Yoel Arbeitman writes:

>>The greatness of Bach's music need not depend on the message of his texts.

and Don Satz adds:

>Like Yoel, I am a Jewish atheist and don't consider the texts that
>Bach set music to as having any significance to the worth of his music.
>Bach's music would have been great even if he was setting music to vulgar
>rap lyrics.  When I listen to the Passions or Mass in B minor, I sure
>don't start feeling like a Christian nor does my religious quotient
>rise above zero.

A dissenting opinion:

The Passions in particular are so wedded to the central Christian story,
and so clearly derive their expressiveness from that narrative, that I,
also a Jewish agnostic, choose not to listen to them.  For me the glory
of Bach resides in the keyboard music.

Bernard Chasan