoying... but not now.

Thanks, Shades, for a cool post - no more guilt, no more fear. There's so much beauty in the world and I fully intend to revel in it.

God bless,

CoCo

There is one drawbook. I sit or stand in amazement at the beauty of the music and the community worshipping. Next, I stop myself and think, I could never do this as a Witness. It must be nice to only know this mode of worship. Next few seconds, I am who I am today and enjoy the scene.

I am who I am today.

Excellent point of view ... what else is there? I never before had thought of an alternative outlook, a genuine world view.

Thanks for sharing, Band.

CoCo

Another thought. I might feel strange or marvel how a person can change their world view but I doubt few sing with theirs hearts as much as I do. I cherish these times. All I was denied as a child. So I appreciate it enough for several lifetimes.

What is so evil about a community coming together to worship? Especially when the service is normative for that culture. The Witnesses are bizarre with their apostate calling. The entire world calls them apostate and loony. If a theocracy is in the works, let me sing tunes to Christ now and die at the big A. It is much nicer to live in a community asking the same questions than to live forever in WTland.

Seriously, I don't know how to put into words the midnight Christmas service. I always arrive early and read so I have a decent seat for the paegentry. People arrive late, seeking shelter from the winter weather. As the space fills, the vibes are so nice. I love that is not all family or all singles but a mixture. There is something about people gathering in a sacred space in the heart of an impersonal, world city that moves the spirit.

Your declaration above is absolutely beautiful, Band.

I long for the day when I can do as you have done. I would love to attend the church where I was christened as a babe - Episcopalian - but, currently, I am enjoined from doing so.

Blessings to you as you embark upon the path of Christian freedom.

CoCo

I might not have gone to a church choir, but I have plenty of Christmas songs I downloaded on purpose.  While I was a witless, I would feel guilt if, after being exposed to a day of Christmas songs at work, a piece would loop through in my head.  Now I simply bring my own, including songs you are not going to hear on the PA system (religious and comedy songs, including Christmas with the Devil which could come up next to something like O Come All Ye Faithful).  And no guilt, either.

And more than that.  I remember while I was out in field circus in December, I would see Christmas decorations everywhere.  I felt that it was bad to even look at them, let alone enjoy them.  If I went to a place and there was a Christmas tree lit up, I would have to stay focused on the discussion because, if I got distracted with the tree, that was "worshiping the sun" and would celebrate Christmas.  (Yet I often got distracted when the Price is Right or Wheel of Fortune came on.)  Now, I am the one that puts them up--often more, and better quality, than what I saw in field circus.  Going from not being able to enjoy them to putting them up so I (and others) can enjoy them--and that includes putting angels and other subtle religious hints along with the general beauty of the decorations themselves.

Bonjour CoCo,

I used to visit retail stores for work and during the holiday season I would catch myself singing x-mas songs after a while...it reminded me how I would have loved to join in when the class sang these songs at school. Some of the songs were nearly acceptable...like gingle bells in French is vive le vent...and except for the "bonne année grand-mère" it was a song about winter fun. Last week I watched the Junior Hockey World Championships and I actually sang O'Canada out loud for the first time in my life...it's amazing how I know all the words in English and French...when after 50 years I can't say the same for "Kingdom Melodies"...