Don Satz wrote:

>Yes, but what do you think would have been on Anna's list?  Don't be
so sure that she wouldn't have any items that might inspire a composer
to churn out a tune or two.  Seriously, I'd wager that Bach could have
written great music to just about any stimuli.

Probaby but the crucial point is that he did not.  He chose the
religious stimuli for most of his works (and even in his keyboard music
some religious symbolism can be found).  No, Bach did not choose "just
about any stimuli", he was a Christian and wrote highly Christian music.
No one is obliged to listen to Bach and feel like a Christian or a
generally religious person but it means to misunderstand Bach to ignore
this simple truth.

Robert